JURGEN KLINSMANN proved his class when it mattered most by scoring four goals to all but ensure Tottenham's place in the Premiership. The German World Cup captain has had an unhappy time in his second spell at White Hart Lane but all that was forgotten as he destroyed Wimbledon with a devastating display of goal power.
Klinsmann's first goal came late in the first half when he nudged home a David Ginola cross to ensure that a frantic first period ended with the scores level at 2-2.
Les Ferdinand had given the visitors an 18th minute lead, but it looked as though they were going to make hard work of things when Peter Fear, playing only his seventh game of the season, netted twice to upset Tottenham's apple-cart.
Klinsmann's first goal settled the visitors' nerves before the interval, however the sparks really started to fly when Wimbledon's Ben Thatcher was sent off - for the third time this season - for an appalling foul on Allan Nielsen seven minutes after the break. That was the signal for the German forward to take control of proceedings and, within eight minutes of Thatcher's dismissal, he had undone the Dons with a stunning three-goal burst.
In the 55th minute, Italian international Nicola Berti pounced on a mistake by Brian McAllister - who was making his first start since an Achilles tendon operation in December - and squared the ball for Klinsmann to beat Neil Sullivan. Three minutes later, Ferdinand headed on a long clearance from goalkeeper Ian Walker and the German again finished in style. Some travelling fans were still celebrating that strike when, within 120 seconds, he added his fourth goal with a fierce drive into the far corner.
That wasn't quite the end of the show, though. With Tottenham fans chanting 'We Want Six!', Klinsmann's audacious back-heel opened up the way for Algerian substitute Moussa Saib to oblige, driving in his first goal in English football.
Klinsmann's second spell at White Hart Lane ends with next Sunday's game against Southampton and, despite his problems of earlier in the season, he will leave the fans with happy memories and their place in football's elite... probably.
WIMBLEDON: Sullivan, Kimble, Thatcher, Roberts, Perry, M. Hughes, McAllister, Euell (Francis 36), Fear, Leaburn (Gayle 46), Kennedy (C. Hughes 63)
Subs Not Used: Ekoku, Heald
Sent Off: Thatcher (52)
Booked: Perry
TOTTENHAM: Walker, Calderwood, Fox (Saib 72), Nielsen, Anderton, Ferdinand (Armstrong 61), Carr, Ginola, Campbell, Klinsmann, Berti
Subs Not Used: Scales, Clemence, Grodas
Booked: Berti
Att: 25,820
Ref: GP Barber (Pyrford)
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MAGPIES SEAL THEIR PREMIERSHIP STATUS Newcastle 3 Chelsea 1
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NEWCASTLE finally buried their lingering relegation worries with a dazzling display against Gianluca Vialli's Cup-Winners' Cup finalists.
Nikos Dabizas and Gary Speed both scored their first League goals for the club, sandwiching a flying header from skipper Rob Lee, to comfortably win their final home game of a troubled season. But although he didn't add to his seven-goal tally for the season, it was Alan Shearer whose name was on everyone's lips. The England skipper had become public enemy No.1 in some peoples' eyes after kicking Leicester's Neil Lennon in the face in midweek, but the Newcastle faithful - if no-one else - still chanted his name from all four sides of a packed St James' Park.
The Magpies started the brighter, the nearest Chelsea came to creating a first half opening was when Shay Given dropped an Eddie Newton cross under a challenge from Mark Hughes, but Dabizas cleared with ease. And it was the Greek defender who made the breakthrough in the 38th minute, flinging himself full-length to head a Lee free-kick across goalkeeper Dmitri Kharine and into the top corner for a breathtaking goal. Lee made it 2-0 four minutes later, emulating his team-mate's dive to head home a superb Shearer cross from six yards.
Chelsea brought on Tore Andre Flo for Hughes at the break and he made an immediate impact down the left, but his team-mates seemed to have no interest in getting upfield to offer the Norwegian any support. Their shameful lack of ambition was merely an invitation to Newcastle to seal the game and they did so in the 59th minute, Andreas Andersson and Alessandro Pistone combining to set up Speed to blast a shot past Kharine.
Di Matteo reduced the arrears with a 77th minute drive which flew past Given from 22 yards, but it was little more than a consolation for Chelsea.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Barton, Howey (Watson 45), Dabizas, Pearce, Pistone, Batty, Lee (Hamilton 83), Speed, Andersson (Barnes 80), Shearer
Subs Not Used: Hislop, Tomasson
Booked: Pearce
CHELSEA: Kharine, Clarke, Newton (P. Hughes 77), Leboeuf (Flo 45), Granville, Charvet, Morris, Nicholls, Di Matteo, Vialli, M. Hughes (Poyet 45)
Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Lee
Booked: Vialli, Leboeuf
Att: 36,710
Ref: KW Burge(Tonypandy)
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