That’s it for our live blog. Thanks as always for your company and emails - goodnight!
The thoughts of Antonio Conte
“In the first half we struggled a lot – physically but also tactically. In the second half we changed something tactically and also we wanted to play with the same intensity as Leeds. Before the game I was a bit afraid… I didn’t know, after three weeks, whether they were able to play for the whole 90 minutes with the intensity of the second half.
“I’m pleased because we played very well in the second half and I think we deserved to win. This is a starting point. I said this to the players: they have to understand that, if they want to [achieve something], they can.
“Maybe it was good to concede just before half-time. The players showed a great desire to win the game. We knew about Leeds. I read the stats and Leeds were top for the intensity [for distance covered]. In the second half we beat them.
“[What was more important, the tactical change or the increased aggression?] Both. Both. Phillips created a lot of problems in the first half, so we changed our plan and put more pressure on Leeds in the second half. Our fans have to know that we want to change – it doesn’t mean we’ll win every game, but for sure we want to fight.”
A breathless Sergio Reguilon speaks
“I’m the happiest person in the world - it’s my first goal in the Premier League and we got three points. The gaffer wants me to keep arriving in the box - arrive, arrive, arrive - and also defend. I’m dead but I’m so happy.
“Leeds started really well. At half-time the gaffer told us to go man to man and we did. We lost the first half but we had the mentality of a big team and we got the three points... [wheezes] I’m sorry, I’m dead...
“We knew we had to give more [when Spurs were booed off at half-time]. The gaffer told us we had to play with passion and two balls*. We got three points and we continue!”
* I don’t think he’s talking about the official Nike-sponsored Premier League matchball.
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“Wow what a win!” says Yash Gupta. “ Probably I’m reacting a bit too much but I don’t effing care.”
If I was a Spurs fan, I’d be outgiddying you. That was thrilling, even more so because they were so bad before their half-time audience with Antonio Conte.
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The most telling stat, apart from the score, might be distance covered: Spurs 112km, Leeds 108km. It’s only the second time this season that Leeds have been outrun.
Look at his face! Just look at his face!
Antonio Conte enjoyed that one! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/p6O5XWDBHX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 21, 2021
Conte marched round the field, embracing every player. At one point I thought he was going to chin someone in celebration, but in the end he settled for some hand-stinging high fives. He is so much fun to watch.
That was a terrific win for Spurs. They were booed off after a dismal, muted first-half performance, and then faced a private audience with an affronted Antonio Conte. Whatever he said sure worked: Spurs played with exhilarating aggression in the second half, coming from behind to win thanks to goals from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Sergio Reguilon.
Leeds will be fine - they played pretty well and have a lot of injuries, but things got a bit too hot after the break. The first half was Spursy, the second half was New Spurs.
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Full time: Spurs 2-1 Leeds
Antonio Conte pleads with one of the assistant referees to end the match, as if it has anything to do with him! Then the final whistle is blown, and Conte screams with delight while hugging all his coaching team. Yeah, things have changed round here.
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90+4 min Phillips is booked for a foul on Son. Then Sessegnon has a goal disallowed for offside.
90+3 min Kane has a long-range shot blocked by Phillips.
90+1 min Emerson Royal is booked for a late tackle on James, who was about to break over the halfway line.
90+1 min Four minutes of added time.
89 min Conte is waving his hands in all directions, demanding that the crowd make some noise. So they do - and then he waves his hands again, demanding an even louder noise. The Premier League is such a better place when he is around.
88 min And Spurs bring on Dele Alli, who is still only 25, for the excellent Lucas Moura.
87 min Leeds replace one teenager with another - Stuart McKinstry is on for Joe Gelhardt, who made a really promising full debut.
84 min James again shoots too close to Lloris from the edge of the area. Leeds have had a lot of shots on target in the second half, though most have been comfortable saves for Lloris.
84 min If it stays like this Spurs will move up to seventh, only four points off a Champions League place.
82 min Phillips and Struijk have swapped places, with Phillips back as the spare man in defence.
80 min Now Son shoots wide from distance after a scurrying run infield.
79 min Another change for Spurs - Ryan Sessegnon, who is still only 21, replaces the goalscorer Sergio Reguilon.
78 min Moura shoots over from 25 yards. He’s had a superb second half though.
76 min Leeds have responded impressively to going behind and now they are pinning Spurs back. It’s been an unusually moody game.
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REGUILON POUNCES!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 21, 2021
Spurs take the lead as Dier's deflected free kick is followed in by the Tottenham full back
📺 Watch Spurs v Leeds on Super Sunday pic.twitter.com/j5h48uQ8E4
74 min James shoots too close to Lloris from the left edge of the area. This second half has been relentless.
73 min Adam Forshaw is replaced by Tyler Roberts in the Leeds midfield.
NO PENALTY! That’s the correct decision.
71 min A Leeds corner ricochets across the Spurs area, and then Leeds appeal for a penalty when Gelhardt’s shot on the turn hits Kane’s arm. It’s being checked by VAR but I don’t think it’ll be given - Kane’s arm was in a natural position and he was barely a yard away Gelhardt.
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69 min If I was a Spurs fan, I’d be seriously excited about this second-half performance. Spurs have been sensational; more importantly, they have been a reflection of their manager.
GOAL! Spurs 2-1 Leeds (Reguilon 69)
Spurs are ahead! Eric Dier’s lazy free-kick took a big deflection and hit the post, but Reguilon was first on the scene to gobble up the rebound.
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68 min Spurs make a change before the free-kick is taken: Davinson Sanchez replaces Japhet Tanganga.
67 min Now Cooper is booked for fouling Lucas Moura in the D. It was another scintillating run from Moura, who has embodied Spurs’ second-half improvement.
66 min Forshaw is booked for pulling back Kane. Leeds can’t live with the intensity of Spurs, who have been quite fantastic in the second half.
64 min: Chance for Spurs! Meslier makes a terrific point-blank save from Davies. Spurs thought they should have had a penalty for a trip on Davies, who was certainly off balance as he poked the shot towards goal.
63 min Leeds have reshuffled since the substitution - Firpo at left-back, Struijk in the centre of defence and Phillips into midfield.
61 min: Great block from Struijk! Spurs, who went two and a half league games without a shot on target, now look like they could score with every attack. Hojbjerg feeds a pass into Kane, who wriggles away from Cooper in the area and forces a shot that is desperately blocked by Struijk.
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61 min Emerson Royal’s cross ricohets around the Leeds area, with Reguilon just unable to get a shot away. This has been a pulsating second half.
60 min Leeds make a change: Junior Firpo is on for Mateusz Klich.
Reguilon’s cross from the left hit a Leeds defender and broke for Moura near the byline. He turned, looked up and picked out Hojbjerg, whose mishit shot from the edge of the area bobbled into the far corner. Hojbjerg barely celebrated, possibly out of embarrassment at such an obvious miskick, but Antonio Conte was straight off down the touchline. Few managers in the world celebrate as well as Conte.
GOAL! Spurs 1-1 Leeds (Hojbjerg 58)
A goal was coming at one end or another, and Spurs have got it!
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57 min Gelhardt forces another save from Lloris, this time with a crisp drive from the right side of the area.
56 min Gelhardt picks up a loose ball on the left edge of the Spurs area, moves it onto his left foot and batters a shot that is punched away at the near post by Lloris. It was a comfortable save but another admirably confident bit of play from Gelhardt.
56 min Son didn’t necessarily dive, by the way. I think he just ran out of room, as he knew Dallas was coming across from the other side, and lost his balance as he lunged at the ball. I’d like to see it again though.
55 min Spurs have a big penalty appeal turned down by Andre Marriner. Kane threaded a pass through to Son, who swerved away from Phillips in the area and then went over. I’m not actually sure there was any contact, and VAR are happy with the original decision.
53 min The intensity with which Spurs have played since the break would suggest that Antonio Conte has had a hairdryer or three installed in the home dressing-room.
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51 min: Llorente hits his own bar! Lucas Moura clips the ball into Son on the right side of the area. He chests it down and hammers a cross on the turn that hits Llorente and flashes off the crossbar. That would have been an own goal had it gone it.
LEEDS LEAD! 💙
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 21, 2021
A deserved breakthrough from the visitors as Jack Harrison puts one on a plate for Dan James
📺 Watch Spurs v Leeds on Super Sunday pic.twitter.com/xWxuq8Xcro
51 min Son’s corner is headed away at the near post.
51 min Lucas Moura goes on another of his electric surges infield and finds Reguilon, whose cross is put behind for a corner.
49 min Leeds win three corners in quick succession. Make that four: James’ long-range shot has been deflected behind.
47 min: Good save from Lloris! At the other end, James almost makes it 2-0! He ran at a backpedalling defence then poked a surprise shot with the outside of the right foot that was shovelled behind by Lloris. That’s a pretty good save, not least because he must have seen it late.
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46 min: Kane hits the post! Spurs almost equalise within 35 seconds of the restart. Lucas Moura surged infield and then poked the ball back outside to Kane, whose low shot was half blocked by Meslier and bounced off the outside of the near post.
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46 min Peep peep! Leeds begin the second half.
Half-time reading
“Re: Patrick Bamford, one could almost say that Joffy Gelhardt is out of his element here,” says Bill Hargreaves, confirming that at least one of our readers is as fond of the Big Lebowski as I am. “Never mind: that James goal has drawn a line in the sand.
Half time: Spurs 0-1 Leeds
Peep peep! Leeds deserve to be ahead. They haven’t created many chances - Dan James’ goal was the only shot on target in open play for either side - but they have been the more purposeful and progressive side. Not for the last time, Spurs were booed off at half-time.
45 min Two minutes of added time.
The goal was made by Harrison, who was too strong for Emerson Royal on the left. Once he got away from him he curled a superb cross into the six-yard area, where James nipped between Davies and Reguilon to score. That’s outstanding play from Jack Harrison.
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GOAL! Spurs 0-1 Leeds (James 44)
Dan James puts Leeds ahead!
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41 min Forshaw receives a square pass 30 yards from goal, opens his body and hits a sweet rising drive that whooshes just past the near post. Lloris was at full stretch; I’m not sure whether he would have got there had it been on target.
40 min Reguilon charges infield from the left but then fails to spot a straightforward through pass to Emerson Royal, who punches the air in disgust. That was a great chance for Spurs. Reguilon can’t have seen him.
38 min That Phillips free-kick in the second minute is the only shot on target so far. There’s loads to like about Joffy Gelhardt but Leeds do miss Patrick Bamford. He really ties the room together.
37 min “Superb man-to-man marking today from Leeds,” says Justin Kavanagh. “They’ve even put a man on Andre Marriner.”
36 min Struijk is okay to continue.
35 min Struijk is down, which means a break in play. That allows Sky to show a few replays of Kalvin Phillips flattening the referee Andre Marriner a few minutes ago. It never gets old.
32 min At the other end, Reguilon’s cross is taken away from Kane by the head of Cooper. That was probably a goal-saving interception.
31 min James hares down the right and clips a cross towards Klich, who has the ball taken off his toes by the stretching Davies. That was fine defending.
30 min Gelhardt is booked for an overzealous lunge at Eric Dier.
28 min Son’s corner is punched away unconvincingly by Meslier, which leads to an impromptu game of head tennis. Eventually Leeds break and Winks is fortunate not to be booked for a tactical foul on someone.
27 min Spurs are starting to look more dangerous, especially on the break. Winks fizzes a pass into Kane, 12 yards from goal, but he can’t make room for a shot. Moments later, the willing Emerson Royal wins a corner off Harrison.
26 min Dier’s attempted through pass to Kane is intercepted by Cooper. He did well because it bounced awkwardly, so he could easily have fallen over in a heap while ushering Kane through on goal.
25 min After a crisp one-touch move from Leeds, James’s cross is well blocked at the near post by Dier.
24 min Spurs haven’t had a shot on target in the last 205 minutes of Premier League football.
22 min: Good challenge from Phillips! Spurs almost sting Leeds on the break. Son wins the ball near the halfway line, scurries down the right and crosses low towards Kane. He takes a touch, but loses his balance in the process and is calmly dispossessed by Phillips.
21 min Spurs are starting to have a more even share of the game, though their build-up play is still a bit ponderous.
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18 min The corner is half cleared and bounces up towards Reguilon on the edge of the area. He twists his body to hit a right-footed snapshot that is blocked by a Leeds defender, Phillips I think.
18 min Kane drops deep and curls a pass towards Emerson Royal on the right side of the area. He lobs it back across the area and Struijk puts it behgind for a corner.
15 min Leeds take the corner short and try to work something on the left. Eventually the ball is pulled back towards the edge of the area, where Gelhardt belts a shot into orbit.
14 min Harrison plays a neat one-two with Struijk before his cross is cleared at the near post by Dier. Then a nervous pass from Emerson Royal goes behind for a Leeds corner.
13 min For a teenager making his first Premier League start, Gelhardt is playing with a breezy confidence. Leeds have been terrific so far.
12 min Spurs’ first sustained attack ends when Son is caught offside.
9 min Leeds have had 73 per cent possession.
7 min Spurs can’t get out. Struijk robs Moura, 25 yards from the Spurs goal, and finds Dallas. He whistles a lovely drive just wide of the far post with Lloris scrambling across goal.
7 min Leeds continue to dominate possession. The teenager Gelhardt looks bright up front.
5 min Leeds have started really well, with Forshaw snapping round in midfield. It looks like they are playing with Kalvin Phillips as the spare man at the back, which is a bit of a surprise because Spurs are only playing with one up.
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2 min Phillips clips the free-kick over the wall, and Lloris springs to his right to make a comfortable save.
1 min Klich wins the ball in the Spurs half and finds Gelhardt, who is fouled 25 yards from goal by Tanganga. The free-kick is a fair way to the left of centre, though it’s still a decent position for Kalvin Phillips.
1 min Peep peep! Spurs, all in white, kick off from right to left. Leeds are wearing their blue change strip.
Antonio Conte walks to the Spurs dugout, rubbing his hands in the cold, then strolls back out to greet Marcelo Bielsa. One is dressed head to toe in the finest fabrics; the other is wearing a tracksuit. I’ll let you work it out.
Antonio Conte’s pre-match thoughts
“[Oliver] Skipp is banned so this is a good chance for [Harry] Winks to show we can count on him. He’s a good guy, he’s trained very well during the last two weeks. I’m sure he’ll play a good game.
“We want to work very hard, we want to improve, we want to make our fans proud. Our supporters have to push us from the start until the end - this is an important moment for us.”
Manchester City 3-0 Everton
In an unsurprising development, the champions have hammered Everton at the Etihad. Read all about it with Alex Hess.
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💬 "We've got to keep pushing" pic.twitter.com/hqTn58XZMm
— Leeds United (@LUFC) November 21, 2021
Both teams make two enforced changes from their last game before the international break. Antonio Conte brings in Harry Winks and Japhet Tanganga for Oliver Skipp (suspended) and Cristian Romero (injured).
Leeds are without Raphinha (ill) and Rodrigo (injured). Mateusz Klich comes into the side and the exciting teenager Joe Gelhardt - who has scored goals in industrial quantities at youth level - makes his full Premier League debut up front.
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Team news
Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-2-1) Lloris; Tanganga, Dier, Davies; Royal, Hojbjerg, Winks, Reguilon; Lucas Moura, Son; Kane.
Substitutes: Gollini, Doherty, Sanchez, Rodon, Sessegnon, Bryan, Bergwijn, Dele, Ndombele.
Leeds United (4-1-4-1) Meslier; Dallas, Llorente, Cooper, Struijk; Phillips; James, Klich, Forshaw, Harrison; Gelhardt.
Substitutes: Klaesson, Firpo, Drameh, Cresswell, McCarron, McKinstry, Jenkins, Greenwood, Roberts.
Referee Andre Marriner.
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Preamble
It’s a big day in the north of London. Antonio Conte has already been introduced to the Tottenham Hotspur fans, but that was before a (theoretically) low-key Europa Conference match against Vitesse Arnhem. This feels like the real quiz home debut, an intruiging Premier League match against Leeds United.
Things are about to change in N17. Conte has a comically low nonsense threshold, and if anyone can redefine the word ‘Spursy’ it’s probably him. He might not be here for a long time - his last three jobs ended after two years - but there are plenty of reasons for Spurs fans to be optimistic. One in particular: Conte is a pathological winner.
Spurs’ opponents, Leeds, have been the feelgood story of English football since Marcelo Bielsa arrived in 2018. This season, though, they have lost a bit of their dopamine sheen. Injuries, particularly to Patrick Bamford, have reduced their fluidity, and they start this game in 17th place. While nobody seriously thinks Leeds are in a relegation battle, their season is in need of a jumpstart. A party-pooping win today would do the job.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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