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Tanguy's moment of magic seals Spurs victory

Mourinho – whose friction with Ndombele was well publicised – says player deserves all credit for turnaround

A MOMENT of magic from Tanguy Ndombele helped Tottenham to a much-needed 3-1 win at rock-bottom Sheffield United today.

The Londoners’ record signing produced an outrageous flicked finish at a vital stage of the second half to restore a two-goal lead and help Spurs clinch just their second Premier League win in seven.

The Blades had got back into the game through David McGoldrick’s header after first-half Serge Aurier and Harry Kane goals had put the visitors in command.

Spurs, who have thrown away 10 points from winning positions this season, might have been feeling nervy — but Ndombele came to the rescue with his goal-of-the-season contender.

“The performance was good and the team was very dominant,” manager Jose Mourinho said after the game.

“[We] created enough chances to win the game in the first half and the intention was the same in the second. A very basic mistake gave them the goal with the only chance they had.”

And the Spurs boss, who has had a publicly difficult relationship with Ndombele, gave the player great credit for turning his fortunes around.

“I have enough experience to say that when a player is not playing well, it is his responsibility, and when they turn things around and bring their performances to a very high level, it is also his responsibility.”

For Sheffield United, their 16th defeat of the campaign suggested that Tuesday’s first win of the season against Newcastle may have been a false dawn for a great escape.

Blades boss Chris Wilder was left frustrated with the manner of the defeat, after conceding an early goal and chasing the game.

“The timing and manner of the goals [annoyed me],” he said.

“We got ourselves back into the game, there was a huge belief that if we got that goal after half time, it was game on. We didn’t have the ability to freshen it up, and the team looked pretty tired today.

“The errors are self-inflicted. The first goal was a job to do that someone hasn’t done, it was basic.”

That goal had come after Steven Bergwijn’s rasping drive from the edge of the area forced a fine save out of Aaron Ramsdale, who acrobatically tipped over.

But from the resulting corner, Ramsdale was in no-man’s land and Aurier nodded into an empty net from Son Heung-min’s delivery.

Spurs had some defending to do as Joe Rodon and Eric Dier both made important blocks.

But they got the crucial second goal five minutes before the break as Kane produced a fine finish — turning and drilling a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards for his 12th league goal of the season.

Mourinho’s side may have been fearing the worst when McGoldrick got the Blades back in the contest just before the hour, getting to John Fleck’s inviting delivery first and glancing into the bottom corner.

But any hopes the Blades had of getting back into it were killed just three minutes later by Ndombele’s goal — which will live long in the memory.

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