BURNLEY 0
1
After the high of that dramatic Champions League draw in Barcelona, Spurs were minutes away from a deflating setback against Burnley.
They were staring at a huge comedown that, as they used to say, would have been oh, so Spursy. But Mauricio Pochettino’s side are made of sterner stuff than the teams that earned the club that tag.
And when substitute Christian Eriksen slammed in the injury-time winner against fourth-bottom Burnley, it was not as big a surprise as it might have once been.
Spurs have plenty of guts and character these days and have now underlined it twice in a matter of days.
Lucas Moura was their lastgasp hero in Spain in midweek and yesterday Eriksen stepped off the bench, replacing the Brazilian, to fill the role and deny brave Burnley who had been so organised until then.
Pochettino said: “The mentality and character of the team was amazing. It could have been a frustrating afternoon. We are very relieved.
“After the massive effort in Barcelona to finish the week in that way, always it is so good.”
Pochettino celebrated at full-time with a double-fisted punch of the air and not just because it was his landmark 100th league win as Spurs boss.
Eriksen’s first league goal this season kept them third and just five points off Manchester City under difficult circumstances.
Spurs were down to the bare bones, with one recognised centre-back after Jan Vertonghen joined Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth on the injured list with a thigh problem.
Eric Dier, one possible stand-in, was also out ill so left-back Ben Davies partnered Toby Alderweireld.
Spurs were short in central midfield too and Pochettino showed his faith in youth again by starting Oliver Skipp, 18, for his full league debut.
Burnley’s intention seemed damage limitation with Sean Dyche picking a back five.
On a grim afternoon, the atmosphere was flat with Wembley half full and there was little to cheer Pochettino other than some promising glimpses from Skipp. “He was fantastic,” Pochettino said. “He played like a 30-year-old man. He is going to be a top player.”
Spurs’ best first-half moment was a 30th-minute breakaway that Erik Lamela should have finished but a heavy first touch allowed Joe Hart to block.
Either side of the break Burnley threatened twice, both through Ashley Barnes.
And the visitors’ defiance was typified by Hart’s stunning reaction save down low to his right when Lamela seemed certain to bury Spurs’ first real chance of the second half.
A minute later Heung-min Son followed Eriksen into the action off the bench.
The chances kept coming – though so did the misses from Dele Alli, Lamela and Son.
But Eriksen showed how it’s done after Alli and Harry Kane kept a hopeful late punt in the danger area and the Dane blasted the winner past Hart.
Dyche said: “The players are disappointed that we get done by a lump down the pitch.
“We’ve given a performance that’s made it very tight today. They’ve had to work incredibly hard to get something.”