Tottenham 2-1 Sheffield United: Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski strike in stoppage time as Spurs complete a stunning turnaround against the Blades

• Richarlison came off the bench to score one and assist Dejan Kulusevski’s winning goal in stoppage time 
• Tottenham had appeared on the verge of defeat after Gustavo Hamer opened the scoring for the visitors 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off! 

Richarlison came off the bench to rescue Tottenham, scoring one and creating the winning goal for Dejan Kulusevski to stun Sheffield United in the 10th minute of stoppage time.

The Brazilian forward had returned from international duty in Brazil this week claiming he would need psychological help to cope with the strain of issues off the pitch.

But he insisted upon playing on and proved influential as Spurs turned the game upside down in 12 minutes of added time.

They trailed to a goal by Gustavo Hamer when the board went up.

Then Richarlison levelled with a header from a corner by Ivan Perisic and set up the second for Kulusevski who fired his finish past Wes Foderingham and sparked a carnival celebration at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Dejan Kulusevski scored a dramatic late winner as Tottenham scored two goals deep in second half stoppage time

Kulusevski drove a right footed effort past Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham in the tenth minute of added time

Richarlison had come off the bench to equalise for Tottenham with a header before providing the assist for Kulusevski’s goal

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Ange Postecoglou’s team had struggled for rhythm, frustrated by the Blades but they refused to give up and the visitors ended with 10 men, with Ollie McBurnie sent off for a second yellow card as all Sheffield United’s hard work and resistance dissolved.

Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham had frustrated Tottenham in the first half, producing one save after another as the home team generated a dozen efforts at goal, seven of them on target.

The first of them fizzed across the turf from Pape Matar Sarr. The clearest of them engineered by Yves Bissouma with explosive pace from a standing start on the edge of the penalty box to carve through the yellow shirts of Sheffield United.

Bissouma found himself with on angle with only the goalkeeper to beat but could not find a way past Foderingham, who saved at his near post.

The visitors tested Tottenham’s patience in other ways. Twice in the first half, they had players down injured, first Vinicius Souza writhing around and holding his head. Then Foderingham stretching a hamstring, and in need of long periods of treatment.

On both occasions, Heckingbottom called the rest of the team over to take on water and talk tactics.

Postecoglou grumbled darkly at the fourth official and did so again, when only three minutes were added on at the end of the first half. During this period of stoppage time, Sheffield United ought to have taken the lead.

McBurnie was unmarked as he arrived on the penalty spot to meet a corner. He sprang up and made firm contact but directed his header straight into the hands of Guglielmo Vicario, on his line in the centre of his goal.

Sheffield United had taken a shock lead in the 73rd minute with Gustavo Hamer’s firing an effort in off the woodwork

Hamer’s effort provoked jubilant scenes in the away end as Sheffield United appeared on course for a first win of the season

Paul Heckingbottom’s side disrupted Tottenham’s rhythm and led to the home supporters becoming agitated in the ground

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS 

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Vicario 7; Porro 7 (Royal 90+5), Romero 7, Van de Ven 6.5 (Hojbjerg 90+5), Udogie 6; Sarr 6.5 (Richarlison 80, 7.5), Bissouma 7.5, Maddison 6.5; Kulusevski 8, Son 6 (Johnson 79, 7), Solomon 6.5 (Perisic 80, 7).

Subs: Forster, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Dier, Davies.

Goals: Richarlison 90+8, Kulusevski 90+10

Booked: Van der Ven, Maddison, Solomon

Manager: Ange Postecoglou 7.5

SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Foderingham 8.5; Basham 7, Ahmendhozic 7, Robinson 7; Bogle 7 (Trusty 86), Hamer 7 (Davies 81), Souza 7, McAtee 6.5 (Norwood 69, 6), Thomas 6; McBurnie 6.5, Archer 5.5. 

Subs: Davies, Trusty, Traore, Slimane, Larouci, Seriki

Goals: Hamer 73′

Booked: Basham, Archer, Foderingham, McBurnie, Robinson, Davies

Red cards: McBurnie

Manager: Paul Heckingbottom 7

Referee: Peter Bankes 6

Attendance: 61,706 

Two yards either side and the visitors would have been ahead.

From their only real chance. James McAtee had drawn a fine save from Vicario but the flag was up because the ball had been out before Jayden Bogle crossed. Earlier, Cameron Archer had accidently blocked a shot from his strike partner McBurnie.

There was more time-wasting controversy early in the second half when Foderingham was felled by a collision with Micky van de Ven. There was no question he took a genuine bang in the face and was entitled to treatment.

The home crowd, however, thought he was milking it when he took ages fastening his gloves and taking the free-kick. Foderingham was already on a yellow card having picked one up in the first half for handling outside his penalty box.

Referee Peter Bankes stood with his arms in the air pointing at his wristwatch. It became a sideshow with a life of its own. Sheffield United players fell down with cramp, the home crowd because agitated and the game lost all pattern.

If Heckingbottom came with a plan to disrupt Tottenham’s rhythms then he had succeeded.

At the same time, his defensive unit were pushed deeper but continued to hold firm. Cristian Romero flashed a header wide when he might have done better. Manor Solomon cut in and curled chance wide and there were penalty appeals of increasing desperation.

The Blades started to threaten more on the counterattack and won set-pieces, which caused Spurs did not always deal with efficiently.

Tottenham fans had complained throughout the match over alleged time-wasting from the visitors during several stoppages 

The delays during the second half had contributed to the officials adding 12 minutes of stoppage time to the end of the match 

Heckingbottom reorganised his Sheffield United side by the touchline during delays when Foderingham received treatment

The dramatic turnaround earned Tottenham a fourth straight Premier League victory under head coach Ange Postecoglou

Hamer struck from a long throw, hurled deep into the penalty area by centre half Jack Robinson. No-one touched it. McBurnie was closer than anyone but it bounced all the way to Hamer arriving at the back post.

The Dutch-Brazilian midfielder applied a terrific finish, guiding a half volley along the ground, across Vicario and into the net off the opposite post. It was his second goal since a summer move from Coventry.

Postecouglou made a triple change, including a debut for Brennan Johnson, who thought he had scored an equaliser when he brought down a long Bissouma pass with an immaculate touch and fired the ball past Foderingham.

Unfortunately for the new signing he was just offside. Richarlison, also on, headed over. Kulusevski was denied by Foderingham.

Then board showed 12 added minutes and Spurs went to work.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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