Sandro (right) was missing from Spurs' starting line-up, but not injured

Published: 19 April, 2014
By DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane

Barclays Premier League 
SPURS 3, FULHAM 1

TIM Sherwood saw his Spurs team take an easy three points from stuggling Fulham in a 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane – and the manager used the post-match press conference to remind his critics that he was on the way to delivering the club's best ever Premiership points tally.

As the speculation mounts that Sherwood is just three games away from being relieved of his managerial duties, he said: “There are tough away matches at West Ham and Stoke before Villa come here, but if we continue to pick up the points we can reach 72 – that is the best the club has ever done in the Premiership.”

He was also quizzed as to why Brazilian midfielder Sandro – popular with the fans – was not in today's squad. Sandro had revealed before kick-off he was not injured, prompting rumours of a rift between the manager and a key player.

Sherwood confirmed Sandro was fit, but added: “He was not selected. He currently isn't good enough to be in the squad. The fans like him, I like him, but he has to work hard to get back into the side.”

Fulham needed to go for broke and their busiest player, Hugo Rodallega, looked from the start to be giving Younes Kaboul plenty of problems when the ball was on the floor.

For Spurs, Emmanuel Adebayor was liveliest, though often too far from goal to produce genuine efforts. The opener came after Spurs had begun to play the ball about with more purpose. On 34, Christian Eriksen bent a free-kick over from the right and an unmarked Paulinho popped up to sweep it home from close range.

Younes Kaboul celebrates netting Spurs' third against Fulham

But the lead lasted just two minutes as Steve Sidwell happily accepted a bad clearance by Zaki Fryers and lobbed the ball over the diving Hugo Lloris.

However, while this could have been the cue for a characteristic wobble, it didn't stay even for long. Spurs regained the lead on 47 when Lennon found space on the right and his cross was met with a glancing header by Harry Kane – registering his third goal in three games. The third came on 61, when Eriksen swung a speedy cross over from the left and Younes Kaboul was on hand to turn it in.

Fulham thought they may have found a way back in on 75 when Erisken handled in the box, but Sidwell's powerfully struck penalty was met by the strong arm of Lloris and the goalkeeper saved well.

Spurs then gently saw the game out. With three matches remaining, it was a victory that means little, except to show case how key it is Spurs hang on the two players who made the difference today: Christian Eriksen and Hugo Lloris.

SPURS: Lloris, Rose, Kaboul, Lennon, Paulinho, Adebayor, Naughton, Chadli (Dembele, 66), Eriksen (Townsend, 84), Fryers, Kane (Soldado, 78).
Attendance: 35,841

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

ANOTHER season of Europa League football beckons, and while many fans don't want Spurs to be involved, it may give the manager – whoever it may be – the chance to fully utilise an unbalanced squad.

Spurs have so many players – Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lewis Holtby, Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli, Tom Carroll, Paulinho and Mousa Dembele – who could all play in a central, attacking position. Granted, they may not all survive the transfer window but come August, there will be fidgety footballers desperate to prove themselves.

If the club recall on-loan Carroll and Holtby – both players many see as having futures at Spurs – they will want game time.

Instead of using first team shoo-ins for the Thursday night games as we've seen this year, Spurs should save their first XI for the league and the FA Cup. Spurs have looked exhausted on Sundays and it has been one of the reasons the season derailed so badly. If you play Thursday, you don't on Sunday – simple. It would help keep the fringe players happy and give the manager fresh legs for league matches.