Spurs foil Foxes

Anderton has hit form at the right time

Tottenham 2-1 Leicester
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Darren Anderton's first half-strike set Tottenham on their way to victory over Leicester, who have now gone 11 league matches without a win.

The north London side collected the three points at a canter - and the result was never in doubt after Simon Davies had added the second goal after the interval.

  Key moments

37 mins: Darren Anderton puts Spurs in front

61 mins: Tottenham's lead is extended through Simon Davies

79 mins: Stefan Oakes halves Leicester's deficit

Stefan Oakes reduced the deficit with a superbly executed free-kick, but it proved to be just a consolation strike.

The defeat is Leicester's fourth in succession and the Premiership's bottom club did little in this match to suggest they can arrest the slide.

Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle rested captain Teddy Sheringham and Chris Perry to safeguard their appearance in the Worthington Cup final.

Both players have accumulated four yellow cards, and another caution would have ruled them out of the match against Blackburn.

I don't think we look like a team who are rock bottom and out of it, but the facts show we are

Dave Bassett

Referee Andy D'Urso has booked more players than any other referee this season, and Hoddle was clearly not willing to take any chances.

Leicester could not take advantage of a Spurs side that appeared at times to be distracted by the possibility of collecting silverware on 24 February.

Focus was not lacking where Anderton was concerned though, as he put in a solid display in the middle.

Anderton in form

He continued his push to be part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's plans for the friendly against Holland on Wednesday and the World Cup in the summer.

A smart finish from Anderton opened the scoring, after Les Ferdinand and Steffen Iversen nodded the ball on, and the goal will have impressed the England boss.

We came through a disciplinary minefield, and we didn't pick up any injuries

Glenn Hoddle

Only the bar prevented Iversen from turning from provider to scorer late in the second half.

Before then, Anderton had been involved again when Spurs doubled their lead.

He swept in a cross from the right channel which was dispatched sweetly by Davies.

But Leicester, who are now in a desperate struggle to avoid relegation, did manage to strike back through Oakes' set-piece goal.

Increasing the tempo, and adopting a more physical approach, the visitors began to trouble their opponents.

Simon Davies scored Spurs' second

Spurs keeper Neil Sullivan produced a fine stop from Callum Davidson to maintain his side's advantage.

But Foxes' boss Dave Basset must have wondered why his side only came into the match once it was almost over.

And although Spurs endured a nervous end to the match, Leicester had left themselves too much to do.

Spurs can breathe a sigh of relief that Ferdinand came through the match without picking up a caution that would have ruled him out of the cup final.

But they face an anxious wait to see how quickly Ben Thatcher will recover from the injury that forced his withdrawal after 65 minutes.

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Tottenham: Sullivan, Thatcher (Thelwell 65), King, Richards, Taricco, Anderton, Sherwood, Etherington, Davies, Ferdinand (Rebrov 83), Iversen.
Subs Not Used: Keller, Sheringham, Leonhardsen.

Leicester: Walker, Sinclair, Davidson, Elliott, Laursen, Savage, Oakes, Stewart, Impey, Scowcroft, Piper.
Subs Not Used: Royce, Marshall, Heath, Stevenson, Reeves.
Booked: Impey.

Att: 35,973

Referee: A D'Urso