Ange Postecoglou’s side made it two wins from two in the Premier League with a battling display at the City Ground.’

Tottenham Hotspur won once again in the Premier League on Friday night, battling hard to secure a 2-0 victory against a spirited Nottingham Forest side at the City Ground.

Steve Cooper is under pressure having now endured a sixth successive match without a win, but Ange Postecoglou has soaked up problems of his own across recent weeks and appears to have settled the equilibrium after a testing spell.

Dejan Kulusevski & Richarlison’s games in numbers

Richarlison gave Tottenham the lead in the late stage of the first half, heading his side in front after a curling cross from the excellent Dejan Kulusevski, who couldn’t resist doubling the Lilywhites’ lead with a thumping effort after the hour mark.

As per Sofascore, Kulusevski complemented his direct contributions with a 93% pass success rate, three key passes, five duels and two tackles – very much the all-encompassing engine.

Richarlison, by comparison, only took 19 touches all game and struggled to make much of a sustained impact, though this hardly matters given that he did his job and gave his team the lead after a competitive opening.

The Brazilian might have struggled to influence the play after his headed effort, but he has seemingly rekindled his Midas touch in front of goal and will prove to be an invaluable tool for Postecoglou as Spurs look to reclaim a place in the top four.

The forwards both impressed, but the efforts of Cristian Romero in the rearguard were just as important, with the tough-tackling titan hailed for his “outstanding” display by one analyst.

Cristian Romero was “outstanding” vs Forest

Romero’s importance to Postecoglou’s team cannot be understated; having seen red against Chelsea to kick the recent struggles off, Romero missed the next three matches and Spurs failed to win each time.

Scoring against West Ham United on his return, the Argentine World Cup winner has since provided a menacing presence in front of Guglielmo Vicario’s goal to provide his peers with the goods, simply sublime against Cooper’s side.

Making five clearances, blocking two shots and winning two tackles, Romero also won five duels and only lost possession eight times despite taking 94 touches. It was a commanding performance and a wonderful reminder of the defence’s enhancement when he is in on the action and importantly, disciplined too.

Football.london’s Alasdair Gold was delighted with his display, handing him an 8/10 match rating and writing:

‘Bailed out Sarr with an early booming challenge after the young midfielder had given the ball to Yates on his way to goal. Perhaps got away with one challenge that might have brought that fifth yellow card but he was important in Spurs keeping their clean sheet.’

Nottingham Forest valiantly fought to stifle the visitors and alleviate the pressure on manager Cooper’s shoulders, but it wasn’t to be and Tottenham underlined their Champions League credentials with a gritty victory.

While the flair and pizzazz that Spurs boast is something that wows fans and wins matches, the old footballing adage comes into play here: it is the feats of colossus Romero that will ensure Postecoglou realises his lofty ambitions at the club.

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