Lucas, Sanchez and Son secure win over Canaries - report and reaction

Lucas Moura hit a goal of the season contender to set us on the way to a comfortable victory over Norwich City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Having beaten Brentford just three days ago, we continued our momentum with this win against the Canaries, our Brazilian forward firing in a stunning strike after wonderful build-up play before second-half goals from Davinson Sanchez and Heung-Min Son wrapped up the points.

Just 10 minutes had gone when Lucas beat two Norwich players before playing a one-two with Son, twisting his way past another defender and then slamming a right-footed drive past goalkeeper Tim Krul from 25 yards. It was his first Premier League goal of the season.

Norwich had a glorious chance to level just before the hour mark only for Adam Idah to divert Teemu Pukki’s effort wide from six yards out in front of goal. And we made them pay just a few minutes later with our second goal, Sanchez pouncing on a loose ball from Son’s corner and firing into the net to also record his first league goal of the campaign.

That goal took any tension out of the contest and we took control, adding a third with 13 minutes remaining as Oliver Skipp and Ben Davies combined to set up Son to score in successive games following his midweek strike against Brentford.

The win moves us up to fifth in the table, two points off West Ham in fourth with a game in hand.

Momentum keeps building

It’s now four Premier League games without defeat under Head Coach Antonio Conte and, perhaps more importantly, just one goal conceded in those matches. This was the first time since the opening month that we have kept successive clean sheets in the league following the 2-0 win over Brentford on Thursday.

We did almost concede after just three minutes when Idah’s low cross from the right was swept goalwards by Pukki, but it was straight at Hugo Lloris who saved and Skipp was there to clear the loose ball. That was Norwich’s only shot on target in the game though.

Skipp was up against familiar faces having spent last season on loan at Carrow Road and had a chance to score a rare goal against his former side on five minutes, surging through midfield before hitting a shot from the edge of the area which was comfortable for Krul. The opening goal on 10 minutes was genuinely magnificent. Lucas showed quick feet and neat skill to move away from Billy Gilmour and Pierre Lees-Melou, he played a one-two with Son, then turned away from Andrew Omobamidele and hit a ferocious 25-yard strike which flew past Krul.

We were forced into an early substitution when Sergio Reguilon seemingly picked up a knock and was replaced by Ryan Sessegnon but we kept up the pressure on the Norwich goal and went close just before the half hour, Son’s mis-timed shot landing quickly at the feet of Kane who fired wide. And when Krul and Ben Gibson got in a muddle trying to clear Son’s free-kick from the right, neither got to the ball but it fell just out of reach of Davies at the far post.

Norwich had more possession in the first half without really causing us too many problems, although they had a chance on 39 minutes when Gilmour delivered a deep free-kick which Kenny McLean knocked back across goal but the visitors just couldn’t get a telling touch and we cleared our lines. They looked to recycle the ball but we stole possession and countered swiftly, Lucas threading a pass through for Kane and, with Krul coming a long way from his goal before realising he couldn’t reach the ball, Kane chipped him from 40 yards but it bounced just wide of the post.

Quite how the Canaries didn’t level in the 59th minute, only Idah will know. Brandon Williams did really well to get past Japhet Tanganga down their left and break into the area, Pukki should have done better with the initial chance but his effort fell to Idah on the edge of the six yard box but he diverted his shot wide. Kane was then denied by a diving save from Krul on 66 minutes, his shot heading for the bottom corner before the Dutch goalkeeper’s intervention, but from the resulting corner we doubled our lead. Davies flicked on Son’s corner, the ball hitting Gibson and falling for Sanchez who smashed home from close range.

Norwich had to push forward more at that stage which opened up the game a bit more and the chances were falling our way. Krul saved from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg while Kane tested him again with a powerful 20-yard drive that he gathered in front of face before the third goal duly arrived. Substitute Matt Doherty’s cut-back missed everyone and went to Davies some 30 yards out, he played a one-two with Skipp and found Son inside the area, who worked a yard of space and struck right-footed across Krul and in.

In the closing stages, Canaries substitute Josh Sargent had a chance to pull one back after clever work from Pukki down the right, but missed his kick in front of goal, while the last chance of the game came from the boot of Doherty, who controlled with his chest but fired over the bar from 20 yards out.

Three on the spin for Antonio

Victory over Norwich saw Head Coach Antonio become the third Spurs manager to win their first three Premier League home matches, following in the footsteps of Harry Redknapp and Ryan Mason. It was Conte’s first meeting with Norwich in the Premier League and this win means that Italian managers have won all nine of their games against the Canaries in the competition.

Son has been directly involved in more Premier League goals at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium than any other player (35 – 20 goals, 15 assists). Sunday’s goal was his 76th in the Premier League, while only four players have netted more for us in the competition (Harry Kane 167, Teddy Sheringham 97, Jermain Defoe 91, Robbie Keane 91).

There was just one change to the team that started against Brentford on Thursday, Tanganga coming in for Emerson Royal who missed out through illness.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'The first and third goals were amazing'

Antonio told Spurs TV afterwards: "It was a good day, a good game, not easy, and I said to my players, ‘pay attention’ because the game is not easy today. I thought Norwich tried to create problems but, at the same time, we faced the game in the right way.

"We were good to suffer when there was a situation when Norwich pushed, we created chances, scored goals, the first and third goals were amazing goals, then another goal from a set-piece and that’s good, because in England, the details are very important and to be strong defensively. At the same time, when you have a corner or a free-kick, you have to try to be strong and try to score."

Highlights on Spurs TV

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Lucas 10, Sanchez 67, Son 77.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Reguilon; Norwich – Pukki, Gilmour.

Referee: Jarred Gillett.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Light cloud, moderate breeze, seven degrees.

Attendance: 57,088.