LONDON (Reuters)

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a four-game losing streak in the Premier League with a vital 2-0 win at Brentford on Sunday thanks to Vitaly Janelt’s own goal and Pape Sarr’s late strike.

The first half was frantic at times but low on quality, with the deadlock broken when Spurs captain Son Heung-min’s whipped corner bounced in off Janelt as he was grappling with Yves Bissouma in the 29th minute.

The Bees began the second half rapidly and Yoane Wissa skimmed the bar from close range, as Spurs were largely penned back in their own half as they pursued a much-needed win.

But Brentford never really threatened an equaliser, with a succession of crosses and 10 corners coming to nothing and Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was rarely tested after the break.

Spurs had dropped a league-high 21 points from winning positions and not won a league game by a single goal this season, but they defended doggedly under pressure.

Substitute Sarr nutmegged goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson with a lovely finish in the 87th minute to secure the three points, though the away fans still chanted “we want Levy out” at chairman Daniel Levy.

The victory was only Spurs’ second win in 12 league games and moved them up to 14th with 27 points – 10 clear of the relegation zone, which the travelling fans celebrated with an ironic chorus of “we are staying up”.

The result, following Thursday’s victory over Swedish side Elfsborg to book Spurs’ place in the Europa League last-16, eases the pressure on boss Ange Postecoglou, who hailed his side’s resilience.

“The lads were brilliant and I still felt we had the quality of our football to hurt them the other way and our second goal was outstanding,” he told reporters.

Spurs’ hopes of turning around their season now rest largely on Thursday’s trip to Anfield for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final against Liverpool followed by Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Aston Villa.

Brentford, meanwhile, had been unbeaten at home this season before falling to four losses in their last five home league games, though their other three league defeats were to the top trio of Liverpool, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

They remain 11th with 31 points from 24 games and head coach Thomas Frank said Sunday’s game felt like a “missed opportunity”.

“I think we did a lot of things right in the game, but this is football,” Frank told reporters. “In football, even if you do a lot things right, it’s not the same that you’re going to win the game.”

He added: “We didn’t create enough big chances … we had maybe one or two and then we had a lot of half-chances.”