Ryan Mason’s Spurs bounced back from their woeful display last weekend to earn three points against Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves team, thanks to a dominant display.
Goals either side of half-time from Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg secured the victory, which puts the club back up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Last week’s embarrassing defeat to Leeds United meant that for any chance of the team to qualify for Champions League football, a win at home to the West Midlands club was required.
👔Spurs interim boss Ryan Mason is bemused that Conor Coady received 'Man of the Match' over Dele Alli:
🗣"It is strange that a central defender is ‘Man of the Match’ when his team conceded two and double figures of shots on target." #THFC #COYS #TOTWOLpic.twitter.com/gJ9alPb20v
— Last Word On Spurs (@LastWordOnSpurs) May 16, 2021
Mason set the team up with a very attacking formation, giving players like Dele a lot more freedom to create, as well as Hojbjerg to play more risky passes and get further forward.
This put the visitors on the back-foot from the go, and they were limited to half chances created by Adama Traore’s powerful runs and Fabio Silva’s movement, but the young Portuguese striker struggled to really bother Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal.
Kane then had a strike from distance cannon off the post as Spurs continued to put the pressure on, as both Gareth Bale and Heung-min Son struck fear into the Wolves full-backs with their pace, skill and directness.
🏴 Spurs striker Harry Kane for Tottenham Hotspur this season:
🏟️ Games: 47
⚽ Goals: 32
🅰️ Assists: 16#THFC #COYS #TOTWOLpic.twitter.com/BgAffWYBMz— Last Word On Spurs (@LastWordOnSpurs) May 16, 2021
However, it was Danish midfielder Hojbjerg who unlocked the Wolves defence for the first time, as he threaded a beautiful pass between the two visiting central defenders for Kane, who timed his run to perfection, to first dummy Conor Coady and then finish round Rui Patricio to put Spurs ahead.
The lead could have been doubled by Kane in the second half when his low strike was saved by Patricio on to the post only for Dele, who started off the move brilliantly, to follow up and hit the opposite post.
🇩🇰Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg has both scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the first time in his career.
⚽️His second league goal for Tottenham Hotspur.
🧮[@Squawka]#THFC #COYS #TOTWOLpic.twitter.com/SZqHn5gRd7
— Last Word On Spurs (@LastWordOnSpurs) May 16, 2021
However, the lead was eventually doubled as Hojbjerg notched a goal to accompany his assist when he followed up Gareth Bale’s saved attempt after Sergio Reguilon did extremely well to keep the chance alive by busting a gut to reach the ball first down the left-hand side against Ki-Jana Hoever.
The result takes Spurs above rivals West Ham and five points behind 4th placed Chelsea, who only have to play Leicester and Aston Villa – just like Ryan Mason’s men.