Tottenham striker Harry Kane vindicates boss Mauricio Pochettino’s faith and ends drought with hat-trick in five-goal Bournemouth drubbing
Bournemouth 1 Tottenham Hotspur 5
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted he never doubted Harry Kane’s quality after the England striker put a barren spell behind him with a hat-trick at free-falling Bournemouth.
Kane had scored just once in 13 Spurs games this season before the trip to the Goldsands Stadium, where Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela also netted in the biggest Premier League win of Pochettino’s reign.
“I’m very pleased for Harry,” said the Argentinian, whose side climbed to sixth in the top flight. “I never had any doubts about him, but it was a very important hat-trick. I’m happy because he will become a much better player after such a tough period.”
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe defended goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who brought down Kane for a penalty and gifted the visitors two more goals through handling errors.
“They were self-inflicted, that’s evident,” said Howe, whose team have slipped to 17th after three defeats in four games.
“There won’t be fingers pointed. We take collective responsibility. We’ve given teams goals even in the games we’ve drawn and won.”
Bournemouth looked set for only their second home win of the season when midfielder Matt Richie fired them ahead in the first minute, but Kane soon levelled from the spot after he was felled.
Dembele side-footed Spurs and fellow midfielder Lamela capitalised on Boruc’s poor handling to increase the lead before half-time.
Kane converted Christian Eriksen’s cross 10 minutes after the break and completed his hat-trick when Boruc failed to hold a Toby Alderweireld header, condemning Bournemouth to successive 5-1 defeats.