A fantastic late strike from Christian Eriksen rescued Tottenham Hotspur and gave them a vital 1-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday evening.
After their top-four rivals had all faltered over the weekend, Mauricio Pochettino’s side had the chance to move clear of those in the chasing pack against a side without a win in six. Having ended a five-match losing run at Wolves at the weekend, Brighton put another tireless and dogged display before Eriksen broke their hearts with a vicious left-footed strike from distance.
Brighton, fighting tooth and nail against relegation, sat deep and soaked up the pressure from Spurs. The hosts’ started on the front foot and had a decent chance after winning a free kick after just 90 seconds when Yves Bissouma clipped Lucas Moura, but Eriksen’s set-piece from 21 yards was nodded over by Jan Vertonghen.
After few minutes, Eriksen tried a shot from distance but his low shot whistle across the goal, although Dele Alli cheekily tried a flick to turn the shot goalwards. Spurs upped their tempo as Lucas Moura collected Eriksen’s superb pass and played the ball across the face of goal, but Lewis Dunk brilliantly intercepted before Alli could tap in.
Brighton were fortunate not to go a goal down just before half-time, with Duffy crucially clearing Alli’s close-range effort off the line.
Spurs dominated thereafter but struggled to break down the Seagulls’ well-drilled and disciplined defence. Rose went closest to breaking the deadlock on 66 minutes, driving forwards and giving a crack on goal from his weaker right foot but Mat Ryan pushed up and then caught before Alderweireld struck the right-hand post 18 minutes from time.
Brighton continued to defend for their lives and Eriksen’s effort was palmed away by Ryan and the follow up quickly cleared by Dunk as substitute Vincent Janssen looked to pounce.
But the visitors’ hearts were broken two minutes from time when Alli switched the ball to Eriksen and the Dane’s left-footed drive from distance found the bottom right corner of the net to continue Spurs’ unbeaten start at their new home.
Read More Tottenham News, Click Here: Tottenham News
Relieved with the 1-0 victory over a well-drilled Brighton side, here’s how some Spurs fans reacted on Twitter.