The presence of new Norwegian midfield signing Alexander Tettey on the White Hart Lane bench was unlikely to have escaped the attention of Bradley Johnson.
Tettey has been recruited as another defensive midfield option in a squad where Chris Hughton wants competition for every area of the pitch. Johnson has responded to the challenge in typically abrasive style.
Against QPR he was a rock alongside Jonny Howson. Here, back on his old manor, the former Arsenal trainee was at his marauding best.
As good a display as Johnson has produced in the Canary black. Or green and yellow. The sort of athletic, high intensity display that saw his name strongly linked in England circles 12 months ago. This was Johnson's type of contest. A macho central midfield battle against two essentially sitting midfielders for Spurs in Sandro and Jake Livermore. But the ex-Leeds man demonstrated his willingness to pour forward at every opportunity. A first-time strike threatened to graze the crossbar on 26 minutes.
Johnson was then back patrolling at his own near post to cut out the threat from Aaron Lennon.
Another perfect interception teed up Anthony Pilkington to pick out Robert Snodgrass with a header the Scot should have buried.
And then in the final seconds, Johnson still had the energy to test Brad Friedel in stoppage time.
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