Bale shines as Spurs thrash Burnley

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  • 2021-03-01 HKT 07:18″ title=”Gareth Bale (R) put on arguably his best performance since returning to Tottenham. Photo: Reuters”>


    Gareth Bale (R) put on arguably his best performance since returning to Tottenham. Photo: Reuters
    Gareth Bale (R) put on arguably his best performance since returning to Tottenham. Photo: Reuters

  • 2021-03-01 HKT 07:18″ title=”The injured Harvey Barnes of Leicester had to be stretched off. Photo: Reuters”>


    The injured Harvey Barnes of Leicester had to be stretched off. Photo: Reuters
    The injured Harvey Barnes of Leicester had to be stretched off. Photo: Reuters


Gareth Bale produced his most impressive performance since returning on loan to Tottenham Hotspur with two goals in his side’s 4-0 win over Burnley in the English Premier League.

The Welshman continued his recent resurgence by marking only his third league start of the season with the opening goal after only two minutes, prodding in from close range.

He then set up Harry Kane for Tottenham’s second after 15 minutes before Lucas Moura made it 3-0 before halftime.

Bale then claimed his second of the game with a clinical finish after 55 minutes as Tottenham returned to form in the league having lost five of their previous six games.

The impressive win left Tottenham in eighth spot with 39 points from 25 games and revived their hopes of finishing in the top four. Burnley are 15th with 28 points.

Bale’s lack of Premier League game time has been something of an anti-climax after the club’s former talisman returned on loan from Real Madrid in September having left in 2013.

But the four-time Champions League winner is finally beginning to show the kind of form that persuaded the Spanish giants to sign him for 100 million euros ($120.74 million).

He has now scored four times in his last four appearances in all competitions and although he did not register in the loss by West Ham United last week, he was eye-catching as a second-half substitute.

Elsehwere, a bad week for Leicester City got even worse as manager Brendan Rodgers said winger Harvey Barnes needs knee surgery and will be unavailable for six weeks.

The 23-year-old was carried off on a stretcher shortly after halftime in his side’s 3-1 home defeat by Arsenal.

“I just spoke to the doctor. That’ll be a huge blow for us,” Rodgers said. “It’s not good news. He needs an operation.

“He’ll be out for a minimum of six weeks. Part of the bone in his knee has come off, so he’ll need it repaired.

Barnes has been one of third-placed Leicester’s most influential players this season and his absence will hurt them in their quest to nail down a place in the top four.

And Fulham lacked the cutting edge in front of goal in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday and settled for a point at Selhurst Park in their quest to climb out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.

The result meant that Scott Parker’s 18th-placed side are unbeaten in five league matches and have 23 points from 26 games to sit three points behind Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion, but they were left to rue their missed opportunities. (Reuters)