Fulham missed the chance to move out of the relegation on a frustrating night at Craven Cottage as Tottenham recorded a third successive win after an unfortunate own goal from Tosin Adarabioyo. The tall defender, who has made such an impact since moving from Manchester City in October, turned Dele Alli’s flick into his own net to settle a tight London derby. Scott Parker’s side probably deserved a point on the strength of an improved second-half showing but saw Josh Maja’s equaliser chalked off by the video assistant referee for an innocuous-looking handball by Mario Lemina.
Alli made the most of his first league start since the opening day of the season, driving forward from his number ten position to turn Heung-Min Son’s terrific cross towards the far corner. The final touch came off the luckless Adarabioyo, but Alli’s instinct for getting into telling positions in the opposition penalty area – something Jose Mourinho’s side have lacked at times this season – was richly rewarded. Spurs looked threatening in the final third after Mourinho played Gareth Bale, Son, Alli and Kane in the same starting eleven with the England skipper spurning two glorious header chances to give the visitors the lead as well as falling to the turf theatrically in the hope of winning a penalty.
Fulham had began the sharper, with their incisive passing and link-up play between their midfielders almost catching Tottenham cold. Ruben Loftus-Cheek created the first opening with a powerful run through the heart of the Spurs midfield but, as all too often this season, his shot lacked conviction and Mario Lemina ballooned the rebound high into the Hammersmith End. Loftus-Cheek almost had another sight of goal when a beautiful reverse pass from the excellent Harrison Reed prised open the Tottenham defence, but a heavy first touch allowed Davinson Sanchez to snuff out the danger. Right on the stroke of half-time a rampaging run from Antonee Robinson fashioned a great opportunity for Lemina, who fired unforgivably over from eight yards.
The home side began the second period with a similar intensity. Joachim Andersen, who regularly switched the play with precise long passes, extended Hugo Lloris with a looping header and the French goalkeeper then fielded a headed effort from Adarabioyo at the ensuing corner. Loftus-Cheek sent a effort over the edge of the box after another excellent passing move that saw Robinson and Lookman, who were posing Tottenham serious problems down the left flank, link up impressively.
The game’s most controversial moment arrived when Maja, who had been hitherto well-marshalled by Toby Alderweireld at the heart of the Tottenham defence, punished a sloppy clearance by Sanchez with a powerful near-post finish that crept past Lloris. The goal was disallowed via the VAR for a handball by Lemina, although the ball bounced back off the on-loan Southampton midfielder’s wrist, when his arm was down by his side and hadn’t moved. It seemed exceptionally harsh – and no doubt that particular rule will be revised come the end of the season.
Fulham kept pushing for an equaliser, but even after introducing Aleksandar Mitrovic to join Maja in attack, couldn’t conjure another clear-cut chance. Spurs went close to sealing it the other end, with Alphonse Areola spreading himself well to deny Kane after Erik Lamela had played him in. The Argentine was excellent off the substitutes’ bench for Tottenham, having already produced a sublime sequence of skills tight to the byline to almost find Kane minutes earlier, and Fulham couldn’t quite reply in kind in stoppage time with Lookman’s cutback far too close to Lloris to allow either Mitrovic or Maja a run at it.
Parker’s charges will have to quickly put this disappointment behind them, with tough tests at Liverpool and against league leaders Manchester City on the horizon. There’s plenty to admire about the grit and character of this side, but Fulham remain deep in relegation trouble – and the breaks just aren’t going for them at the moment.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Areola; Aina, Robinson (Bryan 75), Adarabioyo, Andersen; Lemina, Reed; Cavaleiro (Mitrovic 71), Lookman, Loftus-Cheek (Anguissa 64), Maja. Subs (not used): Fabri, Tete, Kongolo, Ream, Onomah, Decordova-Reid.
BOOKED: Lookman, Reed.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Doherty, Davies, Alderweireld, Sanchez; Hojbjerg, Ndombele (Lamela 75); Bale (Moura 67), Son, Alli (Sissoko 67); Kane. Subs (not used): Hart, Dier, Tangana, Regulion, Winks, Vinicius.
BOOKED: Bale.
GOAL: Adarabioyo (o.g.) 19.
REFEREE: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).
VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE: Jarred Gillett (Australia).
When our coach says we deserved something out of the game he’s right over the months we have been on the end of dodgy refereeing/VAR remember the penalty that never was against Newcastle, Kamaras handball against Liverpool and now another disgraceful decision you could put money on it if that had been a goal for Spurs it would have stood we would have beaten Newcastle beaten Liverpool two wins and a draw it does not take a genius to work out our points total if the decisions had gone for us it might seem sour grapes so if we go down from this who do we blame games are running out and at times we are good to watch best team in the lower half these pundits say the decisions even out over a season I want to know when will ours even out, this VAR is beginning to Stink now had enough of cowardly refs who curtail to the big clubs and No VAR common sense given,Love to see us stay in the Premiership and all the pundits choke on their words watch Liverpool on Sunday get the dodgy decision it stinks the worrying bit is youngsters watching who play grass roots football are watching these poor decisions and bad VAR how sad is that we won’t beat Liverpool the Ref and VAR on Sunday Also finally Best wishes and good Luck to Big Kev hope it all goes well one of my all favourites good Luck Big Man
Technically it was handball according to the laws of the game. The rules are ridiculous. How can handball be determined by where it happens on the pitch?
In 2019 when we were last relegated from the Prem I remember reading an analysis of the all the ‘disputable’ refereeing decisions that was re-done by referees. In that season we lost 9 points due to referees ruling against us and in favour of other clubs. We should have stayed up.
Just like to add Harry Kane’s behaviour yesterday was ridiculous. Constantly falling over to try to cheat freekicks. The attempted penalty deception where he fell over and held his shins was embarassing. That’s the Captain of England that is. And you wonder why people knock footballer’s behaviour??? Disgrace. Should have been booked.