Birmingham: Substitute Harry Kane’s last-minute winner, his seventh goal in as many games, completed Tottenham Hotspur’s come-from behind 2-1 victory at 10-man Aston Villa on Sunday as the visitors soared up the Premier League table.
Andreas Weimann’s 16th-minute goal gave Villa the lead but the hosts had to play the final 25 minutes a man down after striker Christian Benteke was shown a red card for a slap on the face of Spurs’ Ryan Mason.
Tottenham eventually made their advantage pay by scoring two goals inside the final six minutes at Villa Park.
Nacer Chadli struck from a corner before rising star Kane, a life-long fan of north London club Spurs and a product of their youth system, grabbed the winner.
Victory saw Spurs climb to eighth place, six points above the relegation zone but Villa’s sixth league loss in a row meant they remained just two points above the bottom three.
“You always need all the players,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told Sky Sports.
“Today Andros (Townsend), Erik (Lamela) and Harry (Kane) made a big impact.”
For all that Benteke deserved to be sent off, Mason was fortunate not to be shown a red card as well after appearing to headbutt the Villa forward.
“I thought we were excellent throughout the game,” said Villa manager Paul Lambert.
“OK we lost but the red card changed the game. There were so many positives today but one disappointment.
“Christian Benteke was showing great form, Tottenham could not handle him and it is disappointing with the red card.
“You cannot condone what he did but it is not like he threw a Mike Tyson punch. My daughter can punch harder than that,” added Lambert.
Weimann, after Villa had missed several chances, gave the Birmingham club the lead when he turned in a low cross from Charles N’Zogbia.
Emmanuel Adebayor should have equalised 11 minutes later after being played in by Roberto Soldado but his low shot was turned away by Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen was booked for a two-footed challenge on Ashley Westwood as an increasingly fractious match reached boiling point with the dismissal of Benteke, who was shown a red card after a clash with Lamela and Mason that sparked a melee in front of the dug-outs.
Then came Tottenham’s rally, with Chadli turning in Lamela’s corner at the far post before Kane’s 20-yard free-kick deflected off defender Nathan Baker and beyond a wrong-footed Guzan.
