Robbie Keane roared back into form as his four-goal salvo ensured a riotous 5-0 win for Tottenham against Burnley. Spurs took their season'sgoal tally to 27 as Keane ran riot at White Hart Lane: the Ireland international netted a first-half penalty and then, after Jermaine Jenas doubled the advantage before half-time, he added three more in the second half as Burnley ended the afternoon a bedraggled mess.
The Clarets are still searching for their first away point of the season but, on this form, Tottenham must be considered contenders for a top-four finish.
REACTION:
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp saluted Keane's rampant display but refused to guarantee him a start at Bolton next week.
Instead, the Spurs skipper could be facing a similar fate to Peter Crouch, who was left out of the starting line-up at White Hart Lane despite netting a hat-trick at Preston three days before.
Redknapp said: "It doesn't guarantee Robbie a start. We go to Bolton next week and it's a different game there so we have to wait and see.
"It was difficult leaving out Peter Crouch with his hat trick the other day - he played very well up at Preston.
"But we started the season with Jermain Defoe and Robbie and got four wins and their movement today was fantastic.
"Robbie is important. He's one of the few voices we have in the dressing room and is a great player.
"But it's great competition. I've never had more problems picking a team as the one I had today - I've got difficult decisions to make."
Redknapp also confirmed that Defoe had been substituted after dislocating a finger. Spurs' medical staff attempted to place the finger back in its socket in the dressing room but failed, meaning he was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
Burnley manager Owen Coyle was angry with the officials and claimed two "big decisions" had gone against his side.
The Scotsman's ire was stoked by seeing Steven Fletcher's goal wrongly ruled out for offside when Spurs were only leading 1-0. Then, he suggested the hosts' second goal should have been chalked off for a foul by Defoe on Stephen Jordan in the build-up.
Coyle said: "We've conceded soft goals but, having said that, there were a couple of big decisions that went against us today.
"Fletcher was clearly onside for me, which would have made it 1-1 - the referee [Mike Dean] has been guided by his assistant but we don't seem to get the decisions coming to these big clubs.
"Then, for the second goal, Jordan has clearly been tripped in the build-up and that's a big moment as well. The margins are minimal at this level and we've been on the wrong end of the decisions."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
This was a curious game. The scoreline suggests a mis-match but, in reality, Burnley were competitive for long spells and deserved better than a five-goal hiding. They held their own for most of the first half and were only let down by a moment of indiscipline from Andre Bikey in conceding the penalty and a stroke of bad fortune when Jenas' shot deflected in. They then started the second half brightly, with Robbie Blake hitting the post before Spurs turned on the style late on.
WHAT IT MEANS:
Spurs' reputation for free scoring continues to grow and Keane, for one, will be relieved to have finally made his mark on this campaign. The Irishman had notched twice before this game but his performances had been muted and he was even shunted to the left wing for the game against Manchester United. But he underlined his potency with some remarkably clinical finishing to prove there is life beyond Defoe at White Hart Lane. Burnley, for their part, should not be too disconsolate: they will play worse than this on other occasions this season and win.
QUOTABLE:
"I think Pompey will stay up even though they have no points."
- Harry Redknapp shows a soft spot for his old club as he analyses the battle at the bottom of the table.
TOTTENHAM 5 (Keane pen 18, 74, 77, 86; Jenas 32) BURNLEY 0
PLAYER MARKING:
Tottenham (4-4-2): Cudicini 7; Corluka 6, Huddlestone 6, Bassong 6 (Dawson 87, 5), Assou-Ekotto 6; Lennon 6 (Bale 83, 5), Palacios 7, Jenas 8, Kranjcar 6; Keane 9, Defoe 6 (Crouch 56, 6).
Subs (not used): Gomes, Hutton, Bale, Bentley, Naughton.
Burnley (4-4-2): Jensen 7; Mears 6, Carlisle 6, Bikey 5, Jordan 5; Elliott 6, Alexander 6, Gudjonsson 6, Blake 6 (Guerrero 80, 5); Fletcher 6 (Thompson 72, 5), Nugent 6 (Eagles 63, 5).
Subs (not used): Penny, Duff, Caldwell, McDonald.
ATTENDANCE: 35,462
NEXT UP:
- Tottenham v Bolton (Away), Premier League 3/10, 1500 BST
- Burnley v Birmingham (Home), Premier League 3/10, 1500 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Robbie Keane (Tottenham): Ran close by the influential Jenas, but if scoring four goals can't win you a man of the match award, what can? Keane's movement and awareness were almost as impressive as his finishing as he delivered a performance that gives the lie to the old adage that he cannot function fluently alongside Defoe.
