Eriksen double helps Tottenham turnaround Sunderland

Early saves keep Sunderland in it

Spurs swiftly established themselves into the ascendancy, with Harry Kane forcing Black Cats goalie Pickford into an early fingertip save from Dembele’s lay-off.

Poor Sunderland defending from a corner allowed England striker Kane to tee-up club and country teammate Dele Alli, but he blazed over the bar.

Tottenham had muted penalty appeals twice against John O’Shea turned down with Kane and Alli going to ground in the Black Cats’ box. Erik Lamela later lashed a cross-shot wide.

Shock lead doesn’t last long

Van Aanholt’s opener came against the run of play five minutes before half-time, then. Adam Johnson’s perceptive through-ball found the Dutch full back, who survived a hint of offside to slot home from a tight angle past Hugo Lloris.

That Sunderland lead lasted little more than 90 seconds, however, as Spurs levelled after Pickford smothered from Kane. The loose ball fell to Eriksen and the Dane found the empty net, beating Lee Cattermole on the line who couldn’t clear the effort.

Eriksen almost scored again to bring about a Tottenham turnaround, but Pickford turned his latest effort behind at full-stretch. Jermain Defoe, facing his former club here, fired just wide on a rare Black Cats counter early in the second-half.

Second-half collapse costs Sunderland share of spoils

An Alli header back across goal from Lamela’s diagonal ball dropped wide before consistent pressure on the Sunderland net finally told on the hour mark.

Kane’s strike was palmed behind by Pickford, who then parried from Danny Rose when his defence failed to clear the resultant corner. The loose ball fell to Dembele and he worked an opening to fire Spurs ahead.

Eriksen struck again seven minutes later, increasing Tottenham’s lead courtesy of a big deflection off Kirchhoff when rifling in from 25 yards. The giant German then chopped Rose down in the area, leading to a stonewall penalty coolly converted by Kane into the far corner.

Spurs are now just four points off leaders Arsenal, and thus remain dark horses in the Premier League title race.

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