Report: Tottenham fightback gives Conte lift-off
Tottenham needed a second-half fightback to launch Antonio Conte's reign in charge with a 2-1 win over Leeds.
Tottenham needed a second-half fightback to launch Antonio Conte's reign in charge with a 2-1 win over Leeds.
A severely depleted Leeds remain just two points above the relegation zone after threatening to spoil Conte's first home league game since he replaced Nuno Espirito Santo.
Tottenham had not even managed a shot on target in their previous two league matches and there was little change for the first 45 minutes.
Even without key men Raphinha and Patrick Bamford, a youthful Leeds were well worth their 1-0 half-time lead thanks to Daniel James' first goal for the club.
Harry Kane scored back-to-back hat-tricks for England during the international break, but has still netted just once in the Premier League this season.
Kane was denied in a one-on-one with Illan Meslier and Son Heung-min's deflected shot came off the bar as Spurs improved after the break.
But the goals came from unfamiliar sources as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's scuffed shot found the bottom corner to level just before the hour-mark.
Sergio Reguilon then grabbed the winner with his first Spurs goal after Eric Dier's deflected free-kick came back off the post.
A first win in four league games takes Tottenham above Manchester United, who sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday, up to seventh in the table and within four points of the top four.
"This is a point to start. I say this to my players, they need to understand if we want it, we can do it," said Conte, who highlighted the change in his side's intensity after half-time.
"In the second half we changed something tactically and also we wanted to play with the same intensity as Leeds, higher up the pitch."