Published: 19 January, 2014
Premier League
SWANSEA 1, SPURS 3

SPURS recorded a fifth straight away win this afternoon with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Swansea – matching a record set in the double-winning season of 1961.

After the game, which saw Spurs move up to fifth place and level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, manager Tim Sherwood was full of praise for the revitalised Emmanuel Adebayor who scored twice.

“I can’t take the credit for Adebayor. He has to take the credit,” said the manager after watching him get a brace.

“I have just given him the stage to go and perform. It’s not as if he was never a good player. He was always a fantastic player. Everywhere he has been he has scored goals. He is enjoying his football at the moment and we are all reaping the rewards from it.”

He added that he felt the players responded to a different system he had employed since taking over before Christmas, with Adebayor acting as the lone frontman supported by Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen.

“We changed it a little bit with three up top,” he said. “Swansea had a few chances early on, but I always thought we were the most dangerous side. As soon as it clicked I thought our quality would come through and it did.”

Adebayor's double either side of an own goal secured the victory. However, Swansea started well, with Tottenham seemingly content to let their opponents dominate possession. As the half went on, Spurs grew in stature and on 35, Adebayor gave his side the lead. Aaron Lennon broke, pulled the ball back for Eriksen, and his teasing cross was met by Adebayor. He made no mistake with his head.

Spurs made it two just after the break. Kyle Walker had been found dashing down the right by Michael Dawson and his low cross was turned into his own net by Swansea defender Chico Flores.

With Spurs well in control, the third was on the cards and it duly came on 70 minutes. Danny Rose went down the left and found Adebayor in acres of space to stroke the ball home.

Spurs conceded on 78 minutes when Wilfried Bony fired home but it was too little too late for the Swans. Sherwood is unbeaten in the league since taking over from AVB, and while he faces a stiff test next week with Manchester City visiting White Hart Lane, his side are full of confidence.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

TIM Sherwood has been subjected to criticism about his adherence to a 4-4-2 system. He has been called a dimwit, unable to see the blindingly obvious, and scared to make tactical changes. Against Arsenal in the FA Cup, his post-match insistence that he didn't play 4-4-2 was met with derision in some quarters.

Today, he showed he is happy to mix it up if he thinks the opponents warrant it: he left Roberto Soldado on the bench, saying he felt the player was suffering from tiredness, and went for a compact 4-5-1 system, with Christian Eriksen sitting behind Emanuel Adebayor. It was a with set-up that looked to counter Swansea's well-known possession style and showed he does have a flexible approach. Next up he has to face high-flying Manchester City. With experienced midfielders Sandro and Etienne Capoue both available again, the question will be whether he reverts back to two up front, and drops in-form rookie Nabil Bentaleb.

Today, he showed he isn't afraid of such tough decisions: to win comfortably away with a tweaked line-up will have silenced those who say he is a one-trick manager.

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Chiriches, Rose, Dembele, Eriksen, Bentaleb, Lennon (Naughton, 80), Chadli (Sigurdsson, 71), Adebayor.

Attendance: 20,769