Harry Kane lifted the gloom at Tottenham on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace as Nottingham Forest lifted themselves out of the relegation zone.
also read: Arsenal held by against Newcastle as Man Utd cruise
Forest beat bottom side Southampton 1-0 while Wolves drew 1-1 at Aston Villa and struggling West Ham held to a 2-2 draw with Leeds.
Antonio Conte’s inconsistent Tottenham, who finished fourth last season, picked up just one point from two games after the Premier League resumed after the World Cup.
The disaffected Italian manager, usually successful at Inter Milan, Chelsea and Juventus, warned this week he would only stay if he was 100 per cent sure of the club’s project.
Conte was looking for a reaction after Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa and finally got it despite a poor first half performance from his side.
“The character of this team definitely shows,” he told Sky Sports. “Maybe only in the last game against Aston Villa, we didn’t have a strong reaction. Otherwise every game we show strong character.
“It’s really important. We got three points. We continue to stay very close for a good position. After you don’t win and your confidence drops, it’s important to win.
Spurs were second best in the first half at Selhurst Park, lacking zip in attack and had goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to thank for keeping it 0-0 but it was a different story after the break.
England captain Kane scored twice in five minutes on his 300th Premier League appearance to move just two goals behind Jimmy Greaves’ record of 266 goals for Spurs.
Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Ivan Perisic crossed to Kane from the left and brilliantly nodded past Vicente Guaita at the near post.
Kane doubled Spurs’ lead when the ball fell to Bryan Gil on the right and he sent a pass to the England striker, who sent a low strike into the bottom left corner.
Matt Doherty made it 3-0 midway through the second half and Son Heung-min completed the scoring four minutes later, lifting Spurs to 33 points – just two behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
– Win the forest –
Nottingham Forest climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a costly 1-0 victory, which added to the misery of basement club Southampton.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s fifth goal of the season gave his side their first success of the season to strengthen their survival hopes.
Steve Cooper’s resurgent side has now taken 11 points from the past 21 available, having only managed six of the previous 33, and fully merited a significant triumph on the south coast.
“It’s better to get out of the bottom three of course but one step at a time,” Cooper told the BBC. “I’m really challenging the players to get their first win and challenging me and the staff. We’re all in it.”
He added: “The aim is not just to stay out but to go up the table, but that is easier said than done and we will do everything to get a result.”
West Ham won their first league since October when they won 2-1 against Leeds at Elland Road, but Spain international Rodrigo equalized in the 70th minute.
David Moyes’ side, who have lost their previous five games in the Premier League, remain in a precarious position, outside the bottom three only on goal difference.
Both wore black armbands as a mark of respect for West Ham joint chairman David Gold, who died earlier on Wednesday aged 86.
Daniel Podence fired Wolves into the lead at Villa Park but Danny Ings leveled in the 78th minute to ensure Wolves stayed in the relegation zone.
Wednesday’s result also pushed Frank Lampard’s Everton into the bottom three.
Manchester City take on Chelsea on Thursday, looking to close the gap on leaders Arsenal to five points.