Rampant Tottenham Sees Off Hapless Stoke to End Winless Run

Tottenham Hotspur have brought their four-match winless league run to an end with a thumping 5-1 victory over Stoke City.

Tottenham Hotspur have brought their four-match winless league run to an end with a thumping 5-1 victory over Stoke City.

The North Londoners stretched their unbeaten Premier League run over the Potters to five games as Ryan Shawcross' own goal was added to by strikes from Son Heung-Min, Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen

Stoke disintegrated in the second 45 as they shipped four or more goals against the Lilywhites for a fourth consecutive game and only had a consolation strike from Shawcross to show for their abject efforts.

Stoke set their stall out to frustrate the hosts with the visitors defending deep and in numbers in an effort to prevent yet another hiding at their hands.

Indeed, Son's long-range strike - held by Jack Butland - was the only chance of note inside the opening 20 minutes as Tottenham struggled to break Stoke down.

Just past the 22nd minute mark, though, Tottenham were ahead. Son's cross from the left took a slight nick off Kurt Zouma and Shawcross was left aghast as his clearance looped past Butland at his near post.

Son drew a fine stop from Butland minutes after as Spurs countered at frightening pace from a Potters' corner before the visiting keeper's flying save prevented Eriksen firing home a trademark free kick.

Butland was called into action again as he parried a Moussa Dembele drive away from goal, before Kane bizarrely dragged a low shot wide after he was sent clear by Dele Alli's succinct pass.

Shawcross tested Hugo Lloris five minutes into the second period with Stoke's first shot on target in the match, but it was Spurs who struck two telling blows in as many minutes to wrap up the win just 10 minutes after the restart.

First, Son's low finish from Alli's perfectly weighted pass doubled Spurs' advantage as Stoke bemoaned a foul on Mame Biram Diouf, before Kane's bullet header from Ben Davies' curling cross stunned the Potters in the space of 80 seconds.

Lloris prevented Xherdan Shaqiri finding the opposite corner with a stinging low drive before Kane struck again to make it 50 goals for the calendar year - the England striker sweeping home left-footed from the edge of the area to compound Stoke' misery further.

Butland stopped Erik Lamela getting in on the action as he saved the sub's stretching shot with his feet but he was powerless as Spurs made it five - Eriksen firing home on the counter again as Stoke's players gave up on chasing back from their own corner.

Steve Bardens/GettyImages

Shawcross nodded home after he beat Lloris to a rare Stoke corner while Butland staved off a true cricket score with super saves to deny Son and Kane late on.