Match Report: Tottenham 1-2 Leicester City: A relegation six-pointer

Another Premier League matchday for Tottenham, another defeat for under-pressure Ange Postecoglou. This time, Spurs fall short to 17th-placed Leicester City at home.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Leicester City

Despite scoring first, Spurs conceded two goals within five minutes just after the half-time mark, making it seven home games without a win. From table-toppers to mid-table sides and now even relegation candidates, Spurs have suffered defeats to them all.

With just 24 points from 23 games and averaging almost one point per game, this “big six” club finds itself in shocking territory. Forget the Big Six—the pre- and post-match analyses now group Spurs with the bottom six.

If you’re a Spurs fan, seeing that lineup probably had you screaming at Daniel Levy and co. Not a single name on the bench that Ange Postecoglou could rely on. Yves Bissouma was included despite not being fully fit, and James Maddison missed out against his former side after feeling sore following the Hoffenheim clash. Richarlison, however, made his first Premier League start of the season.

First Half: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Leicester City

The first half began with intensity. Spurs created chances from the first minute, with Richarlison almost scoring from a Pedro Porro long ball just five minutes in.

Ten minutes later, Heung-min Son’s classic cut-and-curl shot forced a fine save from Leicester’s keeper. Moments later, Son’s intended pass nearly caught the goalkeeper off guard before Spurs finally broke the deadlock.

Pedro Porro, who was all over the pitch, whipped in an absolute peach of a cross that Richarlison headed home in the 33rd minute. The Brazilian, free of his marker, slid in to score with a header that Spurs fans have been missing for a while. It was a striker’s dream ball and an excellent finish.

Spurs carried their confidence through the remainder of the first half, maintaining their 1-0 lead at the break. Porro was very influential, recording five crosses, nine final-third passes, and two shots, while also winning possession seven times. Leicester’s 0.42 xG came close but couldn’t match Spurs’ 0.76 xG, leaving the hosts in the lead.

Second Half: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Leicester City

It’s hard to imagine how the same eleven players who started the first half could fall apart so quickly just minutes into the second.

The optimism didn’t last long. 58 seconds into the second half, Jamie Vardy equalised for Leicester after Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s low ball across the box confused the Spurs backline. Vardy’s celebration—you know the one—added salt to the wound for Spurs fans.

Four minutes later, disaster struck again. Porro gifted possession to De Cordova-Reid, who set up Bilal El Khannouss. The Moroccan calmly curled the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards out, completing Leicester’s turnaround.

Spurs had plenty of time to equalise, but then came the Ruud Van Nistelrooy managerial masterclass. What a team to execute it against. As a good manager, Van Nistelrooy asked his team to sit deep in a low block and leave Spurs to do the rest.

Despite dominating possession and creating chances through Dejan Kulusevski and Porro, Spurs couldn’t find a way through. Time does go fast when you’re lagging, and it surely did. The whistle was blown and the game ended with Spurs having more possession but being wasteful with it.

And what of Harry Winks? He made sure to give Tottenham every reason to regret their decision to let him go. He put in an incredible shift at his old home, albeit wearing the wrong jersey, delivering a performance that brought back memories of his 2020/21 Spurs days.

Takeaways and Conclusion

Spurs remain silent in the transfer market, with fans hoping Daniel Levy will conduct business in the final five days of the window. But Levy being Levy, he’ll likely wait until deadline day hoping to save on wages. This current squad is a far cry from the side that stormed through the early stages of the season.

Ange Postecoglou’s position could soon come under scrutiny as anger toward both the manager and chairman reaches its peak.

Looking at that lengthy injury list, Ange is yet to give Mikey Moore his second Premier League start. The youngster impressed during his brief cameo, being dispossessed only once in 40 minutes. Bentancur and Bergvall also stood out, with the latter making some excellent runs and recoveries.

Both wingers, Son and Kulusevski, struggled throughout. Spurs’ sideways passing played right into Leicester’s hands, with two Foxes always marking the wide players. This lack of attacking invention needs to be addressed.

This defeat leaves Spurs without a Premier League win in January. Next up: Elfsborg in the Europa League group stages. Something has to change soon. COYS.

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