Premier League
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur5LeicesterLeicester City4

Tottenham Hotspur 5-4 Leicester City

By Matthew HenryBBC Sport
Harry Kane scores for Tottenham
Kane finished second in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, two goals behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said it is a "very exciting moment" for the club after they ended the season by winning a sensational nine-goal thriller against Leicester to clinch third place in the Premier League.

The hosts trailed 3-1 after 47 minutes, scored three goals in 11 minutes to lead 4-3, only to be pegged back to 4-4 before Harry Kane curled in a 76th-minute winner.

The game was Spurs' last at Wembley before they return to the redeveloped White Hart Lane next season.

"It was a fantastic season to finish third and guarantee the Champions League next season," Pochettino told Match of the Day.

"With the move to the new stadium it is a very exciting moment for this football club.

"It means a lot for the club, the players and the fans."

Kane's winner was his second goal of the game, after he levelled following Jamie Vardy's opener, and takes him to 30 Premier League goals in a season for the first time.

Spurs were 2-1 behind at half-time after Riyad Mahrez had added to Vardy's early header and three minutes after the break Kelechi Iheanacho smashed into the top corner from distance to give Leicester a two-goal cushion.

But Spurs responded with three quick-fire goals, two for Erik Lamela and an own goal from Christian Fuchs.

In a remarkable second half, Vardy then drew Leicester level with his side's fourth of the afternoon, smashing into the roof of the net after a trademark run in behind the defence.

However it was Vardy's international team-mate Kane who had the final say with his effort from the edge of the penalty area, meaning Leicester finished the season ninth.

Remarkable end to Spurs' temporary move

Mauricio Pochettino
Spurs finished the season third on 77 points

Spurs have not always looked comfortable this season playing their home games at Wembley while White Hart Lane is being rebuilt.

They have had notable highs including a Champions League win over Real Madrid, a 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool and fine victories over north London rivals Arsenal and top-four challengers Manchester United, but this game was surely the most entertaining of the lot.

With Spurs only able to finish third or fourth and Leicester eighth or ninth, both sides attacked with numbers throughout.

It came in a losing cause, but Iheanacho's strike was the pick of the nine goals as he drove forward from midfield, held off a challenge and drove a powerful shot into the top-right corner.

With Spurs looking unsure defensively - Jan Vertonghen was injured in the warm-up - Leicester were worthy of their 3-1 lead with Vardy and Mahrez impressing.

But the game swung with Tottenham's three-goal burst, which began just two minutes after Iheanacho's strike.

After a quiet first half, Lamela twice tapped in from close range after crosses from Kyle Walker-Peters, while he also had the shot which was deflected in off Fuchs for the own goal.

The win seals a third successive top-three finish for Spurs and there was a celebratory mood at full-time as the players said goodbye to Wembley with a lap of appreciation in front of a near-capacity crowd.

"From the beginning it was tough," Pochettino said.

"For our fans it was tough to settle here and for the players and the staff. In the end we created that feeling that Wembley was our home and we feel fantastic emotions here.

"It is a fantastic achievement for us after 38 games away from home."

Pochettino 'relieved' after 'exciting' 5-4 win

Puel removes the shackles

Leicester manager Claude Puel has reportedlyexternal-link been under pressure in recent weeks, despite guiding the club to just a second top-10 Premier League finish since 2000.

That comes after accusations of negative football since he took over in October with the team 14th in the table.

At Wembley, like in midweek during the Foxes' 3-1 win over Arsenal, Leicester were entertaining going forward. There could be no complaints that the team were not good to watch.

Puel started with Vardy and Iheanacho up front and both caused problems throughout while Mahrez was his typically threatening self and claimed the assists for both of Vardy's goals.

Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez has assisted seven of Jamie Vardy's Premier League goals this season - no player has assisted another on more occasions during this campaign.

Puel described the game as "crazy" and said his side should have taken all three points.

"It is crazy to lose this game when we scored four goals away," the Frenchman said.

"We had to do much better after our third goal. It is a shame we saw a good game, a crazy game.

"We played a good game with good intensity. We should have won this game."

It remains to be seen if Puel and Mahrez, who has been consistently linked with a transfer, will be at the King Power Stadium next season.

Four goals should have been enough for Foxes win - Puel

Season of success or failure for Spurs?

Spurs guaranteed Champions League football at their new stadium next season with a victory over Newcastle on Wednesday and despite the thrilling nature of their final-day win it is still difficult to judge their season.

It is the first time since 1995 Spurs have finished as the top club in London but again they finish without silverware - although captain Hugo Lloris said a top-four finish "means more than a trophy".

They finish the campaign 23 points behind champions Manchester City after being 11 and seven points behind the title winners in the previous two campaigns.

Pochettino's side took 43 points from their 18 home games this season compared to 53 at White Hart Lane last season.

Premier League top six

Man of the match - Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

Jamie Vardy
Vardy's England team-mate Kane will steal the headlines for the winning goal but the Leicester striker produced the better all-round performance and was threatening throughout

Record equalled at Wembley - the best stats

  • Tottenham's 5-4 victory equals the most goals scored in a competitive club match at Wembley Stadium (Chelsea 5-4 Man City in the 1986 Full Members Cup final).
  • Leicester lost after leading by two goals in the top flight for the first time since October 2003 (3-4 v Wolves).
  • Kane has scored more goals in all competitions versus Leicester than against any other side in his career (13).
  • Kane is the first Spurs player to score 40+ goals in a season in all competitions since Clive Allen in 1986-87 (49).
  • Kane has reached 30 Premier League goals for the first time in his career - the first Englishman to do so since Kevin Phillips in 1999-2000 (also 30).
  • Since his Premier League debut in August 2014, Vardy has scored 26 goals against the 'big-six' sides - six more than any other player during this period (Sergio Aguero, 20).

Line-ups

Tottenham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Lloris
  • 37Walker-Peters
  • 4Alderweireld
  • 15Dier
  • 3Rose
  • 17SissokoSubstituted forSon Heung-minat 84'minutes
  • 12WanyamaBooked at 55mins
  • 11LamelaSubstituted forD Sánchezat 78'minutes
  • 23Eriksen
  • 27Lucas MouraSubstituted forAlliat 74'minutes
  • 10Kane

Substitutes

  • 6D Sánchez
  • 7Son Heung-min
  • 13Vorm
  • 18Llorente
  • 20Alli
  • 21Foyth
  • 33Davies

Leicester

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 17Jakupovic
  • 2SimpsonSubstituted forChoudhuryat 56'minutesBooked at 83mins
  • 5Morgan
  • 15Maguire
  • 28Fuchs
  • 14Adrien SilvaBooked at 90mins
  • 21Iborra
  • 26Mahrez
  • 8IheanachoSubstituted forBarnesat 85'minutes
  • 7GraySubstituted forDiabatéat 61'minutes
  • 9Vardy

Substitutes

  • 12Hamer
  • 29Benalouane
  • 32Barnes
  • 33Diabaté
  • 37Ndukwu
  • 38Choudhury
  • 45Hughes
Referee:
Craig Pawson
Attendance:
77,841

Match Stats

Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamLeicester
Possession
Home64%
Away36%
Shots
Home14
Away17
Shots on Target
Home6
Away9
Corners
Home4
Away4
Fouls
Home9
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 5, Leicester City 4.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 5, Leicester City 4.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Harry Maguire with a headed pass.

  4. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  5. Post update

    Delay in match Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur) because of an injury.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Davinson Sánchez.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur).

  8. Post update

    Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).

  11. Booking

    Adrien Silva (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card.

  12. Post update

    Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Harvey Barnes (Leicester City).

  14. Post update

    Offside, Leicester City. Christian Fuchs tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Harvey Barnes replaces Kelechi Iheanacho.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Son Heung-Min replaces Moussa Sissoko.

  18. Booking

    Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  19. Post update

    Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City).

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