Tottenham 2-0 Birmingham
Birmingham found no Christmas cheer at White Hart Lane as Tottenham ground out a 2-0 Boxing Day victory that keeps the Blues rooted in relegation trouble.
Robbie Keane's second-half penalty and a rifled effort from Jermain Defoe in stoppage time settled the points for Tottenham, whose Champions League charge remains on track.
To compound Birmingham's eighth defeat in 10 Premiership games, Muzzy Izzet was sent off for two bookable offences - the second a blatant dive in search of a penalty.
The fare on offer was desperate, though, and the atmosphere similarly muted. Tottenham's creative edge, which has brought nine goals in their last three games, was dulled.
Jiri Jarosik forced the first of two excellent saves from Paul Robinson, when he stole in to get a touch at the near post and the England keeper turned the ball behind for a corner.
Maik Taylor then matched Robinson's early effort with an excellent point-blank save from a thundering Ledley King drive.
Fortunately, things livened up considerably after the interval. Robinson pulled off another superb reflex stop to deny Julian Gray and Mido then deflected Matthew Upson's powerful header over the bar.
Tottenham survived Birmingham's quick start and then found their breakthrough. Upson was penalised for holding back Keane in the box and the Irishman stepped up to calmly side-foot his spot-kick past Taylor, who dived the wrong way.
Birmingham were reduced to 10 men when Izzet, in desperate search of a penalty, was booked for diving in the Tottenham area and given his marching orders.
Spurs dealt comfortably as Birmingham heaved balls into the box - and then hit them brutally on the counter-attack in injury time.
Jenas sent Defoe clear into the Birmingham half. He raced into the area and fired his shot past Taylor and into the roof of the net.
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce described referee Phil Dowd's decision to send off Muzzy Izzet in the Blues' 2-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at White Hart Lane as 'pathetic'.
Izzett was booked in the first half and then given his marching orders for a second yellow card after 65 minutes when referee Dowd judged he had dived in search of a penalty.
It was the second crucial penalty decision of the game to have gone against Birmingham, who turned in a determined display but remain rooted in the relegation zone.
Bruce felt his side had enjoyed the better of the game until Robbie Keane put Tottenham ahead from the penalty spot after referee Dowd ruled he had been impeded by Matthew Upson.
Seven minutes later Izzet was dismissed and as Birmingham chased the game with 10 men, Jermain Defoe struck on the counter-attack to seal the victory for Spurs.
'To say I was disappointed in the decisions is an understatement. Muzzy was booked in the first half for absolutely nothing. Then he was sent off for a so-called dive - but if anybody made a meal of getting a penalty today it was Robbie Keane,' said Bruce.
'I usually have the utmost respect for that referee but today he was poor. He couldn't wait to get the red card out of his pocket.
'Muzzy Izzet is one of the best professionals I have worked with. He has gone over but he hasn't looked for a penalty, he hasn't thrown himself away.
'We think there is contact there. Muzzy felt there was contact, but he doesn't know if he did it himself.
'I can't say too much because you know what happens. I'd love to sit here and tell you the way I have seen it, but I can't. I am skint at the minute and you know what will happen if I do. I have not had many bonuses lately and I don't want to be paying any fines.'
Birmingham battled hard and in a poor game created enough chances to have won. Paul Robinson pulled off excellent saves from Jiri Jarosik and Julian Gray while Emile Heskey planted a header wide.
Bruce was heartened by his side's performance but was once again left to rue their profligacy in front of goal.
'That was as good as we played for a long, long time. You can't come to Tottenham and not take your chances,' he said.
'But up until that penalty decision we were the better team by far. I thought we were positive. Paul Robinson pulled off two excellent saves. You must take your chances at this level.'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol left immediately after the game because he was not feeling well and the performance of his side was not one to settle the stomach.
Spurs lacked their usual fluidity, partly due to Birmingham's battling approach, but assistant boss Chris Hughton was delighted with the application his men showed.
'The pleasing thing for us is that we know we can play better but we came out winning the game,' he said.
'We expected a difficult game from them. They made quite a few changes and came looking to get something from the game.'
Hughton said he had not had a chance to review the controversial decisions on video but judging by the players' reactions he felt Keane deserved his penalty.
'Sometimes you look for reactions and we had enough players around who felt it was a penalty,' he said.
Ledley King pulled up with a slight groin strain and was replaced swiftly but immediate indications are that it is 'not too bad'.
Robbie Keane's second-half penalty and a rifled effort from Jermain Defoe in stoppage time settled the points for Tottenham, whose Champions League charge remains on track.
To compound Birmingham's eighth defeat in 10 Premiership games, Muzzy Izzet was sent off for two bookable offences - the second a blatant dive in search of a penalty.
The fare on offer was desperate, though, and the atmosphere similarly muted. Tottenham's creative edge, which has brought nine goals in their last three games, was dulled.
Jiri Jarosik forced the first of two excellent saves from Paul Robinson, when he stole in to get a touch at the near post and the England keeper turned the ball behind for a corner.
Maik Taylor then matched Robinson's early effort with an excellent point-blank save from a thundering Ledley King drive.
Fortunately, things livened up considerably after the interval. Robinson pulled off another superb reflex stop to deny Julian Gray and Mido then deflected Matthew Upson's powerful header over the bar.
Tottenham survived Birmingham's quick start and then found their breakthrough. Upson was penalised for holding back Keane in the box and the Irishman stepped up to calmly side-foot his spot-kick past Taylor, who dived the wrong way.
Birmingham were reduced to 10 men when Izzet, in desperate search of a penalty, was booked for diving in the Tottenham area and given his marching orders.
Spurs dealt comfortably as Birmingham heaved balls into the box - and then hit them brutally on the counter-attack in injury time.
Jenas sent Defoe clear into the Birmingham half. He raced into the area and fired his shot past Taylor and into the roof of the net.
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce described referee Phil Dowd's decision to send off Muzzy Izzet in the Blues' 2-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at White Hart Lane as 'pathetic'.
Izzett was booked in the first half and then given his marching orders for a second yellow card after 65 minutes when referee Dowd judged he had dived in search of a penalty.
It was the second crucial penalty decision of the game to have gone against Birmingham, who turned in a determined display but remain rooted in the relegation zone.
Bruce felt his side had enjoyed the better of the game until Robbie Keane put Tottenham ahead from the penalty spot after referee Dowd ruled he had been impeded by Matthew Upson.
Seven minutes later Izzet was dismissed and as Birmingham chased the game with 10 men, Jermain Defoe struck on the counter-attack to seal the victory for Spurs.
'To say I was disappointed in the decisions is an understatement. Muzzy was booked in the first half for absolutely nothing. Then he was sent off for a so-called dive - but if anybody made a meal of getting a penalty today it was Robbie Keane,' said Bruce.
'I usually have the utmost respect for that referee but today he was poor. He couldn't wait to get the red card out of his pocket.
'Muzzy Izzet is one of the best professionals I have worked with. He has gone over but he hasn't looked for a penalty, he hasn't thrown himself away.
'We think there is contact there. Muzzy felt there was contact, but he doesn't know if he did it himself.
'I can't say too much because you know what happens. I'd love to sit here and tell you the way I have seen it, but I can't. I am skint at the minute and you know what will happen if I do. I have not had many bonuses lately and I don't want to be paying any fines.'
Birmingham battled hard and in a poor game created enough chances to have won. Paul Robinson pulled off excellent saves from Jiri Jarosik and Julian Gray while Emile Heskey planted a header wide.
Bruce was heartened by his side's performance but was once again left to rue their profligacy in front of goal.
'That was as good as we played for a long, long time. You can't come to Tottenham and not take your chances,' he said.
'But up until that penalty decision we were the better team by far. I thought we were positive. Paul Robinson pulled off two excellent saves. You must take your chances at this level.'
Tottenham boss Martin Jol left immediately after the game because he was not feeling well and the performance of his side was not one to settle the stomach.
Spurs lacked their usual fluidity, partly due to Birmingham's battling approach, but assistant boss Chris Hughton was delighted with the application his men showed.
'The pleasing thing for us is that we know we can play better but we came out winning the game,' he said.
'We expected a difficult game from them. They made quite a few changes and came looking to get something from the game.'
Hughton said he had not had a chance to review the controversial decisions on video but judging by the players' reactions he felt Keane deserved his penalty.
'Sometimes you look for reactions and we had enough players around who felt it was a penalty,' he said.
Ledley King pulled up with a slight groin strain and was replaced swiftly but immediate indications are that it is 'not too bad'.
posted by dgarden at 8:24 am
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