MANCHESTER – Lucas Moura’s first Premier League hat-trick helped Tottenham Hotspur climb above Chelsea into third after a 4-0 victory over bottom side Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
With Chelsea not in action until Sunday when they take on title-chasing Liverpool, Spurs cruised past the already-relegated Yorkshire side at their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to move on to 67 points, one ahead of Maurizio Sarri’s side.
Spurs also forged four points clear of their neighbours Arsenal, who travel to Watford on Monday.
Meanwhile, two Paul Pogba penalties earned a lethargic Manchester United a 2-1 victory over West Ham United and lifted them above Arsenal into fifth place.
In the absence of the injured Harry Kane and the rested Son Heung-min, though, Spurs still made it three wins out of three at their inspiring new home, Victor Wanyama’s early goal being followed by Lucas’s treble, which featured two late strikes.
The victory was an important one for Tottenham, who face a daunting trip to league leaders Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, before the same fixture takes place in the Premier League next weekend.
At the other end of the table, Cardiff City edged closer to the drop with a 2-0 defeat at Burnley, while Brighton & Hove Albion’s third successive league defeat, a humiliating 5-0 home loss to Bournemouth, heightened their relegation fears.
Elsewhere, 16th-placed Southampton also moved one step closer to survival with a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, while relegated Fulham secured just their fifth league win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Everton.
Sunday’s action kicks off with second-placed Manchester City facing a tough trip to Crystal Palace, one of the few sides to have beaten Pep Guardiola’s men this season.
Liverpool will host Chelsea in Sunday’s late kickoff. (Reuters)
