Spurs burst ´Boro bubble and raise survival hopes

Tottenham took a huge step towards Premier League survival and put League Cup final agony behind them after hammering fellow strugglers Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

Goals from Robbie Keane, Roman Pavlyuchenko and two from Aaron Lennon fired Spurs to a 4-0 win which heaps pressure on visiting boss Gareth Southgate, whose team plunge to second-bottom after Stoke’s win against Bolton.

In contrast, the hosts climb to the relative safety of lower mid-table, soothing some of the pain inflicted by their penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United in Sunday’s final.

Lillywhites boss Harry Redknapp made three changes from that game with the cup-tied Wilson Palacios and Keane returning in place of Croatia’s Vedran Corluka and striker Darren Bent.

Centre-back Jonathan Woodgate recovered from an achilles injury and replaced injury-jinxed captain Ledley King, who didn’t even make the bench.

Southgate unsurprisingly named an unchanged team as he looked to build on back-to-back wins against West Ham in the FA Cup and title hopefuls Liverpool in the league.

‘Boro’s confidence showed immediately and they nearly scored after two minutes but England winger Stewart Downing’s low shot from the edge of the penalty-area was pushed wide by Brazilian ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Spurs response was swift and they came close themselves when winger Lennon managed to reach a long cross from Jermaine Jenas but his volley bounced across the goal and wide of the post.

The pacey Lennon nearly turned provider in the eighth minute, but his cross, which seemed destined for Keane’s head, was put behind by a superb intercepting header from defender Justin Hoyte.

However, the Irishman did not have to wait long to notch his first goal since returning from Liverpool in January.

From the resulting set-piece, centre-back Michael Dawson rose and flicked Croatia midfielder Luca Modric’s cross to the forward who had the simple task of side-footing the ball into an open goal from three-yards out.

Southgate’s men almost pulled level a minute later but Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli was narrowly adjudged offside as he crashed the ball into the net.

The linesman’s flag proved doubly costly in the 14th minute when Russia striker Pavlyuchenko registered his fourth league goal of the season.

Intricate build-up play between Keane and Modric ended with the Croatia playmaker slipping German defender Robert Huth and driving into the penalty area.

His low cross presented the former Spartak Moscow striker with a simple tap-in, but the Croatian’s look to the linesman indicated there may have been a hint of offside.

The game was effectively sealed five minutes before half-time when slack defending from ‘Boro gifted Lennon his fourth league goal of the season.

There appeared to be little danger when Keane took possession in midfield but he managed to play the ball through Huth’s legs and find Lennon in yards of space after Emanuel Pogatetz failed to track back.

With only ‘keeper Brad Jones in his way, the former Leeds player kept his composure and rolled the ball into the corner of the goal.

The rout was completed in the 78th minute when England attacker Lennon grabbed his second of the evening.

A quick interchange of passes between substitute Darren Bent, Keane and Lennon tore open the ‘Boro backline and put the winger in the clear.

Again the youngster kept his cool and lifted his finish easily over the advancing Jones.