Van de Ven’s rocket was the catalyst for Tottenham to turn a hesitant first-half performance into a commanding one. Hey, Micky, you’re so fine – that line provided a lone excursion into the top 10 for Toni Basil in 1982, but Van de Ven is no one-hit wonder. And in return, the top three will have a big say on Spurs’ top-four hopes. Back on the ground where he won only eight of his 17 games in charge of Tottenham – and he was a perfect fit for Spurs like a left glove on a right foot – Nuno Espirito Santo was hoping for a kinder hand from the football gods.

But Tottenham, who had conceded first in each of their last six home games, decided they were going to make the running this time. *Will Spurs secure a top-four finish? Have your say in the comments section*

Forest rock Murillo was only a yard wide with an audacious 70-yard missile which caught Guglielmo Vicario off his line, and five minutes later the Brazilian’s luck was out again. Timo Werner’s low cross was not destined to pick out another white shirt until Murillo turned it past his own keeper Matz Sels.

It should have been the cue for Tottenham to enjoy their own songs of praise when other congregations were dipping into their Low Sunday hymnbooks at evensong. But Forest dug in and pinched a deserved equaliser when New Zealand striker Wood turned Anthony Elanga’s low cross past Vicario for his 13th goal this season – his fourth in as many games. They should have gone ahead when Vicario could only parry Ryan Yates’ shot and Wood rifled the rebound against a post when it was easier to score. It proved a costly miss.

Brennan Johnson, facing his old club, and Heung-min Son were crowded out on the edge of the box, but Van de Ven had no such problem, lashing a left-foot howitzer past Sels before the Forest keeper could move, only his second goal for Tottenham. Six minutes later, substitute Rodrigo Bentancur flicked on Maddison’s cross and Pedro Porro slammed it home on the half-volley, sweet as you like. Defensively, Forest were now crumbling like a stock cube and they were fortunate not to sustain further damage to their goal difference and stay out of the bottom three above Luton. *Join our new WhatsApp community* *and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content.

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