Gylfi Sigurdsson completes Spurs' comeback by hitting a late winner at the Lane

Published: 23 March, 2014
by DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane
SPURS 3, SOUTHAMPTON 2

A MAN-OF-THE-MATCH performance by Christian Eriksen led a Spurs comeback and gave manager Tim Sherwood something to cheer about in what has so far been a miserable March.

The Danish international struck twice as Tottenham over turned a two-goal deficit at home to Southampton to win 3-2. He helped his team overcome a winless streak that has seen them fall away from the squabble for the fourth Champions League place and be knocked out of the Europa League. After the game, Eriksen praised his boss, saying Sherwood rallied them.

He said: “We got a speech at half-time and then went out there and got back in it. We were a bit lucky with the first but we've had games where we've had no luck at all, so it was about time. We just tried to do what the manager wanted us to do.”

He added that his double – both hit from close range – should have been more.

He said: “I felt I should have had a hat-trick.”

However, he was celebrating an unlikely three points. By the half-hour point, Spurs looked buried and it felt like Sherwood could be too.

An error by Kyle Naughton helped the visitors take the lead on 18. He inexplicably let a long ball forward by Saints keeper Artur Boruc bounce over his head. Jay Rodriguez chased it down and slipped a ball past the unprotected Hugo Lloris. 

On 27 it went from bad to worse: Naughton was again at fault after miskicking a clearance. Adam Lallana rolled the ball home. But while Spurs have been on the wrong end of some thumpings this season, Southampton failed to put the necessary distance between them when they had the chance. Spurs were thrown a lifeline on 30 when Nacer Chadli's teasing cross evaded Roberto Soldado but fell kindly for Eriksen. He smashed home from five yards out. 

Yet there was a lot of work to do. Mousa Dembele, who looked half fit, was replaced by Gylfi Sigurdsson and the Icelandic midfielder made an immediate impact. Seconds into the second half, Sigurdsson pushed the ball down the right for Soldado to chase. He nicked it off Dejan Lovren and crossed for Eriksen to tap in. 

It was then all Spurs. Chadli and Eriksen had openings while Southampton struggled to get out of their half. The winner came in stoppage time through Sigurdsson's powerful drive from outside the box. 

After the match, the manager said his side had shown signs of fatigue after every Europa League tie and this was partly responsible for the first half horror show. He said: “They take their toll. We didn't start well and against a good side you are going to get punished.” 

He added he thought his side showed mental strength.

“We've taken some knocks. I thought we deserved to win against Arsenal here and against Benfica, we were gutted. Today was massive for us.”

It was deserved, and could be the moment that keeps Sherwood at Tottenham beyond the end of the season. 

SPURS: Lloris, Rose, Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chadli, Lennon (Townsend, 71), Bentaleb, Dembele (Sigurdsson, h/t), Eriksen, Soldado.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

THEY say Mark Robins' goal for Manchester United in the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest saved Fergie's skin when he was struggling.

You can't help but wonder whether the split second the ball fell nicely for Gylfi Sigurdsson on the edge of the box and he instantaneously belted it home was Tim Sherwood's 'Mark Robins' moment.

To set up a side and see them go two goals down at home is not good enough – but he couldn't have predicted Dembele being so off the pace, or have predicted two individual errors by Naughton that gifted the Saints the lead.

Instead, he made the change at half-time and gave the players a going over.

“I can't tell you everything I said, but some of it wasn't pretty,” he said of his teamtalk. The effect was electric, and will have sent a message to Daniel Levy that perhaps he should, after all, stick and not twist in July.