Tottenham vs. Bournemouth: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Tottenham put Bournemouth to the sword with the ruthless efficiency of a title-chasing team, winning 3-0 on Sunday.
Kyle Walker's wicked assist found Harry Kane's right boot inside the first minute, and the game was essentially beyond the Cherries.
Spurs did just what was required to secure the victory and avoid any slip-up that would have encouraged the chasing pack.
Kane played his role perfectly, scoring twice and setting up Christian Eriksen's goal. It seems that Mauricio Pochettino's insistence on resting Kane during the Europa League has paid off.
Playing after both Arsenal and Leicester City had already won, Tottenham could only ensure they ended the weekend the way they began it, five points from the top and six ahead of third place.
Failure to do so would have encouraged many to write off Spurs' title hopes once and for all.
As ever, the international break arrives at the worst possible time, as the denouement of a fascinating Premier League season is put on hold to make time for some pointless friendlies.
Winner: Harry Kane
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Harry Kane's individual performance matched that of his team.
He did everything required to secure the three points but was not especially stretched in doing so.
His first goal was an excellent one-touch finish, while his second showed the movement and deceptive pace that make him such a versatile striker.
The wickedly swerving shot that gave Eriksen his goal was yet another reminder that Kane is a wonderfully well-rounded player.
He has now reached 20 league goals in back-to-back seasons. To put that in perspective, Kane now has as many 20-goal seasons as Wayne Rooney.
Five of those goals have come against Bournemouth after a hat-trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season. They'll be glad to see the back of him.
Loser: Headline Writers
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A Tottenham defeat in this match would have been dream fodder for most football writers.
It would have afforded them the opportunity to stock an otherwise barren international week with stories of Spurs reverting to type by bottling their title hopes at home to Bournemouth.
For Tottenham to take the lead in the opening minute and never look like conceding must have been deflating for many.
There are no obvious storylines to take from the weekend's Premier League action.
It is very much "as you were" for the three title-chasing teams, as each was lifted by goals from their key men.
Kane, Danny Welbeck and Riyad Mahrez kept Tottenham, Arsenal and Leicester City, respectively, at arm's length from one other.
The next round of fixtures—when Tottenham travel to Liverpool, Leicester face Southampton and Arsenal meet their FA Cup vanquishers Watford—seems likely to provide more interest.
Winner: Mauricio Pochettino
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Mauricio Pochettino surrendered Tottenham's Europa League campaign in favour of the Premier League title race.
The result didn't so much vindicate him as save him from the castigation that would have followed a failure in this fixture.
Having been rudely shoved out of Europe by the brilliant Borussia Dortmund, Spurs had to win this game and remain in competition for the domestic title. They have now followed up both Europa League defeats with victories.
Aston Villa and Bournemouth, the teams in question, might not have pushed Tottenham regardless of the lineup that Pochettino sent out in Europe, but the wisdom of that strategy may emerge in the coming weeks.
Pochettino saved Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele, Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose and Eric Dier from some or all of those two matches, and each of them shone in the win over the Cherries.
For those players to enjoy a midweek break during a season in which most of them will make over 40 appearances is a rare luxury.
Pochettino will face no more backlash for his decision to sacrifice Spurs' European adventure.
Loser: Man City
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Manchester City are now 15 points off the top of the table with just eight games to play.
If they weren't already, they have been eliminated from the title race by their Manchester derby defeat.
To make matters worse, Spurs have extended their advantage over the Citizens to 10 points.
While City have a game in hand, their vastly inferior goal differential means that they are unlikely to overhaul Tottenham. They face the real prospect of a playoff to reach the group stages of the Champions League.
In fact, with West Ham and Manchester United trailing City by just one point, they could even be relegated to the Europa League.
Spurs are not guaranteed Champions League football for next season yet, but they are fortifying their position in the top three and have given themselves a great chance of joining at the group stage.
City's derby defeat, as well as Spurs' victory, enhances the already strong chances of the current league table matching the final one.
Winner: Eric Dier
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Eric Dier received his ninth booking of the season in the North London derby.
Had he been booked against either Aston Villa or Bournemouth, he would have received an automatic suspension for accumulation of yellow cards.
Spurs' next match, against Liverpool at Anfield, comes after the cutoff date for accumulation, so he need not play within himself in that fixture or the following one, at home to Manchester United.
Dier has been booked in most of Tottenham's biggest games this season.
Against Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester City (twice), he received yellow cards.
He is a shrewd judge of the flow of a game and has often been willing to accept a booking in order to slow down a match.
Equally, as Tottenham's midfield enforcer, it is vital that he play with the aggression that keeps the opposition's creative players on their toes.
That Dier was able to play two important matches without risking that automatic ban speaks to his development as a central midfielder. He began the season uncertain in his new role, seemingly lacking the confidence that comes with experience, but he has rapidly developed into one of the league's finest defensive midfielders.
Tottenham will need him at Anfield.
