Last-gasp Eriksen to Spurs rescue

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN, long linked with a move to Real Madrid, is now going to Barcelona.

More importantly, thanks to his late strike at Wembley last night, he is taking Tottenham team with him to the Nou Camp in a fortnight, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side still in with a chance of reaching the Champions League knockout stages.

Spurs had looked down and out when they were trailing to PSV in their previous game here.

So it was a bonus to come into this one with Champions League qualification entirely in their own hands.

All they had to do was beat Inter Milan and then Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Phase Two could look after itself. A week in which this game was sandwiched between London derbies against Chelsea and Arsenal was already challenging enough.

They set about Inter with energy and pace right from the first whistle – just like they had against Maurizio Sarri’s Blues on Saturday.

Spurs’ first real chance came after half an hour when Moussa Sissoko broke from his own area to tee-up Lucas Moura, who forced a low save from Samir Handanovic.

And the Inter goalkeeper was a spectator clearly unsettling Inter and amid the confusion caused by the Korea international, Dele Alli fired a 66th-minute volley just wide.

It was not until the 70th minute that Eriksen finally came off the bench and his first act was to deliver one of his free-kick specials.

Somehow, though, Vertonghen failed to score from just four yards out at the far post.

Lloris blocked a sharp chance from Ivan Perisic at his near post but Inter were happy to allow the giant Wembley clock to roll on.

And then it happened. Sissoko’s bursting run, Alli’s top-quality turn and his vision to pick out Eriksen and the Dane’s killer finish.

The piece of class Tottenham had lacked had suddenly materialised with 10 minutes to go.

Spurs deserved their lead and are showing they are a maturing team which is capable of getting what it deserves.

But surely they cannot beat Barcelona? Can they?

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Winks (Dier 87), Sissoko; Lamela (Eriksen 70), Alli, Moura (Son 62); Kane. Subs: Rose, Walker-Peters, Llorente, Gazzaniga.

INTER (4-2-3-1): Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, De Vrij (Miranda 82), Skriniar, Asamoah; Vecino, Brozovic; Politano (Balde 83), Nainggolan (Valero 44), Perisic; Icardi. Subs: Martinez, Ranocchia, Padelli, Candreva.

Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).