Stop us if you’ve heard this one before – Harry Kane made history a bit more and saved Spurs yet again.
At half-time at Crystal Palace, Spurs – without a win since the World Cup – were in trouble.
Then Kane arrived.
His header from Ivan Perisic’s cross early in the second half ended a 10-game run of Spurs conceding the first goal in every game.
His second, a low pass drive from Bryan Gil, gave Spurs control. Then he participated in Matt Doherty’s third and placed Son Heung-min for fourth.
It ended 4-0 as Spurs moved within two points of fourth-placed Manchester United.
Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, who started his career at Spurs, said: “I think they’ll finish in the top four just because of him. You don’t have to play well to win games because you have goals. That’s Mr. Goals.”
Kane’s brace brings him within two goals of Jimmy Greaves’ all-time Spurs record. Kane has 264. The late Greaves scored 266 between 1961 and 1970.
It was Kane’s 300th Premier League appearance.
He is only the second player – after Teddy Sheringham – to score in his 100th, 200th and 300th Premier League appearances.
His 198 goals are a record after 300 Premier League games. Alan Shearer had the old benchmark with 196.
“It’s always nice when you talk about players like that,” Kane told BBC Sport. “I have to keep going. I feel fresh and fit, so hopefully I can finish the season strong.”
Kane is now the third highest goalscorer since the Premier League was founded in 1992 – after Shearer’s 260 and Wayne Rooney’s 208.
BBC Match of the Day specialist Leon Osman said: “What a record. What a player. We all thought Shearer’s record was unassailable. But this guy is hounding him with authority. He scored 15 goals in 18 games championship this season.
“He always scores in big moments and big games. He keeps scoring goals. Those were typical Kane goals tonight. He’s 29 and he has 62 goals left.”
Headlines before the match spoke of Antonio Conte casting further doubt on his future as Spurs boss due to a perceived lack of investment.
Keeping Kane 18 months ago when Manchester City tried to sign him is surely better than any signing they could make.
It was the 11th consecutive calendar year in which Kane has scored for Spurs.
“Kane dragged them into a two-goal lead that they didn’t deserve at all,” former Palace striker Glenn Murray said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“That’s why he gets paid a lot of money and why Spurs are so dependent on him.”
Kane has scored 16 goals in all competitions this season, 10 ahead of his next top scorer, Son.
