Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son set a new Premier League record of 37 goal combinations, overtaking Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, as Spurs beat struggling Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road.
Kane looked inspired in the second half and his assist for Son’s goal late in the second half – Tottenham’s fourth of the afternoon – saw the duo overtake the former Chelsea pair as the most fruitful Premier League partnership to date.
Victory marked a positive reaction from Spurs after their midweek defeat at Burnley – and Antonio Conte’s alarming response to it – but there was no such solace for Leeds, who have now conceded 20 goals in five matches – four of which they have lost convincingly.
Tottenham ultimately won the game in the first 27 minutes as Leeds once again conceded a glut of early goals. The opener came inside 10 minutes as Matt Doherty latched onto Ryan Sessegnon’s fizzed cross and finished past Illan Meslier.
Five minutes later and Dejan Kulusevski scored his second Spurs goal since his arrival last month. It was a goal founded on sheer determination as he drove past each white shirt and into the area from the right flank before slotting home into the near corner with a fine finish.
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Kane added the third with his own brilliant effort in the 27th minute. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg slotted a sublime ball through for the striker, who was in behind his marker. It was then a calm, tapped finish into the far corner. VAR checked for offside, but there was no case to answer.
Oddly, Leeds registered the better stats in many areas in the first half – although did finish it without a shot on target – and began to test Tottenham in the final 15 minutes. The signs were there between the second and third goal as Robin Koch hit the post, before Hugo Lloris made a fine save from Raphinha’s left-wing cross. Luke Ayling also nodded a free header just wide as the half came to a close.
Leeds began the second half well, but Spurs were soon in the hunt for their fourth goal. In a mirror of the first goal, Doherty sent in a cross from the right with Sessegnon driving in at the back post to meet it, but the 21-year-old could not quite apply the finish.
Meslier and Robin Koch both made blocks from Doherty and Son respectively, before Sessegnon saw an effort hammer into the side of the net. Kulusevski tried to adopt the same tactics for his opener soon after, but Meslier was level to his shot this time around.
But Leeds’ best chance of the game came in the 76th minute. It was a superb break from the hosts as Stuart Dallas drove goalwards, with Hugo Lloris’ coming out of the 18-yard box to meet the midfielder. However, his attempted clearance only allowed Dallas further through. He then had the goal at his mercy, but indecision allowed Spurs defenders the chance to reach the area with Ben Davies blocking the eventual effort.
After numerous chances to add their fourth, Spurs did eventually make the breakthrough late on as Son slotted past Meslier. The win sees Tottenham into seventh, level on 42 points with West Ham and boosts their hopes for a European finish.
For Leeds, their worrying slide continues. They remain in 15th, three points above the drop zone, but having played more games than the teams around them.
Merson: The Leeds rot has to stop
Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson:
“At the moment this rot needs to stop. I think the worrying thing for me was getting clapped off last Sunday. They had just been beaten by their arch-enemies, their arch-rivals Manchester United in the biggest game of their year and they let in four goals and they are getting clapped off.
“He’s pulling the wool over people’s eyes. he needs to change things. His squad is depleted, I know he’s got big players out, but he has to change it. You can’t keep going to Liverpools and Man Uniteds and opening games up and get beaten sixes and fours. You have to stop it. At the moment, I worry for them, really worry for them.
“I think the fans need to get a bit stronger. Don’t start clapping your team off. If I got beat by Tottenham four at Highbury when I was playing there is no way I would be getting clapped off. Just go home. You don’t have to boo, I’m not saying boo and throw shoes at them.
“They’ve worked so hard to get to where they are in this league, and at the moment it is fizzling away. I love watching Leeds, I have no affinity to Leeds and I love watching them, but I know there is going to be goal after goal, no matter what end it’s going to be – and that’s worrying.
“Every neutral wants to watch Leeds United play football and that’s not right. That’s not right, not at the moment, it’s not time for all of us to want to watch Leeds United play football.”
Man of the match – Harry Kane
It was not the easiest start to the season for Kane, but he looked back to his best against Leeds. Most of his influential moments came in the second half as he consistently won the midfield battles before releasing his team-mates – one instance saw him break the Premier League record for goal combinations with Son.
And let’s not forget, he scored a goal of his own too and it was incredibly well taken in the first half. A good afternoon all around for the striker.
Opta stats – Spurs see off struggling Leeds
Leeds have lost four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since December 2003/February 2004 under Eddie Gray (a run of six straight defeats).Each of Tottenham’s last four Premier League victories have come away from home (at Watford, Leicester, Man City & Leeds), their longest such run in the division since May/September 2017 (6 consecutive wins coming on the road).Matt Doherty scored his first Premier League goal for Tottenham in what was his 26th appearance for them in the competition. Indeed, his last league goal before today came against Spurs, for Wolves back in March 2020, ending his run of 35 top-flight appearances without finding the back of the net. The Republic of Ireland international both scored and assisted in a single Premier League game for the first time.Dejan Kulusevski has scored two goals in five Premier League appearances for Tottenham, as many as in his final 44 Serie A games for Juventus.
What’s next?
Next up for Leeds is a trip to Leicester in the Premier League next Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm. Tottenham are back in FA Cup action on Tuesday, facing Middlesbrough in the fifth round. They then return to Premier League action on Monday 7 March when Spurs host Everton, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.