Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Tottenham's Christian Eriksen: Hull winner proves I can last 90 minutes

Christian Eriksen hopes his last-minute winner at Hull proved to coach Mauricio Pochettino he can star for Tottenham if he is allowed to play for 90 minutes.

Eriksen, 22, had been replaced at half-time in Spurs' two previous games against Aston Villa and Stoke, but stayed on at the KC Stadium and set up Harry Kane's equaliser with a free kick that hit the post before scoring the late decider to hand his side a 2-1 victory on Sunday.

The Denmark international felt it was his most important strike of the season, but admitted Spurs were fortunate to take all three points.

"Every player wants to play more than 45 minutes but it's the decision of the coach," he said. "You have to work hard. I had the chance today and I showed that 90 minutes is good for me.

"The last two games I was pulled out after 45 minutes. Luckily [at Hull] I got a little bit more. I tried to show the respect and the confidence to play a bit more.

"I am a player who loves to have the ball. I don't think you have anything of me if I don't have the ball. Luckily here I could get the ball a lot and I tried to create some good chances. At the end luckily we got the three points."

Hull midfielder Gaston Ramirez was dismissed 50 minutes into Sunday's game, and Eriksen felt the momentum went with Spurs following the red card.

"In the first half they showed a lot of character and pressed us very hard," he said. "In the second half it was a different game. Of course we had a bit of luck with the sending off but then we had more possession and more chances."

Eriksen, a 2013 signing from Ajax, accepts Spurs have to be more consistent and put in better performances if they are to qualify for next season's Champions League.

"We need to improve, because we have some good games and bad games," he added. "When we become more stable, we will have a good season.

"A lot of players still need to find our way, me as well. Now we've had one game and we have to build on that."

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