Antonio Conte’s side are in fine form as their rivals implode and now have a three-point cushion in fourth place on Arsenal, who fell 2-1 at home to Brighton for a third loss in their fourth last matches.

As for United, a 1-0 loss to a plummeting Everton side was another low in what turned into a desperate season. One, remarkably, which could yet end without qualifying for European competition.

United are in seventh place, six points behind Tottenham and with plenty of traffic between them.

In Son, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham have an attacking triumvirate that proves impossible to master, and they have scored and assisted all four goals against Villa.

Son now has six goals in his last three league appearances, having opened the scoring in the third minute after a Kane shot deflected his way outside the box. His finishing was ruthless, kissing the post on his way, as was his third goal – in the 71st and from a Kulusevski assist – which completed his first hat-trick of the season.

Two dazzling headers from Kane set up Kulusevski and Son’s other goals in the 50th and 66th minutes.

Tottenham and Arsenal meet in their penultimate game of the season respectively. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta just hopes his side aren’t out of contention by then.

ABSENCES FROM ARSENAL

The absences of first-choice left-back Kieran Tierney and influential midfielder Thomas Partey are proving significant for Arsenal, disrupting the defensive solidity of the team established under Arteta.

Five days after a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, Arsenal were defeated by goals from Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu for Brighton. Martin Odegaard scored an 89th-minute consolation for Arsenal.

“We know that with the squad we have, the tough challenge ahead of us is for sure,” Arteta said. “Injuries make the situation more complicated but we are not looking for excuses.”

One bright spot for Arsenal is the ongoing game they have against Tottenham, although it is a rearranged encounter with third-placed Chelsea.

TERRIBLY UNITED

With a Champions League place on the line, United were held at home by Leicester and have now lost to a relegation-threatened side at Everton.

Anthony Gordon was the winner of Everton’s game against United, his 27th-minute effort deflecting off the outstretched leg of hapless Harry Maguire.

United caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick has refused to accept that the search for a new manager for next season leaves the team in limbo

“The players themselves should be looking forward to playing international football, if possible the Champions League,” Rangnick said.

“But if we play like we did here, we just don’t deserve it. To qualify for Europe, you have to be able to score in 95 minutes in a game like this.

Everton moved four points clear of the bottom three, with penultimate Burnley traveling to Norwich next weekend.

ANOTHER HUMILIATION

Having lost 9-0 in each of the past two seasons, Southampton looked set to be beaten by a similar scoreline when Chelsea took a 6-0 lead after 54 minutes of their game at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Thankfully, Chelsea calmed down in the final half hour before a trip to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday and that’s how the game ended.

Mason Mount and Timo Werner both scored twice while there were also goals for Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz.

“It seems,” said Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, “we have to have one game like this a season, which is not nice to watch and very hard to take.”

Chelsea have consolidated their third place in the league and look all but certain to return to the Champions League next season, having moved eight points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal. He is 10 points behind second-placed Liverpool.

In the day’s other game, penultimate Watford lost 3-0 to Leeds and dropped six points from safety.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80