Talking points: With Spurs surging, Kane faces a conundrum 

Manchester United may be the only English alternative for Spurs striker while nights like this must surely make his manager think about hanging around

The main men: Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game with strike partner Heung Min Son at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What now for Harry Kane?

Another devastating performance from the Tottenham centre-forward ensured that, even if this proves to be his poorest league scoring season since 2013-14, his reputation remains largely undamaged.

The England star still needs two goals, from Spurs’ final two games, to equal his previous low, the 17 he netted in an injury-hit 2018-19.

But while his future will again be the subject of speculation this summer, the question is what options would be available to Kane should he decide to end his decade-plus with the club?

Manchester City no longer need a striker this summer, after their signing of Erling Haaland, while Chelsea and Liverpool would not be realistic options.

Perhaps, Manchester United may be the only escape route for Kane should he wish to look elsewhere, although given that club’s position, that would represent a gamble.

His partner Heung-min Son, meanwhile, continued his impressive campaign, with a goal that took him onto 21 in the Premier League, one less than Golden Boot leader Mo Salah.

Son is, in fact, the highest scorer in the league, when penalties are taken out of the equation. Little wonder Jurgen Klopp was seen whispering to him conspiratorially after Spurs drew at Anfield last week - a conversation which had Liverpool fans daring to dream of a possible move for the Korean.

Could this convince Antonio Conte to stay with Spurs?

The Italian has seemingly been hinting that he might be out of Tottenham almost since he first arrived at the club at the start of his November.

His comments this week that finishing in the top four would be equivalent to winning the league in most other countries was hardly the sort of triumphalist rhetoric most supporters want to hear.

But, with Spurs now just a point out of fourth place, there are real signs of progress from his team, with the January signing of Dejan Kulusevski adding a new attacking dimension, and qualifying for the Champions League this season would represent major success.

After winning at Manchester City and drawing at Liverpool, Conte has now also ended a run of just one win in eight games against Arsenal - a sign of real progress for club and manager alike.

Conte, of course, is a football politician and has already been linked with PSG, if and when Mauricio Pochettino leaves this summer but cautious chairman Daniel Levy would be advised to invest in enough talent this summer to keep the Italian at his club.

Is this season still a success for Mikel Arteta if Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League?

A classic glass half-full or empty conundrum and one that will not be answered until the Gunners’ final fate is known.

Rob Holding’s astonishing urge to press the self-destruct button last night was something for which his manager could not be held directly accountable although Arteta’s delay in bringing a centre-half off his bench could.

Yet, despite the setback, Arsenal still hold a one-point edge over Spurs with two games to play even if, after four straight victories - which followed four defeats in five - Arsenal’s infuriating inconsistency was laid bare once more.

For every step forward, there appears to have been at least half a pace back throughout the entire season and, yet, two more victories and Arteta will have booked Arsenal a place in the Champions League for the first time in five years.

A fourth placed finish this season would also represent Arsenals’ best finish since 2016. By any metric that represents significant progress.

But the behaviour of Holding last night, the latest example of poor discipline in the Arsenal ranks, illustrated the work he still has to do at the Emirates. Moments like that are rarely, if ever, seen from players at Manchester City or Liverpool, the clubs he is trying to emulate.

Is Eddie Nketiah the man Arsenal can build around … and does he even want to stay?

For a player who has started just 17 Premier League games for Arsenal - and six of those in the last four weeks - Eddie Nketiah has become an increasingly important figure in Arteta’s plans.

The 22-year-old has scored four times in those six games since mid-April, clinching wins over Chelsea and Leeds and, after the high-profile implosion of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the phasing out of 30-year-old Alexandre Lacazette, Arteta appears to have handed Nketiah the keys to the kingdom.

Gabriel Jesus, a striker with Arteta’s former club Manchester City, is already a serious summer target but before Arteta can even contemplate building his forward line around Nketiah, he has to convince the striker to re-sign with the club, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Lacazette, too, is out of contract and expected to leave but it is the potential loss of Nketiah that is the greatest concern with reports suggesting a good half dozen Premier League rivals would be interested in signing him.