The Spurs and England striker headed home his 37th league goal of 2017 on 22 minutes to surpass Alan Shearer’s landmark, which was set during his time at Blackburn in 1995.

Kane then added two more either side of half-time to bring his total for the year – for both club and country – to 56, two more than Barcelona and Argentina striker Lionel Messi.

Before Kane’s third, Dele Alli had made it 3-0 on 49 minutes when he drilled in from outside the area, before setting up Son Heung-min two minutes later, who powered a confident finish past Fraser Forster.

Southampton, without top scorer Charlie Austin, got off the mark when Sofiane Boufal struck low under Hugo Lloris, and Dusan Tadic added a second with a lofted effort.

Despite a second-half recovery, Saints never looked like spoiling the Spurs party and have now gone two months without a win in the Premier League.

Spurs, meanwhile, replace Liverpool in fourth place in the table, with the Reds playing Swansea in Tuesday’s late kick-off.

It was an impressive display from Mauricio Pochettino’s side, but the game will always be remembered for Kane’s record-breaking day, as he cemented his status as one of the top flight’s most prolific strikers.

Speaking about his 22-year record being taken, Shearer tweeted: “You’ve had a magnificent 2017, Harry Kane. You deserve to hold the record of most Premier League goals in a calendar year. Well done and keep up the good work.”

Harry Kane’s record-breaking 2017

• Kane reached his goal-scoring record in 36 games – six fewer than Shearer in 1995
• The 24-year-old has scored more league goals this season than Bournemouth, West Brom, Swansea, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Huddersfield
• He is the first player in Premier League history to score six hat-tricks in a single calendar year
• Kane has scored eight Premier League hat-tricks, as many as Thierry Henry and Michael Owen – only Alan Shearer (11) and Robbie Fowler (9) have more in the competition.
• Kane has scored 56 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham and England in 2017. He is Europe’s top scorer over the past 12 months in the five major countries (England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France)
• The Spurs striker has now scored 96 Premier League goals for the club – one off Teddy Sheringham’s record

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Source: BBC Sport

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The Tottenham striker equalled Alan Shearer’s Premier League mark of 36 goals in a calendar year, set in 1995, with another hat-trick in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Burnley.

Kane’s fifth hat-trick of the year lifted him to 93 Premier League goals in total, but he has some way to go to match Shearer’s all-time best of 260.

“Of course you dream about it, but I’d be silly to look that far ahead I think,” Kane said. “I’ve still got a long way to go. A lot can happen in football.

“Hopefully I can stay fit, stay sharp and we’ll see what happens. Maybe if I get to 200 and I’ve still got a few more years left then I’ll start thinking about it.

“But for now I’m concentrating on each game. I’ve had a great 2017 and hopefully, for me, it’s an improved 2018 and I get even better.”

Alan Shearer scored 260 Premier League goals his career

The England striker will bid to break Shearer’s calendar-year mark in Tottenham’s lunchtime clash with Southampton on Boxing Day but insisted the team comes before any personal landmarks.

“Of course, always,” he said. “I’ve always said that and that will always be the case.

“I’m the striker, so a lot of the time I get the praise and get spoken about, but it’s so important that the team does well. “But now, obviously equal, yeah I’m full of confidence going into Tuesday. But most importantly for me it’s the wins that matter and Southampton’s going to be another tough game.”

Harry Kane’s hat-trick against Burnley was his fifth in the Premier League this calendar year

Kane defended team-mate Dele Alli, who quickly adopted the role of pantomime villain on Saturday, when Tottenham halted a five-game winless run on the road in the top flight.

Alli was under the spotlight following his reckless tackle on Kevin De Bruyne in the recent defeat at Manchester City and, in only the fourth minute at Turf Moor, he was booked after lunging in on Charlie Taylor.

‘Alli not malicious’

Eric Dier insists his Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli is not malicious after the England midfielder was criticised for a late challenge on Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

Eric Dier insists his Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli is not malicious after the England midfielder was criticised for a late challenge on Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

He further incensed the home fans, who felt he dived when challenged by Kevin Long in the area to earn Spurs an early penalty, duly dispatched by Kane, and was roundly booed thereafter.

“He’s a great person and he’s a great player,” Kane said. “He’s got that aggressive side to him and that’s what makes him who he is.

“I don’t think he stepped over the mark at all (at Turf Moor). I thought the penalty was definitely a penalty.

Kane says Dele Alli played the role of a pantomime villain at Turf Moor

“People are going to talk and in football there’s always someone criticising you, so it’s about how you cope with that and I think he’s doing well.

“It makes him play better. You’ve seen him, he was fantastic. Maybe he fed off the crowd. He was the pantomime villain out there.”

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The Frenchman climbed above Virgil van Dijk to steer home Alexis Sanchez’s cross in the 88th minute to make Arsenal’s possession finally pay.

It had seemed the Gunners’ slow start was going to cost them for a second successive weekend after Charlie Austin clipped home the opener with the away defence in a mess.

The Southampton striker also drilled a shot into Petr Cech’s gloves shortly after and then hit the post.

A sharp save from Aaron Ramsey apart, Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster had little to do as the visitors struggled to carve out clear-cut chances before their late leveller.

Indeed Southampton were left to rue several wasted chances on the counter attack, with Ryan Bertrand missing the best of those in the second half.

A draw moves Arsenal level on points but behind on goal difference to fourth-placed Liverpool, who play in Sunday afternoon’s Merseyside derby. Southampton break into the top half of the table, leapfrogging Huddersfield and Everton into 10th.

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Source: BBC

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Saints striker Charlie Austin scored two second-half headers on his first league start of the season as the Toffees capitulated after half-time.

They have now won only once in seven games under Unsworth.

“It’s killing me,” said the 44-year-old former Everton defender, who urged the board to quickly appoint a permanent manager.

“I take responsibility, but we all have to as well. We’re in a tough place and things have to change quickly.”

Unsworth said the performance at St Mary’s was “not acceptable” and the team need to “get back to basics”.

He added: “Confidence is as low as it has ever been. The club has to decide and the sooner that happens the better. The players need this resolving.

“What I see is a happy squad but I’d rather have an unhappy squad that’s winning. I want what’s best for the club and I hope the players do too.”

Dusan Tadic gave the hosts an early lead but Everton’s record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson levelled just before the break.

After Austin’s double, Steven Davis scored from the edge of the box to wrap up victory for the Saints, who had previously scored only six league goals at home this season.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s men produced a vibrant attacking display that should lift the pressure on the Argentine after his side failed to muster a shot on target in the 3-0 defeat by Liverpool.

With Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares offering a constant threat down the flanks, and Austin intent on making his mark, the Saints could have scored more.

Austin hit the post after 11 minutes following tenacious work out wide from Soares, and defender Virgil van Dijk headed wide on 40 minutes following James Ward-Prowse’s corner.

Capitulation follows capitulation for Everton

Everton are now winless in 15 Premier League away games and remain two points above the bottom three

This defeat came just three days after a 5-1 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League, and ex-Everton striker Gary Lineker described the club as “a shambles” as they collapsed at St Mary’s.

The Toffees seem rudderless on and off the pitch, and former defender Unsworth has been unable to add any stability since Ronald Koeman was sacked in October.

Everton have now conceded 28 goals in the Premier League this season – their worst tally after 13 games since 1958-59.

Their only win under Unsworth came on 5 November against Watford, whose manager Marco Silva has been a target for the Toffees.

But, with the Portuguese seemingly now off the agenda, it is difficult to work out if the club had a plan for life after Koeman.

A worrying lack of clarity over their manager search is echoed on the pitch, where capitulation follows capitulation and the players’ body language looks increasingly forlorn.

Something has to give and fast – because they are playing like a side with very real prospects of going down.

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Source: BBC Sport

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Puel becomes the Foxes’ third manager this year, replacing Craig Shakespeare who succeeded Premier League title winner Claudio Ranieri in February.

Puel, 56, led the Saints to eighth in his first season in charge, as well as reaching the EFL Cup final, but the Frenchman was sacked in June.

Michael Appleton will remain as Leicester’s assistant manager.

Appleton had taken caretaker charge after Shakespeare was sacked just four months after he signed a three-year deal to take the job on a permanent basis.

Leicester City vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said Puel was “a perfect fit”.

“Upon meeting Claude, his attention to detail, knowledge of our squad, understanding of our potential and his vision to help us realise it were extremely impressive,” he added.

“He quickly emerged as the outstanding candidate and I am delighted we will have the opportunity to reinforce our long-term vision, aided significantly by his expertise.”

Puel takes over a Foxes side 14th in the Premier League table with two wins from nine games.

The former Monaco boss, who has also had spells at Lille and Lyon, spent four years as manager of Nice before replacing Ronald Koeman at Southampton.

He said it was “a great privilege” to take over at Leicester, adding that the club’s “values and ambitions are closely aligned to my own”.

“The opportunity to help the club build on its remarkable recent achievements is a truly exciting one and I’m looking forward to working with the owners, players, staff and supporters to deliver further lasting success.”

Despite losing 16 games last season, Puel led Southampton to an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League. Their 3-2 defeat by Manchester United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley was their first major final since 2003.

But he was dismissed after managing just one win from the final eight league matches of the season, with his side scoring just once in their last six games.

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Source: BBC

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Austin broke the deadlock by poking home at the near post after Virgil van Dijk was allowed to head across the face of the goal from a corner.

Burnley’s defence was at fault again as Redmond beat Tom Heaton with a low strike from another corner.

Austin scored from the spot before a Sam Vokes penalty reduced the arrears.

Burnley’s defence has crumbled on a number of occasions in the second half of games this season, though it was thanks to a series of fine saves from Heaton that the score remained goalless for as long as it did.

The injury to influential midfielder Steven Defour before the break also hampered the visitors’ cause against a Southampton side who are now unbeaten in four league matches.

Chances galore for Southampton

Southampton, without first-choice full-backs Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand, suffered a further defensive set-back early on. Matt Targett, Bertrand’s replacement, injured his hamstring – but 21-year-old academy product Sam McQueen came on and performed well.

The Saints’ defence was organised despite the changes – although they did concede their first goal in 612 minutes of play – and the hosts created plenty of chances, troubling Heaton with 34 shots, the highest total by any team in a Premier League game this season.

Heaton has made more saves than any goalkeeper in the league – including 11 in this match. His most spectacular arguably came in the fourth minute as he dived low towards the bottom right corner to deny Austin.

But Burnley were caught out after the break when Van Dijk headed Dusan Tadic’s corner towards Austin, who was standing two yards from goal. The former Burnley player needed two attempts, with his first effort blocked on the line by Vokes before he poked in the rebound.

Moments after Heaton had made a brilliant save from Tadic, Burnley’s defence folded again as Steven Davis’ corner found the unmarked Redmond, who fired low beyond Heaton at his near post.

The visitors were rattled and it was no surprise that Southampton added to the scoreline, with Austin converting from the spot after Johann Berg Gudmundsson was deemed to have made contact with McQueen.

Southampton, particularly impressive in the closing stages as they charged forward in search of a fourth, came close to scoring again on a number of occasions with Davis, Jose Fonte, Jordy Clasie and Jay Rodriguez going close.

Should have Burnley have been awarded a first-half penalty?

Sean Dyche’s team were unlucky to lose to a controversial 94th-minute winner by Arsenal during their last Premier League outing, but they were unable to frustrate a free-flowing Southampton on this occasion and were fortunate not to suffer a heavier defeat.

The visitors had strong cause to appeal for a penalty in the first half after Gudmundsson was felled by Van Dijk but referee Mike Dean, standing yards in front of the challenge, ignored their pleas.

Dyche said after the match that it was a decision which could have changed the course of the match.

The Burnley manager argued that there was “minimal contact” between Gudmundsson and McQueen for Southampton’s penalty. However, it was also questionable whether Tadic’s brush with Ben Mee for the visitors’ spot-kick should have been punished.

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Source: BBC

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