Harry Kane struck his 150th Premier League goal two minutes from time to send Tottenham to the top of the table for the first time since August 2014 as they beat West Brom 1-0.
Kane headed home his landmark effort to send Spurs to the summit as they continued their 100 per cent away record this season.
It was his 201st goal for Spurs and his 13th of the campaign and – even though they knew they could be dislodged in a matter of hours – reaching top spot will give Tottenham belief that they can challenge for the title this season.
Kane’s header from Matt Doherty’s cross settled a tight game at the Hawthorns, where Spurs, despite starting Kane, Gareth Bale and Son Heung-min in attack, struggled to dominate the game.
𝟭𝟱𝟬 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟𝗦!
Thank you, @HKane 🙌#THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/O3JbYbnIhMAdvertisement— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2020
The Baggies will be heartbroken and will feel like they deserved a point, but they were made to pay for a late defensive slip as the wait for their first win back in the Premier League goes on.
With Kane, Bale and Son starting in attack for the first time, Tottenham would have been hoping to have the firepower to put their hosts to the sword early on.
It was a promising opening and they created a fine chance to go in front in the 11th minute as Kane found Tanguy Ndombele, whose header played in Son, but the South Korean was unusually wasteful and saw his delayed shot blocked by Semi Ajayi.
That was as good as it got, though, as the Baggies began to take a foothold and caused Tottenham problems, particularly down the right.
Karlan Grant could not make proper contact with his header in a good position while Jake Livermore sent a shot wide.
Their biggest moment of danger came in the 27th minute when Callum Robinson’s cross was cleared off the line with Grant waiting to pounce.
This was nothing like the Spurs side that had scored 12 goals in their previous three Premier League away games as, despite their presence in attack, they were laborious and struggled to create anything clear-cut.
When Dara O’Shea put a header wide from a corner for the Baggies early in the second half it looked like being more of the same but Spurs began to take control.
Harry Kane joins a very, very exclusive club 😎🍾@HKane | @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/r9OSafwBH6
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 8, 2020
Sergio Reguilon tested Sam Johnstone’s handling with a fierce shot from distance before Kane had a goalbound effort blocked.
They continued to press and somehow did not take the lead in the 67th minute as Reguilon’s blocked shot fell perfectly to Giovani Lo Celso but he skewed wide from close range.
Substitute Carlos Vinicius forced Johnstone into a low save with a neat shot on the turn as it looked like Spurs would be denied.
But Kane had other ideas and some great late movement was spotted by Doherty and the England captain headed home to spark great scenes of celebration.
