Tottenham Hotspur have been given a major lift with the return of key players from injury, and one of the standout names making an immediate impact is Brennan Johnson.
The Welsh international marked his comeback in style, returning to the starting lineup in Spurs’ emphatic 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town.
His performance underlined just how crucial he is to the team, as he netted two goals and helped propel Tottenham to their third consecutive league win.
Troy Deeney: Tottenham have missed Brennan Johnson
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney turned pundit has weighed in on Johnson’s return, emphasising how his pace, directness, and clinical finishing have significantly improved Spurs’ attacking threat.
Deeney pointed out that Johnson’s ability to break through defensive lines and his sharpness in front of goal make Tottenham a far more dangerous side, especially as they look to regain momentum in the latter part of the season.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the pundit said:
“Timely for him to be back with two good goals. Tottenham have missed his direct play and obviously, that goal threat that he carries. Spurs are looking a lot more like the real attacking threat we know they can be.”
Johnson’s brace against Ipswich further cemented his importance, taking his tally to 14 goals in all competitions and making him Tottenham’s top scorer this season, three ahead of Dominic Solanke.
His first goal came from a well-crafted move, with Archie Gray playing a precise long ball to Son Heung-min on the left flank. Son skillfully evaded his marker before delivering a low cross into the box, setting up Johnson for an easy tap-in at the far post.
For his second, Rodrigo Bentancur played a perfectly weighted pass to Son inside the area. The Spurs captain displayed excellent composure before laying it off to Johnson, who fired a low shot past the goalkeeper.
Named Player of the Match with an 8.8 rating, Johnson delivered an impressive display in his 64 minutes on the pitch, recording 28 touches and an expected goals (xG) of 1.15.
With Tottenham currently sitting 12th in the table, Johnson’s return could provide the attacking spark needed to push higher and end the season on a strong note.