Son Heung-min's superb hat-trick puts Spurs clear in race for Champions League

Son Heung-min fired a sensational hat-trick as Tottenham took control of the race for a Premier League top-four spot with a 4-0 win at Aston Villa.

After Manchester United and Arsenal both lost earlier in the day, Son’s treble and a fine Dejan Kulusevski strike sent Spurs three points in clear in fourth.

It was a fourth win in a row, a seventh from the last nine and makes it difficult to look past them in the battle for Champions League qualification following Antonio Conte’s transformation of this team.

Their deadly front three, with Harry Kane creating two of the goals, sealed the victory, but Spurs also have skipper Hugo Lloris to thank just as much.

After Son’s early opener they were on the rack for most of the first half, with the Frenchman’s heroics keeping a rampant Villa at bay.

Matchball. ☑️ pic.twitter.com/xVcpQUqMPX

Their lethal quality on the break in the second half saw them run away with it and inflict a fourth straight defeat on Steven Gerrard’s side.

Villa manager Gerrard said afterwards: "It's tough - the scoreline is harsh on us, but it's the reality and we have to accept that. I have to accept it - I'm responsible. The story of the game certainly wasn't a 4-0 game.

"It's the first time in football I've gone off at half-time 1-0 down and been really happy and proud, we were magnificent, we didn't take our chances but at half-time I said if we can continue this I have no doubt we get back into the game. The second half it flipped, Spurs' quality players made it about our backline and they punished us really heavily.

"We've got time - I don't know if that's a good thing, you want the next game quickly after a defeat like that which stings but I've got to pick the players up and be ready for the next game.