Kane heads Tottenham to derby victory over Arsenal

Harry Kane’s 101st Premier League goal was the difference as Tottenham Hotspur earned a 1-0 win over Arsenal, to continue their fine recent form in north London derbies in front of a Premier League record crowd at Wembley on Saturday.

Both teams struggled to get going in the first half, but the contest burst into life straight after the interval, with Kane heading in his seventh goal in seven matches against Arsenal to break the deadlock in the 49th minute.

Arsenal almost snatched a point at the death, but substitute Alexandre Lacazette fired wide, and in truth, the margin of victory should have been greater, as Spurs wasted several chances to double their advantage in front of a crowd of 83,222.

None the less, the hosts hung on for the victory that enables them to leapfrog both Liverpool and Chelsea – who do not play until Sunday and Monday respectively – into third place, seven points clear of sixth-placed Arsenal, who have now beaten Spurs just once in eight league games.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino praised his hitman after the match.

“He is the present and the future,” said Pochettino when quizzed whether Kane’s dominant header possessed traits of an old-fashioned English centre-forward. “It is amazing all that he is achieving, [I’m] so proud and happy he is in our side.”

Kane’s goal was his seventh in seven league games against the club who rejected him as a youngster.

“I look forward to these games. It was a great performance by the team and thankfully I was there to put one away,” said Kane,

Additional reporting Agence France-Presse