Tottenham 5-0 Burnley: Kane brace and Son golazo power Spurs over Clarets

That was fun! Tottenham Hotspur hosted Burnley three days after losing to Manchester United at Old Trafford, but the two games couldn’t have been more different. In contrast to the insipid display in Manchester Spurs controlled today’s match from the opening kick and obliterated the Clarets 5-0. Harry Kane led the way with a brace, and Spurs added goals from Lucas Moura, Moussa Sissoko, and an an amazing Puskas Goal contender from Son Heung-Min.

Rotation? Rotation is for losers. Jose Mourinho put out a lineup mostly unchanged from the one that lost at Old Trafford mid-week. The back line was unchanged with Serge Aurier at right back and Jan Vertonghen as a defensive left back. Son Heung-Min, Dele, and Lucas Moura started behind Harry Kane. Moussa Sissoko retained his place in central midfield with Eric Dier coming in for Harry Winks.

First Half

KICK-OFF! The match opens with long balls from both sides as they bypass the midfield looking for an early strike.

4’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! Harry Kane with a RIDICULOUS strike from the top of the box and into the top corner past Nick Pope. Wow! Incredible goal and Spurs lead 1-0 after just four minutes!

5’ — Kane again with a lovely through ball from the center of the pitch to a rushing Aurier. Serge’s cross is good too, but nobody could get on the end of it. What a pass! Harry is feeling it today.

8’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! It’s Lucas Moura to put Spurs up 2-0! Sonny drove into the box and had his shot saved by Pope, but the ball was deflected up into the air and Lucas nodded it into the net at the back post. Not the prettiest goal, but it counts!

16’ — Oh my goodness Moussa Sissoko nearly put Spurs up 3-0 but he somehow plonked his shot off the post. It’s the most Sissoko thing to ever happen.

17’ — And now Dele is through on goal and somehow gets the ball poked out from behind. No idea how he didn’t score there. Spurs are ripping Burnley’s defense apart in this first half.

21’ — Burnley nearly pull one back — a lofted shot into the box dinks off the bar and Chris Wood isn’t able to direct it on target at the back post.

22’ — Sonny gets clattered on a Spurs counterattack and is down for treatment. He got his bell rung but looks like he’s ok. Matthew Lowton gets the yellow card.

32’ — HOLY CRAP WHAT A GOAL!! Son Heung-Min take a damn bow! Sonny with a world-class run and strike, taking the ball from his own 18-yard box, dribbling through the entire Burnely team, and slotting past Nick Pope to put Spurs up 3-0! That was ABSURD!

38’ — Chance for Burnley as the Jay Rodriguez Role misses a header from virtually point blank range.

43’ — Burnley getting a little spell of offense going, and have a ball in the net before it’s called back for offside. The 3-2 dominant Tottenham win still potentially in the frame!

46’ — Spurs appeal for a handball in the box as a free kick seemed to go off the arm of a Burnley defender, but on replay it looked to go off his shoulder. No penalty given, we play on.

HALFTIME! What an amazing half from Tottenham. Three goals, including one of the most amazing runs from Son Heung-Min you’ll ever see. Spurs take a 3-0 lead into the break.

Second Half

We’re back underway at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium! No changes to either side at the break.

52’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! IT’S HARRY KANE AGAIN! Harry went down with what looked like an ankle knock earlier, and then Burnely somehow lets him get a step in the box with his right foot and he hammers the ball into the top of the net. 4-0!

62’ — Foot’s a bit off the gas now, though Harry Kane continues to shoot to get that hat trick.

70’ — Hey, look who’s on for Burnley! Aaron Lennon comes on as a sub for the Clarets, and he gets a warm welcome from the Tottenham crowd, who sings “One Aaron Lennon, he’s only one Aaron Lennon.”

73’ — Yellow card for Eric Dier for clattering through the back of Hendrick.

74’ — GOAL TOTTENHAM! It’s Moussa Sissoko! Moussa plays a give-and-go move with Harry Kane on a counter-attack and Sissoko scores his second goal in three games!! What is life?! Spurs lead 5-0!

75’ — Sub for Spurs, their first — Ryan Sessegnon is on for Lucas Moura!

77’ — Dele with a smash from the top of the box, but Pope is there to collect. I thought that was in.

79’ — Spurs make their second sub, with Oliver Skipp coming on for Serge Aurier. Sissoko moves to right back, Skippy slots in beside Dier.

84’ — Tottenham’s third and final change... and it’s TROY PARROTT making his Premier League debut, for Dele! Harry Kane drops into the 10, with Party Parrott up top.

FULL TIME! That was fun! Spurs never looked like losing this match, though they did look like they might concede a goal here or there over the course of the game. This is a HUGE confidence booster after the United loss. Final score: 5-0.

Reactions

• I like it when Tottenham score lots of goals and win football matches.
• This was a clinic, offensively. Spurs just plowed their way through Burnley’s midfield and defense, time and time again, especially on the counterattack. This was a magnificent team performance.
• As much as we slagged Sissoko for his performance midweek, he was exceptional today alongside Eric Dier in midfield. Two goals in three games, and they were both really good!
• That Son goal. Oh my lands, that Son goal! It was Messi-esque. Reminiscent of Bale vs. Inter. He just slalomed through the entire Burnley squad and slotted it home. Magnificent.
• If there was a negative, it was again Tottenham’s defense, which was a touch leaky. Burnley had a number of opportunities to claw a goal back but weren’t able to see the back of the net. It’s another datapoint that Mourinho still has work to do with this team.
• I’m thrilled that Ryan Sessegnon, Oliver Skipp, and Troy Parrott all got league minutes, and I called all three subs early in the second half. However, I’m really starting to get worried that we are not seeing Giovani Lo Celso. If he doesn’t start or get significant minutes at Bayern, I’m going to be really, REALLY worried.

• With the win and Chelsea’s loss today, Spurs are back to six behind the Blues for fourth place, and their chances of making top four at FiveThirtyEight just went up 8% to 28%. So you’re telling me there’s a chance?
• Next league match: next Sunday, at Wolves. Not an easy match, for sure. First, there’s the dead rubber Champions League match at Bayern Munich.