Tottenham ground out a much-needed three points for the under-fire Thomas Frank with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, while high-flying Sunderland were held 1-1 by Leeds on Sunday.
Archie Gray was Spurs’ unlikely match winner at Selhurst Park with his first senior goal as Frank’s men won for just the second time in nine league games.
Richarlison had two goals disallowed for offside but Gray’s header was enough for Tottenham against a Palace side running out of steam after a gruelling schedule.
“In the end we got over the line,” said Frank. “The team showed great resilience today and I think the desire beat the details in the game.”
The Eagles are winless in five games as they have hit the wall from trying to stretch their limited resources across three competitions.
Oliver Glasner described his side’s set-piece defending in a 4-1 defeat to Leeds last weekend as “embarrassing” and it was a dead ball that cost them once more against a Spurs team badly lacking in creativity.
An overdue victory will temporarily ease the scrutiny on Frank, but another performance devoid of flair going forward will do little to quieten his doubters in the Tottenham support.
The visitors did not have a shot on target from open play before half-time but were only denied by a VAR review for offside when Richarlison thought he had opened the scoring.
Instead the source of the only goal was an unexpected one as Gray headed in Richarlison’s flick from a corner for his first goal in 112 appearances for Tottenham and Leeds.
Palace dominated territory and possession after the break but lacked the class needed in front of goal to make Spurs pay.
Justin Devenny blazed high over the bar from close range before Maxence Lacroix headed wide.
Palace were handed another reprieve when Richarlison turned in Mohammed Kudus’ cross only for VAR to again intervene.
But Tottenham held out to climb to 11th, just one point behind Palace in ninth.
Earlier, Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored for a sixth consecutive Premier League game as Leeds denied Sunderland a place in the top five with a draw at the Stadium of Light.
Simon Adingra fired the Black Cats into a half-time lead, but the in-form Calvert-Lewin leveled early in the second period to pull Leeds further clear of the relegation zone.
Sunderland are still yet to lose at home on their return to the top flight but have been severely depleted by the departure of six players to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Sunderland are still yet to lose at home on their return to the top flight but have been severely depleted by the departure of six players to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Adingra was one of the Ivory Coast’s key men in winning the AFCON on home soil last year, but he was not selected this time.
Sunderland were grateful for that decision as the former Brighton winger curled in his first goal for the club from Granit Xhaka’s fine through ball on 28 minutes. (JapanToday)
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