Story highlights
Welshman Gareth Bale scores twice as Tottenham defeat QPR 3-1 on Sunday
Rafael Van der Vaart also on target as Spurs go up to fifth in the table
The result means Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions
A double strike from Welsh winger Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to a 3-1 English Premier League win over QPR on Sunday, a result that lifts them up to fifth place in the table and keeps their unbeaten run going.
Dutchman Rafael Van der Vaart was also on target for Harry Redknapp’s side, who have not lost in 11 matches since their 5-1 home defeat by Manchester City back in August.
Bale put the home side ahead in the 19th minute when he fired home an angled drive after a long ball from the back was headed on by Emmanuel Adebayor.
And a rampant Tottenham doubled their advantage 13 minutes later when Van der Vaart picked up a mis-hit shot from Ledley King to place the ball inside the far post.
QPR fought back after the break and halved the arrears on the hour mark when Jay Bothroyd nodded home from close range.
But Tottenham sealed their victory with a superb goal 18 minutes from time, with Aaron Lennon and Bale exchanging a series of passes outside the box before Bale curled home a shot that gave keeper Paddy Kenny no chance.
Manchester City still blaze a trail at the top of the table, with nine wins and a draw from 10 matches. They lie on 28 points, five clear of rivals Manchester United.
Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are all level on 19 points but Chelsea have played a game more and unbeaten Newcastle will move up to third position if they get at least a draw against Stoke on Monday night.
Meanwhile, in Sunday’s two German Bundesliga matches, Lukas Podolski netted twice in a 3-0 win over 10-man Augsburg.
Poland midfielder Slawomir Peszko added a third for the home side, while the visitors had Torsten Oehrl sent off for a dangerous tacle with 14 minutes remaining.
The win moves Cologne up to 11th place in the table with five wins and five defeats, but Augsburg are second bottom with just one win and eight points.
Hamburg are just one point and one place above Augsburg after they drew 1-1 with Kaiserslautern on Sunday.
The home side had Slobodan Rajkovic sent off in the 21st minute for elbowing Kaiserslautern captain Christian Tiffert and the visitors went ahead seven minutes before half-time through Pierre De Wit.
But Peru striker Jose Paolo Guerrero levelled for the hosts in the second-half, although the point was enough to lift Kaiserslautern up a place to 13th in the table.
