N’Koudou’s pinpoint cross provided a stoppage time assist for Harry Winks on Sunday
It’s fair to say that Georges-Kévin N’Koudou has become something of a forgotten man at Tottenham – as his tweet on Sunday night suggested.
The 23-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Burnley but has found first team chances few and far between since returning to Spurs in the summer. But for another injury problem for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad – this time to Dele Alli – N’Koudou probably wouldn’t have been on the field to deliver the match-winning assist at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
Having fallen behind to Fulham courtesy of an early Fernando Llorente own goal, Spurs had levelled through Alli’s header after the break. The England international later left the field through injury, replaced by N’Koudou.
Then, with the three minutes of injury time all but up, the Frenchman delivered the perfect cross into the Fulham penalty area, allowing Winks to nod home a last-gasp winner from close range.
It was a goal that just about keeps any faint title hopes alive but definitely helps tighten Spurs’ grip on qualification for next season’s Champions League.
For N’Koudou, it was a nice way to mark his first league appearance for the club since October 2017. Following full-time, he marked it with a tweet to reintroduce himself to the Tottenham faithful.
Helloooo u remember me ? 🙈🙈 #COYS
— GK NKoudou ⚡️ (@gknkoudou) January 20, 2019
Unsurprisingly, the tweet has since been widely shared by Spurs fans.
Whether N’Koudou’s contribution is enough to earn him more minutes in the weeks ahead remains to be seen. What is clear, though, is that his side are light in the forward positions. Along with Alli, Spurs are without Harry Kane, who picked up an ankle injury in the closing stages of their defeat to Manchester United. Son Heung-min, also a key player this season, is unavailable due to being on international duty.
