Match Report Tottenham 3 QPR 1

Two goals from Gareth Bale and one from Rafael van der Vaart helped Tottenham Hotspur secure a 3-1 victory at home to QPR. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp recalled the fit-again Ledley King to the heart of the home defence, while Armand Traore started at left-back for Rangers in place of Clint Hill. The home side started brightly and after Rafael van der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor had wasted chances, Spurs hit the front with 20 minutes on the clock. A fluent Tottenham attack ended with the ball being played out to the arriving Gareth Bale on the left and he lashed a left-foot shot past the stranded Paddy Kenny from 15 yards. Just past the half-hour mark it was 2-0 as King attempted a shot from distance which fell to the unmarked van der Vaart in the area and he despatched a left-foot shot into the corner of the net. Luka Modric then swerved a left-foot volley just wide of the far post as Spurs ended the half in total charge. Rangers made a double change at the interval and just past the hour mark one of the substitutes, Jay Bothroyd, halved the deficit as he headed home after Heidar Helguson headed a corner back across the goal. Ten minutes later Spurs restored their two-goal cushion as Bale and Aaron Lennon played a one-two and the Welshman curled a fine left-footer past the despairing dive of Kenny. Adebayor should have added a fourth, while the R's had two efforts cleared off the line deep into stoppage time at the end of the game.

Match Report: Newcastle 2-2 Tottenham

Shola Ameobi scored an 86th minute equaliser to give Newcastle a 2-2 draw with Spurs in an end-to-end encounter at St James’ Park. The 30-year-old striker has been pushed out of Alan Pardew’s starting eleven by the partnership of Leon Best and Demba Ba but he was on hand late on to ensure the spoils were shared on Tyneside. Rafael Van Der Vaart opened the scoring for Tottenham four minutes before half-time when he converted a spot-kick won by Emmanuel Adebayor. But Newcastle were level just three minutes after half-time when Demba Ba was able to bundle home Jonas Guiterrez’s cross, although Brad Friedel could have done better to keep the effort out. Jermain Defoe looked like he had given Harry Redknapp’s men all three points after 68 minutes when he gather Scott Parker’s pass and rifled a left-footed strike past Tim Krul. But it was Ameobi who had the last word when he was able smash the ball into the back of the net after some sloppy play from the Spurs backline. Thanks to that late strike Newcastle remain fourth and are still unbeaten this season while Tottenham stay sixth with a game in hand.

van der Vaart stuns Spurs: I want to return to Real Madrid

Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart has left his current club in shock by admitting he wants to return to Real Madrid, just seven months after leaving the Bernabeu.
The Dutchman, who has been a revelation since arriving at White Hart Lane last summer for just £8million, admits his family - particularly his son Damian - miss the life they had in Spain.
And despite emerging as the lynchpin of a side challenging for Champions League honours and European qualification again next season, Van der Vaart has shocked Spurs by suggesting he wants to leave.
'Little Damian is the best thing in my life. He speaks Spanish and English but is always saying to me 'Daddy why don't we have a pool here? There's no sun here. It's not the same as in Madrid',' the 28-year-old said.
'We have a special love for Madrid. Going back to play at the Bernabeu is a dream for me. It's going to be special.'
The former Ajax star, whose model wife Sylvie is constantly travelling back to Spain for work, was sold by Real manager Jose Mourinho last summer because of an over-subscription of central midfielders.
But this does not appear to have put him off a swift return: 'I have played in my country, in Germany, in Spain and now in England.
'But playing at the Bernabeu is unique so I would be pleased to return to Madrid.'
The news comes at a particularly poignant time, with the north Londoners due to face Van der Vaart's former club in the Champions League last-eight next month.
And it follows recent speculation that the playmaker is already growing uneasy with life at the club because he is unhappy at being continually substituted by manager Harry Redknapp.