Premiership: Hoddle backs ‘world-class’ Sullivan

Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle insists Neil Sullivan is ‘‘world-class’’ despite the goalkeeper’s double blunder which propelled Leeds back to the top of the Premiership today.

Ian Harte and Harry Kewell were the grateful recipients of Sullivan’s slip-ups as Leeds maintained their unbeaten league record with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Elland Road.

The three points ensure Leeds again lead the way in the top flight, capitalising on the 3-0 defeat at Newcastle by previous leaders Aston Villa yesterday.

For Sullivan, it was an afternoon to forget while Leeds boss David O’Leary is planning to celebrate his side’s return to the Premiership summit with a week off as he concedes he is ‘‘tired’’.

Spurs led by Gustavo Poyet’s sweet 53rd-minute strike.

But Sullivan handed back the initiative to Leeds just eight minutes later as a swerving 25-yard right-foot drive from Ian Harte squirmed through his hands and on to the post.

Luck was clearly not on his side, and the ball then ricocheted off his back and over the goalline, leaving Harte to celebrate only his second goal of the season and his first since the 2-1 victory at Arsenal on August 21.

If Scotland international Sullivan thought he had redeemed himself by saving at the feet of Robbie Keane moments later then he was sorely mistaken, for just eight minutes from time came a mistaken muddle between him and Chris Perry.

Centre-back Dean Richards made the first error in attempting to head a Danny Mills throw back towards goal, although in truth either a slow-to-react Sullivan or Perry should have been first to the ball.

Instead, they allowed Kewell to steal in and poke home his sixth goal of the season a perfect parting gift before he and team-mate Mark Viduka return home tomorrow for international duty with Australia.

The duo miss the next three weeks two Premiership matches and the first leg of a UEFA Cup third-round tie against Grasshopper of Zurich for a friendly with France before their World Cup qualifying matches against an as yet unknown fifth-placed team in the South American group.

The goals brought an end to Tottenham’s four-game winning run.

When asked if Sullivan had held his hands up to the errors Hoddle quipped: ‘‘It’s a pity he didn’t hold them up high enough.’’

The former England boss then added: ‘‘We’ve shot ourselves in the foot with the two goals we have conceded it’s as simple as that.

‘‘I’m scratching my head wondering how we have lost the game. We didn’t deserve to lose it. At 1-0 up I didn’t know where their goal was going to come from.

‘‘To give two goals away like we did is a bitter pill to swallow. Neil and Dean know they have made two big mistakes.

‘‘Dean should never have been heading the ball from where he was because there was no danger. To be fair to Neil, seeing Harte’s shot at bench level the ball did swerve.

‘‘But if it’s not your day then the ball hits the goalkeeper and goes in the back of the net like it did. If it is your day then you get away with it.

‘‘But mistakes happen in football. No one means to make them, and Neil has been excellent for us this season. He is a world class goalkeeper.’’

Leeds dominated the first half but missed a catalogue of chances, with Lee Bowyer playing despite a broken nose the main culprit as he wasted a hat-trick of opportunities before limping off with a hamstring strain in the 38th minute.

United paid the price for their profligacy in front of goal early in the second half when Poyet turned inside Seth Johnson - the £9million midfielder making his debut as replacement for Bowyer - before beating Nigel Martyn from 22 yards as Spurs became the first Premiership visitors to score at Elland Road this season.

But Lady Luck was clearly with Leeds, leaving O’Leary to go away on holiday with a smile on his face.

‘‘I’ve not had a day off for three to four months, so I’m going to let the wife (Joy) see me for a week or two,’’ he said.

‘‘We will have been married 20 years next week, and I think for putting up with me for all that time she deserves a week.

‘‘I don’t think she can believe she’s going to be spending all that time with me. But there’s no point being at the club, because there’s only going to be about three players there.

‘‘I’m going to hold my hands up and say I do need a break because I am so tired.’’

Captain Rio Ferdinand will be one of those players on international duty, the centre-back at his imperious best as he produced a man-of-the-match performance in keeping Teddy Sheringham and cousin Les in his pocket for the 90 minutes.

Ferdinand’s form - after he missed the UEFA Cup second-round second leg defeat to Troyes on Thursday with a hamstring strain - will come as a delight to England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as he prepares for the friendly with Sweden at Old Trafford next Saturday.