Tottenham 3-1 Leicester: Kane and Son move Spurs above Arsenal

Tottenham 3-1 Leicester: Son Heung-min’s double and Harry Kane’s header move Spurs above Arsenal in race for Champions League qualification as Antonio Conte’s side ease past Foxes

• Harry Kane and Son Heung-min saw Spurs past Leicester in the Premier League
• England captain Kane headed in from Son’s corner for the 22nd-minute opener
• Son struck clinically on the hour mark after being played in by Dejan Kulusevski
• The striker then curled in a scintillating effort from long range after 79 minutes
• Kelechi Iheanacho drilled in a late consolation goal from outside the penalty area
• Patson Daka’s shot came off a post in the first half as Leicester remained in 11th

Heung-min Son saved the best until last as Tottenham recovered their rhythm and revived their bid to reach the Champions League.

Collecting a pass from Dejan Kulusevski, Son created a yard of space as he shifted the ball away from Youri Tielemans and onto his left foot and sent a delicious shot curling in an arc around the dive of Kasper Schmeichel and into the top corner of the net.

It was his second of the game, the third for Spurs and it ended any thought that Leicester, distracted and caught between two European ties, might take anything away from this visit to North London.

Harry Kane (second from right) scores for Spurs against Leicester midway through the first half

Top scorer Kane has a fine record against the Foxes, scoring 19 goals in 18 games against them

Antonio Conte’s team had the look of winners from the moment Harry Kane gave them the lead midway through the first half. No team is guaranteed to help Kane back to form. His first goal for six weeks was his 17th in 14 Premier League appearances against Leicester.

When Kane is in the groove, Son is a more influential figure and the Korean scored Tottenham’s second on the hour before his wonderful second brought the home fans to their feet. Three minutes later, he went off to a standing ovation and received a cuddle from Conte.

Leicester are among those teams with shifting priorities at this stage of the campaign. Brendan Rodgers made eight changes to the team that started the first leg of the Europa Conference semi-final against Roma with Thursday’s return in mind.

Yet the visitors made a positive start, weathering an early flurry from Tottenham and creating threat of their own.

Hugo Lloris made a fingertip save to push a low drive from Patson Daka onto a post and Cristian Romero was required to make a sliding intervention at the back post to cut out a cross from Mark Albrighton after Ben Davies had been caught in possession.

Spurs fans loved what they saw when Son Heung-min fired a smart second with an hour gone

Ayoze Perez was convinced his team should have had a penalty early in the game, when Heung-min Son seemed to win the ball with an elbow as he scampered back to help his defenders. Referee Jon Moss was not interested in the claims. Nor were his video assistants.

Tottenham, having failed to muster a shot on target in their previous games against Brighton and Brentford were again struggling for creativity and more than 20 minutes had passed before they summoned an effort of note.

When it came, it was a shot by Davies, deflected over and from the corner came the opening goal. Son delivered the ball across and Kane escaped Daniel Amartey to head past Kasper Schmeichel at the near post.

It was his first Spurs goal for six weeks, the first since one at Brighton in mid-March, and Leicester were left to curse once again their problems defending from set-pieces. It has haunted them all season.

Kasper Schmeichel is grounded and Spurs supporters are elated after Son’s spectacular third

The hosts enjoy Son’s masterful finish as they score and win for the first time in three games

Kane almost pinched a second before the interval, seizing on a poor pass by Nampalys Mendy intended for his own goalkeeper. Kane was first to it but Schmeichel made the save at his feet.

Son who stretched the lead to 2-0, a goal on the hour to spark a furious protest from Leicester players, complaining about a robust sliding challenge by Romero on Caglar Soyuncu at the start of the move.

Romero won a tackle in midfield and the ball spilled loose between him and Soyuncu. Leicester’s Turk seemed to be favourite but the sight of the Spurs centre-half in full-flow caused him to hesitate. Romero came out in possession, move the ball to substitute Kulusevski, who threaded a pass into the feet of Son, and the Korean beat Schmeichel with a low finish on the turn.

Son’s second settled the match before Leicester produced a late flourish. Jamie Vardy glanced a header wide and Kelechi Iheanacho scored in stoppage time, a low drive from 25 yards that beat Lloris low to his left.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte cannot contain his joy after watching Kane find the net

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