Villa 0 Spurs 2 - Report and pictures

The England international netted either side of half-time as the hosts slipped to their 20th league defeat of the campaign.

Kane had earlier hit the bar and twice been denied by Villa keeper Brad Guzan, who also tipped Erik Lamela's shot onto the post.

Rudy Gestede hit the bar for Villa late on but this was another day to forget for the home side.

Joleon Lescott also hit the woodwork during a late rally from Remi Garde's side, who at the very least kept battling until the final whistle.

That, however, will be of little consolation. With eight games to go, Villa remain nine points adrift at the foot of the table, with relegation surely now a certainty.

After a first half in which they at least looked up for the fight, Garde's men, like so many other occasions this season, undid all their hard work when they switched off in stoppage time, allowing Dele Alli to find Kane with a quick free-kick which the striker dispatched past Guzan.

When the striker made it two within three minutes of the restart, the game was effectively over, with the rest of the afternoon more notable for further protests against owner Randy Lerner than anything which happened on the pitch.

Looking to avoid a fifth straight defeat, Garde made three changes from the team which was beaten 4-0 at Manchester City, switching to a back four which saw Micah Richards and Ciaran Clark drop to the bench, with Jores Okore returning to defence.

Carles Gil came into the side in midfield while, up front, Gestede replaced Gabby Agbonlahor, the latter not even making the bench.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, heavily criticised for making seven changes when his team were beaten 3-0 by Borussia Dortmund on Thursday, returned to the XI which drew 2-2 with Arsenal last weekend.

The visitors were inches from going in front inside the opening four minutes. Gil was robbed of possession inside the Spurs half and the visitors broke, Lamela playing in Kane, whose shot beat Guzan but bounced off the top of the bar.

It wasn't the only nervy moment for Villa inside the opening ten minutes as Kyle Walker drilled in a cross which was just too high for Alli. Lamela and Rose both saw shots blocked, while Alli stung the palms of Guzan with a low drive from 20 yards out.

Villa had bright moments but frequently saw moves break down on the edge of the box. When Jordan Veretout raced onto a Hutton through ball and pulled the ball back, Gestede was unable to make a clean connection.

Tottenham, by contrast, looked sharp with every attack against a Villa backline which looked shaky at best. On three occasions midway through the half, the hosts were indebted to Guzan for keeping the scores level.

The keeper first denied Kane at close range after the striker met Danny Rose's pull-back eight yards out. He then stood tall to save from the same player when an error by Okore allowed Tottenham's top scorer in before, with the pick of the bunch, tipping a close range Lamela shot onto the post after Villa had again been opened up down the flanks.

For all Tottenham's chances, the hosts might have led at the break but Gestede could only side foot meekly straight at Lloris after Gil's free-kick found him unmarked ten yards out.

Then, as the clock ticked into added on time, Tottenham took the lead as the hosts were caught out by Alli's quick free-kick.. The midfielder found Kane in space, who held off the challenge of Hutton before firing left-footed past Guzan and into the bottom corner.

Three minutes into the second half, the England international made it two to effectively put the game to bed. Alli was again the provider, picking up Lamela's pass and sliding in a cross which Kane, arriving unmarked, toe-poked past Guzan and into the roof of the net.

The goal was the cue for chants against owner Randy Lerner to ring around Villa Park, with stewards in the North Stand drawing boos when they confiscated a banner criticising Lerner and chief executive Tom Fox.

On the pitch, meanwhile, there was a sense of two teams going through the motions. Lamela came close to adding a third, only for his goalbound shot to flick off the heel of Lescott and fly wide.

In the final ten minutes, Jordan Ayew beat two Spurs defenders and when Lloris saved his shot, Gestede clattered the rebound off the bar from four yards out.

Lescott then hit the outside of the post, from three yards out, after Gestede had flicked on a corner.

Villa (4-2-3-1) Guzan, Hutton, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Gana, Westwood, Ayew, Gil (Sinclair 69), Veretout (Green 62), Gestede Subs not used: Richards, Clark, Bacuna, Lyden, Bunn (gk).

Tottenham (4-2-3-1) Lloris (c), Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dier, Dembele, Lamela, Alli (Mason 87), Eriksen (Carroll 78); Kane Subs not used: Davies, Trippier, Chadli, Son, Vorm (gk).