Tottenham into FA Cup semis but Kane faces another layoff

LONDON — Son Heung-min left with the match ball, Harry Kane with a protective boot.

Kane limped off after twisting his right ankle under a 10th-minute challenge against Millwall, but Son conjured up a hat trick to propel Tottenham to a 6-0 rout Sunday of the third-tier side to reach the FA Cup semifinals.

“It is always horrible to lose a player like Harry, he’s been in top form,” said Dele Alli, who also scored. “But I think that shows our depth in quality and everyone stepped up a gear.”

Tottenham could be relying on goals from across the team for some time as it chases Champions League qualification and looks to end a nine-year trophy drought. Kane, Tottenham’s top-scorer on 24 goals, is facing a second lengthy spell on the sidelines having missed seven weeks of the season after injuring the same ankle in September.

“Now it’s a matter of waiting,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “It’s difficult. It looks a similar situation to Sunderland, during that game, but we’ll see.”

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Son will have to carry his cup form into the Premier League. The South Korea forward has scored six goals in the four FA Cup matches he has played in, but all against lower-league clubs.

Aside from Son, manager Mauricio Pochettino is short of attacking options. It demonstrates Pochettino’s lack of faith in Vincent Janssen that midfielder Christian Eriksen was preferred as Kane’s replacement rather than the only striker on the bench. Pochettino’s decision was vindicated when Eriksen put the hosts in front in the 31st minute before setting up both Son and Alli for goals.

Janssen did eventually come on with around 15 minutes remaining, and managed to produce his first goal from open play seven months into his Tottenham career.

It was Son who provided the assist for Janssen to score Tottenham’s fifth in the 79th minute. Son had the final say, though, in stoppage time to complete the rout after goalkeeper Tom King fumbled the save and allowed the ball to slip through his legs.

Son’s first goal came after initially struggling to control a pass but he recovered, cut inside defender Jake Cooper and curled a shot into the far corner five minutes before halftime. Son doubled his tally nine minutes into the second half, getting ahead of Cooper again to latch onto Kieran Trippier’s high pass from the halfway line and volleying into the net.

It will be a strong semifinal lineup at Wembley Stadium next month. Tottenham will join north London rival Arsenal and Manchester City in the draw along with the winner of Monday’s game between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Tottenham won its eighth FA Cup in 1991 and hasn’t collected any silverware since triumphing in the 2008 League Cup final. It is also looking to lock down second place in the Premier League, which it only holds on goal difference.

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LIVERPOOL 2, BURNLEY 1

Liverpool came from behind to win the day’s only Premier League game, building on last weekend’s success against Arsenal to consolidate fourth place. Liverpool is a point behind Tottenham and Manchester City and 11 adrift of leader Chelsea, having played a game more than the top three.

But Liverpool had to come from behind to see off Burnley after Ashley Barnes scored the visitors’ first goal at Anfield since 1975. Georginio Wijnaldum levelled with the last kick of the first half and Emre Can struck the winner from distance with around 30 minutes remaining.

“It is the first ugly game we won,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. “We all have to get used to it a little bit. Usually when we are not at our best, we have lost. You cannot plan an ugly game. It was not our best game. Not too much football today.

“In this kind of play Burnley may be the best team because they are used to everything, they fight for the first ball, have a really good formation for the second ball, run in behind for the third ball.”

Rob Harris, The Associated Press