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Gareth Bale scored a stunning hat-trick as Tottenham kept themselves in the Champions League qualification race with a 4-0 win over Sheffield United.<\/p>\nGareth Bale scored a stunning hat-trick as Tottenham kept themselves in the Champions League qualification race with a 4-0 win over Sheffield United.<\/p>\n
Bale claimed his first Spurs treble since 2012 with a trio of brilliant finishes to move his side into fifth, five points off Chelsea with four games left to play.<\/p>\n
Son Heung-min also scored a fine goal as Ryan Mason\u2019s men ran riot against a Blades side whose relegation fate has already been sealed.<\/p>\n
Bale was unplayable and took his Premier League tally to eight goals in the last eight games, but with that must come a sense of what might have been this season.<\/p>\n
Bale was alarmingly under-used by former boss Jose Mourinho, even when he had regained peak condition, and playing with freedom in a front four with Harry Kane, Son and Dele Alli, Spurs were a constant threat and a far cry from the pragmatic style that dogged Mourinho\u2019s era.<\/p>\n
It may have come too late to gatecrash the top four this season, but playing like this makes them a strong bet to finish in a Europa League spot.<\/p>\n
The onslaught started early as Son forced Aaron Ramsdale into a smart stop, with the Blades goalkeeper getting a strong hand to a low shot that was heading into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
Kane, on the march for a third Premier League golden boot, uncharacteristically missed two chances he would normally convert, first seeing a shot blocked after slaloming into the area and then skying Sergio Reguilon\u2019s pull-back embarrassingly over.<\/p>\n
But Spurs finally went ahead in the 36th minute with a moment of quality.<\/p>\n
Bale broke from deep to latch on to Serge Aurier\u2019s ball over the top and then sent it past Ramsdale with a cute finish with the outside of his boot.<\/p>\n
The Wales international was back in the starting line-up after missing out in the Carabao Cup final and delivered his 12th goal in all competitions.<\/p>\n
Spurs were cursing VAR twice in the opening seven minutes of the second half.<\/p>\n
First Peter Bankes ruled that John Fleck did not commit violent conduct when he appeared to stamp on Giovani Lo Celso\u2019s face and then VAR ruled out a Son goal, judging the South Korean\u2019s armpit to be in an offside position when he ran on to Toby Alderweireld\u2019s long ball.<\/p>\n
The hosts were not denied for long, however, as they did double their lead just after the hour with a devastating counter attack.<\/p>\n
After clearing a Blades corner, Son evaded two challenges and sent Bale clear on goal, with the Welshman delivering an emphatic finish into the top corner.<\/p>\n
Bale, whose future next season remains unclear, then completed his hat-trick with another moment of quality, drilling in a low effort after a fine team move which involved Alli and Aurier.<\/p>\n
Bale\u2019s treble was of a high standard, but Son may lay claim to scoring the goal of the night with 13 minutes remaining.<\/p>\n
Son received the ball on the left from Steven Bergwijn, cut inside and sent a curling effort from 20 yards in off the far post.<\/p>\n