Spurs beat Brighton at Wembley and return to top four
Tottenham 2 Brighton 0
Serge Aurier’s first goal for the club and a Heung-Min Son header sent Tottenham back into the Premier League’s top four.
Aurier found the net in unorthodox fashion when an attempted cross sailed into the top corner on 40 minutes.
Erik Lamela, making his first start in over a year, in place of Dele Alli, and Harry Kane both saw shots hit the post in the second half as the visitors also threatened on the break.
But Son sealed a second successive win when he flicked a free-kick into the near corner for his eighth goal of the season.
Aurier’s strange opener will be remembered for some time but it was Lamela who was Spurs’ brightest attacking threat, full of energy and purpose after 13 months out and a double hip operation.
The Argentinian curled over from eight yards with his side’s best effort before Aurier was knocked by an opponent 25 yards out to the right and watched as his cross beat Mathew Ryan at the back post.
Hugo Lloris made a good save to deny Tomer Hemed as Brighton threatened to equalise after the interval, and Spurs went close when a deflected shot from Lamela struck the bottom of the post and a similar effort from Kane did the same.
Son was also lively and he took up a good position at the near post when he was found by Christian Eriksen’s free-kick and headed home the second on 87 minutes.
Tottenham: Lloris, Aurier, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Winks (Dembele 67), Sissoko, Lamela (Alli 74), Eriksen, Son (Davies 90), Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Foyth, Trippier, Llorente.
