Gareth Bale tore Norwich apart with a brilliant brace
as Tottenham moved seven points behind Barclays Premier
League leaders Manchester City with an easy win at Carrow
Road.
After laying siege to the Norwich goal in the first
half, Spurs finally found the opener 10 minutes after
the break when Bale picked up Emmanuel Adebayor's pass
to drive under John Ruddy.
Bale then latched on to Luka Modric's pass to sprint
45 yards before lifting the ball over the on-rushing
Norwich goalkeeper with a sublime finish to kill off
the match 12 minutes later.
The performance may have been slightly ropey in the
first-half, but the devastating display from Bale highlights
just why Tottenham are proving that they should be deemed
credible title challengers.
The Londoners, who have a match in hand over all their
rivals, will head in to the new year as the capital's
top club, and with games against Swansea and West Brom
coming up, few would back against Harry Redknapp's men
putting more pressure on both Manchester teams over
the next few days.
With Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool
all drawing over the past 24 hours, Tottenham had the
perfect chance to put themselves within striking distance
of the summit.
They received a boost before kick-off with the news
that Norwich duo Adam Drury and Ritchie de Laet, who
had begun just five league games between them this season,
started at full-back due to Kyle Naughton's suspension
and an injury to Marc Tierney.
A speculative volley from Steve Morison gave Brad Friedel
an early test, but Redknapp's team soon started to dictate
play.
Bale drew saves from Ruddy on two occasions after terrorising
De Laet with his searing pace.
Grant Holt somehow managed to escape without a caution
for an apparent elbow on Benoit Assou-Ekotto as the
left-back attempted to play a one-two with Adebayor
on the left.
Replays showed the striker had clearly led with his
forearm in attempting to shrug the defender off the
ball in a challenge that perhaps merited a red card,
but referee Michael Oliver kept his cards in his pocket.
Norwich grew in confidence briefly, but they soon found
themselves on the back foot again.
Russell Martin put in a crucial header to deny Adebayor
a great chance from six yards after a teasing cross
from Kyle Walker.
Norwich appealed for a penalty when the ball struck
Younes Kaboul in the box but Oliver waved play on.
Bale slammed a deflected shot just wide, but he was
soon presented with another chance thanks to an error
from Martin. The Welshman nicked the ball off the dallying
defender and charged through clear at goal but he could
only blast over.
A superb 50-yard ball from Rafael van der Vaart sent
Adebayor free. The striker edged the ball past the on-rushing
Ruddy, but he could not recover it to tap home and the
ball went out of play.
Another Spurs attack came moments later when Bale got
on the end of Modric's through-ball but Ruddy pulled
off a good save.
Martin put in a sliding tackle to deny Adebayor, who
then blazed over in injury-time as Tottenham's half
ended in frustration.
William Gallas slipped on the edge of the box, bringing
down Andrew Surman and earning himself a booking as
Norwich began the second half with more confidence.
Surman picked himself up and curled a low shot that
drifted inches wide, with Friedel scrambling for his
far post.
Spurs took the lead 10 minutes in to the second half.
Van der Vaart picked out Adebayor in the box, he held
the ball up and fended off three Norwich defenders before
squaring to Bale who got the ball out from under his
feet to shoot under Ruddy after being left unmarked
12 yards out.
Assou-Ekotto found Walker unmarked at the back post
after a clever one-two with Modric but the right-back
cleared the bar by at least 10 yards with a poor shot.
Adebayor converted Assou-Ekotto's cross soon after
but the Togo striker was ruled out for offside.
Bale grabbed his second of the game to make it 2-0
in the 67th minute.
Parker won the ball off Morison and laid the ball to
Modric, who sent the Welshman galloping through on a
45-yard dash. Bale kept his composure after a heavy
first touch before dispatching the coolest of chips
over an on-rushing Ruddy, who dove at the winger's feet
in vain.
Adebayor squared for Modric as Tottenham looked for
a third but the Croatian could only muster a weak shot
that Ruddy gathered easily.
Martin headed wide in injury time as Norwich looked
for a consolation, but it never came and Spurs played
the rest of the match out comfortably for a vital three
points.
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