Tottenham rescued by Joao Palhinha’s stoppage-time equaliser against Wolves

Joao Palhinha celebrates his equaliser. Pic: Adam Davy/PA

Joao Palhinha rescued a 1-1 draw for Tottenham with a stoppage-time leveller to deny Wolves a first Premier League victory of the season.

Wolves had lost their opening five league fixtures, but were set to turn the form tables on its head when Santiago Bueno put them ahead in the 54th minute after Vitor Pereira made a host of changes in an attempt to halt their winless run.

Spurs would have gone second with a victory and yet struggled to create chances against bottom-of-the-table Wolves, especially in the second half until Palhinha curled home in the fourth-minute of stoppage time.

Joao Palhinha scores Tottenham’s equaliser (Adam Davy/PA)

Pereira ripped up his trusted 3-4-2-1 formation in north London and went with four at the back for the first time in the Premier League since his appointment by Wolves last December.

It initially worked as the visitors forced two early corners, but Spurs should have gone ahead after 15 minutes.

Xavi Simons, one of two changes from last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Brighton, cut inside and picked out Mohammed Kudus, who had a close-range header brilliantly tipped on to the crossbar by Sam Johnstone.

Johnstone had got the nod over Jose Sa and picked the ball out of the net in the 27th minute, but Kudus’ lovely curled finish from an equally excellent Lucas Bergvall flick was correctly disallowed for offside.

Frank’s side remained on the front foot but Bergvall lifted over from a fine cross by Kudus, who went up a notch as the half ended.

Santiago Bueno scores the opener (Adam Davy/PA)

Moments later a powerful left-footed strike by Kudus forced Johnstone into a flying save and although Palhinha went down after he beat Marshall Munetsi to the ball, referee Michael Salisbury waved away penalty appeals.

Richarlison failed to finish another excellent Kudus delivery before ex-Tottenham full-back Matt Doherty clipped the crossbar from six-yards in stoppage time after a Jhon Arias corner.

Pereira introduced Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Jackson Tchatchoua at the break and nine minutes later watched Wolves go ahead.

The visitors forced a corner not long after Spurs captain Cristian Romero went on a one-man pressing mission and Arias picked out Ladislav Krejci, who was denied by Guglielmo Vicario but Bueno tapped in the rebound after it bounced off Palhinha.

Jackson Tchatchoua (left) tackles Micky van de Ven (Adam Davy/PA)

Frank made his first tactical tweak after 63 minutes with Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro sent on, but Wolves threatened next as Bellegarde fired wide.

Vicario denied Bueno next before Frank introduced Pape Sarr and Wilson Odobert with 12 minutes left.

Richarlison headed over a Porro cross moments later but the final roll of the dice was Mathys Tel coming on and Tottenham going to a 3-4-3 formation.

Eventually it paid off as Tel cut inside and his cross was laid off by Sarr for Portugal international Palhinha, who expertly found the bottom corner to deny countryman Pereira a first win of this league campaign.