Tottenham Hotspur have got back on the winners list with a comfortable 3-1 win over Wigan Athletic tonight.
After two matches without victory, third-placed Spurs bounced back with relative ease thanks to a double from Gareth Bale and help from Luka Modric to go within five points of both Manchester City and Manchester United who lost and won respectively tonight.
The opener came in the 29th minute when Modric picked out Bale with a long ball from the left flank which the Welshman controlled brilliantly with his chest near the back post before to flick home with his trusty left foot for his eighth league goal of the season.
Five minutes later and it was Tottenham two to the good when Modric pounced on a deflection on the edge of the area to hammer home past Ali Al Habsi who had little chance.
Just under 20 minutes into the second half, Bale essentially wrapped up proceedings with a sumptuous strike from the left side of the area after receiving a pass from Benoit Assou-Ekotto before James McArthur got one back for the Latics when he got on the end of a through ball from Victor Moses to see his attempt take a slight deflection off Scott Parker and in past Brad Friedel.
The defeat was Wigan's fourth in their past five outings which leaves them rooted to the foot of the league table.
TRIBAL ASKS: Man City slip up and Man Utd win to leave Spurs five points behind. Do they need Bale firing if they are any chance of bridging that gap? Tottenham Hotspur: 3 (Gareth Bale 29'/64', Luka Modric 34') Wigan Athletic: 1 (James McArthur 81')
White Hart Lane, London - 35,801
Yellow cards:TOT - nil WIG - Albert Crusat 90+4'
