Red Steve McManaman admitted he was blown away by the skill Tottenham goal scorer …
Timo Werner scored his first goal in English football for nearly two years to spark a Spurs revival and get Ange Postecoglou’s side back to winning ways.
Tottenham had to do it the hard way again, coming back against a Palace side revitalised by new manager Oliver Glasner. Eberechi Eze had given them a 59th minute lead on his return from injury, but after Werner atoned for an earlier miss with the equaliser in the 78th minute, Cristian Romero ahd Heung Min Son wrapped up a precious three points for Spurs, who are still in the race for a Champions League place.
But again they made hard work of it against modest opponents, even though Palace had won Glasner’s first game 3-0 last week.
Before that, the Austrian had watched Wolves beat Tottenham here a fortnight ago and took the same approach, packing his back line with five defenders and four midfielders ahead of them.
It made Palace hard to break down, but Spurs should have taken the lead in the 18th minute when Son sent Werner scampering away through the middle. The German has pace to spare, and left Adam Wharton in his wake, but as he approached Sam Johnstone, indecision kicked in and instead of shooting past the keeper, tried to take the ball past him and was foiled.
EASY FOR EZE: Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Premier League against Spurs. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
It was typical of Werner’s form when at Chelsea and summed up his enigmatic nature – lightning fast but a poor finisher.
He looked a frustrated figure for most of the first 75 minutes, being caught offside or failing to find a team-mate with his crosses. He smacked the turf in anger when he was denied a penalty in the 53rd minute, after Joel Ward appeared to trip him, but referee John Brookes was not interested and VAR did not intervene.
As so often happens, Palace took advantage of their good fortune at one end of the pitch by cashing in at the opposite end six minutes later. Eze made a darting run from the halfway line, and was bundled over by Rodrigo Bentancur 20 yards from goal. Tottenham set up a six-man defensive wall with James Maddison as the ‘sleeping policeman’ behind, but it was no barrier for Eze as he smashed a shot into the far corner of goal to the delight of Palace’s noisy band of fans.
Spurs went searching for an equaliser. Son clipped the near post with a first-time shot from Dejan Kulusevski’s cross, and then Werner forced a save from Johnstone with a shot that was high but straight at the keeper.
Tottenham had over 80 per cent of possession but were struggling to create openings against Palace’s packed defence. Son had a shooting chance but dragged it wide of the far post.
But then came a break. Andersen, who had dealt with everything coming his way superbly, made a rare mistake in the 78th minute, slicing a clearance high into the air. Palace failed to clear their lines, Brennan Johnson nicked the ball off Andersen, drove towards goal and sent in a perfect lo cross that Werner, arriving towards the far post, smacked home gleefully with a first-time finish.
Now it was time for Tottenham’s fans to roar their team on, and two minutes later they were ahead. The move started with a throw on the right, and when the ball dropped to Maddison, he dinked in a delicate looping cross with the outside of his right boot. Romero was waiting and timed his jump perfectly to get ahead of Ward and nod the ball into the far corner of goal.
Son finished off Palace in the 88th minute with the sort of finish Werner could not muster earlier. Johnson, who had shown great energy in closing down opponents after replacing Rodrigo Bentancur, again won the ball on the halfway line and it broke for Son. The Spurs captain is as fast as Werner and can finish, too, and he placed a low shot perfectly past Johnstone to the delight of Tottenham’s supporters.
Vicario 7; Emerson 6, Romero 7, Van de Ven 7 , Udogie 7 (Lo Celso 89); Bentancur 6 (Johnson 62), Bissouma 6; Kulusevski 6, Maddison 7 (Hojbjerg 82), Werner 7 (Sarr 82); Son 7 (Scarlett 89)
Johnstone 7; Munoz 6, Ward 6, Andersen 6, Richards 6, Mitchell 6; Ayew 6 (Edouard 71), Wharton 6 (Hughes 71), Lerma 6, Eze 7 (Franca 66); Mateta 6
