Mauricio Pochettino described Christian Eriksen's performance against Sunderland as 'excellent'

Published: 18 January, 2015
by DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane

Premier League
SPURS 2, SUNDERLAND 1

CHRISTIAN Eriksen hit his eighth goal of the season – and another late winner for Spurs – at White Hart Lane in a 2-1 win over Sunderland.

The Danish midfielder has now scored four winning goals in 2-1 victories for Tottenham this term. His effort moves Spurs into fifth spot.  

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino praised his side's key playmaker. He said: “He is still young and has such potential. He shows it all the time in training. His contribution today was excellent.”

Spurs took the lead on two minutes when Jan Vertonghen scooped the ball towards goal after Sunderland struggled to clear a corner. It took a huge deflection and sailed in.  

Eriksen, playing nominally on the right, was full of running and invention. The Dane was unlucky not to increase the lead on 15 minutes when he latched on to a loose ball centrally and fired a shot goalwards. Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon managed to get across and smother. 

Spurs continued to press with Eriksen pulling the strings, and it was against the run of play when Sunderland equalised on 31 minutes. Vertonghen was penalised – and earned a yellow – for bringing down Sunderland debutant the ex-Spur Jermain Defoe. Sebastian Larsson guided a well-flighted free-kick home.  

Spurs almost got their noses in front as the half ticked down through Harry Kane, but the in-form striker could only watch in disbelief as his shot struck the post.  

In the second half, Eriksen again applied the pressure, twice going close with solid efforts, while Kane forced Pantilmon into a save with an outstretched leg. It was all coming from the home team, yet by a mixture of luck and sheer doggedness, Sunderland were keeping their hosts at bay.  

A substitution saw Andros Townsend sent on with the brief to storm down the right for the last 15 minutes, and it was his lung-busting, end-to-end sprint that created a late winner. Man of the match Eriksen tracked Townsend's break, held off the defenders and drove home from outside the box.

Moments later, another Spurs break saw Vertonghen guide home from just over the halfway line as Sunderland's Pantilimon went forward to attack a corner, but the linesman inexplicably flagged for off side. It was a bad mistake by the official. Pochettino said: "Jan is upset – he does not get a lot of chances to score."

But, thankfully for Spurs, it had no bearing on winning three points.  

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Dier, Dembele Townsend, 74), Stambouli, Eriksen, Chadli (Paulinho, 86), Soldado (Adebayor, 60), Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Naughton, Paulinho, Capoue, Davies, Townsend, Adebayor.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

Five thoughts on Spurs' win over Sunderland…

Eriksen was at the heart of everything good. He has rediscovered the best of last season's form. His winner required perfect technique. Not easy when you've run your Lilywhite socks off for nearly 90.

Soldado was given an important vote of confidence after Wednesday's clanger. He had two half-chances that you suspect a striker full of confidence would have buried. He was asked to play ahead of Kane – it looked like it would have been more effective the other way round.

How good of you to grace us with your presence, Mr Adebayor. He threw himself about a bit for half an hour, but looked understandably ring rusty when the ball was at his feet.

Grumbles were being aired as the seconds ticked down…but Spurs had 25 efforts on goal, a perfectly good effort chalked off, and kept plugging away. They can't always do it the Blanchflower way.

Spurs were caught napping twice, and with a human being in goal, they would have been punished. But the Hugo keeper-droid is equal to anything these earthlings can throw at him.