Spurs lose ground on rivals

LONDON • Tottenham yesterday sank to their third successive Premier League defeat, as first-half goals by Raul Jimenez and Leander Dendoncker gave Wolverhampton Wanderers a 2-0 away win.

After losing 3-2 at home to Southampton in midweek, Spurs desperately needed a response to boost their top-four ambitions, but defensive errors cost them dear.

Jimenez volleyed in after six minutes, following a mistake by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and the captain hardly covered himself in glory again when Dendoncker doubled Wolves' lead 12 minutes later.

Lloris redeemed himself a little by preventing Wolves adding to their advantage before the break, but the damage was already done.

The hosts improved in the second half but the closest they came was a deflected Harry Winks shot against the post.

Wolves were fairly comfortable though. They leapfrogged Spurs into seventh place with 37 points, only three behind fourth-placed West Ham, who played at Leicester in the late game.

That result was not available by press time.

Antonio Conte's men, who were booed off at the full-time whistle, slipped to eighth with 36 points, although they still have a game in hand on Wolves.

Liverpool's 1-0 win at Burnley cut Manchester City's lead at the top back to nine points.

Fabinho's first-half goal - his fifth strike in seven club games in all competitions - was enough at Turf Moor over a battling Burnley side, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table on 14 points but with three games in hand on the 18th-placed Norwich.

The Reds (54 points) still have a game in hand on City, while both sides will face each other in April.

On the possibility of reeling in the league leaders, Fabinho said yesterday: "We have to think game after game. We play every three days with other competitions as well. Everyone has to be ready, we don't have injured players and that is good for us.

"We have to try to win every game and before we next play them, we have the chance to be next to them."

On his sudden hot streak in front of goal, the Brazil midfielder, who is more known for his shielding role in front of the back four and did not score last season, said: "Yeah, really impressive. I always try to help the team.

"When you score goals, you are always confident the ball will come to you. I always try to be ready and try to follow every ball, go for first balls and second balls. One more goal.

"We didn't score the second goal but defensively, the team was very good today. A nice three points."

Pep Guardiola's side earned a thumping 4-0 win at Carrow Road on Saturday after Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick, while Phil Foden was also on target.

At St James' Park, Newcastle's revival continued as the 17th-placed Magpies beat Aston Villa 1-0 to pull four points clear of the relegation zone. Eddie Howe's men are unbeaten in their last five league games, winning three of them.

Kieran Tripper's free kick was the decider, with the England defender - one of five signings in the January transfer window - netting for the second successive match.

REUTERS