Tottenham Hotspur had to settle for one point against Leicester City in the Premier League opener at King Power Stadium. The Lilywhites started the game with fantastic attacks and interplays but failed to convert their chances until the 29th minute.
James Maddison created a beautiful assist for Pedro Porro to convert the chance and give a deserving lead to Spurs. Ange Postecoglou’s side continued their dominance coming into the second half but Leicester scored an equalizer against the run of play.
The host got their goal when a poor lapse of concentration in defence allowed Jamie Vardy to exploit free space. Postecoglou tried to halt Leicester’s resurgence with substitutions, but the game opened up too much for Spurs.
Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a serious injury in the 78th minute, causing tremendous worry to all viewers. The 27-year-old received treatment for the concussion for many minutes as fans prayed for his quick recovery.
The severity of that injury was visible in the face of every player as the coverage hid the treatment zone. Bentancur gained consciousness and received oxygen treatment before getting stretchered off for Archie Gray for the rest of the game.
The situation allowed Postecoglou to use the new rules for making unlimited substitutions for concussion-related injuries (via IFAB’s site). The substitution, known as a “concussion substitution,” can occur at any time during the game following a concussion incident.
The new rule allowed Postecoglou to make two more substitutions after bringing in Gray as their fitness level is low. Bentancur has a strong fanbase at Tottenham and they want him to succeed, putting his past injury issues behind them.
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Furthermore, with the suspension of Yves Bissouma, they want Bentancur to establish himself as a formidable option for the midfield. The Lilywhites will play Everton next in the Premier League showdown but Bentancur’s availability is very uncertain at the moment. Spurs are in the market to sign an “all-round” midfielder to compete and secure a starting spot.
