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Eriksen keeps Tottenham's Premier League hopes alive

Christian Eriksen's goal wins Tottenham a tight game against Crystal Palace
Christian Eriksen's goal wins Tottenham a tight game against Crystal Palace

Christian Eriksen’s late long-range goal kept Tottenham’s title dreams alive as the visitors beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Sam Allardyce’s men were on a fine streak of form going into the match and seemed to have worked Tottenham out as the first half panned out without many talking points.

And the Eagles appeared destined to pick up another point against a high-flying Premier League side, only for Eriksen to step up with time running out and slam home a vicious, dipping strike.

It leaves Tottenham four points behind Antonio Conte’s Chelsea with five games remaining.

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The hosts, in imperious form after beating Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in recent weeks, fashioned early pressure and might have been ahead had any Palace player been on the end of Joel Ward’s cross into the six yard box.

Victor Wanyama almost had Spurs in front with a fine near-post flick, before Christian Benteke mis-hit a shot straight at Hugo Lloris.

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Toby Alderweireld, one of the visitors’ standout players this season, tried his luck from 30 yards to no avail, before Kyle Walker emulated his effort from the edge of the box by slamming into the crowd.

Tottenham were desperate for three points after Chelsea saw off Southampton on Tuesday night, and Danish midfielder Eriksen was next to try his luck with a rapid-fire treble of shots, but only managed to squeeze the last of those straight at goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

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But former Spurs man Andros Townsend nearly fired the Eagles in front after a scintillating run which saw the winger fire over the bar after beating two defenders.

Martin Kelly had to be alert to deflect Ben Davies’ wicked cross over his own goal minutes after the break, before the same man made a hash of a clearance from the resulting corner.

Dele Alli – a target for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, depending on who you believe – was next to fire at goal for Spurs, but struck wide.

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Palace have only lost one game in eight since mid-February, a revival which has been inspired in part by on-loan Liverpool man Mamadou Sakho, but the Frenchman was stretchered off with an injury ten minutes after the break.

But it was Alli who was guilty of the biggest miss of the game, with the marauding midfielder volleying wide of the far post from close range following a deep cross.

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The England international whipped another shot straight at Hennessey, before former Sheffield United man Walker fired wide.

Harry Kane might’ve done better when he was played into the box by Eriksen, but his cross was cleared behind by Kelly before Eric Dier nodded the resulting corner wide.

Kane, on 20 Premier League goals, could only head at Hennessey but it was Tottenham’s driving force, Eriksen, who broke the deadlock.

The Denmark international picked the ball up all of 30 yards out before slamming a shot into the bottom corner, beyond Hennessey, to send the visiting Spurs fans into raptures.

With less than ten minutes remaining, Kane nearly bagged a second, before centre back Alderweireld hit an effort on the turn just wide.

But Spurs held out comfortably enough in the remaining minutes as Mauricio Pochettino’s men earned a victory against a gritty Crystal Palace.