Son Heung-min scored his 100th goal for Tottenham Hotspur as they returned to winning ways with a 3-0 defeat of Leeds United to climb back into the Premier League's top four.
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min. Photo: Offside Sports Photography/Photosport
The South Korean doubled Tottenham's tally just before the interval after strike partner Harry Kane's penalty had given the hosts the lead on a crisp winter day in north London on Sunday (NZ time).
Toby Alderweireld's header made it 3-0 in the 50th minute.
Tottenham, who topped the table in December, had gone four league games without a win, but a comfortable victory over Leeds sent them into third spot with 29 points from 16 games.
The win was a relief for Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho whose day had not had the best of starts when it was revealed three of his players - Erik Lamela, Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon - had breached Covid-19 protocols to attend a Christmas party, earning condemnation from the club.
"The three points are very important. I think we understood well how they could hurt us and how we could hurt them," Mourinho said.
"In that aspect I am happy but I still think we can and have to do better."
In the West Midlands, a rare Kieran Tierney goal, a superb team effort finished by Bukayo Saka and a brace from Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal their third League win in a row as they beat West Bromwich Albion 4-0 in snowy conditions.
Fullback Tierney cut in from the left and curled home his second goal for Arsenal in the 23rd minute, then Saka combined brilliantly with Lacazette and Emile Smith-Rowe before tapping home a simple second for the visitors five minutes later.
West Brom had an early second-half strike ruled out for offside before Lacazette blasted two goals in five second-half minutes as the Baggies' woeful defence, which with 39 goals conceded is the leakiest in the league, fell apart once again.
The win lifts Arsenal to 11th place in the table on 23 points, six points off the European places. West Brom remain second from bottom with eight points after 17 games.
Meanwhile, captain Lewis Dunk's header earned Brighton & Hove Albion a 3-3 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers after they had conceded three times in the first half.
The point left Brighton in 17th place, three points above the relegation zone, although they have played two games more than 18th-placed Fulham.
Wolves, without a win in their last four games, are in 12th place.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said there was "no hiding place" for him and his players after they suffered their 15th League defeat of the season at Crystal Palace.
Wilder's side have not won in 17 league games this season -- the longest winless run from the start for an English top-flight side.
- Reuters