Spurs increase Fulham nerves

Sheringham and his team-mates celebrate

Fulham 0-2 Tottenham
E-mail your reaction to Football Talk

Teddy Sheringham broke his goal-drought in an unexpected manner, and with it Spurs winless three-match run.

But Fulham's sixth successive Premiership defeat leaves Jean Tigana's team just three points above the drop-zone.

Spurs made the early pace but wasted two clear-cut chances.

I was following in and it came off the top of my eye. But I will claim it, though

Teddy Sheringham

First Steffen Iversen headed over and then Sheringham showed his lack of confidence with a powder-puff header from seven yards which was little more that a back-pass for Edwin van der Sar to deal with.

At the other end, Steed Malbranque's free-kick ballooned up off Anthony Gardner and Spurs' keeper Neil Sullivan did well to make a clean catch under pressure from Steve Marlet.

But if Sheringham was looking for a confidence-booster, he got it when he unwittingly put Spurs ahead on 27 minutes.

Christian Ziege's free-kick from 20 yards hit Legwinski on the end of the defensive wall and rebounded off Sheringham's temple into the net for his first goal in four games.

Spurs enjoyed a slice of luck as they doubled their lead four minutes later.

Neil Sullivan shows his determination in claiming the ball

Iversen and then Ziege broke tackles and with Sheringham screaming for a square pass, Ziege opted to shoot.

Van der Sar beat the ball away but it fell kindly for Gus Poyet to finish into an empty net.

Marlet, recalled to the French squad to face Scotland next week for the first time since September 2000, tried to inspire a Fulham revival with a powerful run and shot that fizzed inches over Sullivan's bar.

The Frenchman then stood up a cross at the far post, where Barry Hayles and Sean Davis got in a tangle to let Spurs off the hook.

Iversen - preferred to Sergei Rebrov - should have wrapped the game up two minutes into the second-half, but shot embarrassingly wide after striding clear of a square Fulham defence.

We need to win three games. Our target is to stay at the tp level

Jean Tigana

Fulham plugged away, only to suffer the sort of luck that has bedevilled their slump.

Marlet again forced his way to the bye-line, and lifted his cross over Sullivan only to see it bounce along the goal-line before Ledly King headed it behind for a corner.

Louis Saha then struck the outside of a post and in the resulting scramble Legwinski and Malbranque had shots blocked.

Fulham probably realised it wasn't going to be their day when Marlet rose to power a header against the inside of the post but again the ball bounced on the goal-line, with Thatcher clearing.

---

Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Goma, Ouaddou, Harley, Malbranque, Legwinski, Davis, Hayles, Marlet, Saha. Subs: Taylor, Melville, Brevett, Collins, Boa Morte.

Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, King, Gardner, Thatcher, Anderton, Sherwood, Poyet, Ziege, Iversen, Sheringham. Subs: Keller, Rebrov, Etherington, Davies, Thelwell.

Referee: P Durkin (Dorset)