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Attendance: 31,467

Premier League

Dec 18, 2016 at 4pm UK

Spurs Tottenham Hotspur
2-1
Burnley

Alli (27'), Rose (71')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Barnes (21')

Tottenham Hotspur recover against Burnley to close gap on top four

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 18 December 2016

Dele Alli and Danny Rose score to help Tottenham Hotspur recover from an early deficit against Burnley, earning a 2-1 win to close the gap on the top four.

Tottenham Hotspur have bounced back from a goal down to beat Burnley 2-1 at White Hart Lane and close to within one point of the Premier League's top four.

The Lilywhites trailed to a scrappy Ashley Barnes strike, giving them hope of a first top-flight win on their travels this term, only for Dele Alli and Danny Rose to rescue the win for the hosts to keep them on track.

Defeat for Arsenal against Manchester City elsewhere on Sunday evening ensures that Tottenham are now in touching distance of a Champions League berth, while at the same time maintaining their impressive unbeaten home run since the start of the season.

Spurs were enjoying plenty of the ball in the opening stages of the match, seeing one Christian Eriksen shot blocked aside, but Burnley should have taken the lead when Hugo Lloris was needed to pull off a fine save to deny Andre Gray.

Normal service was soon resumed when Tottenham knocked on the door and came close through a Harry Winks drive, which was hit straight at Tom Heaton between the sticks.

A shock was on the cards 21 minutes in after Barnes bundled the ball over the line from close range, however - just the second goal the Clarets have scored on their travels all season.

Alli converted from a Kyle Walker cross six minutes later to level things up, though, and Heaton kept out a goalbound Michael Keane clearance as momentum soon began to swing in the hosts' favour.

Heaton was again needed to keep out Harry Kane just before half time, while Victor Wanyama was also thwarted by the inspired Englishman to ensure that Burnley were level at the break.

It was all one-way traffic in the opening stages of the second half, too, as Eriksen twice came close and Alli sent a curled shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Tottenham's frustrations did not last too much longer, as Moussa Sissoko - who Burnley felt should have been shown a red for a late challenge on Stephen Ward - slipped through Rose who smashed it home from the angle with his left foot, giving Spurs a lead that they would not relinquish.

Mauricio Pochettino's men could not muster any more clear-cut chances in the remainder of the match, but neither did they give Burnley a sniff of an equaliser as they saw things through for a second victory in four days.