Gareth Bale scored three times on Sunday to pace Tottenham Hotspur to a 4-0 win over Sheffield United.
Spurs were favoured to claim all three points against the Blades, who have already been ensured of relegation this season and sit dead last in the Premier League with just 17 points. But even with the mismatch in squads, no one could have seen Bale's hat trick coming — it was his first three-goal performance in the English top flight since Boxing Day 2012.
The 31-year-old Welsh international, on loan to Tottenham from Real Madrid, entered Sunday's match with six league goals in 16 appearances (Bale has another three goals in cup competitons with Spurs this season). He was given the start — just his eighth of the season — by caretaker Spurs boss Ryan Mason, and lined up on the right side of the attack at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"I feel good," Bale told Sky Sports after the match. "I just needed to play games. I needed to just get a run of games and I'm kind of doing that now so yeah, I'm happy. And when I'm happy I normally play well."
It took a little more than a half-hour for Bale to score his first of the night, clipping the ball over Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the 36th minute to open the scoring. That would be the lone goal of the first half, but just after the hour mark Bale combined with Son Heung-min to score his second, receiving the ball from his teammate before blasting past Ramsdale.
Bale completed his hat trick in the 69th minute, hitting a low drive that eluded Ramsdale before nestling inside the bottom-right corner of the net. Son added the team's fourth goal 13 minutes before fulltime.
"You have to take your chances when they come," Bale said "I had a few tonight but, nice to get three [goals]."
Check out the full highlights of Tottenham vs. Sheffield United above (Canada only).