Eriksen shows the gulf in class as Spurs dominate Cardiff in 3-0 win

Christian Eriksen proved just what he is capable of as he and Spurs made small work of Cardiff City. Mauricio Pochettino’s men recovered from an inconvenient loss to Wolves to dismantle the Welsh side within 25 minutes.

If anything, this game epitomised the gulf in class between the top and bottom of the table. A series of calamitous errors gave Harry Kane the opener within three minutes and mentally Cardiff had lost the game from that point in time.

Solidity is something usually associated with a Neil Warnock side, both in physical and mental terms, but the occasion seemingly got the heads of Sol Bamba and Sean Morrison who failed to clear their lines with any confidence, striking Kane with the ball as he bulldozed his way into the box, the ball bouncing into the net from a few yards out.

The points lost in this game are elementary. Cardiff know their place in the pecking order and it is way below Spurs. But it is the manner of defeat that will worry Warnock and the fans. Heads were down within 180 seconds, and chins never truly left the turf from then on. Spurs looked like a side reborn after that fatigued defeat to Wolves, Eriksen and Heung-Min Son actively seeking to prove the Wembley defeat was nothing more than a bad day at the office, an anomaly.

It was 12 minutes into the game where Eriksen decided to kill the game dead. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box he rolled the ball forwards and dragged it back like he was involved in a game of FIFA Street. Before calmly slotting the ball low and hard into the bottom corner.

Cool, calm, collective, class.

The Dane had the confidence to take his time, find himself the extra yard and then have the audacity to nonchalantly stroke the ball through Bruno Ecuele Manga’s legs and into the corner was the world of an ice cold killer. The defending will be questioned, but so often we focus on the negative, when every movement of Eriksen’s body leading up that strike had a purpose, choreographed to result in what was a supremely aesthetically pleasing goal.

Cardiff failed to cope with the guile and agility the Spurs players offered, their attempt to turn the game physical was futile due the quality of passing and movement by Dele Alli, Eriksen and Moussa Sissoko in the middle.

If the game was not already won, it certainly was with just 25 minute on the clock. Sissoko battled in the middle to feed Kane who in turn gave Heung-Min Son the ball. The South Korean international, on sublime form, showed exactly his capabilities when finishing a move off as he powered the ball across Neil Etheridge into the far corner.

The second half became routine, Cardiff never truly looked like earning their stripes, while Tottenham felt no need to exert themselves any more than was necessary. Junior Hoilett was introduced at half time to offer some form of threat for the hosts. But aside from a tame back post header, his only contribution was trying to replicate his now seemingly trademark goal, a whipped shot into the top corner. Unfortunately for Hoilett and Cardiff, his attempt was an example of just how off the pace they were today, as he skewed the ball straight into the stands.

There will be toughter tests for Tottenham, and better performances from Cardiff. But the game belonged to Christian Eriksen on the pitch, a genius on the night and a star that is Pochettino and Daniel Levy will be desperate to show off at the new White Hart Lane.