Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Norwich City 1.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho lamented his side's bad luck with injuries after they edged past bottom-of-the-table Norwich to claim their first Premier League win of 2020.
Spurs have struggled for goals since losing Harry Kane to injury but ended a run of three league games without scoring when Dele Alli struck just before half-time.
The home side then lost Harry Winks to injury 10 minutes after the break and Norwich equalised with 20 minutes to go when Teemu Pukki fired a second-half penalty past Hugo Lloris, who was making his return after three months out with a dislocated shoulder.
Son Heung-min nodded in a deflected cross with 11 minutes to go to give Tottenham their first win since Boxing Day.
"We are in a situation when I have to think, think, think," said Mourinho.
"I look to bench and we don't have attacking players. I had to take off Erik Lamela because of fatigue but we showed an incredible reaction to score a second goal.
"When Chelsea want to win they bring on Michy Batshuayi. When Manchester City want to change Gabriel Jesus they bring in Sergio Aguero.
"We are so, so unlucky with injuries. We get back Hugo Lloris and we lose Harry Winks. It's incredible."
Mourinho was able to provide some positive news on Winks' injury after the game, saying he would be out for "weeks not months" with an ankle problem.
'Happiness to see one of world's best goalkeepers back'
The former Manchester United boss was also delighted with Lloris' return.
The France international had been out since dislocating his elbow against Brighton on 5 October and was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI for this game.
Lloris was largely untested and perhaps should have done better for Pukki's penalty having guessed the right way, but it was pleasing for Mourinho to see him come through the 90 minutes unscathed.
"It's happiness to see one of the best goalkeepers in the world to be back," he said.
"It's a very good feeling for us but at the same time it is one of these decisions that sometimes we must have it, but it hurts. To leave Paulo Gazzaniga out hurts.
"The good thing is that he is such a good member of the family and he is such a special friend of Hugo that I think he also shared our happiness to have Hugo back as a friend.
"For me he gave me a lot of thinking and I had to try to be cold to make a decision without emotions because to leave Paulo out is not easy."
Victory - Tottenham's first in the Premier League since beating Brighton on Boxing Day - means Jose Mourinho's side move up to sixth.
Norwich, meanwhile, remain bottom and six points adrift of safety.
Alli ends Spurs' long wait
The absence of the injured Harry Kane as the focal point of Tottenham's attacks has been telling, with Spurs having failed to score in the Premier League this year going into the game.
And, for more than 30 minutes, the home side once again looked destined to draw a blank.
Tottenham's build-up play was ponderous and on the few occasions they did manage to find gaps in the Norwich defence the chances were wasted, as Erik Lamela fired straight at Tim Krul and Son Heung-min drove into the sidenetting.
But, seven minutes before half-time, Alli provided the one moment of quality to break the deadlock. After 398 minutes and 48 shots, Spurs had finally scored their first goal of 2020.
The home side have the joint worst record for clean sheets in the Premier League - level on three with opponents Norwich - so a one-goal lead was always likely to leave Spurs fans nervous.
And their worries would prove founded as Norwich equalised with 20 minutes remaining, Pukki's penalty - his 11th goal of the season - looking to have done enough to earn the battling Canaries a hard-fought draw.
But Son, aided by a touch of fortune with the wicked deflection from Alli's cross, got the winner with 11 minutes to go and ensured Tottenham took three points that just about keeps them in the hunt for the top four.
Defeat increases Norwich worries
Norwich came into this game on the back of a morale-boosting win against relegation rivals Bournemouth and, while usually a trip to Tottenham would be a daunting prospect, Spurs' poor recent form - particularly at home - should have given the Canaries some belief they could get a positive result.
The away side perhaps gave their opponents too much respect and a first-half Pukki chance - when he got in behind the defence only for his shot to be pushed behind by Lloris - highlighted that opportunities were there against the Spurs defence.
They finally became more adventurous after Pukki's goal, pushing for a winner themselves, and can count themselves unfortunate not to have come away with a result.
But the Canaries are at the stage where they need positive results not performances. Daniel Farke's side have managed just one away win all season - a record that needs to improve if they are to claw back the six-point deficit to safety.
Man of the match - Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham)
'We are so unlucky with injuries' - what they said
Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, speaking to BBC MOTD: "I can't ask my lads for more. We played a side able to bring on Eric Dier, Christian Eriksen and Gedson Fernandes.
"The lads left their hearts out on the pitch. It's disappointing to drive away with a loss. We have a special group of players. It was a fantastic away performance even though it was a defeat.
"It's difficult when you don't win games because it's not good for the mood or confidence. We deserved at least one point. To lose this game because of a deflected cross is tough - no doubt. But you have to keep going."
Wednesday win day for Spurs - the stats
- Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Norwich in three consecutive home league games for the first time since a run of five between 1989 and 1993.
- Norwich are now winless in their last 21 Premier League visits to London (D6 L15), losing each of the last seven.
- Spurs have now won each of their last 10 home Premier League games on a Wednesday since defeat against Leicester in January 2016.
- Spurs' Son Heung-min has been directly involved in 11 goals (six goals and five assists) in his last 10 Premier League matches against newly-promoted sides.
- Norwich striker Teemu Pukki has now scored against each of last season's top five Premier League teams (Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal) - he is the only player to have done so in 2019-20.
- Spurs defender Serge Aurier has assisted seven goals in all competitions this season - the only Premier League defender to set up more is Trent Alexander-Arnold (11).
- Dele Alli's opener for Spurs was their first Premier League goal from open play since Alli himself netted against Brighton on Boxing Day; six hours and 55 minutes of game-time separated the two goals.
What next?
Attention switches to the FA Cup for both these clubs. Tottenham travel to Southampton on Saturday, 25 January (15:00 GMT), while Norwich are at Burnley at the same time.
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lloris
- 24Aurier
- 4Alderweireld
- 5VertonghenSubstituted forCarvalho Fernandesat 75'minutes
- 19R Sessegnon
- 18Lo Celso
- 8WinksSubstituted forDierat 56'minutes
- 11LamelaSubstituted forEriksenat 62'minutes
- 20Alli
- 7Son Heung-min
- 27Lucas Moura
Substitutes
- 6D Sánchez
- 15Dier
- 22Gazzaniga
- 23Eriksen
- 28Ndombele
- 30Carvalho Fernandes
- 39Tanganga
Norwich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Krul
- 2Aarons
- 6Zimmermann
- 5Hanley
- 3Byram
- 27TetteySubstituted forHernándezat 82'minutes
- 23McLeanSubstituted forStiepermannat 90+3'minutes
- 7RuppSubstituted forDrmicat 86'minutes
- 25Duda
- 14CantwellBooked at 47mins
- 22Pukki
Substitutes
- 11Hernández
- 12Lewis
- 18Stiepermann
- 19Trybull
- 20Drmic
- 24Amadou
- 33McGovern
- Referee:
- Chris Kavanagh
- Attendance:
- 58,182
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Norwich City 1.
Post update
Christoph Zimmermann (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Post update
Foul by Marco Stiepermann (Norwich City).
Post update
Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Marco Stiepermann replaces Kenny McLean.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Eriksen.
Post update
Attempt missed. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Lucas Moura.
Post update
Hand ball by Sam Byram (Norwich City).
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Christoph Zimmermann.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Lloris tries a through ball, but Lucas Moura is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Josip Drmic replaces Lukas Rupp.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Max Aarons.
Post update
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Giovani Lo Celso.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Lukas Rupp (Norwich City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Teemu Pukki.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Onel Hernández replaces Alexander Tettey.
Post update
Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Comments
Join the conversation
Up vote - a trophy
Down vote - exciting football
Levy needs to pull his finger out and back Mourinho 100%. Let's shape the team how he wants. Otherwise why even bother employing him. Might as well have got Ian Holloway in.
Spurs win, trolls come out in force with more gibberish.
Net result, no use reading any of the comments on here ever, unless you’re brave enough.
Yet again no respect paid to the opponents, today being Norwich who are better than their position shows. Even better when their injuries clear up.
Cliched boring trolls, suck it up.
COYS
Lo Celso is improving every match, Son & Dele back on the scoresheet - both positive. But defence is so disjointed, midfield can't keep control.
COYS!
We have been terrible for the last 18 months, yet we are still 6th.
COYS
Greatest quote of the season.
Thousands of real fans support real clubs that they have a connection to, not moneyball clubs for glory hunters to jump on the bandwagon.
Real clubs struggle up and down the league and rarely win anything, when they do it’s really special.
No time or respect for Home Counties Reds. Plastic sad sacks.