Jaime Carragher believes Tottenham should be content with one point after Leeds draw.
Jamie Carragher has performed a remarkable about-turn on Tottenham’s chances of survival, suggesting the point earned against Leeds United will feel considerably better upon reflection, and reserving special praise for Antonin Kinsky after a display that the Sky Sports pundit described as containing one of the saves of the season.
Carragher had been among the more vocal sceptics regarding Tottenham’s ability to avoid relegation, famously stating that Spurs should not get their hopes up despite the improving picture around them. Monday night’s draw did nothing to change the mathematics significantly, but the manner in which the point was secured appears to have shifted his perspective on what this Tottenham side is now capable of.
The Czech goalkeeper was the undisputed hero of the evening, producing two saves of the highest quality that prevented what could have been a damaging defeat and instead preserved a point that keeps Spurs two points above the relegation zone with two games remaining.
Carragher lauded the performance Tottenham goalie Antonin Kinsky
Carragher was particularly struck by Kinsky’s save from Stuart Longstaff, which cannoned off the crossbar in a moment that would have been utterly devastating had it gone in. Speaking to BBC Sport, Carragher said:
“I think that point will feel a lot better in the morning, when they reflect on the game. You think of the save from the keeper Kinsky from Longstaff onto the bar, that is one of the saves of the season. The two saves he made, one in the first half and one in the second, has made sure his team have got what could be a vital point.”
The description of it as one of the saves of the season from a pundit of Carragher’s experience and credibility carries enormous weight. Kinsky’s journey this season has been one of the most extraordinary individual narratives in the Premier League, from the catastrophic Champions League debut against Atletico Madrid (1/10 rating) that left his confidence in ruins and his future at the club in serious doubt, to a series of increasingly assured performances under De Zerbi that have culminated in match-winning contributions at the most pressurised moments of the campaign.
The context of Carragher’s assessment is also significant given his recent pessimism about Tottenham’s chances. A pundit who predicted relegation is now talking about a potentially vital point secured through world-class goalkeeping. That shift in tone reflects the genuine transformation De Zerbi has overseen since his arrival, and the growing sense that a club once written off by virtually everyone outside of north London is finding a way to survive against the odds.
Two games remain. The job is not done. But Kinsky’s heroics on Monday night have ensured it remains in Tottenham’s hands.