Tottenham secured a 2-1 victory over Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday after Thomas Frank made six alterations to his Spurs starting eleven. Frank welcomed back captain Cristian Romero from injury and reintroduced Xavi Simons, Destiny Udogie, Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus to the starting line-up. Richarlison was given a rest, with Mathys Tel leading the line in his stead.
Spurs took the lead when Rodrigo Bentancur, fresh off signing his new contract, won a ball in midfield, passed it to Kudus who then played it into the path of Tel. The Frenchman took an early shot that deflected past Karl Darlow. Leeds equalised in the 34th minute after Brenden Aaronson’s deflected shot fell for Noah Okafor to react quicker than Destiny Udogie and slot home the loose ball. Spurs regained the lead just before the 60-minute mark when Kudus pounced on a stray ball, cut inside and fired a low shot that ricocheted into the bottom corner for his debut goal for the club. Express Sport rates the Spurs players…
Tottenham player ratings vs Leeds
Guglielmo Vicario – 7
Made a complete hash of an early attempt to reach a free-kick that Rodon then headed against the left-hand post. Seemed to be unsighted for Aaronson’s deflected shot and didn’t make the cleanest of contacts. Made a solid save from Calvert-Lewin with his foot early in the second half and then a massive late save from Piroe to ensure Spurs left with the win. A strong second half after a shaky first period.
Pedro Porro – 5
A bit sloppy with the ball at times and had to endure a few hefty challenges. It wasn’t one of his best performances but he still gave it his all.
Cristian Romero – 8
Once again in the thick of it, taking some knocks as he cleared the ball several times. Frank had to instruct him to get back in his box late on as he charged up the pitch but Spurs just seem stronger with him at the centre of defence.
Micky van de Ven – 7
A couple of mistakes, including a late attempt to run out the ball, but overall did the job. 7.
Destiny Udogie – 6
Embarked on a fantastic run after being freed by Odobert, before passing to Kudus when he could have taken the shot himself. Was slower to react than Okafor for the first-half equaliser. Worked diligently in defence during the second half while attempting to cover the length of the pitch.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 7
Fresh from penning his new contract, he utilised his strength to win the ball in the lead-up to Tel’s first-half goal. Did a lot of covering for Porro in the first half and fought hard in the second.
Joao Palhinha – 6
Fired an early shot over the crossbar from just outside the Leeds box. Seemed a bit sluggish in the first half and received a yellow card for a late block attempt. Improved in the second half.
Xavi Simons – 6
Switched between a midfield position and playing closer to Tel. Showed promise of doing something extraordinary in the first half but fell short. Early in the second half, he fluffed his pass with two team-mates waiting after being set up by Tel. Currently, there’s plenty of bark but no bite.
Mohammed Kudus – 9
Started energetically and delivered some quality passes, including one to Tel for another assist for the Ghanaian. Sent an unmarked effort sky-high before Leeds’ equaliser that would have doubled Spurs’ tally. However, he did score with a good run inside and low shot that deflected into the bottom right corner, marking his first goal for the north London club. He was a constant nightmare for Leeds’ defenders.
Mathys Tel – 8
Back in the squad, he netted his first goal of the season with a deflected shot halfway through the first half. He put in a lot of effort and hit a looping header against the crossbar in stoppage time at the end of the first half. Early in the second half, he played a good ball into Xavi’s run. After taking a few hits, he was substituted with 15 minutes remaining.
Wilson Odobert – 7
He had some bright moments in the first half, finding good positions and playing a great ball to set Udogie free for a break that Kudus should have scored from. He provided a cross for Tel, which his compatriot headed against the woodwork. In the second half, he played another excellent ball into Xavi’s path. It was one of his best games of the season, as he also did a lot of defensive work.
Substitutes
Richarlison – 5
He had a shot deflected wide but didn’t perform as well as Tel.
Pape Matar Sarr – 6
A hardworking cameo to help Spurs secure the three points.
Kevin Danso – N/A
He was brought on to form a back three in the final minutes.
Brennan Johnson – N/A
He replaced Kudus for added time.