Richarlison’s shirt-off celebration doomed Spurs – & not for the first time | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur’s fate was inevitable from the moment that Richarlison whipped off his shirt in delirious celebration.

A disappointing performance against one of the Premier League’s heavyweights had been redeemed by an illogical fightback, capped with a Richarlison goal in the game’s dying embers.

Having suffered more stick than most, the Brazilian was determined to milk his moment of redemption. It remains a very football phenomenon for grown men to show delight by ripping off their own clothes.

The Spurs fans loved it, lost in the moment in the cavernous stands. The ridicule that awaited them in offices and group chats had been erased by the kick of the football.

The only snag? The match wasn’t over. You don’t need to possess the imagination of Terry Pratchett to know the opposition went straight up the other end and snatched another goal at the death.

Towards the halfway line, the look on Richarlison’s face was exactly the same as the one family members used to warn would stay that way as a child.

For this to happen once would be unfortunate, an occupational hazard of playing for Spurs. To happen twice? Richarlison might just be cursed.

Yes, the striker suffered the same fate two-and-a-half years ago against Liverpool, drawing Spurs level at 3-3 only to see Diogo Jota score the winner seconds later.

And on an unseasonably warm lunchtime in November, Richarlison thought he’d capped a resilient fightback with the winner against Manchester United.

Most of the Spurs fans inside the stadium were seething that both Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons had been substituted before Richarlison.

His missed header in the first half was Spurs’ only notable chance before Mathys Tel grabbed a late equaliser.

Richarlison netted with the subtlest of flicks with his head; a shot came curling in from the edge of the box and the 28-year-old saw that it needed a finishing touch.

For most of the season, Richarlison had been a net negative in Spurs’ misfiring attack. Missing a penalty against Copenhagen, after wrestling the ball from young Dane Scarlett, was the nadir.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he ripped off his shirt and burst into tears of joy surrounded by whooping team-mates.

Such joy would inevitably be short-lived; his personal moment of redemption was wiped away as Matthjis de Ligt headed a deserved equaliser for United.

In truth, Spurs would’ve been flattered with all three points. This performance did nothing to ease doubts that Thomas Frank is the new Alan Curbishley.

Their last home win in the Premier League came on the opening day, when Burnley were beaten 4-0 in the sunny optimism of August.

When the frustration of drawing the match fades, perhaps Tottenham should receive credit for mounting a stirring comeback to go in front.

For Richarlison, it was a moment that summed up the one step forward, two steps back nature of his Spurs career.

A move in January would suit all parties, allowing the striker to put himself in World Cup contention and Tottenham to find a more reliable goalscorer.

For now, every Spurs fan will have known deep down that United’s equaliser was inevitable from the moment Richarlison treated us to an exhibition of his chest tattoos.