His goals were crucial as his side dealt a huge blow to Leicester City’s top-four hopes in the competition.

Kane struggled for sharpness when the season resumed last month, a legacy of the serious hamstring injury that sidelined him from Jan. 1.

But the striker produced a dazzling display as Spurs boosted their UEFA Europa League qualifying hopes.

Leicester City’s James Justin deflected Son Heung-min’s shot into his own goal after six minutes to give Spurs the perfect start.

England captain Kane’s clinical double before half-time then put Jose Mourinho’s side in complete control.

He has now scored four times in two games and has 23 in all competitions this season.

“I’m feeling as good as I’ve done for the last four or five years,” Kane, who notched up 200 career club league goals against Newcastle United in midweek, said.

“I like to do my talking on the pitch and that’s what we did today. It’s good that we are finishing strongly.”

Leicester City have looked certainties for a top-four finish for virtually the whole season but now are at risk of missing out on a UEFA Champions League spot.

They remain fourth but are level on 62 points with fifth-placed Manchester United who have two games left to play to Leicester City’s one.

Both sides meet on the final day of the season.

Spurs are finishing strongly, winning four of their last five games, and they moved two points above Wolverhampton Wanderers into sixth with 58 points, closing in on UEFA Europa League qualification.

Kane was even involved in Tottenham’s opener.

His superb pass released Son down the left and he sprinted half the length of the pitch to support his fellow striker.

Son went alone though and cut in to shoot right-footed, his effort taking a hefty deflection off Justin to give goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel no chance.

In an open game, Leicester City responded and Jamie Vardy had chances before Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a great low save to keep out a sweetly-struck volley by Ayoze Perez.

Tottenham’s second goal originated from a Leicester City corner-kick.

Spurs won possession and Giovani Lo Celso burst forward and released Lucas Moura to slide in Kane who fired a left-foot shot across Schmeichel and into the bottom corner.

Kane’s second goal was majestic.

Again picked out by Moura wide on the left, he cut in and curled a right-footer inside the post.

Leicester City dominated possession after the interval but made few inroads against a well-drilled Tottenham side.

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The loss ended their hopes of a record points tally for the Premier League season.

It means Liverpool, on 93 points, can now only stretch that tally to 99, one short of Manchester City’s record.

Arsenal’s first win against Liverpool since April 2015 lifts them one place to ninth in the table on 53 points.

The visitors created all the early pressure and opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Sadio Mane lashed in his 17th goal of the season from close range.

Yet the home side, playing without their leading scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, were handed a free pass back into the game 12 minutes later.

This was when Van Dijk made a back pass straight into the path of Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.

The Frenchman calmly rounded defender Fabinho and goalkeeper Alisson and fired into an empty net.

A second moment of calamitous work at the back from Liverpool then gifted the lead to Arsenal before the break.

This was when Alisson attempted a chipped ball out to Robertson that Lacazette ran onto and pulled back to Reiss Nelson.

The 20-year-old turned and shaped his shot beyond the diving goalkeeper into the bottom left corner.

“Twice, a massive lack of concentration… These two moments killed the game for us,” said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, whose side suffered only their third league defeat of the season.

“Arsenal had no real chances… You cannot win football games when you concede goals like this.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had left Aubameyang on the bench, most likely with one eye on Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.

This match may now be the Gunners’ best chance of securing European football next season.

Yet, as Liverpool poured forward after the break and created numerous chances, Arteta responded.

The best of these chance was from Salah whose shot was palmed over the bar at the last second by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Arteta shored up his side with a triple substitution, bringing off both his goalscorers and Lucas Torreira and replacing them with Aubameyang, Dani Ceballos and Joe Willock.

Klopp then took off Firmino and brought on Takumi Minamino.

The Japanese had an almost immediate shout for a penalty kick after coming into contact with Kieran Tierney in front of the Arsenal goal.

The visitors kept up the pressure but in spite of at times driving almost the entire Arsenal team back into their own penalty area, they were unable to find a way through.

“In terms of energy and happiness in the dressing room before the (FA Cup) semi-final, it’s a good medicine,” Arteta said.

“To beat this team you have to have moments in the game when you take your chances, defend and have a bit of luck.”

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The three players were absent for his struggling team’s 3-1 home defeat by Southampton in the English Premier League (EPL).

It looked like a good opportunity for Pearson’s side to give themselves some breathing space in the relegation fight, but instead they find themselves one point above the bottom three.

They have also played a game more than West Ham United and Bournemouth who are just below them on 27 points from 31 games.

Watford’s preparation was hardly helped when Gray, Chalobah and Quina were all omitted from the squad as a “precautionary measure”.

This was after British media reported that striker Gray had breached coronavirus lockdown rules by holding a birthday party at his home, with Quina also pictured at the gathering.

A statement from the club said Pearson had dropped the trio from the squad to ensure “the health and safety of all players, staff and officials at today’s game.”

Pearson will no doubt be furious that he was deprived of three players for such a crucial fixture, but preferred to focus on the efforts of the players that were on the pitch.

“I’m looking more at the performance and really what happened to put us in the situation that we’re in today and that is again fighting for our lives because we’ve not found the performance levels that I would expect from us,” Pearson said.

His side have managed one point from their three games since the season resumed after a three-month stoppage.

“Again, we made too many unforced errors and made mistakes for the goals and gave ourselves far too much to do and it’s disappointing for sure,” he added.

Southampton defender Jan Bednarek’s own goal looked to have given Watford hope late on after a Danny Ings double for Saints but James Ward-Prowse sealed the points for the visitors.

“We’ve not looked as cohesive as a unit as we have done in other games as well. So, it’s disappointing because today was an opportunity for us to add to our points tally,” said Pearson.

“We have games left in which it is in our own hands to make sure we secure our future in the Premier League. No one is going to do it for us.”

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They have smashed records along the way and more could follow, including most wins, most points and the biggest winning margin.

It will go down as a season for the ages, but what makes Juergen Klopp’s side such an unstoppable force?

All truly great sides are constructed on unshakeable foundations and Liverpool are no exception.

When Manchester City splashed out 35 million pounds (43.39 million dollars) on goalkeeper Ederson in 2017 it raised eyebrows.

But, a year later, Liverpool paid nearly double that for another Brazilian shot-stopper, Alisson Becker.

It was a masterstroke.

Alisson kept 21 clean sheets last season as Liverpool and Manchester City went head-to-head in an epic title race, more than any other goalkeeper.

He leads the way again with 12 this time in spite of being out injured early in the season.

Alisson exudes calm, distributes the ball like a cultured libero and make the difficult look remarkably routine.

In front of him, Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk has been a colossus since joining from Southampton in 2018.

Rarely can a defensive signing have made such an incredible impact.

Van Dijk’s ability to pick a pass means Liverpool can turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye.

And when it comes to defensive basics, he does everything with rare grace.

In front of Van Dijk is Liverpool’s engine block.

Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho, with James Milner as a reliable back-up, provide the relentless intensity opposing sides find so suffocating.

Without them working in unison, Liverpool’s attacking maestros could not flourish.

When the mercurial Philippe Coutinho left for FC Barcelona in 2018, some feared Liverpool’s creative spark would fade.

Instead, they have flourished.

Klopp’s early Liverpool sides often came unstuck against the “low block” when lesser opponents sat in deep and let Liverpool pass themselves into knots.

Then something happened.

Youth product Trent Alexander-Arnold established himself as first-choice right-back and left-back Andy Robertson joined from Hull for a paltry eight million pounds.

Operating like well-oiled pistons on each flank, they are arguably the best full-back pairing in the world, providing pace, penetration and creativity to open up even the most limpet-like defensive rearguards.

Alexander-Arnold is second behind only Manchester City magician Kevin de Bruyne in the assist charts this season with 12, while Robertson is fourth on the list with eight.

In Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino Liverpool possess an attacking trio that is almost impossible to contain.

As well as searing pace and lethal finishing prowess, Salah and Mane are a midfielder’s dream with their intelligent runs.

Salah and Mane have bagged 32 league goals between them this season while the Klopp’s modern-day number nine Firmino is the unsung hero, running himself into the ground for the cause.

Klopp has ingrained a sense of collective responsibility at Liverpool —- a characteristic of all great sides.

But skipper Jordan Henderson is their talisman.

It took him an age to come out of the more naturally-gifted Steven Gerrard’s shadow.

Even now, football analysis website transfermarkt.co.uk puts the 30-year-old down at 13th when comparing market values of Liverpool’s squad.

But his contribution is priceless.

Henderson’s passing range has expanded, his energy is relentless and above all, he will not tolerate a dip in standards from his team mates.

Henderson shuns the limelight but no captain will be more worthy of raising the Premier League trophy aloft.

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It was reported that with Liverpool holding a massive lead of 23 points at the top of the table, no team can surpass them even with seven games left.

What was needed for the Reds to claim the title was if Manchester City failed to win away at Chelsea on Thursday.

Chelsea duly defeated Manchester City 2-1 at Stamford Bridge for Liverpool to take the premier league crown for the season.

This also means that there would be a guard of honour for Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on July 2 when both sides face off —- if coronavirus restrictions allow.

Following are the records they have broken this season:

* Liverpool’s 3-2 win against West Ham United in February marked their 21st successive home victory, eclipsing Manchester City’s record of 20 between 2011/2012.

The result helped Juergen Klopp’s side equal Manchester City’s tally of 18 consecutive league wins.

* They beat Southampton 4-0 on Feb. 1 to move 22 points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table for the biggest lead in Premier League history.

That grew to 25 points after a 1-0 victory against Norwich City later that month.

* Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Jan. 11 meant they set a new record for points gained from the first 21 games in any of Europe’s “Big Five’’ leagues (61).

* They won their next six games to swell their points tally to 79 from their first 27 matches, before losing 3-0 at Watford in February.

* With their win at Tottenham, Liverpool set the record for most points gained across a 38-match spell in the Premier League (104), surpassing 102-point stretches by Manchester City and Chelsea.

* Liverpool had beaten 18 of the 19 teams in the league heading into their match against West Ham on Jan. 29.

A 2-0 victory against the Hammers marked the first time they had defeated every team in a single top-flight campaign in the club’s 127-year history.

* Mohamed Salah became the first Liverpool player to score 20 goals in all competitions in three consecutive seasons since Michael Owen between 2000/2001 and 2002/2003 when the Egyptian striker scored in a 2-1 win against Bournemouth.

* After beating Crystal Palace 4-0 on Wednesday and Manchester City’s failure to beat Chelsea on Thursday, Klopp’s side have sealed the title with seven games to spare.

They have eclipsed records set by Manchester United (2000/2001) and Manchester City (2017/2018) who sealed their respective titles with five games left.

Records Liverpool could have broken this season:

* Before the season was suspended, Liverpool were set to smash the record for the earliest top-flight title win.

They could have sealed the title with a win against Everton on March 16 coupled with a loss for Manchester City against Arsenal on March 11, breaking the record set by Manchester United, who lifted the 2000/2001 trophy on April 14.

Records Liverpool could still break this season:

* Liverpool have racked up 86 points from 31 games and need 15 more to set the record for most points in a Premier League season, eclipsing Manchester City’s tally of 100 from the 2017/2018 campaign.

* Liverpool need to win their remaining three games at Anfield to become the first Premier League side to win all 19 home games in a season.

* Three home wins will also ensure they set the record for most home points in a season which is currently held jointly by Chelsea (2005/2006), Manchester United (2010/2011) and Manchester City (2011/2012) who each picked up 55 points.

* Liverpool have won 28 games this season and need five more wins to break Manchester City’s record of 32 victories in a single Premier League campaign.

* If Liverpool win their remaining seven games, they will end the season with 107 points, breaking Reading’s record for most points in an English league campaign (106 in 2005/2006).

* Manchester City set the record for the largest margin of victory in the Premier League when they won the title by 19 points in 2017/2018 and Liverpool are on track to surpass that tally.

* Liverpool have won 12 of their 15 away matches and can equal Manchester City’s record of 16 away victories from 2017/2018 if they win their remaining four games on the road.

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The victory boosted Chelsea’s hopes of securing UEFA Champions League football next season.

The result left them fourth on 51 points from 30 games, five ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.

Aston Villa’s hopes of avoiding the drop were dented as they stayed second-bottom on 26 points, one point adrift of the safety zone.

Substitute Pulisic equalised on the hour and Giroud netted the winner two minutes later.

This was after defender Kortney Hause had fired the home side ahead against the run of play in the 43rd minute with his first Premier League goal.

Hause achieved a rare accomplishment of scoring in each of England’s top four divisions when he scrambled in a close-range rebound.

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had parried an Anwar El Ghazi shot from a delightful cross by Douglas Luiz.

“We dominated, but it’s the story of some of our games. We need to be more clinical,” Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said.

“But I can give the players some leeway because they’ve had a lot of time off. We showed great character and quality in the second half to win the game.”

Chelsea had 76 percent of the possession in the opening half and missed a string of chances, with Aston Villa goalkeeper Oerjan Nyland twice denying Mason Mount.

Also, Mateo Kovacic volleyed inches wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Arrizabalaga was also forced into action at the other end when he parried a ferocious El Ghazi shot from 25 metres.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek failed to get a touch on Mount’s low cross at the far post in the 39th minute.

American Pulisic equalised five minutes after coming on.

He stabbed a Cesar Azpilicueta cross off the underside of the bar at the far post as Aston Villa’s defence finally cracked under intense Chelsea pressure.

Azpilicueta delivered another telling assist two minutes later, threading the ball to Giroud from a flowing move and the Frenchman’s deflected shot on the turn gave Nyland no chance.

Aston Villa missed a gilt-edged chance to snatch a draw in the 87th minute.

Spanish substitute Jota drove an opportunist shot inches wide of the far post after a sloppy clearance by Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen.

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But it could have been worse for the leaders in the behind closed-doors Merseyside derby, after Tom Davies hit the post in the 80th minute for Everton.

The hosts will feel a little disappointed they did not take full advantage of a below-par peformance from the European champions.

Liverpool went into the game knowing a victory would allow them to secure their first league title in 30 years on Wednesday with a win at home to Crystal Palace.

It was the first competitive match in 103 days for Juergen Klopp’s side.

Eight games are remaining of the season which has resumed after the novel coronavirus stoppage.

But Liverpool need five more points to be sure of their first title of the Premier League era, unless Manchester City lose at home to Burnley on Monday.

There were few chances in a tight and ultimately disappointing game at Goodison Park.

But it was Everton, without a win over their local rivals since 2010, who came closest to taking the points.

With 10 minutes remaining Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s clever flick from a low Gylfi Sigurdsson cross was pushed out by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Tom Davies’ follow-up shot hit the post.

Liverpool, who left Mohamed Salah on the bench, lacked their usual potency in attack with their best opening coming in the 35th minute.

That was when Roberto Firmino screwed a shot wide from a promising position while Fabinho went close late on with a curling free-kick.

Both Klopp and his Everton counterpart Carlo Ancelotti handed players first league starts.

Japan’s Takumi Minamino was in the Liverpool attack while 19-year-old Anthony Gordon was upfront for the home side, even though neither were able to make much impact.

Everton striker Calvert-Lewin felt his side should have shown a little bit more self-belief.

“We take the point but I thought there was a big chance there for us today,” he said.

“We had a few chances but it wasn’t our day. We should have backed ourselves more in the battle,” he said.

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Leicester’s goal-machine Vardy had not found the net since Dec. 21 but he ended his long scoring drought with two goals after coming off the bench.

He converted a penalty kick just past the hour to double Leicester’s lead shortly after replacing Kelechi Iheanacho, and after Harvey Barnes had opened the scoring before half-time.

Vardy struck again after 79 minutes to take his league tally to 19 for the season before Barnes claimed his second to make it a miserable night for Leicester’s Midlands rivals Aston Villa.

It was the Foxes first win in five league games, ending a slump that had put their top-four place in peril.

Third-placed Leicester City began the night only five points above fifth-placed Manchester United but the victory means they have re-established a healthy gap.

Leicester City have 53 points from 29 games, Chelsea have 48 and Manchester United 45.

All have nine games remaining.

Dean Smith’s Aston Villa remain second from bottom, two points below the safety line with 25 points and a game in hand.

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Henderson’s eighth minute goal, which came off his shoulder from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner-kick, quietened a raucous crowd inside a mist-shrouded Molineux.

But Wolves, under coach Nuno Espirito Santo, have built a reputation for upsetting more illustrious opponents.

They came roaring back in the 51st minute when Raul Jimenez steered home a powerful header from a cross by the lively Adama Traore.

Both sides then squandered chances before Firmino found space in the box to settle the outcome with an 84th minute strike that gave
Liverpool a 14th consecutive league win.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp punched the air and their fans sang “We shall not be moved” as the relentless Reds close in on their first top-flight title in three decades.

The win put Liverpool on 67 points and still with a game in hand over last season’s champions Manchester City who have 51.

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They did so with Ayoze Perez’s late double capping a 4-1 home win over lowly West Ham United on Wednesday.

Victory came at a cost though, as Premier League leading scorer Jamie Vardy hobbled off shortly before half-time.

Back-to-back defeats by Southampton and Burnley had cast some doubt over Leicester’s top-four credentials but goals by Harvey Barnes and Ricardo Pereira had Brendan Rodgers’ side in control by half time.

Skipper Mark Noble gave West Ham a lifeline in the 50th minute when he converted a penalty kick, but Perez’s late double, his first from the penalty kick spot, underlined Leicester’s superiority.

Leicester have 48 points from 24 games, eight ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea, while West Ham, who have 23 points, are only outside the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference.

Leicester have also scored 52 goals, their highest top-flight tally after 24 games since 1930/1931.

“I thought we played with that authority in the game and personality that the team has played with all season. Tempo was good, pressed well,” Rodgers said.

Defeat by Leicester on Dec. 28 did bad for former West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, paving the way for the return of David Moyes for a second stint as Hammers manager.

But he now faces a tough task of keeping them out of the relegation zone after winning only one of his first four games in charge.

“I knew January was going to be really, really tough. The Premier League at different times has brought shocks, we just have to make sure we bring one of those shocks in the games coming up,” he said.

Leicester toyed with West Ham in the opening stages and the only surprise was it took them 24 minutes to score, Barnes applying the finishing touch to Ricardo’s pass across goal.

When Vardy clutched the back of his leg and soon afterwards hobbled off, it dampened the mood but the home fans were buoyant when Barnes teed up Ricardo to double the lead.

West Ham had been non-existent as an attacking threat in the first half.

But they were handed an unlikely lifeline when Wilfred Ndidi was adjudged to have fouled Sebastien Haller and Noble converted from the penalty kick spot.

From a position of comfort Leicester suddenly looked edgy and Manuel Lanzini almost equalised.

But Leicester settled back into their rhythm and could breathe easy when Perez tucked away a penalty kick in the 81st minute after Angelo Ogbonna’s clumsy tackle on Vardy’s replacement Kelechi Iheanacho.

Perez made absolutely sure of the points in the 88th minute when he found the corner after an intricate passing move.

While there is no chance of another title charge, as in 2015/2016, barring an unlikely collapse in form Leicester look poised to return to the UEFA Champions League.

They are 14 points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.

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