Tottenham 4 Stoke 0: Spurs superb as Harry Kane hat-trick closes gap on Chelsea

Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as Tottenham thrashed Stoke City 4-0 on Sunday to climb to second place in the Premier League table.

Mauricio Pochettino kept faith with all of the players who started their Europa League clash with Gent in midweek and the Argentine's decision was vindicated as Spurs equalled a club Premier League record of eight consecutive home victories.

No one produced a riposte more emphatic than Kane, who helped himself a trio of goals to move into pole position in the Golden Boot race, while Dele Alli's simple finish eliminated any suggestion the first red card of his career would knock the 20-year-old off his stride.

Stoke have now shipped 12 goals in their last three meetings with the north Londoners and there was little suggestion this would be anything other than a home win when Christian Eriksen skinned Ryan Shawcross wide on the left early on, but no one in a white shirt gambled on the Dane's low cross across the six-yard box.

Mousa Dembele was fortunate not to be punished when his limp clearance fell into Joe Allen's path, but the Welshman could only find the side netting. Kane, meanwhile, did not require a second invitation when Shawcross' partial clearance broke kindly to him inside the area, taking one touch before rifling home past Lee Grant.

Stoke regained their composure soon after conceding as Allen began to find some space behind Peter Crouch while Glenn Whelan was perhaps fortunate to only receive a yellow card for a robust challenge on Jan Vertonghen.

Kyle Walker failed to put the finishing touch to a superb flowing move and Hugo Lloris needed to be alert to keep out a close-range effort from Crouch following Erik Pieters' teasing cross, which proved to be the visitors' only clear-cut chance.

The hosts stepped up a gear as the half wore on - intent on putting the game to bed early - and Jan Vertonghen rattled the upright with a long-range effort while Kane's curled strike had Grant beaten but drifted inches wide of the far post.

But the Spurs striker didn't need to wait long for goal number two and beat Grant with a precise left-footed volley after dropping out of the penalty area to receive Eriksen's cleverly disguised corner.

The pair combined again moments later as Eriksen teed up Kane from a free kick and the striker's deflected strike wrong-footed Grant before nestling in the bottom corner of the net.

Stoke were all at sea and Alli put the hosts out of sight when he collected Kane's unselfish cross and tapped home from close range.

Mark Hughes, who was as stony faced as ever on the touchline, opted against any changes at the break. Yet Spurs were forced to make a change in the early stages of the second half when Toby Alderweireld suffered a groin problem and was replaced by Kevin Wimmer.

The alteration did not rob Spurs of any momentum and Grant produced a superb save to keep out Eric Dier's glancing header before also denying Kane at full stretch.

Spurs cruised towards the finish line while Stoke had their 34-year-old goalkeeper to thank for keeping the scoreline fairly respectable.

Pochettino's side may no longer be in Europe but they're back on course and, with three consecutive home games to come, have an opportunity to rebuild momentum.