Tottenham Hotspur suffered a suckerpunch as Brighton snatched a draw late into the stoppage time in their Premier League clash on Saturday.
With four minutes remaining, it appeared Spurs would get their first Premier League win since December 28. However, Kevin Danso didn’t clear the ball in the box, allowing Jan Paul van Hecke to steal possession. The latter set up Georginio Rutter to finish and break Tottenham hearts.
It was an enthralling match overall, with the north London side putting in a decent display but showing a fragile mentality. They took the lead twice, but conceded in the stoppage time of both halves to earn just one point instead of three. They will now remain in the relegation zone for another week.
Tottenham star Xavi Simons seen limping after Brighton draw
One of the stars on the night for Roberto De Zerbi’s side was Xavi Simons. Fans have been urging every manager to start him, and he showed why on Saturday. He provided a brilliant assist for Pedro Porro in the first half, before scoring a stunning goal in the second.
However, towards the end of the game, Simons was cramping up in his calf. He went down twice and received treatment. However, Tottenham had already made all five of their substitutions, and hence, the Dutchman was forced to carry on. He could barely run but finished the game.
The Athletic journalist Jay Harris has reported that Simons was seen limping in the mixed zone after the game.
However, when asked about it by the reporters, the midfielder confirmed that it was just a cramp and nothing serious. This comes as a huge relief for Spurs, who have gone through a major injury crisis and are still dealing with its effects.
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Simons, meanwhile, has now scored two goals and provided five assists in 27 league games for Tottenham since arriving from RB Leipzig last summer.
De Zerbi assesses Xavi Simons’ performance against Brighton
Before the Brighton game, the Italian head coach had said that he wanted Simons to score and assist more. The Dutchman delivered perfectly with one goal and one assist to earn a draw for Tottenham.
After the game, De Zerbi acknowledged that Simons played a “great game”, but added that he could play much better.
He said that he is “lucky” to have the 22-year-old as his No. 10. He also added that Simons is “lucky” to have him as the coach as well, as he “can understand [the No. 10 position] better than other coaches.”
These comments would bring hope to Simons and the Tottenham fans, who have been demanding more playing time for him. The Dutchman is Spurs’ most creative player available. He needs to start the remaining five games for the north London side to have any chance of survival.
