Doors. Scores. Scott Robson. Of course.

***

Martin Dúbravka – 7. Made a couple of saves, but throughout the game, despite a lot of Tottenham possession, he didn’t have much to do.

Jacob Murphy – 8. Excellent performance in an unfamiliar role. The first 15 minutes he looked nervous but once he got going, he did a great job covering and getting us forward. Deserved the standing ovation when he went off.

Emil Krafth – 8. The key to Krafth having a good game is when you don’t really know he’s there. Like a few players, he looked nervous as part of a back three at the start but he grew into the game and almost squeezed in a rare goal near the end. If that had gone in, Spurs’ players may as well have gone with their supporters.

Fabian Schär – 8. Another top class performance at the back and a perfect header for his goal. Actually seemed to get us going as a team with a run from the back which got us out of trouble in the opening quarter. The crowd got up, we soon scored and Schär should really get an assist for that. He almost did with a long ball for Isak which was superbly blocked. Howe can trust Schär to be the ball player in an unfamiliar formation. Our former manager should take note.

Dan Burn – 8. The fact I didn’t notice the potentially dangerous Johnson was even playing said it all. Burn played him like he’s played the others since he went back natural – with a likeable mixture of poise and brute strength. Great header in the build up to Gordon’s goal and after a few times this season when the opposite was the case, he looks like he’s really enjoying himself.

Sean Longstaff – 8. When the cogs are working perfectly, Longstaff can be as effective as anyone as the player who keeps the ball moving and one who condenses the space the opposing team has. This was one of those days. A much needed return to form for a player whose hands Tottenham really played into.

Bruno Guimarães – 8. Longstaff’s re-emergence meant less to worry about for Bruno who really revelled in this mauling and Romero was getting it in the ear as he was subbed. Two magnificent passes stick out in my mind, the one for Gordon’s first and the backspin one up the right in the second half. Obviously he sometimes tried too much, that goes without saying, but he was generally excellent today.

Elliot Anderson – 8. One major under the radar boost has been Anderson’s return. The first half saw an excellent turn and run down the left which should have led to a goal and he was influential to everything we did down that side. Just gives us more than Willock right now and it’s all the more reason to keep Willock in rehab when you’ve got Anderson playing as he is.

Anthony Gordon – 9 . If ever a season was summed up by one performance, it was this. Gordon was imperious today. What pleased me the most was his press. I stopped counting the times he was the man pushing us forward and them back. That will impress Howe as much as the two assists and the beautifully finished goal. Tottenham didn’t know what to do with him at either end of the pitch.

Alexander Isak – 8. The first player since Shearer to hit twenty goals in the top flight, and my god you can see why. From the second the ball left his foot for the first, you knew where it was ending up. Could have had a couple more in the first half as Spurs’ zonal marking inexplicably left the most lethal player on the pitch in acres of space. He made amends by racing clear and finishing the game at three nil. That finish was cold and calculated. Classic Isak.

Harvey Barnes – 7. Headed wide with a decent first half chance and despite a lot of running and willing, it wasn’t really his day.

SUBSTITUTES

Tino Livramento, for Murphy 78 minutes – 6. Almost made an immediate impact with a right side run but nothing came as Isak lurked menacingly.

Matt Ritchie, for Barnes 89 minutes.

Lewis Hall, for Anderson 89 minutes.

Paul Dummett, for Schär 90 minutes. No WWF moves today.

And…

Eddie Howe – 10. What a tactical masterclass from Howe. The accusation from some quarters is the lack of action when plan A isn’t working.

Well, today Howe played the three centre halves with two unfamiliar wing backs and it really unnerved Tottenham. The media, who fawn over his opposite number, won’t mention it at all but Howe crushed them with that tight back five and the press was incredible.

A round of applause for someone we probably don’t appreciate enough.

Scott Robson