N Forest 0 – 2 Tottenham

Dejan Kulusevski scored one and made one other as Tottenham gained 2-0 at Nottingham Forest, though Spurs picked up one other absentee after Yves Bissouma’s purple card.

It was a hard-fought and entertaining victory on Friday Night time Soccer, and it was Spurs’ first second of high quality that noticed them forward. Kulusevski’s excellent move was nodded house by Richarlison (45+2) as Tottenham set a brand new report by scoring for the fifteenth consecutive away league recreation.

Nottingham Forest – who largely matched Spurs all through – thought they’d equalised early within the second half, however Anthony Elanga’s tap-in was appropriately dominated out by VAR for offside.

Tottenham made the second rely too as they added their second. Underneath strain from Heung-Min Son, Matt Turner’s lax move fell to Kulusevski (65), who then powered house into the far nook.

Spurs can ill-afford any extra lacking gamers heading into the busy Christmas and New Yr interval, however Bissouma added his title to the record.

His studs-up problem on Ryan Yates noticed him obtain a straight purple card, and he’ll now be lacking for Spurs till after the Africa Cup of Nations. Future Udogie too will likely be suspended for Spurs’ subsequent Premier League recreation in opposition to Everton on December 23 after choosing up one other yellow card.

Tottenham stay in fifth and go degree on 33 factors with Manchester Metropolis forward of the remaining video games this weekend. Nottingham Forest are nonetheless in sixteenth place, 5 factors above the drop zone, however have now gained simply certainly one of their final 13 Premier League video games.

Afterwards, Forest boss Steve Cooper, who’s coming underneath growing strain, admitted his frustration at errors made by his facet across the Spurs targets.

“For the [first] purpose, we have come off the plan, we have not doubled up, we have let [Kulusevski] come inside,” he stated. “It is the one time they put an actual free cross in and we have not marked within the field. That is the extent.

“We began the second half effectively after which the second purpose just isn’t one thing you are able to do at any degree, nevermind the Premier League. That killed the momentum.”

How Spurs got here away with victory

Tottenham dominated the early exchanges, however had been wasteful with their probabilities. Nottingham Forest quickly started to search out their ft, profiting from some sloppy Spurs play, though did finish the primary half with out a shot on the right track.

There was one more harm concern for Spurs across the half-hour mark. Brennan Johnson collided with Willy Boly within the air, and got here off the more severe. He was ultimately changed by Oliver Skipp in a concussion substitution, with the house followers claiming him as ‘certainly one of their very own’ as his Metropolis Floor return was purchased to a untimely finish.

The perimeters continued to commerce half probabilities, however Tottenham went forward with their first second of high quality. It was an outstanding, curling cross in from Kulusevski, with Richarlison rising above his defender and the outcoming Matt Turner to nod house.

Nottingham Forest started the half with a wild shot over from Boly, and thought they’d equalised simply earlier than the hour. Neco Williams’ cross was turned house by Elanga – however VAR appropriately dominated it out for offside.

However Tottenham virtually instantly replied by doubling their lead. It was sensible urgent from Son to press Turner, with the previous Arsenal goalkeeper harried right into a move. It went straight to Kulusevski, who made himself some house earlier than hammering the ball into the far nook.

Nonetheless, Spurs had been quickly right down to 10 gamers after a poor problem from Bissouma. He caught Yates on the knee along with his studs up, and after a VAR evaluate, the midfielder was despatched off. “He is shaking his head, however he is aware of,” Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Carragher stated on co-commentary.

Though Tottenham finally marshalled issues effectively with a participant much less, Nottingham Forest continued to press for a purpose within the ultimate quarter-hour. Their finest likelihood got here within the 84th minute, however Guglielmo Vicario by some means saved Harry Toffolo’s header out, utilizing his ft to push it away whereas concurrently falling backwards in an unbelievable little bit of goalkeeping.

The goalkeeper was concerned once more with one of many final kicks of the sport as Neco Williams’ effort pinged off the publish and onto Vicario’s physique. However the ball kindly ended up on the publish, as Tottenham got here away with all three factors.

Postecoglou: Spurs confirmed character

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou on Sky Sports activities:

“It is a robust recreation right here, it’s a must to earn no matter you get. They’re clearly fairly determined for factors. The gang get behind them – each time they get a throw-in you’re feeling such as you’ve conceded a purpose they usually’re launching it into the field. We needed to cope with lots of issues we do not usually must cope with.

“Nice character. Clearly we had some adversity taking place to 10 males. However a few of our soccer was good as effectively, so a little bit of all the pieces.”

On Richarlison beginning by means of the center once more: “Richy is a goalmouth predator. Undoubtedly within the air. He is acquired completely different attributes to Sonny. I did not assume we might get in behind in the present day, I believed we might wrestle to get house in behind and I am actually happy with Richy. Watching him in the course of the week I used to be actually assured he’d go on the market and do one other job for us.”

On Spurs’ self-discipline: “I have never seen it [Bissouma’s red card] however I am assuming they slowed it down and noticed it.

“It has been a bit of little bit of a difficulty. It is a tremendous line with these issues. The gamers are conscious of that, they do not wish to miss video games. The trepidation they put into gamers, in the present day was extra of a desperation deal with than one thing nasty.

“We have needed to cope with that a number of instances this yr. You’ll be able to’t go on doing that as a result of ultimately you may pay a value for it, and we did in opposition to Chelsea. It is one thing we discuss continually nevertheless it’s a tremendous line between their dedication to what we’re making an attempt to do and never overstepping the mark.

“We lose [Bissouma, until after AFCON], we lose Udogie, I’ve acquired a sense it may be that sort of season for us. We’re not going to get a clean run at something. However that is alright, it is constructing resilience within the group.

“We have loads of causes to make excuses, we have not. We have gone by means of a tough trot, we have nonetheless acquired some robust video games arising. I believe if you get by means of these intervals and also you’re steadfast in what you are making an attempt to do you come out stronger, supplied you preserve perception.”

Cooper annoyed by key errors for Spurs targets

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper to Sky Sports activities:

“The result’s at all times an important [part] and can at all times write the narrative and we settle for that.

“We performed the sport that we thought was the precise one, enjoying on a reasonably closed pitch and making an attempt to not give Spurs an excessive amount of house to play in. We will see how harmful they are often.

“Within the first half we did that pretty effectively. For the purpose, we have come off the plan, we have not doubled up, we have let [Kulusevski] come inside. It is the one time they put an actual free cross in and we have not marked within the field. That is the extent.

“However the different method, that is the bit we’re not doing very effectively. Once we’re given moments in and across the opponent’s field, we’re not making it rely. We’re hitting ultimate passes within the air and hitting to the fallacious ft.

“We began the second half effectively after which the second purpose just isn’t one thing you are able to do at any degree, nevermind the Premier League. That killed the momentum.

“There’s at all times strain and it’s a must to cope with that if you wish to excel and, in our case, survive at this degree. That can proceed. We’ll stand as much as be counted.”

Opta stats – Spurs’ self-discipline downside

• Spurs have scored in 15 consecutive away league matches for the primary time since a 16-game run between November 1984 and August 1985.
• Nottingham Forest haven’t gained any of the 9 Premier League video games by which Taiwo Awoniyi has not began this season (D3 L6), with all three of their wins coming with him within the beginning XI.
• Richarlison has scored in back-to-back Premier League appearances for the primary time since Might 2022 for Everton. He has three targets in his final two league video games for Tottenham, greater than his first 39 for the membership beforehand.
• Tottenham have been proven 4 purple playing cards within the Premier League this season, the joint-most of any staff together with Liverpool. Two of these have been proven to Yves Bissouma, making him the seventh Spurs participant to be despatched off twice in a single Premier League marketing campaign, and first since Kyle Naughton in 2014-15.

What’s next?

Forest have one other house fixture to sit up for in opposition to Bournemouth on Saturday December 23, 3pm kick off.

Tottenham are additionally in motion subsequent Saturday, at house to Everton, 3pm kick off.