Story highlights
Tottenham rallies to beat Southampton 3-2 in the English Premier League
It was caretaker Tim Sherwood's first league game in charge
Previously out-of-favor striker Emmanuel Adebayor scores twice for Spurs
Everton moves into the top four after beating Swansea 2-1 on the road
Tim Sherwood said he wants to become Tottenham’s next permanent manager. Beating Southampton in his first league game in charge as caretaker on Sunday wouldn’t have hurt his chances.
And not only did Spurs win, but they did so in style, rallying to edge the struggling Saints 3-2 away from home.
It was the first time Tottenham scored three goals in an English Premier League match this season and the lack of goals was one of the reasons Andre Villas-Boas got the sack last week.
“I really enjoyed it today, but one swallow does not make a summer,” Sherwood, a former England midfielder, told Sky Sports.
Sherwood threw caution to the wind and fielded an attacking lineup, starting strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado – Villas-Boas usually just played with one up front – as well as Erik Lamela and Gylfi Sigurdsson.
“I like to set teams up like that,” said Sherwood. “There are no rules, there are different ways to win a football match. You have to do what you believe.”
The previously out-of-favor Adebayor scored twice, adding to his strike in the League Cup under Sherwood, and Tottenham was in charge after drawing level in the first half.
Tottenham reclaimed seventh from Manchester United and trails new league-leader Liverpool by six points. The top five in England are separated by a mere three points.
“I am very happy for the new manager,” Adebayor, who has also lined up for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal, told Sky. “First day he told me to, ‘Get out there and play football, you know how to do it because of the clubs you have played for.’”
Adam Lallana gave Southampton the lead in the 13th minute with a long-range effort but Tottenham wasn’t behind for long.
Adebayor volleyed Soldado’s cross in the 25th minute and central defender Jos Hooiveld scored into his own net under pressure in the penalty box early in the second half.
Southampton, against the run of play, equalized when Lallana set up Rickie Lambert for a tap in before Adebayor’s winner in the 64th minute.
Soldado, who like Lamela has struggled since a big money move in the summer, then squandered three good opportunities but Southampton failed to make Tottenham pay.
Once occupying a Champions League spot, Southampton is now ninth and winless in its last six.
Everton moved into fourth, ahead of Chelsea, when it beat Swansea 2-1 later Sunday. Ross Barkley scored the winner with a stunning free kick in the 85th minute.
The Toffees have the fewest losses in the league under newish boss Roberto Martinez – one.
On Monday, Arsenal hosts Chelsea. The Gunners need to win to leapfrog Liverpool and head the standings at Christmas.
