Staff Reporter.
Tottenham recorded consecutive Premier League victories for the first time since November as Jose Mourinho’s side survived late Fulham pressure at Craven Cottage.
Not since beating Manchester City to move top of the table on 21 November had Spurs won back-to-back games, but a Tosin Adarabioyo own goal ensured the visitors backed up Sunday’s impressive 4-0 victory over Burnley with a hard-fought three points.
Making a first league start since the opening day, Dele Alli played a key role in the visitors’ 19th-minute opener as he fed the ball wide to Son Heung-min before meeting the South Korean’s low cross – though Adarabioyo inadvertently got the decisive touch.
Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris produced a fine save to tip Joachim Andersen’s header on to the crossbar and was again called upon to deny Adarabioyo from the resulting corner as Fulham pushed for an equaliser after half-time.
Fulham – who remain three points from safety – were ultimately left aggrieved by a controversial video assistant referee decision to disallow Josh Maja’s deserved equaliser just after the hour, as Mario Lemina was penalised for handball in the build-up despite his arm being by his side.
Harry Kane was denied from a diving header by Alphonse Areola in the closing stages, but Mourinho’s side held firm under intense pressure from the hosts to move to within four points of the top four.
Meanwhile Everton continued their push for European football by beating struggling West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
Richarlison scored for the fourth Premier League game in a row, heading past home goalkeeper Sam Johnstone after a cross from substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had only been on the pitch for 43 seconds.
West Brom had been the better team in the first half but England keeper Jordan Pickford made an excellent save to keep out Mbaye Diagne’s second-minute header.
Diagne thought he had grabbed a 93rd-minute equaliser when he controlled a pass and shot into the net, but he was denied because he was narrowly offside, with the video assistant referee confirming the on-field decision.
This win takes Everton up from seventh to fourth – the last Champions League qualifying place – although the Toffees will drop back to fifth if there is a winner in Thursday’s late game between Liverpool and Chelsea.