Premier League: Tottenham hit back late on to beat Crystal Palace
Tottenham returned to winning ways with a 3-1 home victory over Crystal Palace after a dazzling spell of three goals in 11 second-half minutes.
Ange Postecoglou’s team were heading for a second straight defeat.
fit-again Eberechi Eze curled home for Oliver Glasner’s side with 59 minutes on the clock. Substitute Brennan Johnson helped turn the match back in Spurs’ favour, though, with a brilliant assist for Timo Werner’s 77th-minute equaliser before Cristian Romero headed in a second soon after.
Captain Son Heung-min wrapped up the scoring two minutes from time after Johnson had sent him away to earn the hosts’ a much-needed win in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Spurs had two weeks to prepare for this fixture but were up against a Palace side buoyed by the arrival of new boss Glasner, who won his first game in charge at home to Burnley last weekend.
It was the visitors who made the brighter start with Jordan Ayew blazing over before Jean-Philippe Mateta had a shot blocked by Emerson Royal. Slowly Postecoglou’s side started to click with Son almost put through before he turned creator for what should have produced the opener.
Rodrigo Bentancur won back possession and Son sent Werner clear but he tried to round Sam Johnstone, who stood up well and thwarted the attacker in the 19th minute.
Play was back down the other end soon after when Jefferson Lerma’s shot deflected into the path of Daniel Munoz but Guglielmo Vicario bravely dived in to deny the Palace wing-back.
Vicario made a superb save from Ayew with half an hour played only for the offside flag to be raised as the first rumblings of discontent occurred from the home crowd.