Tottenham Hotspur secured their second consecutive victory by defeating Nottingham Forest 2-0 on the road, courtesy of goals from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski. This win propelled them closer to the top four in the Premier League on Friday, despite midfielder Yves Bissouma receiving a late red card.
Under the management of Ange Postecoglou, Spurs, who began the season impressively but were hampered by injuries, showcased a resurgence with a 4-1 home win over Newcastle United. They continued their winning streak with a triumph in a challenging away match at the City Ground.
Led by the influential captain Son Heung-min, the visitors demonstrated their superiority from the outset. The breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time when Richarlison, benefitting from a brilliant cross by Kulusevski, headed the ball into the net — marking his third goal in two games, a welcome return to form for the Brazilian who had previously struggled to find the net for Spurs.
Kulusevski further sealed the victory in the 65th minute by capitalizing on a loose pass from Forest 'keeper Matt Turner, skillfully evading Moussa Niakhate, and emphatically slotting the ball into the net.
Despite a setback when Bissouma received a red card following a VAR review for a dangerous foul five minutes later, Forest couldn't narrow the deficit, extending their winless streak to six games.
"It's a tough game here, you have to earn whatever you get," said Postecoglou, "They (Forest) are obviously pretty desperate for points. For the most part, we stayed pretty calm and composed ... I'm really pleased."
Tottenham find themselves on the brink of securing a top-four spot in the Champions League qualification race following the latest result. Despite currently occupying the fifth position, they share the same 33-point tally with Manchester City, trailing league leaders Liverpool by four points. It's worth noting that Tottenham have played one more game than their counterparts.
In contrast, Steve Clarke's Forest sit in 16th place with 14 points, maintaining a five-point buffer above the relegation zone in their second season since earning promotion.
During the match, with the score at 1-0 against them, the hosts believed they had leveled the score when Anthony Elanga netted from close range. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, ruling the effort offside.
Following a red card for Tottenham, the team faced increased pressure. Guglielmo Vicario showcased his goalkeeping prowess by making a remarkable leg save on the line from a Harry Toffolo header. Additionally, he experienced a stroke of luck as the ball rebounded off both the post and him after a Neco Williams shot.
"We are in a little dip at the moment in form," said Williams. "This is football. We have to stick together and the results will come eventually.
"You saw the crowd today, they love the manager and we love the manager as well. We believe in him and the fans believe in him, it is just a matter of time to pick up the results."
Kulusevski expressed his elation following his goal and assist, affirming that life at Spurs under Postecoglou was indeed going well.
"If I could choose my football, this is my football, attack, very fun training sessions, aim high always ... play to win," he said.
(With Reuters inputs)
