As is usual in this competition, Fulham took the liberty of leaving out players, putting five first-team regulars on the substitutes’ bench, with Sylvain Legwinski not even getting that far. As a result, they lacked the cohesion and quality of passing evident recently in an impressive run of League performances. “Sunday’s match against Leeds is more important for me,” Jean Tigana, the Fulham manager, said in justifying his team selection. “It is up to managers of other clubs to decide what they do, but the changes we made were forced upon us,” said Tottenham’s Glenn Hoddle, who had sent out the strongest team at his disposal: Dean Richards was ineligible, while Les Ferdinand and Gustavo Poyet had joined Mauricio Taricco on the injured list. That combination of circumstances allowed Goran Bunjevcevic and Sergei Rebrov to return after nine weeks’ absence each.It was an eventful comeback for Rebrov, who opened the scoring after 15 minutes despite having spent most of that time having a cut head stitched.

In only the second minute, he took a knock creating a chance for Oyvind Leonhardsen and had to retreat to the dressing-room. Barely five minutes after returning, he was perfectly positioned to beat Maik Taylor as Teddy Sheringham set him up with a typically deft flick. Fulham’s opportunities were less clear-cut, and fewer than Tigana would have liked, stemming in the main from Ledley King’s unexpected susceptibility to passes played in behind him. Barry Hayles, clean through, and Luis Boa Morte failed to take advantage, but, right at the end of the first half, Bunjevcevic and Chris Perry lost Hayles, who stole in between them to slide home a header from Steve Finnan’s cross.Emboldened by the goal, Fulham moved forward with greater conviction after the interval and after an hour even deigned to send on another of the “A” team in Steed Malbranque. The passing improved, reaching a level closer to Tigana’s high standards, though the finishing remained below them, Boa Morte shooting wastefully high after being played in by Malbranque.Although Tottenham had lost much of their zing, Sheringham led one dangerous counter-attack, forcing Taylor into a fine save with his jab from close in as Rebrov crossed low from the right.

Then, four minutes from the end, Darren Anderton’s free-kick was neatly headed back by King for Davies to hit a low drive past Taylor for the winning goal. Fulham (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Ouaddou, Goma, Harley; Goldbaek (Malbranque, 61), Davis, Clark, Collins; Hayles, Boa Morte (Saha, 78). Substitutes not used: Van der Sar (gk), Brevett, Melville.Tottenham Hotspur (3-5-2): Sullivan; Perry, Bunjevcevic, King; Davies, Anderton, Freund, Leonhardsen (Thatcher, 85), Ziege; Sheringham, Rebrov. Substitutes not used: Kelly (gk), Iversen, Thelwell, Piercy.Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).. Robbie Fowler spent yesterday undergoing a series of stringent medical tests, with Leeds United preparing to announce the completion of the striker’s £11m transfer from Liverpool formally this morning. Robbie Fowler will complete his £11m move to Leeds United today after passing a medical at Elland Road last night.

The England striker’s £11m transfer from Liverpool will be formally announced at a noon press conference in West Yorkshire today The medical took more time than anticipated. “Things have taken a little longer than envisaged,” the club spokesman, David Walker, admitted He declined to elaborate. Fowler quickly agreed personal terms with Leeds on Wednesday and is expected to sign a four-and-a-half year contract today, ending his 15-year association with Liverpool, his home-town club.Fowler could well be in the Leeds line-up that takes the field at Fulham on Sunday. The Elland Road club were yesterday assessing the casualties of their tempestuous 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Worthington Cup on Wednesday. Eirik Bakke, Stephen McPhail, Dominic Matteo and Alan Smith all picked up injuries.Crystal Palace will admit to one of the worst-kept secrets in the game by officially appointing Trevor Francis as their new manager today.The Palace chairman, Simon Jordan, has called a morning press conference to unveil Francis along with the coaches Steve Kember and Terry Bullivant as his backroom team. Francis will replace Steve Bruce, who has been put on “gardening leave” after attempting to resign in order to join Birmingham City.Francis’s arrival will not mean a swift end to the Bruce saga and his move to Birmingham may be delayed again. Palace do not want Bruce to be in charge at St Andrew’s when the clubs meet in a rescheduled First Division match on 11 December ­ and that will be a proviso in any agreement over compensation..