Tottenham’s injury crisis has suddenly thrust Eidur Gudjohnsen in the centre stage. He did not disappoint. With Jermain Defoe out with a torn hamstring, Gudjohnsen was named on the bench and, when Roman Pavlyuchenko felt a hamstring in the first half, he came on to score Tottenham’s first, then set up a late winner for Niko Kranjcar.
Redknapp said: “Gudjohnsen is a top player. He made the wrong move going to Monaco in the summer. It’s a nice place to live, but people go there to retire. Football-wise, there is no atmosphere.
‘He didn’t enjoy it and was going to sign for West Ham in January, but his agent rang up and said he would prefer to come to Spurs. He has fantastic ability and he is going to be important for us now.”
There was some football to behold after the break and, in the opening minute, Gudjohnsen cleverly chested down to Peter Crouch, then hared off to receive a return pass. Crouch delivered with a well-timed dab of his extended leg and Gudjohnsen was strong enough to hold off Abdoulaye Faye and lash a finish past Thomas Sorensen into the roof of the net. Stoke were reduced to 10 men with Dean Whitehead sent off for a foul on Luka Modric after 49 minutes.
Home side’s undoubted spirit came to the fore again and they equalised from Matthew Etherington’s penalty, after Benoit Assou-Ekotto jumped into Dave Kitson.
Spurs restored their lead with 13 minutes remaining. Gudjohnsen dummied Assou-Ekotto’s low cross from the left and Kranjcar arrived unmarked at the far post to fire home.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: “Harry’s squad is strong enough to fight on two fronts — the FA Cup and a Champions League place.”
   
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