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Lewis Holtby Eases Pressure On André Villas-Boas With Tottenham Winner At Fulham (PICTURES)

Holtby Finally Comes Good To Clinch Spurs Win (PICTURES)
The Huffington Post UK
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Lewis Holtby scored his first Premier League goal for Tottenham to give them a first win in five at Fulham.

Spurs rallied after Ashkan Dejagah threatened to give René Meulensteen a winning start at Craven Cottage, courtesy of Vlad Chiricheș' equaliser and Holtby's thunderbolt.

A January summer signing from Schalke, the German has struggled to distinguish himself at White Hart Lane.

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Holtby is mobbed after hitting Tottenham's winning goal

Holtby has also failed to capitalise when handed rare starts by André Villas-Boas, and had to settle for a substitutes' berth in west London on Wednesday night. But he emerged to ease the pressure on his coach.

Villas-Boas was full of praise for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, however.

"It's fantastic for him: he needed a game like that for his confidence, Villas-Boas said. "This can be a big confidence boost for him going forward to make decisive saves and to have this impact on the game was important for him on a personal level.

Lewis Holtby at Fulham
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(01 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby (R) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates alongside Aaron Lennon (L) after scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(02 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the second and winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(03 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(04 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the second and winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(05 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the second and winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(06 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(07 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(08 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby (R) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(09 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Vlad Chiriches (L) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mate Lewis Holtby (R) after equalising during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(10 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Vlad Chiriches (L) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mate Lewis Holtby (C) and Michael Dawson (R) after equalising during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-ENG-PR-FULHAM-TOTTENHAM(11 of17)
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Tottenham Hotspur's Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches (R) celebrates with Tottenham Hotspur's German midfielder Lewis Holtby (L) after scoring his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage in London on 4 December, 2013. AFP PHOTO/OLLY GREENWOOD RESTRICTIONS: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications (Photo credit should read OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(12 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby (R) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(13 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the second and winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(14 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Vlad Chiriches (L) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mate Lewis Holtby (R) after equalising during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(15 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(16 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League(17 of17)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Lewis Holtby of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the second and winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur during the Barclays Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on December 4, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

"We brought him in last year with a view to strengthening, he fought for his place and for the team: he's a top, top goalkeeper who has great ambitions for himself and for the club.

"When called into action like that he showed all his qualities."

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