A brace from Harry Kane helped Tottenham put a miserable week behind them with an entertaining 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Son Heung-min was also on target for Spurs before Joe Worrall grabbed a late consolation for the visitors and, while Fraser Forster saved a penalty from Andre Ayew in stoppage time, it was a comfortable and much-needed victory for Antonio Conte’s side.
FA Cup and Champions League exits this month have extended the club’s barren run without silverware but this win moved Tottenham six points clear of Liverpool in the Premier League top-four battle and eased the pressure on the non-committal Conte following a costly recent winless run.
Spurs had failed to score in any of their last three matches and Richarlison, despite his explosive post-match interview after Wednesday’s Champions League exit, started with Dejan Kulusevski dropped to the bench.
All eyes were on the £60million forward from the off with the former Everton man still waiting to open his league account for Tottenham.
Richarlison thought that had changed with three minutes played when he fired home after Oliver Skipp’s perfectly-weighted through ball but a lengthy VAR check deemed the striker offside in yet another controversial margin call.
It was reminiscent of what happened to Richarlison against Fulham here in September but the mood in N17 has vastly changed since that early-season optimism.
Disappointment in two cup competitions this month had increased the apathy amongst the fanbase, especially with Conte’s reign seemingly drawing to a close and yet a familiar source provided a timely boost.
Richarlison and then Ben Davies kept the ball alive in the area and January recruit Pedro Porro clipped a wonderful cross into the area that Kane guided beyond Keylor Navas with his head for a 19th-minute opener.
First-half goals had been a rarity for Tottenham this season but they were being helped by a hospitable opponent who have won only once on the road in the league this campaign.
A second for Spurs and Kane arrived with 35 minutes on the clock, with Richarlison again involved.
Porro chipped into Kane, who played into the path of Richarlison in the area and the forward was brought down by Forest captain Worrall.
Referee Craig Pawson instantly pointed to the spot and Kane fired into the roof of the net from 12-yards to score his first penalty since December’s World Cup miss against France in Qatar.
Kane missed a headed chance soon after for his hat-trick but…
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