Back to winning ways in the Premier League

An excellent battling performance in west London saw us end our winless run in the Premier League with a superb 2-0 victory against Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

Having taken the lead just before the half-hour through a Vitaly Janelt own goal, we dug deep and defended everything the Bees threw at us with a solid, pragmatic rearguard display, before Pape Matar Sarr stepped off the bench to wrap up the win with our second in the 87th minute.

This was our first-ever victory at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium following three straight draws, and it was also our first win and clean sheet in the league for eight matches, since the 5-0 defeat of Southampton on 15 December.

It was a thoroughly deserved result with some excellent defensive performances from the likes of Ben Davies, Archie Gray and Djed Spence – voted man of the match on television – and gives us a real lift ahead of two huge cup ties at Liverpool and Aston Villa this week.

We made a good start in the London sunshine, just six minutes gone when Richarlison at the far post just failed to get on the end of Dejan Kulusevski’s right-footed drive and we were seeing plenty of the ball in the opening stages, although Gray had to make a good block from Kevin Schade’s effort on 19 minutes and Yoane Wissa’s glancing header cleared the crossbar soon after.

Brentford were a real threat on the break and Bryan Mbeumo forced Antonin Kinsky into his first real save in the 27th minute after some great control down their right but we were ahead two minutes later, Heung-Min Son’s wicked delivery from a corner in front of the away fans hitting Janelt on the back and going in. The home side were quickly on the offensive again and Kinsky had to make a good stop to keep out Christian Norgaard’s fierce half-volley from 15 yards, while at the other end, Yves Bissouma was given time and space to advance deep into Brentford’s half and hit a 25-yard shot which Hakon Valdimarsson saved low down. On the stroke of half-time, we cleared a corner to the edge of the box which Mbeumo caught with a powerful drive but Richarlison’s head was in the way to ensure we were in front at the interval.

Brentford started brightly in the second half and Wissa somehow scooped the ball over the bar from eight yards out before Kulusevski managed to get away at the other end but fired into the side-netting on his unfavoured right foot, and then showed great footwork to set up half-time substitute Lucas Bergvall but he dragged his shot just wide from the edge of the area.

Crosses were coming into our box at regular intervals as the hosts pushed us back although we were defending well, Davies getting his head onto so many of them to clear our lines however we had a scare in the 85th minute when Michael Kayode’s long throw into the area came to Fabio Carvalho and his overhead kick was cleared off the line by the excellent Spence.

And we punished the Bees almost immediately with a lovely goal on the counter to wrap up the win. Rodrigo Bentencur switched it out to Son down the left, he threaded a perfect pass in to Sarr surging forwards from midfield and the Senegal international prodded through the legs of Valdimarsson to the delight of the visiting fans.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Janelt (OG) 29, Sarr 87.

Yellow card: Spurs – Son.

Referee: Jarred Gillett.

Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford.

Weather: Sunny, light winds, seven degrees.

Attendance: 17,154.