Son heads winner as Tottenham edge past Norwich

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Soccer Football – Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

LONDON (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in the Premier League but hardly issued a statement of intent as they laboured to a 2-1 victory over bottom club Norwich City on Wednesday.

Jose Mourinho’s side had not won in four league games and had failed to find the net in their last three and it needed a late Son Heung-min header to earn three points.

Norwich made it an uncomfortable night for Tottenham and when Teemu Pukki levelled from the penalty spot in the 70th minute to cancel out Dele Alli’s opener and looked capable of earning a vital win in their survival quest.

But Son, once again Tottenham’s Plan B in the absence of injured striker Harry Kane, rescued his side as he touched in Alli’s cross from close range in the 79th minute.

It was a positive night for Tottenham who moved up to sixth in the table with 34 points from 24 games, six behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

They also welcomed back number one goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after the Frenchman’s long absence since sustaining a serious elbow injury during a defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion in October.

On the downside, England midfielder Harry Winks hobbled off with an injury.

“It is a very important victory for us against a difficult opponent,” Mourinho said. “We suffered in the second half and we only have ourselves to blame.

“We are in a situation when I have to think, think, think. I look to bench and we don’t have attacking players. I had to take off Erik Lamela because of fatigue but we showed an incredible reaction to score a second goal.”

Norwich, without injured creative force Emiliano Buendia, once again showed some enterprising attacking football but Daniel Farke’s side remain six points adrift of the safety zone.

“The lads left their hearts out on the pitch,” Farke said. “It’s disappointing to drive away with a loss. We have a special group of players. It was a fantastic away performance even though it was a defeat.”

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