Fulham battle back to secure stalemate against Tottenham

Having won 4-0 at Manchester City last week, Spurs supporters turned up expecting to see their side put an inconsistent Fulham side to the sword.

But after Brennan Johnson had put Spurs ahead shortly after half-time, Fulham substitute Tom Cairney equalised before being sent off for a raking his studs down the leg of Dejan Kulusevski.

But even with seven minutes of stoppage time, Spurs could not make the most of their numerical advantage and had to settle for a point.

Both managers made significant changes, the most significant of which were the omissions of Kulusevski and Andreas Pereira, the most creative players on each side. Kulusevski was kept on teh substitute’s bench for an hour, but Pereira’s omission was thought to be after an interview he gave recently expressing frustration at not being able to move to Marseille.

The result was a goalless first-half for the first time this season at the Tottenham Hotspur, although there were plenty of chances. Heung Min Son, switched to number nine in place of an Ill Dominic Solanke, had a glorious chance in the opening minutes but shot too close to Bernd Leno, who stuck out a leg to save from close range. The Fulham keeper also did well to tip over a Radu Dragusin header from a corner before half-time. But Fraser Forster, playing his first league game of the season in place of the injured Guglielmo Vicario, made good saves too, smothering the ball at Raul Jiminez’s feet and then turning away a close-range volley from the Mexican striker.

Alex Iwobi thumped a shot against Forster’s crossbar after a flowing Fulham counter-attack, and a James Maddison free-kick was deflected on to outside of Leno’s right-hand upright.

Forster was the busier keeper in the opening period of the second-half, using his knee to stop a far post header by Issa Diop and then tipping over a bicycle kick from Iwobi.

But nine minutes after the break, Spurs finally broke the deadlock. Maddison and Son exchanged passes as Tottenham counter-attacked at pace, the ball was worked left to Timo Werner, who chipped delightful towards the far post, where Johnson exploited a huge gap to volley past Leno from close range.

Marco Silva made changes, replacing Lukic, who was lucky to escape a second yellow card, with Cairney, who equalised within five minutes. Iwobi, Fulham’s best player, found space on the left and cut back a pass to Cairney’s whose first curling first-time shot went past Forster with the aid of a deflection off Dragusin.

Postecoglou made changes too, sending on Kulisevski. With ten minutes of normal time remaining, Cairney caught the Swede with an ugly challenge near the centre circle. Referee Darren Bond initially booked the Scot, but after being prompted by VAR to review the challenge on a pitchside monitor, sent off Cairney.

Still Spurs could not find a way through.

TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Forster 8; Porro 7, Dragusin 7, Davies 7, Udogie 6; Sarr 7 (Gray 85 [Lankshear 90+5]). Bissouma 7, Maddison 7 (Bergvall 85); Johnson 7, Son 5, Werner 6 (Kulusevski 68).

FULHAM (4-5-1): Leno 7; Tete 6, Diop 6, Bassey 5, Robinson6; Iwobi 8 (Sessegnon 85), Berge 6, Lukic 6 (Cairney 62), Smith-Rowe 6 (Castagne 85), Nelson 6 (Wilson 62); Jiminez 6 (Munoz 78).

Referee: Darren Bond 7/10