Tottenham finally snapped their international break curse with a 2-1 victory at Elland Road, edging past Leeds United to move within touching distance of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Lilywhites had lost their previous seven fixtures immediately before a mid-season pause, a miserable run stretching back to October 2023 (h/t Sky Sports). At Elland Road, though, Thomas Frank’s men found a way through, even if both of their goals carried a slice of fortune. Mathys Tel opened the scoring with a deflected strike before Noah Okafor equalised with a poacher’s finish. With the game finely balanced, Mohammed Kudus struck late on, his effort again diverting off Pascal Struijk to seal the victory.

Incredibly enough, the 25-year-old Ghanaian’s performance was about far more than luck. Kudus registered both a goal and an assist in the same Premier League match for only the second time in his career, the first coming during his West Ham days against Newcastle in March 2024.

https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1974457155941269523

What sets Kudus apart is his ability to slot seamlessly across the front line or even drop into midfield when required. Against Leeds, he drifted wide to create space for Tel, tucked in centrally to link play with Xavi Simons, and showed...