LEEDS, England -- A 79th-minute Noah Okafor goal gave Leeds United all three points from their clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as the visitors' three-match winning streak was brought to an abrupt end.
As well as bringing Spurs back down to earth after the highs of recent weeks, Okafor's goal snapped Leeds' five-game winless run.
The match's decisive moment came after a first half that was notable only for two decisions made by the officials at Stockley Park. First, the video assistant referee (VAR) decided against getting involved in a penalty shout for a Mateus Fernandes handball. They decided the cross from the far side had legally touched the Spurs midfielder's shoulder in an area the Premier League's match centre described as the "green zone" on X.
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VAR Tony Harrington also decided against recommending an on-field review for a wince-inducing challenge from Jayden Bogle on Mathys Tel which ended the Spurs winger's involvement in the match.
The incident added plenty of needle to what had previously been a relatively sleepy Saturday lunchtime kick off. It was an atmosphere shift that only benefitted the home crowd who delighted in seeing their team physically dominate their opposition from the capital who seemed short of ideas in attack.
A wayward shot from Ao Tanaka when he really should have scored was a sign of things to come and after a spell of intense Leeds pressure, Okafor smashed a loose ball in the Spurs box past Antonín Kinsky, 93 seconds after coming off the bench, to bring the good times back to Elland Road.
Spurs' creativity issues evident again
Much has been said about Spurs' recent surge up the table, but the upturn in results has, for the most part, come off the back of set-pieces and shots from range.
Their three goals against Coventry all came from shots from outside the penalty area, their goals against Chelsea was a bizarre Mike Penders punch into his own net and a Mathys Tel solo run and strike, and last week's win over Crystal Palace was won with two corners.
That lack of creativity was evident against Leeds where Spurs managed five shots with an xG of 0.33 in comparison to Leeds' 16 and xG of 2.
De Zerbi's decision to replace Pedro Porro, Omar Marmoush and Mateus Fernandes with Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Conor Gallagher with Spurs under the cosh just after the hour mark was notable in that James Maddison remained on the bench. The Spurs midfielder's match fitness perhaps had an impact on that decision, but nevertheless, the visitors' attack remained resolutely uninspiring after the triple change.
The introduction of Spurs wonderkid Luca Williams-Barnett with seven minutes of normal time remaining had little effect on a match that had been tipping Leeds' way since the half-time interval.
Should Bogle have been sent off for ugly challenge on Tel?
The Leeds fans weren't happy when Tel collapsed in a heap in front of the dugouts after being bundled into by Bogle. Replays, though, showed the Leeds full-back had planted his left foot onto the Spurs winger's ankle when trying to change direction and Tel's cries of pain were subsequently justified.
The 34th-minute incident was not too dissimilar to the one that got Jean-Philippe Mateta sent off against Spurs last Saturday when his studs crunched into Micky van de Ven's Achilles. Unlike on that day, though, VAR Harrington - after a long think about it -- decided against recommending an on-field review.
The Premier League's match centre later said on social media that they considered there to be "a lack of speed going into the challenge and he's stepping into the tackle. Confirming a reckless challenge."
Insult could have been added to injury for the visitors when Bogle almost grabbed an assist from an Nmecha header while Spurs were temporarily down to 10 men as Tel received further treatment. He was soon replaced by Dominic Solanke.
Bogle's tackle was an incident that draws opposite conclusions, depending on your allegiance. Those of a Spurs persuasion will say Bogle was out of control and could have caused Tel serious injury. Leeds fans will agree with the officials' depiction of the incident as "reckless" but not intentionally dangerous.
Leeds rely on Elland Road home comforts
Leeds' winless run had obscured a home record that should perhaps have made Saturday's result over an in-form Spurs team seem more of a foregone conclusion than it first appeared.
Daniel Farke's team are now unbeaten in their last nine Premier League home games -- their longest run in the top-flight since a 15-game streak between January and December 2001.
Following an opening half-hour remarkable for its lack of consequential match action, the Elland Road crowd was finally given something to shout about when Tel was crocked by Bogle. The merits of the incident mattered little to the home supporters who already had the feeling their team had been on the thin end of decisions made by referee John Brooks.
After they had found their voice and Okafor had later found the back of the net, there was little way back for a Tottenham team that remains unable to react to a setback.
Spurs are now winless in their last 39 Premier League games after conceding first (51 in all competitions). Among teams currently in the top flight, it's Leeds who have the next longest active streak in the Premier League, having gone winless in the last 18 PL games after conceding first. The first goal was always going to be crucial in this one.
Team lineups
Leeds: James Trafford, James Justin, Nico Elvedi, Tarik Muharemovic, Jayden Bogle (Joe Rodon 90+3), Ethan Ampadu (c), Ao Tanaka (Harry Wilson 77), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Maxim De Cuyper Bard 45), Sean Longstaff (Ilia Gruev 90+3), Lukas Nmecha (Noah Okafor 77), Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Unused subs: Michael Zetterer, Daniel James, Brenden Aaronson, Jaka Bijol.
Tottenham: Antonín Kinsky, Pedro Porro (Dejan Kulusevski 65), Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven (c), Andy Robertson, Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes (Conor Gallagher 65), Archie Gray, Mohammed Kudus (Luca Williams-Barnett 83), Omar Marmoush (Rodrigo Bentancur 65), Mathys Tel (Dominic Solanke 43).
Unused subs: Luca Gunter, Marcos Senesi, James Maddison, Ben Davies.
Player of the Match: Tarik Muharemovic