Premier League: Harry Kane strikes late to give Tottenham win over West Brom

Harry Kane's 150th Premier League goal grabbed the winner for Tottenham against West Brom two minutes from time and put his side top of the Premier League.

Despite having Gareth Bale alongside Kane and Heung-Min Son for the first time, Spurs struggled to threaten their struggling opponents for most of the game, until Matt Doherty's cross fully 35 yards from goal was flicked by Kane over Johnstone.

Spurs should have taken an early lead through Son when Tanguy Ndombele fed him in the right hand side of the area, but despite having a great deal of time, he took too long and Semi Ajayi blocked his shot.

Conor Gallagher came the closest to scoring for West Brom midway through the second half when he found a yard of space 20 yards from goal before clipping an effort that had Hugo Lloris beaten but clipped the outside of the post.

Substitute Vinicius turned and shot in the closing stages to force a diving stop from Johnstone, which seemed likely to preserve a point for the Baggies, until Kane's late intervention.

Slaven Bilic is a manager under pressure. No wins in 12 league games going back to last season, he demanded a better effort from his side after the limp performance against Fulham on Monday - and he got it.

Of course Tottenham caused problems, and the game could have been very different if Son hadn't uncharacteristically wasted his early chance, but Albion moving to a system of three centre backs, three central midfielders and two strikers, looked a more compact unit and for most of the game snuffed out Spurs' attacking threat, with Semi Ajayi and Dara O'Shea particularly solid.

This match is the perfect example for rolling out the adages about champions winning when they don't play well and getting nothing from games in which they perform well leading to relegation, for the respective sides.

But if Bilic can keep his side's confidence up, which will be no easy task given their run, they should get their rewards if they can replicate this type of performance.

The late 1990s and early 2000s is rightly seen as a halcyon time for central midfielders and, while it is hard to see a Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira or Steven Gerrard in today's game, Gallagher may well be this generation's Robbie Savage.

This does not sound a compliment but it is. He may not have the quality to force his way into Chelsea's side, but he can be an important player for a top-half Premier League side helping them compete on level terms with the top sides as Savage did with Martin O'Neill's Leicester City.

His energy is astounding and repeatedly in this match he would traverse the field in his own half to either snuff out danger or make an option more difficult for a Spurs player.

Like Savage he will be hated by opposition fans due to his tendency to commit a number of fouls, with his flowing blonde locks only highlighting his offences and making it easy to single him out for abuse.

The former Welsh midfielder and ubiquitous media presence did have more quality than he was credited with, and similarly, the way Gallagher crafted the time and space to almost give the Baggies the lead showed his talent stretches beyond his tenacity and engine.

West Brom: Johnstone 6, Furlong 7, Ajayi 8, Bartley 6, O'Shea 7, Townsend 6, Livermore 6, Krovinovic 7, Gallagher 8*, Robinson 7, Grant 5. Subs: Diangana 5, Phillips 6, Edwards 6.

Tottenham: Lloris 6, Doherty 7, Aderweireld 7, Dier 7, Reguilon 7, Sissoko 6, Hojberg 6, Ndombele 7, Bale 6, Kane 8, Son 6. Subs: Lo Celso 6, Moura 6, Vinicius 7.

13’ Superb play from Ndombele gives the ball to Son in the right hand side of the area. He has an age of time and uses that and more, with Ajayi eventually blocking his shot. A great chance.

38’ Great header from Dier out of danger. A lovely ball from Krovinovic through to Robinson in the inside left of the penalty area and just before the by-line he clipped a ball over Lloris but the England man cleared the danger in front of Grant.

60’ Harry Kane picked up a ball 20 yards out and it looked perfect for him to hit a trademark low drive into the corner but O'Shea got down low in almost a cricket long barrier to block his effort.

70’ Gallagher crafts an opening for himself 25 yards out and steers a fine effort at goal that has Lloris beaten but flies just wide of the goal.Replays show Gallagher's effort clipped the post.

84’ Vinicius turns and hits a superb low drive towards the corner of the West Brom goal but Johnstone saves down to his right brilliantly.

88’ GOAL! Kane flicks Doherty's cross over Johnstone for his 150th Premier League goal. A hammer blow for West Brom.