Tottenham Hotspur 4 Leeds United 3: Valiant ten-man Whites beaten as Spurs come from behind - YEP 12/11/22
Leeds United were beaten 4-3 by Tottenham Hotspur despite taking the lead three times during the match in North London
By Joe Donnohue
Leeds United's tendency to cause problems for the Premier
League's 'Big Six' this season is as baffling as it has been entertaining.
Victories over Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as a narrow, undeserved defeat to
Arsenal at Elland Road, preceded the Whites' arrival in north London to face
Spurs before the World Cup break.
Within ten minutes, Crysencio Summerville had scored for the
fourth time in four matches sending the vocal away support at the Tottenham
Hotspur Stadium into raptures. The Dutchman's left-footed finish, set up by the
electric Brenden Aaronson, set the theme for the game: Leeds going ahead and
Tottenham pegging them back.
Harry Kane's equaliser required a check by the Video
Assistant Referee as it appeared Illan Meslier had been impeded by not one, but
two Spurs players at a corner. Leeds' protestations fell on deaf ears, though,
and the home side were level. Before long United were back in front, except
this time their goal did not come against the run of play. After a sustained
period of pressure and Spurs' failure to clear a Leeds corner, the Whites
struck back through Rodrigo - his eighth goal in 13 games this season.
Latching onto Rasmus Kristensen's flicked header forward,
the Spaniard reacted quickest, volleying beyond Hugo Lloris from just inside
the penalty area. And so, at the break Leeds held a slender but deserved
advantage, having taken two of their three opportunities on goal.
Shortly after the restart, Spurs once again levelled
proceedings. This time there was little debate over the legitimacy of the goal,
Ben Davies firing beyond Meslier after Harry Kane's effort rebounded out off
Kristensen and fell at the Welshman's feet. Undeterred by the task before them,
Leeds continued to press and probe in the final third, enjoying periods of
sustained pressure with plenty of bodies committed forward.
It promised to be another famous victory on the road this
season, just two weeks after Summerville's unlikely winner at Anfield, as
Rodrigo fired low past Lloris with 15 minutes remaining. Leeds were 3-2 up but
growing increasingly fatigued. Five minutes later and Spurs were level through
Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur, and after another 120 seconds, the midfielder had
scored again to put the hosts in front for the first time. Both moves
originated from the right flank, cutting at the heart of a beleaguered Leeds
defence with devastating accuracy.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium had been serenaded by the away
support for much of the afternoon, but as the final whistle drew nearer, with
Leeds a goal down and a man down after Tyler Adams was shown a second yellow
for a trip on Yves Bissouma, the home support rediscovered its voice.
Leeds performed valiantly for 80 minutes, but caved when it
mattered most, relinquishing control of a game they had every chance of
winning. The team will return to Yorkshire without the luxury of a third
successive league victory, regretful of those final ten minutes. United's next
competitive fixture comes in 46 days at home to Manchester City.