Tottenham have set a new Premier League record after super sub Steven Bergwijn’s late double stunned Leicester City to complete an extraordinary comeback victory at the King Power Stadium.
Bergwijn scored twice in the space of 79 seconds deep into stoppage time to stun the home crowd into silence and spark wild celebrations on the Spurs bench.
Antonio Conte’s side went behind early on to a Patson Daka strike despite dominating for large periods of the first half, with Harry Kane heading against the bar and seeing an effort cleared off the line by Luke Thomas.
But Spurs finally found the back of the net when a resurgent Kane danced past Caglar Soyuncu and rolled his effort into the corner with help from the woodwork.
Leicester retook the lead in the second half through James Maddison, whose strike took a deflection of Japhet Tanganga before clipping the post on its way in.
Conte watched on in frustration from the touchline as his side squandered more chances and the animated Italian decided to send on Bergwijn late on in search for an equaliser.
The 52-year-old appeared to be heading towards his first defeat since taking over in November before the Dutch forward blasted home from close range to make it 2-2 in stoppage time.
But Tottenham were not done there as Kane sent through Bergwijn clear on goal, and after rounding Kasper Schmeichel, he found the far corner from a tight angle to clinch an unfathomable winner.
In what was one of the most dramatic finales to a Premier League match in recent memory, inevitable comparisons were drawn with Manchester City ’s famous victory in 2011-12, when Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero struck in the dying moments to clinch a 3-2 win over QPR and snatch the title under the noses of rivals Manchester United.
But Tottenham’s achievement, while paling in comparison in terms of its consequential meaning, has set a new record in the top flight.
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According to statistics collector Opta, Bergwijn’s first goal was timed at 94 minutes and 52 seconds — making it the latest time a team has begun a comeback from a losing position.
Aguero’s historic effort was timed at 93 minutes and 20 seconds, while Dzeko’s strike came two minutes earlier at 91:14 on the clock.
After the game, Conte insisted he wants to keep Bergwijn at the club, amid speculation suggesting the Netherlands international with a move to Ajax.
“In the past when someone asks me about Steven Bergwijn I was very clear,” he told a news conference.
“I said that for me he is an important player because he has characteristics that in our squad we don't have many creative players.
“He is very good in one vs one, good to beat the man. He can play striker, he can play number 10 and for us, for me, he is an important player and we have to try to improve, to become stronger, not to lose a player and become less strong.
“Steven is a player that if he's in good physical condition and he has good fitness he can start the games or he can come on and change the game.
“For me I think he's an important player and you know very well the player has to be happy and I think the player is happy to stay with us and play for Tottenham.”
Tottenham are now just eight points behind third-placed Chelsea with four games in hand, although Conte’s men — unbeaten in nine games since his appointment — face a congested schedule in the second half of the season.
