Tottenham Hotspur cemented third place in the Premier League standings after they got back to winning ways with a 1-0 victory at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

Antonio Conte's side have Harry Kane to thank after the England striker's looping 22-minute header sealed all three points on the south coast, ending a rather tough week both on and off the pitch.

The Italian head coach was forced into at least one change before kick-off due to Emerson Royal's three-game suspension after the Brazilian right wing-back was sent off during their north London derby defeat to Arsenal last weekend.

In came the rarely-seen Matt Doherty and boy did he make a statement against the Seagulls.

It would have been a tough conundrum for Conte to solve leading up to the game. He could've easily trusted the experience of Ivan Perisic to get it done on the right, as he did against Leicester City before the international break, or he could have even turned to summer signing Djed Spence.

But it was the Irishman who got the nod, starting his first game for the Lilywhites since last season's 4-0 win over Aston Villa back in March.

Doherty caught the eye going forward, often making a mazy run down the flank and he even went close to opening the scoring after he fired a volley over the bar from Ryan Sessegnon's cross.

Whilst, it was defensively where he stood out most, as he put in a huge tackle to deny Leandro Trossard from shooting eight yards out in what would've likely been a devastating equaliser.

The 30-year-old also registered three interceptions, a feat only bettered by central midfield monster Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, as well as two clearances and one block, as per SofaScore.

Given the inconsistencies and doubts over £26m signing Emerson, who former Spurs man Jamie O'Hara lambasted as a "complete liability" after the Arsenal defeat, it could be Doherty's time to shine as he clearly took the golden opportunity handed to him by Conte.

The £65k-per-week defender was once slammed himself as the "weak link" of ex-manager Jose Mourinho's side but in this wing-back favoured system, he should ultimately thrive.

Albeit "rusty" at times, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star could prove to be the solution to the right wing-back woes with the fixtures coming thick and fast over the next few weeks.

AND in other news, Forget Kane: £100k-per-week "monster" was Spurs' driving force in Brighton win...