Match ends, Fulham 0, Tottenham Hotspur 3.
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as Tottenham reached the FA Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable win over Championship side Fulham.
Kane slid in for the opener as Kieran Trippier's quick long throw caught the Fulham defence off guard and Christian Eriksen crossed first-time on the half-volley.
Five minutes after the break, the same three Spurs players combined again as the England striker's controlled finish put away another Eriksen cross following Trippier's pass.
The home side showed brief signs of a late rally, but Kane then completed his second hat-trick of the calendar year, and his fifth for Spurs, with a cool strike when put through on goal from Dele Alli's weighted pass.
Fulham, eighth in England's second tier, have lost just once at home in the league since October, and Slavisa Jokanovic's side have defeated Hull and Middlesbrough at home in the cups this year.
But they were beaten comprehensively by Spurs, who put Thursday's disappointing Europa League defeat by Gent behind them with just a third win in 15 away matches.
Mauricio Pochettino's side will host Millwall in the quarter-finals.
Quarter-final draw |
---|
Chelsea v Man Utd |
Middlesbrough v Huddersfield/Man City |
Tottenham v Millwall |
Arsenal v Lincoln |
Three for Kane, three wins to go for Spurs
Spurs named a weakened team for January's fourth-round home tie with Wycombe and scraped past their League Two opponents in a 4-3 win.
Here, Pochettino's full-strength side might have been 2-0 up before Kane's 16th-minute opener - scored with just three touches, including Trippier's throw.
Even by that time, the pattern of Spurs dominance had already been firmly established; Marcus Bettinelli tipped wide from Eriksen and Alli dragged just wide from the edge of the box, as the away side broke through Fulham's defensive lines with ease.
Pochettino said his side "lacked desire" in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool last Saturday, which saw them slip off the pace in the Premier League, but no such criticism could be offered here.
And with a place in the FA Cup's last eight secured, he and Spurs are three wins from what would be the Argentine's first trophy as a manager, and the club's first title since the 2008 League Cup.
Fulham make Spurs feel at home
Fulham are eighth in the Championship, nine points short of a play-off spot but with a game in hand on sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.
Slavisa Jokanovic's side had scored 12 goals in their past five matches but they struggled to create opportunities and were too passive in the face of Spurs' possession.
The best chance they had in the first half was gifted by Spurs keeper Michel Vorm, who recovered well to stop Tom Cairney's first-time shot after he had passed straight to the Fulham midfielder.
The introduction of 16-year-old full-back Ryan Sessegnon did provide some impetus in the second half, with Kevin McDonald heading just over the bar from a corner before ex-Spurs midfielder Scott Parker, 36, nodded straight at Vorm from a free-kick.
But there was only one team deserving of a place in the next round, and Fulham's attention will return to their push for Premier League promotion.
What the managers said
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic, speaking to BBC Sport: "They dominated the whole game. They play good football and I was impressed with how they pressed us, working without the ball they didn't give us any space.
"It's true we conceded cheaply for the first two goals, we didn't have enough energy. But we can try and improve to be close to them, we can learn something from today.
"We didn't offer our best performance and the result was completely fair."
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, to BBC Sport: "I am very pleased, we started the game with great urgency. We tried to show that we wanted to go to the next round. I am very happy after two defeats.
"We had to recover the right feeling after two defeats. We had to believe in the way we work and play and that is what is important. We had lost that a little bit.
"It is always important for the striker to feel the net. We are a collective, there can be different names but we must compete."
Man of the match - Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Kane's scoring run - the stats
- Kane has scored nine times in nine games in 2017 for Tottenham in all competitions
- Christian Eriksen registered his 10th and 11th assists of the campaign for Spurs, five more than any other player has for the club this season
- Four of Eriksen's last six assists for Tottenham have been for Harry Kane goals
- Fulham have lost six of their last seven games against their Spurs in all competitions (won one)
- Spurs have progressed from 13 of their last 14 FA Cup ties against teams from lower down the pyramid
What's next?
Spurs play again on Thursday, in the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie with Gent at Wembley. They trail 1-0 from the first leg. They then take on Stoke in the Premier League at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Fulham play away to Bristol City in the Championship on Wednesday, and are away to Cardiff on Saturday.
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Bettinelli
- 4Odoi
- 26Kalas
- 13Ream
- 3Malone
- 6McDonaldSubstituted forParkerat 74'minutes
- 14Johansen
- 24AlukoSubstituted forCyriacat 66'minutes
- 10Cairney
- 11AyitéSubstituted forR Sessegnonat 56'minutes
- 7Kebano
Substitutes
- 8Parker
- 9Cyriac
- 15Madl
- 20Piazon
- 25Martin
- 27Button
- 30R Sessegnon
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Vorm
- 16Trippier
- 4Alderweireld
- 5Vertonghen
- 33Davies
- 29WinksSubstituted forDembéléat 79'minutes
- 12Wanyama
- 23Eriksen
- 20AlliSubstituted forOnomahat 86'minutes
- 7Son Heung-Min
- 10KaneSubstituted forSissokoat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Janssen
- 17Sissoko
- 19Dembélé
- 25Onomah
- 27Wimmer
- 30López
- 38Carter-Vickers
- Referee:
- Robert Madley
- Attendance:
- 22,557
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away23
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fulham 0, Tottenham Hotspur 3.
Post update
Attempt missed. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Kieran Trippier with a cross.
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Attempt saved. Victor Wanyama (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Marcus Bettinelli.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Tomas Kalas.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Josh Onomah replaces Dele Alli.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Parker (Fulham) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Stefan Johansen with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Neeskens Kebano (Fulham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Mousa Dembélé replaces Harry Winks.
Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Winks tries a through ball, but Christian Eriksen is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt missed. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tom Cairney (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stefan Johansen.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Moussa Sissoko replaces Harry Kane.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Scott Parker replaces Kevin McDonald.
Goal!
Goal! Fulham 0, Tottenham Hotspur 3. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Dele Alli with a through ball.
Comments
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Maybe it's the quality and management of the England Team which is the issue not one isolated player
Spurs are 3rd in the PL still in the Europa and FA Cups
Without the war chests of Man U, CITEH, AFC and Chelsea they punch above their weight
Pot calling the kettle black much? Without Sanchez this season Arsenal would probably be mid table at best.
And I guess the likes of Dele, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dembélé, Dier and Lioris have done nothing this season then?
Damn, and Arsenal fans call us deluded.
I think you'll find over last 5 years Spurs net spending (purchase gross- sold) is only 1 million pound. Liverpool 121 million, man city 402 million, Chelsea 186 million, Arsenal 205 million, man united 352 million. You do the math!! Like I said.... Punching well above our weight!
How are Spurs under performing? Last time I looked we're 3rd in table, in next round of FA Cup and at the moment still in Europa league, all on a significantly reduced budget compared to the other top 5 teams??? To me that = punching above our weight! Most teams have a dip in form throughout the season and a couple of bad games doesn't mean under performing, and given ave age of squad!
Lincoln v. Sutton (or Arsenal)
Millwall v. Spurs
Middlesbrough v. Man. City
Man. Utd v. Chelsea
Should Spurs have played a weaker team, to make it closer?
Make up your mind?
Better than expected today............
Spurs are on their way to Wembley!
(For a last 32 Europa league game against Gent...)
He always scores against the Arsenal, so you have point.
Home or away.
Drivel. Spurs usually win the Cup when they reach the Final.
Did you mean Newcastle ? Haven't won it since..........1955 !!!!
Now they really do bottle it.