TANGUY NDOMBELE SCORED a sensational debut goal as Tottenham came from behind to beat Premier League new boys Aston Villa 3-1 thanks to Harry Kane’s late double.
John McGinn’s ninth-minute goal seemed set to mark Villa’s return to the top flight in style, with Champions League finalists Spurs – playing without the benched Christian Eriksen for over an hour – struggling to break down Dean Smith’s side.
Eriksen’s introduction sparked urgency into Tottenham’s attack and, after Tom Heaton had made a fantastic stop to deny Davinson Sanchez, Ndombele slammed home a brilliant equaliser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Another terrific Heaton stop kept Eriksen at bay, but Villa’s resistance was ended when Kane capitalised on a mistake from Jack Grealish before excellently tucking in his second to add gloss to a hard-fought win.
Villa’s defence struggled to cope with Lucas Moura’s movement in the early stages and the former Paris Saint-Germain forward should have done better with a free header he directed straight at Heaton.
Lucas’ miss swiftly proved costly – McGinn keeping his composure to slot beyond Hugo Lloris after Danny Rose failed to track the midfielder’s run.
After Kane headed over before half-time, Moussa Sissoko was the next to let Villa off the hook, lashing wildly at a close-range strike.
But Spurs’ equaliser finally came with 17 minutes remaining – Ndombele curling in a wicked first-time strike, which looked as though it brushed off Tyrone Mings en route to the back of the net, after Heaton had pulled off a fine save from Sanchez’s header.
Heaton prevented Eriksen capping a superb cameo with a goal soon after, but Villa’s defence could not hold on, and Spurs hit the front with four minutes remaining as Kane slotted in following sloppy play from Grealish.
Spurs were not finished there, however, and Kane helped himself to a well-taken second to make for a scoreline more comfortable than Tottenham’s wasteful display warranted.
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Liverpool are done. Milner, Henderson and Firmino are too old. Mane and Wijnaldum, two of their most consistent players, allowed to leave. Their replacements Thiago and Keith spend more time on the bench than on the pitch. Van Dijk is a good centre halve but his poor form is highlighting the lack of a decent partner for him. As for Salah? He looks like he has one eye on a move out of Anfield. Klopp will need a miracle to turn things around there.
@John Fagan: and the whole squad is burned out as a side affect of klopps high intensity style , same thing happened at dortmund.
@John Fagan: yeah the new guy Keith is really struggling in Manes old position. Good take.
@John Fagan: Didn’t Salah just sign a new contract at Liverpool over the summer? “Too old” Firmino who scored a brace and 3 assists just two weeks ago? Van Dijk’s main CB partner, Matip, is just back from injury. Mane wanted to leave but they signed Diaz who has been pretty prolific so far and Nunez so I’m not sure things are as bleak as you’re saying – and I’m not a Liverpool fan even
@John Fagan: we’ll see come the end of the season just how ‘done’ we are.
@Cathal Jenkinson: first of all Firminos brace and assists were against Bournemouth in a 9-0 hammering. Salah will come good, he’s too good of a player not too. In relation to VVD again he has, for some obvious and some less obvious reasons, been poor but should improve. It’s Midfield and using the high line where pool struggle. Thiago and Keita are injury prone and Henderson getting on. I think they’ll still get too 4 and get out of the group in the CL but that’s about it.
@Damien Leen: indeed we will
@John Fagan: as they where done 2 years ago. It’s great insights you find from opposing supporters.
@Gareth Keenan: Very harsh on Keith.
@Getard Lanslanger: I thought so too!
There’s no doubt Liverpool will bounce back. But the bar they set for themselves was incredible. It was almost 110% in 9 games out of 10. They’ll come back again but can’t see them getting close to city this year. Genuinely think there’s a good race on for 2nd across all the rest. Liverpool favourites but other teams now raising the bar themselves at the right time.
Liverpool s problems were evident long before Napoli game , and if you keep persisting doing the same thing and look for better then it’s called delusion . Keita is injured and all of a sudden he is fit for his country , something in the off field department needs sorting first imo .The high line is great if your mid field first does it’s job and I will include firmino in that department because he drops to bolster it , and the space that this leaves when people don’t work is obvious to all .
Always thought a manager’s job(generic, not just football) was to understand the scope, scale and changing nature of the environment within which they operate and adjust appropriately BEFORE the sh!t hits the fan.
Only a verbal agreement for potter at Chelsea , time to klippity klop down the road to london!!