Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
Spurs are still pushing Blues all the way
TOTTENHAM just will not be denied, will they? They looked to have been snuffed out in this corner of south London, another victim of the Crystal Palace side that now makes bruising the big guns their stock-in-trade. Spurs, however, are no longer the flaky, mentally fragile outfit of yesteryear. Christian Eriksen’s screamer kept the pressure on Chelsea and ensured the Blues will have to win this title rather than have it surrendered to them. Spurs chief Mauricio Pochettino insisted for the umpteenth time earlier this week that his side are in no mood to collapse as they did at the end of last season. They have a different mentality, he said. A stronger focus. An ability to hang in there. His players made the point superbly for him here with a win that will have earned little for artistic impression, but top marks for grit and determination. Spurs reduced the gap on Chelsea to four points and if the leaders lose on Sunday at Everton – winners of their last seven games at Goodison Park – and Tottenham beat rivals Arsenal at home, that gap could be down to just a point. The north London derby for Pochettino and his men will no longer be about restoring the feel-good factor after a second, successive, anti-climatic campaign. It will be about continuing to stalk the side that did for them in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday. If Tottenham can ally the character they showed here to the silk they have displayed at White Hart Lane over the last month or so, they will be a force to be reckoned with. Andros Townsend, bombed out by Pochettino last season, was the outstanding player on the night for Palace. And Wilfried Zaha teased, tricked and frustrated the visitors to strains of “He’s just too good for you!” from the home fans. Mamadou Sakho – before going off with a horrendous looking knee injury – had marshalled the back-line magnificently, keeping Harry Kane in his pocket. And Palace fans will be fearing the worst after the Frenchman, on loan from Liverpool, was stretchered off shortly after half-time. Sakho’s exit was one of two moments that turned this game for Spurs. During the first half, Pochettino’s men had been denied time, space and the ability to express themselves. He took off Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama – who struggled to get a look in – at half-time and reverted to a 4-4-2 formation. Cue the improvement. Only Dele Alli will know how he smashed a sitter wide from Eriksen’s outstanding ball in from the right. But as the tension built, Eriksen pulled the trigger on 78 minutes from 25 yards with beaten keeper Wayne Hennessey at full stretch. Pochettino raced down the touchline and celebrated with his fists clenched as the Spurs fans danced in delight. Chelsea can forget about putting up the bunting just yet. This one could go all the way to the wire.