Harry Kane’s return from injury helped ease the mounting pressure on Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho as the England captain opened the scoring in a 2-0 win over West Brom, while Leicester were held 0-0 at Wolves on Sunday.
Spurs had lost their previous three Premier League games to fall off the pace in the battle for a top-four finish.
But with Kane reunited with Son Heung-min after missing the last two games through an ankle injury, both of Tottenham’s talismen were on target to push Sam Allardyce’s Baggies ever closer to the drop.
Mourinho’s men had not even scored in defeats to Brighton and Chelsea in the past week, but, after a goalless first-half, Kane showed what they had been missing with a cool finish to move level with Bobby Smith as Spurs’ second top goalscorer of all-time with 208 goals.
Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Son was sprung clear by Lucas Moura on the counter-attack and his shot had too much power for Sam Johnstone.
Victory moves Tottenham up to seventh and within four points of fourth-placed Liverpool, who face leaders Manchester City later on Sunday.
West Brom remain rooted in 19th and a mammoth 11 points off safety having taken just 12 from 23 games so far in their first season back in the top-flight.
Foxes tamed by Wolves
Leicester remain third, but missed the chance to move level with Manchester United in second after failing to find their rhythm in a 0-0 draw at Molineux.
Jamie Vardy’s penalty when the sides met earlier in the season is the only goal from the last four meetings between the sides and chances were again at a premium.
Wolves enjoyed the better of them in the second-half as Pedro Neto spooned Adama Traore’s dangerous cross well wide before Kasper Schmeichel rushed off his line to deny Fabio Silva what seemed a certain goal.
Vardy made his return from injury off the bench for the final half hour and had the Foxes’ best chance to snatch all three points in stoppage time when he headed wide from close range.
All eyes will be on Anfield later as Liverpool aim to haul themselves back into the title race and halt City’s club record 13-game winning run.
Jurgen Klopp again named a starting line-up without a recognised centre-back due to an injury crisis with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho deputising at the back, but Alisson Becker and Sadio Mane returned from illness and injury for the Reds.
City are two points clear at the top of the table with two games in hand on Manchester United, but have not won away to Liverpool since 2003.
