Watching Gareth Bale score a stylish hat-trick for Tottenham Hotspur in the 4-0 win over Sheffield United was a bittersweet moment for the club’s fans.

The Welshman’s return on loan from Real Madrid to the club he lit up during his first spell, has been something of a damp squib with former manager Jose Mourinho reluctant to give Bale a regular starting place.

The 32-year-old has still managed nine league goals from eighth starts, however, and the way he dispatched his first Premier League hat-trick since 2012, will add to the sense of frustration among the club’s fans...