There could not have been a more popular scorer of Tottenham’s second goal against Borussia Dortmund than Dominic Solanke.
It was a scrappy, uncoordinated finish from the Spurs striker, bundling in Wilson Odobert’s right-wing cross, but after seven months on the sidelines, it hardly mattered.
Having deflected months of questions on Solanke’s fitness, Frank allowed himself a smile on a rare night where everything came together for the under-fire Spurs boss.
Solanke is still getting up to speed. His miss in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Burnley was a sign he is lacking sharpness, but he offers a presence up top that makes Spurs a different proposition in attack.
There is a selflessness to Solanke’s play, chasing loose balls and bringing others into play, that Spurs desperately need. Only Cristian Romero completed more tackles than the 28-year-old at Burnley.
In his post-Burnley press conference, Frank said he needed more from his attackers after centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Romero provided the goals to rescue a point.
Only Richarlison has more goals than Van de Ven and Romero this season, and with the Brazilian striker sidelined with a hamstring injury, the onus is very much on Solanke to step up.
A good place to start would be away to Eintracht Frankfurt in tonight’s crucial Champions League clash, with Spurs knowing a win will secure their place in the knockout stage.
Solanke scored the decisive penalty at the Deutsche Bank Park last season as Spurs sealed their place in the Europa League semi-finals - his 12th goal of a debut campaign that produced 16 goals in all competitions.
In a World Cup year, it has been a bitterly frustrating second season for the former Bournemouth hitman.
Solanke, who views himself as a leader within Spurs’ squad, had hoped to be back sooner from a recurring ankle injury that has seen him play a combined 244 minutes across all competitions.
Talking in an interview with the club’s official media channels about his recovery, Solanke admitted that he had expected to play in the second game of the pre-season tour to Asia last summer.
Ultimately, he was made to wait until January to make his first start of the season against Dortmund.
Frank has bemoaned his side’s injuries this season, stating that the club might be “cursed,” with as many as nine senior players currently sidelined.
Solanke’s return, though, is arguably the one Frank has been agonising over the most.
Without Solanke in the side, Spurs have looked disjointed in attack, with Frank not wholly convinced by Richarlison as his central striker.
Richarlison has worked hard, chipped in with goals, and made a nuisance of himself, but he has never looked truly comfortable as the focal point of Spurs’ attack.
Solanke is a more natural figurehead for Spurs’ attackers to feed off, and Frank will be relying on him to lead the line against Frankfurt, in what will be his third start in just over a week.
Solanke is happy to be thrust straight back into a role of responsibility. He knows his team-mates, and more pertinently, his manager, are counting on him to guide Spurs out of trouble.
