Tottenham 4-3 Leeds
A DRAMATIC LATE double from Rodrigo Bentancur fired Tottenham to a thrilling 4-3 victory over Leeds to help them finish the first half of the Premier League season with a much-needed win.
The visitors had gone ahead three times in London, but tasted defeat after Uruguayan midfielder Bentancur firstly levelled in the 81st minute before he grabbed what proved to be the winner two minutes later.
It meant Rodrigo’s impressive double and Crysencio Summerville’s opener for Leeds counted for little after Spurs mounted several fightbacks to end a tough period with a crucial three points.
Recent home league defeats to Newcastle and Liverpool, in addition to their Carabao Cup exit at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, had contributed towards boss Antonio Conte reiterating the need for patience and time.
Injuries had played a big part in their mixed form during a period where they played 13 matches in 43 days but they concluded it with victory in a seven-goal thriller after talisman Harry Kane netted and Illan Meslier scored an unfortunate own goal.
Spurs entered this game following back-to-back defeats but Conte was boosted by attackers Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison being able to start together for the first time since September 17.
All eyes were on Kane given this was the last match before the World Cup but it was the other number 10 on the pitch who stole the show early on.
Leeds’ young forward Summerville had struck in their recent wins over Liverpool and Bournemouth, and scored for the fourth consecutive game in the 10th minute.
Brenden Aaronson – one of 11 players starting this fixture set for Qatar – held off Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and slid through to Summerville, who fired beyond Hugo Lloris after running too easily away from Eric Dier and Emerson Royal.
It was another horror start from Tottenham, but they should have levelled eight minutes later only for Emerson to slice over following Ben Davies’ cut-back.
The Spurs right-back had also tested Meslier moments earlier and yet the next big opportunity went the visitors’ way.
Aaronson sent Summerville away again but, despite Lloris briefly hesitating, the France goalkeeper was able to block the toe-poke of the Leeds forward.
It proved crucial with Tottenham equalising with 25 minutes on the clock.
Ivan Perisic’s inswinging delivery was only weakly punched away by Meslier to Kane, who brilliantly turned away from Tyler Adams and fired home for his 13th goal of the season.
Leeds remonstrated with referee Michael Salisbury and wanted a foul after Richarlison and Clement Lenglet both collided with Meslier but their appeals were waved away.
The frustration of Jesse Marsch on the touchline was eased when Rodrigo helped the away side retake the lead two minutes before half-time.
More poor defending saw Dier play Rodrigo onside from Rasmus Kristensen’s header forward and the Spaniard’s volley beat Lloris too easily to make it 2-1 to Leeds at the break.
Spurs needed a quick response and found one thanks to a hint of fortune six minutes into the second half.
Kulusevski got in behind the Leeds defence and found Kane, who saw a shot blocked by Kristensen. Davies was first to the follow-up and, while Kristensen got in front of his effort, he could only divert the ball onto Meslier and it rolled over the line.
Conte decided to replace the inconsistent Emerson soon after and it was met with unsavoury cheers from the home fans.
Replacement Matt Doherty would make an impact but only after Rodrigo fired in his second in the 76th minute after controlling Marc Roca’s pass and drilling into the corner beyond Lloris to make it 3-2.
A quick response occurred again with Doherty’s cross headed out to the edge of the area where Bentancur chested down and fired through a number of bodies to help Spurs level for a third time.
With nine minutes left, Tottenham were now chasing the all-important fourth goal and it arrived in the 83rd minute.
Kane set away Kulusevski, who dribbled past Robin Koch and was able to draw Meslier out of his goal which allowed the Sweden international to square for Bentancur to slot home his fifth goal of the campaign.
Leeds’ Adams received a second yellow card and his marching orders not long after before a topsy-turvy clash came to an end.
West Ham 0-2 Leicester
James Maddison’s World Cup place could be in jeopardy after he limped off during Leicester’s 2-0 win at West Ham.
The midfielder, called into Gareth Southgate’s England squad on Thursday, went down holding his leg in the 23rd minute at the London Stadium.
After receiving treatment on the pitch the midfielder, who had opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season, gingerly left the field.
With England’s first match just nine days away, even a relatively minor injury could mean Maddison missing out in Qatar.
It would be a cruel blow for a player whose exceptional form this season prompted Southgate to call him up after three years in the international wilderness.
However, the sight of Maddison sitting behind the substitutes’ bench laughing and smiling with his team-mates suggested the injury may not be as serious as first feared.
Just 15 minutes earlier Maddison had illustrated exactly why Southgate turned to him.
His clever flick started the move in midfield, and when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low cross was helped on by Patson Daka, the 25-year-arrived at the far post to sweep the ball home.
But soon after Maddison was sitting in the centre-circle holding his leg and being consoled by Three Lions team-mate Declan Rice.
The injury overshadowed another fine win for Leicester with winger Harvey Barnes, himself once capped for England in 2020, wrapping it up late in the second half.
West Ham also suffered an injury blow in the first half when defender Kurt Zouma, who hurt himself in the warm-up, hobbled off.
Yet the hosts, in desperate need of a win after a miserable run of results, perked up after Maddison’s departure and Said Benrahma and Lucas Paqueta forced fine saves from Danny Ward.
Tomas Soucek had the ball in the net but Jarrod Bowen, one of the players who could potentially replace Maddison in the England squad, was offside in the build-up.
Shortly before half-time Leicester were awarded a penalty after VAR correctly ruled that Craig Dawson had fouled Daka in the area.
Youri Tielemans stepped up to take the spot-kick but his effort was saved by Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
It was a major let-off for West Ham, who went in search of an equaliser after the break with Rice heading narrowly over and Gianluca Scamacca just failing to get on the end of Thilo Kehrer’s cross.
But just as the Hammers were building up a head of steam, a cross-field pass from substitute Pablo Fornals was intercepted and Leicester broke.
Ayoze Perez noticed Barnes tearing past him down the left and played a perfectly weighted pass for the 24-year-old to slot past Fabianski and seal a fourth Premier League win in five matches for the Foxes.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest ensured they head into the World Cup break off the bottom of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Morgan Gibbs-White continued to show why Forest broke their transfer record to sign him in the summer as his second-half goal earned the win that sees them move to within a point of safety.
It was the perfect end to the first phase of their return to the top flight after 23 years away and will give them real hope they can kick on after the World Cup and pull away from relegation danger after a third win of the campaign.
They were grateful to Wilfried Zaha missing his fourth penalty of 2022 in the first half, but this was a poor performance from Palace which was deserving of defeat.
Patrick Vieira is battling inconsistency and they remain mid-table.
After some recent positive signs, including an impressive midweek Carabao Cup win over Tottenham, Forest were desperate to sign off with a win but made a slow start and Palace could have led inside the opening 90 seconds as Zaha barged into the box but shot over from a good position.
The hosts were full of pace and running in attack and that almost presented them with a goal in the 16th minute as Gibbs-White played in Brennan Johnson, whose cross-shot was just too far in front for the sliding Jesse Lingard to convert.
Lingard’s pace was causing problems and as he latched on to a flick-on he was brought down by Tyrick Mitchell just outside the area, with referee John Brooks deeming it to be only a yellow card with Joachim Andersen covering.
Renan Lodi whipped the free-kick over as Palace survived.
And 10 minutes later they had a chance to go in front as they were awarded a penalty after Forest captain Joe Worrall wrestled Zaha to the ground.
There was no doubt about the decision, but Zaha’s woes from the spot continued as he rattled the post with his effort.
Forest began the second half on top and were rewarded with the 54th-minute lead.
Johnson found space in the penalty area and got a shot away which was parried by Vicente Guaita and Gibbs-White was on hand to convert the rebound.
The linesman’s flag immediately went up but a lengthy VAR review saw the decision overturned and the goal stood.
It was a complete no-show from Palace in the second half and Forest had chances to kill the game.
Worrall put one wide when the ball fell to him in the box and then Lingard missed a golden opportunity after being teed up by Johnson, but he was off target with a controlled effort.
They had a nervy final few minutes but held on to record an important victory.
