Tottenham held to draw by ten-man Fulham

A week after their stunning 4-0 victory over Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur faltered at home against Fulham, settling for a 1-1 draw. Despite Brennan Johnson’s opener, a spectacular equalizer from Fulham’s Tom Cairney—who was later sent off—denied Spurs a chance to climb to sixth place in the Premier League standings. Fulham, currently tenth, proved resilient in a match dominated by defensive errors and standout performances from both goalkeepers.

Missed opportunities in a first-half goalkeeper duel

Tottenham started brightly, but their early chances came largely from Fulham’s defensive missteps. A misplaced pass from Calvin Bassey gifted Timo Werner an opportunity to set up Son Heung-min, but the South Korean’s shot was blocked by the outstretched leg of Bernd Leno. Minutes later, another error from Fulham’s backline saw Antonee Robinson underhit a pass to Leno, forcing the goalkeeper to scramble and deny Son once again.

Fulham wasn’t without opportunities of their own. Kenny Tete’s pinpoint cross found Raúl Jiménez in the box, but the Mexican striker’s powerful shot was stopped by Fraser Forster, deputizing for the injured Guglielmo Vicario. Forster’s quick reactions were matched by Leno at the other end, as the Fulham keeper tipped a Radu Dragusin header over the bar with a brilliant save. Dragusin, filling in for the still-sidelined Micky van de Ven, nearly gave Tottenham the lead, but Leno was equal to the task. The first half continued as a showcase for both goalkeepers. Alex Iwobi saw his curling effort pushed onto the crossbar by Forster, while James Maddison’s clever low free kick struck the post, leaving both teams frustrated heading into the break.

Johnson breaks the deadlock, but Cairney responds

Tottenham found the breakthrough shortly after halftime. A well-worked team move ended with Timo Werner delivering a precise cross to the far post, where Brennan Johnson arrived to calmly slot the ball into the net with his inside foot. The goal gave Spurs a 1-0 lead and seemed to put them in control. However, Fulham grew into the game, even as tensions rose. Sasa Lukic escaped a second yellow card for a reckless challenge, and the visitors took full advantage of their good fortune. In the 68th minute, Iwobi displayed excellent vision to find substitute Tom Cairney, who unleashed a left-footed strike into the far corner, leveling the match at 1-1.

Cairney’s red card changes the dynamic

Cairney’s evening took a turn for the worse just minutes later. A reckless tackle on Dejan Kulusevski left the Tottenham winger writhing in pain, prompting a VAR review. The referee upgraded Cairney’s yellow card to a straight red, reducing Fulham to ten men for the final stretch of the match. Despite the numerical advantage, Tottenham struggled to break down Fulham’s resolute defense. Late efforts from Son and Maddison failed to find the target, leaving Spurs frustrated at full time.

Implications for both teams

The draw leaves Tottenham in seventh place, unable to capitalize on Nottingham Forest’s loss earlier in the weekend. Ange Postecoglou’s side will be disappointed by their inability to replicate the attacking fluidity that dismantled Manchester City just a week ago. For Fulham, the point was hard-earned and keeps them firmly in the middle of the table. While Cairney’s red card will rule him out of future fixtures, the midfielder’s stunning equalizer was a highlight in an otherwise gritty performance. Tottenham must now regroup as they aim to stay in contention for European qualification, while Fulham will look to build on this result as they continue their steady campaign.