Advantage Arsenal as Eriksen shines while Spurs held

For the second week running Spurs failed to score and are now two points behind their north London rivals.

Brentford's Christian Eriksen applauds the fans ahead of the Premier League match at the Brentford Community Stadium, London. Picture  Adam Davy/PA Wire. 

Premier League: Brentford 0 Tottenham 0 

“You're Spurs and you know you are,” sang Tottenham's supporters as they applauded another fine show from Christian Eriksen, their former midfielder whose return to top-flight football after suffering cardiac arrest last summer is an ongoing fairytale.

Unfortunately for those fans, and for Antonio Conte, Eriksen was wearing the red and white of Brentford, who put another dent in Tottenham's top four ambitions by holding them to a draw.

It could have been a second successive defeat for toothless Tottenham if Ivan Toney had not headed against the woodwork twice, or Harry Kane had not cleared a Pontus Jansson header off the line.

But Kane also went close to snatching victory in stoppage time with an overhead shot that went wide. In the end Spurs had to settle for a solitary point, giving Arsenal the advantage in the race for a Champions League place.

The Gunners' lunchtime win over Manchester United took them above Spurs, but Conte's men could have reverted back to fourth place by taking all three points at Brentford.

But for the second week running they failed to score or test the opposition goalkeeper, and are now two points behind their north London rivals.

It was another frustrating afternoon for Conte, who claimed Spurs are the victims of their success when they were scoring goals for fun in the previous three months of 2022: “It is a consequence of scoring a lot of goals and being a dangerous team that your opponents try to stop you.

“We wanted all three points today but the draw was fair and we have to accept it.” 

Thomas Frank naturally disagreed, although Hugo Lloris hardly had much more to do than David Raya in the Brentford goal.

“We deserved to win, and to keep a top side like Tottenham quiet was a great performance,” he said.

One reporter asked if Tottenham might have won if Eriksen had been playing for his former side today, given they lacked the sort of creativity the Dane brings. Frank's answer was blunt: “No, because we defended so well, and there were 10 other players out there doing their job.

“We had four or five first-choice players missing, and Spurs were almost at full strength, so it shows how well we played.” 

The first half was similar to the opening 45 minutes of Tottenham's game against Brighton last week, with neither side threatening the goalkeepers unduly. Toney thumped a header against the Spurs crossbar from an Eriksen corner, and Kane tried unsuccessfully to chip the ball over Raya when a shot of power might have proved more profitable.

Too often Tottenham's build-up play was too slow, allowing Frank's well-organised side to get back in numbers to stifle the space for Kane and his teammates to attack.

Just as last week, Conte sent his men out with more urgency after the break, and a Kane shot on the turn was deflected over the bar. The England captain was then called into action at the opposite end as he made a goalline clearance from a header by Jansson, who was booked soon afterwards by hauling down Pierre Emile Hojbjerg. Eriksen also had a shot towards the near post saved by his former captain Lloris, while Rodrigo Bentancur wasted a good chance to put Spurs ahead when he flicked a header over the bar from close range.

As the final minutes ticked away, Toney thumped a header against the base of Lloris's post and Kane went close with a spectacular overhead kick that flew past Raya but wide of the post.

At the final whistle, Frank and his men were the happier side, and their customary lap of honour was marked by Eriksen standing in front of the Spurs fans with a show of mutual respect.

How they must wish he was wearing a Tottenham shirt again.

BRENTFORD:  Raya 7; Roerslev 7, Jansson 7, Sorensen 6; Ghoddos 6 (Wissa 78) Janelt7, Eriksen 8, Jensen 6 (Da Silva 78), Henry 6; Mbeumo 6, Toney 7.

TOTTENHAM: 3-4-3 Lloris 7; Romero 7, Dier 7, Davies 6; Emerson Royal 5 (Lucas Moura 86), Hjobjerg 7, Bentancur 7, Sessegnon 5 (Sanchez 74); Kulusevski 6, Kane 7, Son 6.

Ref: Martin Atkinson 4/10