Tottenham Hotspur’s tenacious chase of leaders Chelsea continued as they claimed a 12th consecutive Premier League home win with a 4-0 rout of Bournemouth on Saturday to cut the gap to four points.
Two goals in three minutes from Mousa Dembele and Son Heung-min put the hosts in complete control inside 20 minutes and Harry Kane grabbed his 20th league goal of the season shortly after halftime as high-flying Spurs maintained their momentum.
Substitute Vincent Janssen received the biggest roar of the day in stoppage time as he claimed his first Premier Leasgue goal from open play since joining last year.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will now hope fifth-placed Manchester United can do them a favour by stopping Chelsea’s seemingly unstoppable title charge at Old Trafford on Sunday.
“It was another great performance,” Pochettino, whose side won 4-0 for the second Saturday running and now have six-goal better goal difference than Chelsea, told Sky Sports.
“Our job is done now, we have the three points and now we’ll see what happens tomorrow. If (Chelsea) fail we are waiting.”
Dembele struck his first Premier League goal for 15 months after 16 minutes, slamming in a shot from six metres after Christian Eriksen’s corner arrived through a crowd of players.
In-form Son fired through the legs of keeper Artur Boruc from a narrow angle after racing on to Kane’s deft flick.
Kane, starting for the first time since injuring his ankle last month, wrapped up Tottenham’s seventh successive league win after 48 minutes, turning Simon Francis all too easily and firing low past Boruc with his left foot.
It is the third season in a row England forward Kane has reached the 20-goal mark – a feat previously only achieved by Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistlerooy and Thierry Henry.
Boruc made sure the score did not get too embarrassing for Bournemouth with several saves as Tottenham went through their routines but he was beaten again in stoppage time.
Janssen, who has struggled to make an impact at White Hart Lane, scuffed his first attempt on goal but got another chance as the ball came back to him and the Dutchman fired past Boruc to put the icing on the cake of a 15th home league win.
Bournemouth are seven points above the relegation zone before the later kickoffs and probably need one more victory to guarantee a third season of top-flight football.
Everton midfielder Ross Barkley ended a difficult week off the field by inspiring his team to an eighth straight home win with a 3-1 victory over Burnley at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday.
Barkley’s shot, deflected off Burnley defender Ben Mee, put Everton 2-1 up in the 71st minute and the league’s top scorer Romelu Lukaku made sure of the win three minutes later with his 24th strike of the season.
England international Barkley had been the victim of an assault in a bar on Sunday and was then at the centre of a controversial column in The Sun newspaper. He was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the final moments.
A 52nd-minute Sam Vokes penalty had brought Burnley level after Phil Jagielka had scrambled Everton ahead three minutes earlier.
Barkley, who also faces a big decision over whether to commit to a new contract with Everton, offered reminders of his quality on the ball throughout as Ronald Koeman’s team ensured Burnley remain without an away win this season.
Despite that form, Burnley started confidently and went close to an opener in the 19th minute when Barkley was forced to clear a powerful Michael Keane header, from a corner, off the line. The visitors should have taken the lead in the 34th minute when an awful back-pass from Jagielka played in Burnley striker Sam Vokes but, clear on goal, the Welsh international shot tamely straight at Joel Robles.
Everton, who had been tentative and subdued, ended the half strongly, however, with Mason Holgate bringing a fine save out of Burnley keeper Tom Heaton with a low drive towards the bottom corner.
Koeman brought on an extra striker at the interval with Enner Valencia replacing Idrissa Gana and the Ecuadorean forward immediately tested Heaton with a fierce drive.
Shortly after, the home side went ahead when Ashley Williams flicked a corner from Kevin Mirallas goalwards and Jagielka scrambled the ball over the line.
The Everton lead lasted barely three minutes, though, Everton keeper Robles inexplicably sliding through the back of Vokes as he moved harmlessly away from the goal and the Burnley forward rose to convert the spot-kick.
Mirallas wasted a good opportunity when found by Barkley inside the area but he shot meekly at Heaton but the Beglian did better moments later when his well-struck effort flew against the post.
The pressure paid off when Barkley wriggled space for himself on the edge of the area and his shot deflected off two Burnley defenders and crept into the bottom corner.
There was nothing lucky about Everton’s third, which came three minutes later, Lukaku spinning superbly to turn past Keane and blast a shot past Heaton at the near post.
Lukaku has now scored in nine successive home games – the last player to achieve that feat was Dixie Dean in 1934.
Summaries from the English premier league matches on Saturday
Sunderland 2 Wahbi Khazri 26, Fabio Borini 90
West Ham United 2 Andre Ayew 5, James Collins 47
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Stoke City 3 Marko Arnautovic 6, Peter Crouch 66, Xherdan Shaqiri 80
Hull City 1 Harry Maguire 51
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Everton 3 Phil Jagielka 49, Ben Mee 71og, Romelu Lukaku 74
Burnley 1 Sam Vokes 52pen
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Watford 1 Etienne Capoue 42
Swansea City 0
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Crystal Palace 2 Yohan Cabaye 54, Christian Benteke 69
Leicester City 2 Robert Huth 6, Jamie Vardy 52
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Tottenham Hotspur 4 Mousa Dembele 16, Son Heung-Min 19, Harry Kane 48, Vincent Janssen 90+2
Bournemouth 0