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London, United Kingdom | AFP | Harry Kane struck late to secure Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday that moved Mauricio Pochettino’s side into the top four immediately ahead of Chelsea’s visit to Manchester United.
Spurs appeared set for disappointment after struggling to break down a Crystal Palace fighting to move clear of the relegation places.
But Kane finally found the breakthrough on 88 minutes, meeting Christian Eriksen’s corner at the far post and directing a header past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey who should have done better after getting a firm hand to the ball.
A big, big goal. ? #OneOfOurOwn pic.twitter.com/2GMjXdkrPt
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 25, 2018
“We left that very late. I thought it weren’t going to be our day, because we had a few chances, especially me…but we kept going until the end and eventually got our rewards,” Kane said after netting his 35th goal of the season.
The win pushed Pochettino’s men two points above Chelsea and while they knew the positions could be reversed by the end of the day, they could be satisfied they had increased the pressure on Antonio Conte’s side.
Pochettino made 10 changes to the side that drew with Rochdale in the FA Cup seven days previously but the more significant fact was that his line-up showed just one change to the team that drew at Juventus in the Champions League.
The withdrawal of Jan Vertonghen after the centre-back picked up a knock in training the day before the game meant Eric Dier slotted in alongside Davinson Sanchez in central defence in an otherwise familiar Spurs line-up.
FULL-TIME: @HKane heads home at the death to secure a massive three points at Selhurst Park! COME ON YOU SPURS! #COYS pic.twitter.com/zQBimHTBzb
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 25, 2018
By contrast, Hodgson’s hand was forced by the absence of 12 senior players, leaving the Crystal Palace manager with few options.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 20, came in at right-back for his senior debut and the depth of the home side’s injury problems was reflected on the substitutes’ bench where four of the seven replacements had yet to make a Premier League appearance for the club.
The makeshift nature of the Palace line-up was reflected in a disjointed start that could have seen Tottenham three up inside 16 minutes had the visitors made more of a succession of defensive errors.
