Tottenham v Sheffield United player ratings: Gareth Bale a perfect 10, Serge Aurier 9; Oliver Norwood 7, Rhian Brewster 4

Bale hat-trick in 4-0 win reignites Spurs' top-four hopes

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  TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris, 7 – Had barely anything to do in a contest where his first involvement was holding onto a low McGoldrick cross, which he did with ease, although he showed good hands to clutch onto a powerful strike from Norwood. A clean sheet though, and that’s ultimately all that counts. Reuters

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  Serge Aurier, 9 - Showed good strength to maneuver Stevens out of the way after the Ivorian had originally given the Sheffield United man far too much space. He later picked out the run of Bale for the opener with an excellent scooped ball over the top, before teeing up the same man again with a perfectly-weighted lay-off. EPA

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  Eric Dier, 6 - Had to survive a handful of rare attacks, but he won’t have had many easier outings all season and even when the visitors were at their best, they never really looked like breaching the Spurs backline. EPA

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  Toby Alderweireld, 7 - Looked to have crafted a second Spurs goal with direct but classy ball over the top to unleash Son who made no mistake, but the South Korea man had gone a fraction early and the Belgian’s assist was quickly wiped from the record books. EPA

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  Sergio Reguilon, 7 – The energetic full-back has impressed with some bright attacking play this campaign and he almost created the opener with a pinpoint ball over the top that was pursued by Lo Celso, before teeing up Kane who for once failed to hit the target. Reuters

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  Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 7 - Fine margins. The Dane was twice inches away from producing a sublime pass in behind as he looked to capitalise on another Baldock error followed by a fizzed delivery out to Aurier on the right that just skipped out of play. A commanding display in the middle. EPA

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  Gareth Bale, 10 - Had Basham scrambling as he tidily cut inside following an energetic burst down the line, only to fire comfortably over on his favoured left foot, but he made his next chance count as he lifted beyond Ramsdale after good work from Aurier. Twice blasted emphatically beyond the helpless goalkeeper after the break to seal a blistering hat-trick - and a first in the Premier League since 2012. AFP

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  Giovani Lo Celso, 6 - did brilliantly to get beyond Baldock early on but Ramsale produced an excellent stop, although the midfielder will feel he should have done better. Replaced for the final stages and could be seen clutching a gigantic bag of ice to the side of his head. EPA

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  Dele Alli, 8 - A spirited start from the midfielder who produced a couple of surging runs and it took a vital intervention from Egan to keep him at bay early on. His off-the-ball movement was pretty good too, and he frequently created an abundance of space for his teammates to attack. Reuters

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  Son Heung-min 9 - Became the third man to test Ramsdale with a sweetly-struck effort that seemed destined for the bottom corner but the goalkeeper did well to get a hand to it. Thought he’d doubled his side’s lead when he crashed beyond the latter, but VAR spoiled the party once again. To his credit, the South Korea star refused to relent and another burst of space saw him tee up Bale to seal the three points before he finally got the goal he deserved with a delicious, curling effort into the far corner. EPA

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  Harry Kane, 7 - Lively, but not at his clinical best. He will have been disappointed to fire straight at Ramsdale’s legs when clean through but the offside flag spared his blushes. Sent Bale on his way with a lovely ball around the corner before Basham cleared off the line after the England forward had beautifully jinked past Baldock, and that was the story of his night as chances continued to go begging in the second half. AFP

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  SUB: MF Harry Winks, 6 - Replaced Lo Celso for the final twenty minutes with Spurs in cruise control. Found the run of Reguilon with a clever pass in behind but the full-backs touch was loose. EPA

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  SUB: Erik Lamela, NR - Replaced Alli in the second-half but Spurs were already home and hosed by that point. Reuters

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  SUB: Steven Bergwijn, NR - Replaced hat-trick hero Bale late on and assisted Son to put the icing on the cake. Reuters

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  BOURNEMOUTH RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale, 6 – It’s been a long season for the Blades’ keeper but he produced a handful of big saves to thwart Kane - who had drifted offside anyway - and Lo Celso, before denying Son with a strong right hand to paw the ball away to safety. Comfortably beaten by four excellent finishes. AFP

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  John Egan, 4 - The Blades skipper was in the right place to intervene as Alli started brightly, but beyond that it was a long night and it would have been even worse had Spurs been less wasteful. EPA

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  Chris Basham, 5 - A surprise package in many ways, Basham has very much been at the centre of the Blades’ rise from League One to Premier League, but he was given a torrid time by a Spurs side that played with real intensity from the off. Positioned himself well to clear off the line and keep the Blades level, much to the frustration of Kane, but things only got worse from there. EPA

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  Enda Stevens, 4 - Did well to knock an early whipped cross from the right-back into a dangerous area but Spurs managed to scramble the ball away to safety, and that was probably as good as it got. Reuters

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  George Baldock, 4 – Showed a complete lack of awareness as he allowed Lo Celso to nip in and prod the ball goalward, but Ramsdale was again on hand to save the day, while a poor clearance later in the first half almost let Spurs in again. A cagey night’s work from the former MK Dons man, although he was better after the break. Reuters

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  Ben Osborn, 5 - Football is a cruel game isn’t it? His first contribution of note saw him force a corner, only for Spurs to put the game to bed with a clinical counter-attack - and one that Osborn failed to halt as Son managed to nip away from the midfielder and evade his desperate challenge. Reuters

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  Oliver Norwood, 7 - Did little to hide his disgust when his whipped ball from the right went begging and the Irishman felt his teammates should have been busting a gut to get on the end of it. "Someone should be there!” was the cry, and one that told the story of his side’s season. Reuters

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  John Fleck, 5 - Brought Lo Celso to his knees when he neatly twisted away from the Argentine who slipped as the Blades mustered a rare first-half attack. Plenty of endeavour from the Scot who later found himself with a sight of goal, but he didn’t get the connection he was looking for as his scuffed shot was easily dealt with by Spurs. EPA

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  Jayden Bogle, 4 - Ineffective in a first half where his side were completely overrun and he was withdrawn at the break with Oliver Burke the man to replace him.. Reuters

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  Rhian Brewster, 4 - Evasive. His Sheffield United career is yet to really get going and that was once again the case at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. On the rare occasions that the Blades were in the ascendency he failed to cut an interested figure and he was substituted at the interval. AFP

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  David McGoldrick 5 – Chances were always going to be scarce for the Blades’ top scorer, but he showed a willingness to drop back and work hard for the cause if nothing else. Dragged his best opportunity comfortably wide. Reuters

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  SUB: Sander Berge, 6 - A welcome return for the Norwegian. His introduction along with Burke prompted a change in formation for the Blades who started to enjoy a little more success as a result, at least in the short-term. EPA

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  SUB: Oliver Burke, 6 - Replaced the underwhelming Brewster in a double-change at the break. Caused a few problems on occasion and probably should have had an assist, but Norwood squandered the opportunity from the forward’s pull-back. EPA

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  SUB: Lys Mousset, NR - A cameo appearance from the forward who didn’t really have chance to make an impact, asides from one charge down the left which ended with him running out of pitch. EPA

Gareth Bale's stunning hat-trick earned Tottenham Hotspur a 4-0 win over relegated Sheffield United to keep them in the hunt for a top-four finish in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Welshman, who has returned to Tottenham on loan from Real Madrid having left in 2013, opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a clever flick.

He doubled the lead just past the hour mark with a stylish finish into the top corner -- his 50th Premier League goal.

Bale then made it 3-0 shortly afterwards when he drilled another left-footed effort low into the corner to complete his first Premier League hat-trick since 2012.

Son Heung-min, who earlier had a goal disallowed, produced a trademark effort to complete the rout.

Tottenham's second league win under interim manager Ryan Mason lifted them above Liverpool and West Ham United into fifth place in the standings with 56 points, five behind Chelsea, with four games remaining.