Tottenham 2-1 Brighton: Harry Kane nets late goal to keep Spurs’ top-four hopes alive

Harry Kane smashed home the winner to keep Tottenham in the mix for a Champions League spot, after a match where VAR decisions went against Brighton.

After the visitors had dominated the early stages Heung-min Son put Spurs in front with a glorious effort curling just inside the far post from the left edge of the penalty area.

The Seagulls were on level terms when Solly March's corner found Lewis Dunk unmarked at the far post to head home.

They should have been further ahead before Kane's winner with two goals disallowed by VAR, understandably for handball from Kaoru Mitoma and Alexis Mac Allister, but incredibly only seconds were taken to decide Mitoma should not have had a penalty when he was stood on in the penalty area.

After an altercation on the touchline which saw both Italian managers sent to the stands - as much for not controlling their staff as for their own conduct - Kane gave his side an undeserved victory 11 minutes from time when he left Jason Steele with no chance after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg found him alone on the edge of the box with a perfect pull back.

The win puts Spurs in fifth spot, three points behind Manchester United and Newcastle, while Brighton slip to seventh.

At the end of the season, when the Premier League look at matches where VAR did not act correctly, this match will be one of the first videos they watch. Until recently, when an overachieving side was playing away at a bigger side they would often bemoan being at the wrong end of decisions where pressured referees favoured the home side. This should not be the case now. How else could Brighton feel though when replays clearly showed Mitoma's foot was trod on by Hojbjerg, yet despite play going on for 20 seconds before the ball was kicked out, the referee was instructed soon afterwards to carry on the game? Although not as clear cut, the goal from Danny Welbeck's deflected shot - inadvertently diverting off Mac Allister's elbow, which was pushed in against his body, also felt a tough call. The last thing anyone wants is more stoppages in football and extra time taken to give decisions, but this outcome left a bad taste in the mouth.

The visiting side controlled the game for the majority of the contest and a lot of praise for this can go to their World Cup-winning midfielder. He links superbly with Pascal Gross and Solly March - who also had a fine game - and often created angles of passing leaving the Spurs players chasing shadows in the central area of the field. If his team-mate Enzo Fernandes is worth £107 million, he must also have a nine-figure price tag placed on him.

Tottenham: Lloris 7; Romero 6, Dier 6, Lenglet 7; Pedro Porro 6, Skipp 6, Hojbjerg 7, Perisic 7; Kulusevski 7, Son 7; Kane 7

Subs: Danjuma 6, Tanganga 6, Sarr 6.

Brighton: Steele 7; Veltman 6, Dunk 7, Colwill 6, Estupinan 7; Caicedo 7, Gross 7; Mac Allister 8*, Mitoma 6, March 7; Welbeck 6.

Subs: Webster 6, Ferguson 6, Enciso 6

10' GOAL FOR TOTTENHAM! And a marvellous one for Son, fittingly for his 100th Premier League goal. He turned in on his right foot receiving the ball a couple of yards out from the edge of the penalty area and given a yard too much space he curls an unstoppable effort just inside the far post.

17' GOAL FOR BRIGHTON - NO! A fantastic ball from Mac Allister finds Mitoma behind the defence and he brought the ball down and casually strikes the ball home on the volley, but the linesman has awarded a handball. VAR is checking.

25 - CAICEDO SO CLOSE FROM 25 YARDS! Lloris may have got a slight touch to Caicedo's fine low curling strike but he would have been relieved to see the ball come back off the post.

34 - GOAL FOR BRIGHTON! March with another dangerous corner and Dunk gets up highest to head home unmarked at the back post.

56' GOAL FOR BRIGHTON - NO! Welbeck turns on his left foot leaving Hojbjerg standing and curls an effort at goal which deflects off Mac Allister and wrong foots Lloris. VAR are checking whether it hit the Argentine's hand.....and it has been disallowed.

60' DE ZERBI AND STELLINI GET RED CARDS! Stellini didn't seem to do a great deal but it might be as much an award for not controlling their staff.

71' MITOMA DOWN IN THE BOX! The referee was close by and says no penalty. Mitoma is still down but VAR did not check this for long at all. The replays show Doherty did stand on Mitoma's foot. Brighton have been hard done by here.

79' GOAL FOR TOTTENHAM! A fine pull back from Hojbjerg to the edge of the area and Kane, all on his own, smashes the ball into the top left hand corner.