Fernando Llorente scores controversial opener on return to Swansea as Tottenham continue their resurgence

Swansea City 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2: Llorente's early header and Dele Alli's late rebound saw off Carlos Carvalhal's side

(AFP/Getty Images)

It was a night when Tottenham Hotspur, well, just about kept their heads above water at a drenched Liberty Stadium. With Harry Kane initially rested, Fernando Llorente returned to Swansea City to inevitably score his first league goal for Spurs on his first league start, but the fact it came from a clearly offside position reflected the difficulties the home side had put them through up to then and why Mauricio Pochettino felt the need to bring his star striker off the bench. It was then that Kane produced one of the passes of the season to go with so many goals, setting up Dele Alli for a brilliant finish.

That move aside, Spurs were otherwise far from the level they have been at in the last few weeks, something all the more notable because they have had a longer rest than anyone over the Christmas period after their match against West Ham United was put back to Thursday. That won’t overly bother Pochettino because the ability to grind out results on grim nights such as this is as important as overwhelming sides in more suitable conditions, and it should also be some source of consolation for Swansea despite how complicated and congested things are above them at the bottom of the table. They couldn’t quite keep the positive results going after claiming that fine weekend 2-1 win at Watford in Carlos Carvalhal’s first game, but they did eventually get to the same level of performance to properly put it up to the top-six side. That they grew into the game at this time of the season, and forced Pochettino’s hand on Kane, was all the more admirable.

Dele Alli bundles home Tottenham's second goal (Getty)

It was all the more surprising given how they’d started. Spurs’ first goal should have been disallowed but no one could quite say it was undeserved, given their pressure up to then had been as heavy as the rain lashing down on the Liberty Stadium. It wasn’t unpredictable, either, as regards either the player or the manner of it. Whatever the laws of the game, there were also the laws of the returning ex-player as Llorente scored a header just a few yards from goal from a well-struck Christian Eriksen free-kick.

The curiosity was how Swansea so abruptly picked up on the half-hour, as if Carvalhal had been attempting some form of rope-a-dope on the night. They were suddenly surging at Spurs, giving them real problems, forcing Hugo Lloris into difficult – but ultimately assertive – catches and claims on what was a particularly difficult night for goalkeepers.

It was also a difficult night for officials, and Bobby Madley maybe made another decision Swansea could complain about just after half-time. Such was the extent of their attacking that they forced Davinson Sanchez into a second clumsy tackle on Martin Olsson, but this one didn’t bring the second booking for the Colombian that it might have warranted.

Dele Alli and Harry Kane celebrate after combining for Spurs' second (Getty)

Spurs were again fortunate, and it was probably not a coincidence that Mauricio Pochettino immediately removed Sanchez for the returning Victor Wanyama. It was conspicuous, however, that the Argentine was so conscious of what Swansea were doing that he eventually decided to bring on Kane for Llorente on 67 minutes.

It was just then that Spurs endured their biggest scare. An offside Jordan Ayew was waved through – both by the officials and the opposition defence – to get around Hugo Lloris, only for Wanyama to clear, with Mike van der Hoorn then hitting the post with a header from the consequent corner.

It was just when things were getting tense, though, that Kane supplied that terrific pass. He found Alli with a brilliant arching ball, and Alli found the net.

Heavy weather of it, sure, and not just the conditions.