So much for taking it easy before the World Cup. A frantic and breathless encounter between Tottenham and Leeds, which swung wildly and thrillingly in both directions, ended with what is now a familiar story, as Antonio Conte’s emotionally and physically drained side dragged themselves to the finish line. The unpredictability of the final Premier League weekend before Qatar delivered a classic, with all the hallmarks of Tottenham’s recent run. For boxes ticked see: a slow start, a second-half comeback, and a late winner scored by Rodrigo Bentancur.
The Uruguayan’s two goals in the space of two minutes did more than just turn the match around and earn Tottenham a 4-3 win, it changes the mood around Spurs heading into what is now a six-week gap between matches. Tottenham seemed to be heading for their fourth defeat in five Premier League games and may have finished the weekend outside of the top four. Instead, when they return on Boxing Day, they will do so three points behind Manchester City and with this crazy ride still somewhat ticking along on track.
There will be relief to get through what was their 13th game in 42 days, but Leeds ensured they would require every ounce of what remained in the tank here, after Conte admitted there was not much left following defeats to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Jesse Marsch’s side won a 4-3 thriller against Bournemouth last weekend but when they rolled the dice again, they became the side to throw away a late lead. Rodrigo’s double had Leeds on their way to a third consecutive win. In the end, they were too open, too chaotic, and their defending in the final moments was far too ragged.
Spurs, though, continue to confound, and at times the atmosphere inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium suggested that the home fans will not miss seeing a few of Conte’s side for a while. Both Eric Dier, who they may still see at the World Cup, and Emerson Royal struggled – the Spurs fans cheered when the Brazilian was removed in the second half. But there is also something to love about this madness, as Spurs went through their routine once again.
The theory is that Tottenham do not start to play until they go behind, so it perhaps made sense that the opener came after just nine minutes. If Spurs have appeared tired and stale towards the tail end of their hectic run, the freshness of Crysencio Summerville and the brilliance of his emergence has proved the opposite. The 21-year-old scored for the fourth game in a row and following his winners against Liverpool and Bournemouth he struck to this time put Leeds in front. It came after a wonderful flicker and dazzle of feet. Slipped in by Brenden Aaronson, he held off Dier before dispatching past Hugo Lloris.
True to form, Tottenham responded, as they would do on three further occasions. A sharp exchange down the left between Ben Davies and Richarlison set up a glorious chance for Royal at the back post. The groans, which quickly turned to jeers, told you how far the Brazilian had put it over the bar. It led to Richarlison actively urging the crowd to support him and had Summerville then finished past Lloris after streaking through on goal, the mood could have become extremely toxic within the opening 30 minutes.
It would still get pretty tense but instead, Tottenham turned to a reliable source for the equaliser: a set piece and Kane finish at the back post. The Leeds protests began as soon as Kane had lashed a shot from close range into the net after both Clement Lenglet and Richarlison had crowded Meslier when the Leeds goalkeeper punched clear. Kane’s touch away from Tyler Adams in the box was sharp, but Jesse Marsch was astonished that the goal was not checked by VAR. Had it been, it surely would have been disallowed.
Leeds looked to be the better side when the scores were level and the excellent Aaronson threatened with his movement in behind Hojbjerg and Bentancur. He won a corner down the left and from it, Leeds took the lead before half-time. After Spurs cleared, Liam Cooper and then Rasmus Kristensen flicked on. Tottenham switched off and Rodrigo was left to hammer a shot under Lloris, himself scoring for the fourth game in a row. Dier, who was slow to get out, was again caught at the scene of the crime.
Conte’s side were again booed off at half-time, but the second-half comeback has become as familiar as the sound of the supporters voicing their frustration. Spurs wasted no time as Davies drew Conte’s side level within six minutes of the restart. After Kane’s shot from Kulusevski’s cut-back was blocked by Kristensen, Davies caught the strike sweetly and it squeezed under Meslier and deflected in off Kristensen, who had dropped back onto the line.
Spurs had given themselves a platform but lost any sense of urgency following the equaliser. Kulusevski fired a tame shot wide but Leeds had taken control. In response, Richarlison was replaced by Yves Bissouma as Conte changed his system and the murmurs from the Spurs fans spoke of what they perceived to be a negative, defensive-minded alteration. When Rodrigo raced away before finishing past Lloris and off the far post to put Leeds 3-2 in front, it looked like it would be a hard decision for Conte to explain.
But from the depths, Spurs produced another comeback in a wild final 10 minutes. Bentancur, who scored the winner in the 3-2 win at Bournemouth two weeks ago, hauled Tottenham level as he controlled a Leeds clearance on his chest and fired a shot that took a deflection off the substitute Luke Ayling. It was another scrappy goal for Leeds to concede and they perhaps lost in their heads in the bedlam that followed.
Tottenham, on the front foot now, cut Leeds open as Kane played Kulusevski through, with the winger taking a touch to glide past the flailing Robin Koch and find Bentancur for the winning tap-in. Adams would then be sent off to extinguish any hope for Leeds, but the damage had already been done, as Spurs head into the World Cup break with a familiar, enthralling and yet puzzling comeback.
