Harry Kane produced a masterclass against Crystal Palace and will help Tottenham get top four, say Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness | Football News

Jamie Redknapp praised Harry Kane’s second-half “masterclass” and Graeme Souness tipped him to fire Tottenham into the top four after he inspired them to a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace.

After a sluggish first-half performance from Antonio Conte’s side, they exploded when Kane scored twice within five minutes of the break, Matt Doherty and a resurgent Son Heung-Min extending their lead as they closed the gap. to fourth place Manchester United to two points.

Kane’s goal, on his 300th Premier League appearance, took him to 266 in all competitions, two within two of Tottenham’s Jimmy Greaves’ scoring record, and he also claimed a fourth assist with an overhead kick for Son.

“We said before the game that when you have a player like Harry Kane, you always get a chance and we can do it there,” he said. Sky Sports pundit Redknapp afterwards.

“He was outstanding, not just the goals, the whole game. He caught, brought people into play, his touch was excellent. It was a masterclass in the second half and the second goal was as good as it got.

“The touches and finishes are sublime and we’ve seen him do it time and time again. Just an incredible player.”

Souness was also impressed by Kane’s second goal, when the striker controlled Bryan Gil’s pass inside the Palace box and fired an angled drive into the corner.

“He doesn’t see the goal or the goalkeeper, but he knows where the goal is because of the line in the six-yard box,” Souness said. “He is a class player, a truly world-class English player for me.

“I think we will finish in the top four because they have him. Keep him fit. He is Mr. Goals. And you have a good chance to win games if you have your team.”

Speaking on co-comment, former striker Alan Smith added: “It didn’t look good at half-time. You wonder how the second half, and Tottenham’s season, will turn out.

“But when you have a player like Harry Kane, who can do what he does, it makes a world of difference.

“Conte will only hope the centre-forward can stay fit and the same as Putra, as he can lead the charge against the quality of the opposition. It was a fantastic night for Tottenham and much needed.”

Meanwhile, Conte backed Kane to break “every record” with his incredible scoring feat but also spoke of his overall contribution.

“We spend time explaining the type of player,” he said at a press conference. “We are talking about a world-class striker, he will break every record with goals.

“For us, he is an important point of reference not only for goals but also on the field. With Hugo, he is our captain, especially in difficult times, you know Harry is ready to fight, ready to help his teammates, ready to solve the situation with goal, with help.

“He faces every positive or negative situation with great spirit and character to overcome difficulties.”

Son: It’s time for me to count!

Son’s goal was his first in eight Premier League games after a poor run of form and the South Korean striker hopes it will be a key moment of the season.

“It’s about time!” said Sky Sports. “It feels amazing. To be honest, I feel really bad for the team because I think they expect more than I have done.

“I hope today will be a turning point, gain confidence and I will continue to help the team.”

Conte was also delighted, giving Putra a big hug on the pitch after the final whistle and saying he hoped his goal would boost his confidence.

“I’m happy because our strikers scored, Harry scored twice and Sonny finally scored,” he said Sky Sports.

“It is very important for him, because we are talking about players who need to score and feel confident.”

Redknapp added: “It’s very important for Son. He relies on goals. Last year he won the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah. This year it didn’t happen for him. It was only his fourth goal of the season.

“They need more goals, but this will give them a lot of confidence. They have some big games coming up.”

Conte: This is a good reaction

Antonio Conte was delighted to get the reaction he was looking for after the 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa on New Year’s Day which made it 10 games in a row in which he scored the opening goal.

“It was a good reaction,” he said Sky Sports. “It’s not easy to win against Crystal Palace away. We are talking about a very good team, very well organised.

“After the first half was in the balance, then in the second half we exploited the opportunities to score and then finished with a good final result.

“Message [at half-time] it is to continue to play, because we started the game very well and then in the second part of the first half we lost a bit of possession. I think we played a good game, we were well organized without the ball, we tried to hit high.

“Now we have to keep trying and improving.

“Today I am happy because at this time we play with many young players. I have this opportunity in this period in the World Cup with these young players to work with young players and improve, tactically and physically.”

Vieira: Experience is the difference

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira is concerned about his squad’s lack of experience and feels he lacks valuable experience.

“It was a tough last night,” he said Sky Sports. “Being four goals down is not something to be happy about, but then again, it doesn’t reflect the quality of the game we are playing today.

“Of course, when we scored the first goal, it was very difficult for us. When these players have a little space, they can destroy any team, but the way they managed the game and the difficult moments showed a lot. The difference between the two teams. Experience it’s a massive factor in today’s game.

“We weren’t clinical enough, we didn’t take enough chances. We had some passes to put players in better positions to score goals. The last ball in the final third wasn’t good enough and Lloris made a couple of important saves.

“But we were brave, we showed quality and at the same time, the fact that we conceded four goals shows that there are many things we need to improve.

“We have young players in our squad and games like that need to be managed better. The experience allows them to be strong and to score those goals in dominant moments. There are many things to take from the game. .

“But you have to give credit to Tottenham because they look solid, in control and they are waiting for the moment to take this opportunity. With the quality they have, they don’t need to do much to score.

“But I believe that 4-0 is difficult for my players, difficult for the club. But we still have to take a lot.”