Gallery: Player Ratings – Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Newcastle United

Eriksen – 7

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Still an enigma. Started brightly, got squeezed out of the game. Never gave up working for the team. Towards the end, produced a number of potentially match-winning tricks, including a remarkable effort cleared off the line.

Match Summary

You’ve seen Manchester City play this season! And Liverpool! You’ve read about the budgets of clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. Well, today, in February, we’re ahead of City and only four points behind the leaders. Those other big three clubs lie at least ten points behind us.

At the closing of yet another purchase-free window, let’s surprisingly acknowledge our good fortune in being blessed with these players, this manager and, indeed, this club management.

We started how we always want to start: pressing high, moving the ball quickly, running off the ball. Either side of half time, we became discouraged and the tempo slowed. Without a focal point to the attack (Son was playing wide, in fact everyone was), there was no one to be on the end of enterprise.

Hence the arrival of Llorente whose presence galvanised the Tottenham resources. He provided the assist, Sonny (who else?) the goal, and Spurs maintain their truly remarkable Premiership challenge.