Spurs completed a second-half comeback against Marcelo Bielsa’s men to claim three crucial points in Premier League.
Antonio Conte has opened his account after Tottenham Hotspur defeated Leeds United 2-1 in the Premier League.
The North Londoners were put on the backfoot after Daniel James opened the scoring for Leeds minutes before half-time.
Spurs produced a stunning turnaround in the second half, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg netting the equaliser.
Sergio Reguilon pounced on the rebound after Eric Dier’s deflected free-kick hit the post to score the winning goal.
Conte’s side have now moved ahead of Manchester United to seventh place in the Premier League table.
A stunning comeback win to begin Conte’s era
Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game against Everton ended in a stalemate before the international break. However, the Italian has opened his account in style by a brilliant turnaround win against Leeds today. Spurs dominated possession in the first half but lacked precision in the final third. Things got drastically improved in the second half as Harry Kane had his shot saved by Illan Meslier and the crossbar. Not long after, Sergio Reguilon provided a daunting cross, which Leeds failed to deal with. Hojbjerg found himself in the right position to slot the ball into the nets. Reguilon scored the winner after quickly pouncing on the rebound when Dier’s free-kick hit the post. Throughout the second half, Spurs played with a lot of intent while keeping Leeds at bay. Spurs have bounced back with an emphatic win after going winless in the last three Premier League games.
Reguilon and Dier shine in Spurs’ win
Reguilon’s consistency has been questioned since his transfer from Real Madrid last year. Playing in his 50th game for Spurs today, the Spanish left-back produced a fine display and he was eventually rewarded with his first-ever goal for the North Londoners. Reguilon’s brilliance could also be due to Conte’s reputation of bringing the best out of the wingbacks/fullbacks.
Dier also excelled in the libero role, producing his best performance of this season. The English centre-back hardly put a foot wrong and his ball-playing skills were pleasing to watch. With Dier playing long balls, short vertical passes at ease, and showing much composure than ever, this could be the beginning of his resurgence under Conte.
Leeds close to the relegation zone
Leeds United’s downfall this season has been a complete surprise for everyone. For a side who were expected to battle for the top-four this season, they are now being associated with relegation. Marcelo Bielsa’s men are 17th in the Premier League, having picked up only 11 points in 12 games. They could have distanced themselves from relegation if they had won today’s game against Spurs. The Elland Road outfit are up against Brighton and Crystal Palace next and it remains to be seen whether they can turn their fortunes around.
