Spurs’ hopes crash at Burnley

Burnley’s Chris Wood celebrates scoring their first goal, 23 February, Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain – Action Images via Reuters

LONDON (Reuters): Tottenham Hotspur’s ambitions of Premier League glory were dealt a grievous blow on Saturday when not even a goal from their returning talisman Harry Kane could prevent them stumbling to a damaging and contentious 2-1 defeat at Burnley.

Goals from Burnley forwards Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes at Turf Moor left Spurs’ hopes of piling the pressure on the top two, Manchester City and Liverpool, in tatters and Tottenham’s normally serene boss Mauricio Pochettino raging.

Crystal Palace’s Roy Hodgson was left beaming as he became the oldest man to take charge of a Premier League match at the age of 71 years, 198 days — and marked the occasion with a 4-1 win at Leicester City.

The Spurs’ shock defeat kept them on 60 points, still five adrift of leaders City and Liverpool, who have the chance to move three points clear at the top when they visit Manchester United on Sunday.

At the other end of the table, Huddersfield Town’s freefall towards the second-tier Championship hurtled on when the league’s bottom club, down to 10 men after Captain Tommy Smith’s 20th-minute red card, lost 2-0 at Newcastle United.