Winks late show wins London derby for Tottenham

Harry Winks scored a bullet header in the final gasp of injury-time as Tottenham snatched all three points as they beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

The victory came at a cost, however, as Dele Alli, was substituted in the second half with an apparent hamstring injury, furthering Spurs’ injury crisis.

Alli scored the equaliser for the visitors after Fernando Llorente put through his own net to open the scoring for Fulham with a finish that would have made Mauricio Pochettino proud had it come at the other end.

Claudio Ranieri named one change from their side that lost 2-1 to Burnley last weekend with new signing Ryan Babel making his debut, replacing Ryan Sessegnon.

While Pochettino changed four players from the team that were beaten 1-0 at home to Manchester United. Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko were ruled out through injury and Kieran Trippier was dropped as the Argentine favoured a back three. Heung Min-Son is away at the Asian cup with South Korea.

It’s was the first time that Spurs had been without Kane and Son since October 2014 and Llorente was given huge boots to fill without their star striker.

Tottenham did start the better of the two sides with Christen Eriksen getting away a number of early chances but didn’t come to anything, with his closest effort getting blocked.

Alli tested the Fulham backline as the midfielder broke through, though he eventually got closed down by Maxime Le Marchand, who expertly intercepted the ball and juggled the ball away.

Babel forced a big save from Hugo Lloris when the former Liverpool player broke away from Davidson Sanchez and struck his effort towards the near post only for the French shot-stopper to be equal to his effort. The newly signed Dutchman seemed the most likely to get a second for the home side having a number of opportunities in the first half, he headed one over late in the first half while Jan Vertonghen blocked his next best chance.

The first goal of the game came in the way of Fulham as the hosts took the lead through a Llorente own goal as the striker turned the ball into his own net in the 18^th minute. Jean Michael Seri sent a corner into the box and the Spanish striker sent the ball past Lloris through a misplaced knee.

Llorente tried to make amends for his early mistake as he forced Sergio Rico in the Fulham net to make a save in the 23^rd minute, but the effort was straight at the Spaniard.

Christian Eriksen looked restore parity with a free-kick aimed straight at goal, but it was a comfortable save for Rico .

The Spurs back-line looked nervy, being deployed in an unfamiliar back three. Joe Bryan almost forced Danny Rose into scoring a second own goal of the game as the left-back knocked the ball out for a corner from his cross.

Late in the first half Aleksandar Mitrovic thought that he had scored the second of the match, though he was found in an offside position, after knocking in a perfect Andre Schurrle volley.

Spurs started better in the second half and six minutes after the restart they had their leveller. Fulham failed to clear their lines and the ball eventually fell to Eriksen who played a delightful ball into the box for Alli to nod past Rico.

The Fulham goalkeeper was then on his toes as he had to palm the ball away to deny Llorente, Eriksen had a follow up shot but it was blocked.

Cyrus Christie was lucky not to give away a penalty as he clattered into left-back Danny Rose but the latter was close to getting a second for the Whites as his shot bounced off of the crossbar on the hour mark

Sanchez and Mitrovic kept tangling with both trying to outmanoeuvre each other. Both got booked for their part in a scrap that started later in the match.

Serri also saw a yellow card as he caught Jan Vertonghen as Fulham’s counter attacking approach left them open at the back.

Tottenham should have won it much sooner than they did but Llorente failed to hit the target with his headed effort.

Alli then went down on the sidelines clutching his hamstring. The England midfielder’s injury further shortening the number of players available for the away side.

It would be Harry Winks who would be the star in the end as his header sealed all the three points in the London Derby, meaning they have won one more game in their pursue of top four football.

Tottenham continue to keep the pressure on Manchester City who won 3-0 against Huddersfield Town earlier on in the day. The London based club maintained to keep the pressure on 2^nd placed City, remaining five points behind them.

Fulham remain 19^th in the league table and are seven points from safety after both Southampton and Newcastle got crucial wins yesterday in their bid for safety.

 

Teams-

Fulham: Sergio Rico, Dennis Odoi, Calum Chambers, Maxime Le Marchand, Cyrus Christie, Jordan Seri (YC and OFF 80’, Joe Bryan, Tim Ream, Andre Schurrle (OFF 72’), Ryan Babel (OFF 56^th), Aleksandar Mitrovic ©

Subs: Ryan Sessegnon (ON 56^th), Ibrahima Cissé (ON 80’), Neeskens Kebano (ON 72’),

Unused subs: Marcus Bettinelli, Tom Cairney, Floyd Ayité, Luciano Vietto

 

Tottenham: Hugo Lloris ©, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose (YC), Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Davidson Sanchez (YC), Harry Winks, Christen Eriksen, Erik Lamela (OFF 78′), Dele Alli (OFF 86’), Fernando Llorente

Subs: Georges-Kevin N’Koudou (ON 86’), Eric Dier (ON 78′)

Unused subs: Paulo Gazzaniga, Juan Foyth, Ben Davies, Oliver Skipp, Kazaiah Sterling