Stoke City vs Tottenham Hotspur. Premier League.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance27,385.
Saturday 10 September 2016 19:23, UK
Mark Hughes was sent to the stands and Harry Kane ended his goal drought as Tottenham thrashed Stoke 4-0 on Saturday in the Premier League.
The Stoke manager was dismissed for verbally abusing the fourth official on 35 minutes just before Heung-Min Son grabbed the first of his two goals.
Dele Alli and Kane added further gloss to the scoreline as Stoke remain bottom after taking just one point from their first four games - their worst start to a season for 30 years.
Wilfried Bony and Bruno Martins Indi both were handed their Stoke debuts while Hugo Lloris returned for Spurs after after the goalkeeper limped off 25 minutes into the 1-1 draw at Everton on the opening day of the season.
Glenn Whelen set the tempo of the game by picking up a booking within seven minutes for hauling back Alli. The Stoke midfielder then went close to firing his team in front but his spectacular volley from 30 yards was deflected over the crossbar.
Son went down inside the area on 22 minutes after a tangling of legs with Geoff Cameron, but referee Anthony Taylor was unmoved.
With the atmosphere increasing inside the Bet365 Stadium, Alli nearly silenced them but chipped wide from close range when inadvertently put through on goal by Marko Arnautovic.
Sparks stared to fly on the touchline on 35 minutes when Arnautovic was booked for simulation. Hughes was visibly seething with the decision and took his frustration out by verbally abusing the fourth official. Referee Taylor was called over and sent Hughes to the stands.
His mood would not have been helped five minutes later as Spurs took the lead.
Christian Eriksen beat his man on the right with a nice shimmy before laying the ball across goal for Son to strike home.
The goal visibly gave Spurs a surge in confidence and they went onto dominate the second half. However, the balance of the game could've changed if referee Taylor had deemed Victor Wanyama's body check on Giannelli Imbula worthy of a second yellow card. Only a foul was awarded.
Eriksen had already tested Shay Given with a 20-yard effort before Son doubled the lead on 55 minutes.
After a quick move through midfield, Son latched onto Eriksen's fine ball and curled a spectacular effort into the far corner.
Spurs were now rampant and showing signs of the attacking brilliance that was on show during their title challenge last season. Kyle Walker strode down the right wing on 58 minutes and picked out Alli with a perfect low cross, which was dispatched for the England international's first goal of the season.
The only thing missing from this Spurs performance was a Kane goal - and he got in on the act on 70 minutes as Stoke crumbled.
Son went from scorer to provider and flashed a cross into the back post where Kane was waiting. He had time to take a touch and fire into the net for his 50th Premier League goal.
Tottenham's club record signing Moussa Sissoko, who joined for £30m from Newcastle, was given 10 minutes to show what he could do and he nearly made it 5-0 but his deflected cross-shot was parried away by Given.
Player Ratings
Stoke: Given (5), Cameron (5), Shawcross (6), M. Indi (5), Pieters (5), Whelan (6), Allen (5), Imbula (6), Walters (5), Bony (7), Arnautovic (5)
Subs: Bojan (6), Adam (5)
Tottenham: Lloris (7), Walker (7), Alderweireld (7), Vertonghen (7), Davies (7), Dier (7), Wanyama (7), Eriksen (8), Alli (7), Son (9), Kane (7)
Subs: Lamela (7), Sissoko (7), Janssen (6)
Man of the match: Heung-Min Son
