3-0 v Leicester City - 19 July 2020 - Home

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 3

Leicester City

Leicester City

0

Details
Match Number

7420

Opposition
Leicester city

Leicester City

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2019/20

Date

19th July 2020

Kick Off

16:00

Venue

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Attendance

0

Referee

Anthony Taylor

VAR

Stuart Attwell

League Position

7th

Opposition League Position

4th

Opposition Form

WLDLDL

Weather at Kick Off

19.6° - Overcast

Facts & Milestones
  • 7384th overall match (3532 wins, 1617 draws, 2222 losses)

  • 5786th competitive match (2617 wins, 1349 draws, 1820 losses)

  • team

    118th match vs Leicester City (61 wins, 20 draws, 37 losses)

  • competition

    1075th Premier League match (462 wins, 267 draws, 346 losses)

  • 6738th match in England (3178 wins, 1505 draws, 2042 losses)

  • 35th match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (20 wins, 4 draws, 11 losses)

  • 5th consecutive match without losing

  • Toby Alderweireld
    Toby Alderweireld: 200th appearance
For STATS Against
7 Attempts 24
3 Attempts on Target 6
0.8 xG 1.7
30% Possession 70%
428 Touches 858
222 Passes Completed 661
318 Passes Attempted 752
69.8% Pass Completion 87.9%
10 Crosses 33
14 Throw-ins 16
4 Corners 13
12 Tackles 6
14 Blocks 14
7 Interceptions 8
15 Fouls 10
2 Yellow Cards 1
4 Offsides 0
Report

Tottenham boosted their chances of Europa League football next season and inflicted a huge blow on Leicester's Champions League ambitions with a superb performance.

Brendan Rodgers' Leicester side have been in the Premier League's top four for much of the season but this devastating away defeat leaves them with a difficult task going into their final league game next Sunday.

The Foxes finish the season against fifth-placed Manchester United, but should the Red Devils beat West Ham on Wednesday and claim a draw at the King Power, they will be assured of a top-four finish at the expense of Leicester.

James Justin's own goal from Son Heung-min's strike and a double from Harry Kane - including a sumptuous curling effort - sealed Spurs' victory following a splendid first-half showing.

Leicester did have chances but could not find a way past an inspired Hugo Lloris, who made a string of superb saves to deny Jamie Vardy, Ayoze Perez and Demarai Gray.

Jose Mourinho's side move up to sixth in the table, two points clear of Wolves, but Nuno Espirito Santo's side have a game in hand.

Spurs were in disarray when chairman Daniel Levy made the shock decision to sack the popular Mauricio Pochettino and replace him with ex-Chelsea and Manchester United boss Mourinho.

They were 14th in the league and had won just three of their opening 12 league games this season, but the Portuguese boss has utilised his vast experience to turn things around.

Though a desperately poor loss against Sheffield United left him questioning the mentality of his players, their overall form has been excellent since the restart, and they have collected five wins and two draws from eight games.

While clinching European football for next season looked unlikely earlier in the campaign, a late season surge means seventh could be enough for a Europa League spot, depending on the winners of the FA Cup.

Spurs' finishing in the first 45 minutes was clinical - forward Son seeing his shot deflect in off James after wrong-footing Kasper Schmeichel, before England captain Kane showed his class.

The striker, who recently passed 200 career goals, has tormented Leicester whenever he has played against them and took his tally to 16 in 14 games against the Foxes with a cool, left-footed finish and a brilliant second which curled precisely into the far post past the reach of Schmeichel.

Having gone 3-0 up by half-time, there was no way back for Leicester in the second period as Mourinho's men expertly saw out the game.

Leicester boss Rodgers had said that a European spot was their target, one which they have accomplished, but he will be distraught at his side's capitulation since the restart which leaves them uncertain of a place in the Champions League next term.

Having been outstanding for the entire season and at one point being the closest challengers to eventual champions Liverpool, their miserable run has come at the wrong time and they have now won just two of their last eight games.

They are clinging on to fourth place but are level on points and goal difference with Manchester United, who know a heavy victory against West Ham in their next league match will leave Leicester needing a big win of their own on the final day.

They will be thankful to captain Schmeichel for making a crucial stop to thwart Son's dipping effort, as conceding another goal would have seen them drop down to fifth on goal difference.

Leicester could easily have scored four or five goals but were unable to penetrate Lloris' goal, the France World Cup winner keeping out top-scorer Vardy's backheel.

And the Tottenham captain made even better stops to add to Leicester's torment, showcasing his sharp reactions to twice repel Perez's volley and long-range drive as well as flying saves off Gray's long-range free-kick and Kelechi Iheanacho's curler.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Sport: "They are a brilliant bunch of guys and honest. We played the shape well and were causing them problems. The first goal was a huge disappointment and that gave them energy.

"When they get to 3-0 at half-time they can then stay in and close it out. We are really distraught at the first half.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho speaking to Sky Sports: "I think we were strategically good. We knew what worked for us. Brendan Rodgers did an amazing job since he arrived but in this moment he is in a little bit of trouble with injuries. I know what it is because I had similar problems at the other end.

"Clearly we are one of the teams with more points during this period than after the break. Now we have to fight to finish sixth. We have to win and that is difficult and wait for something in our other opponents.

"Seventh is what we can achieve without dependence on the others. What we are doing and what we are improving is very important for next season."

Mourinho added: "It is difficult for me to compare strikers but I had almost in every club some of the best. Of course, Harry is second to none. It's just different qualities. As a striker, as a goalscorer, a team player and a leader, he is fantastic.

"He is an amazing professional and works very well. He cannot play any better. He is a fantastic striker and Tottenham is so lucky to have him."

Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Liverpool
36 30 3 3 77 29 48 93
2
Manchester city
36 24 3 9 93 35 58 75
3
Chelsea
36 19 6 11 64 49 15 63
4
Leicester city
36 18 8 10 67 36 31 62
5
Manchester united
36 17 11 8 63 35 28 62
6
Wolverhampton wanderers
36 14 14 8 49 38 11 56
7
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
36 15 10 11 57 46 11 55
8
Sheffield united
36 14 12 10 38 35 3 54
9
Burnley
37 15 9 13 42 48 -6 54
10
Arsenal
36 13 14 9 53 45 8 53
11
Everton
36 12 10 14 42 53 -11 46
12
Southampton
36 13 7 16 46 59 -13 46
13
Newcastle united
36 11 10 15 37 55 -18 43
14
Crystal palace
36 11 9 16 30 47 -17 42
15
West ham united
36 10 7 19 47 60 -13 37
16
Brighton hove albion
36 8 13 15 37 53 -16 37
17
Watford
36 8 10 18 34 57 -23 34
18
Afc bournemouth
36 8 7 21 37 62 -25 31
19
Aston villa
36 8 7 21 39 66 -27 31
20
Norwich city
37 5 6 26 26 70 -44 21
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Liverpool
36 30 3 3 77 29 48 93
2
Manchester city
36 24 3 9 93 35 58 75
3
Chelsea
36 19 6 11 64 49 15 63
4
Leicester city
37 18 8 11 67 39 28 62
5
Manchester united
36 17 11 8 63 35 28 62
6
Wolverhampton wanderers
37 15 14 8 51 38 13 59
7
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
37 16 10 11 60 46 14 58
8
Sheffield united
37 14 12 11 38 36 2 54
9
Burnley
37 15 9 13 42 48 -6 54
10
Arsenal
36 13 14 9 53 45 8 53
11
Everton
37 13 10 14 43 53 -10 49
12
Southampton
37 14 7 16 48 59 -11 49
13
Newcastle united
37 11 11 15 37 55 -18 44
14
Crystal palace
37 11 9 17 30 49 -19 42
15
Brighton hove albion
37 8 14 15 37 53 -16 38
16
West ham united
36 10 7 19 47 60 -13 37
17
Watford
36 8 10 18 34 57 -23 34
18
Aston villa
36 8 7 21 39 66 -27 31
19
Afc bournemouth
37 8 7 22 37 64 -27 31
20
Norwich city
37 5 6 26 26 70 -44 21
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