A SOLITARY strike from Christian Eriksen meant Cherries suffered a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham at Wembley.

The Danish star, who had scored twice for his country during the international break against Montenegro and Romania, netted the winner just two minutes into the second half to sink Eddie Howe’s men in the capital.

The reverse left Cherries having lost six of their opening eight league fixtures of the season.

Cherries made two changes from the side which drew 0-0 at home against Leicester City last time out.

Striker Jermain Defoe was dropped to the bench against his former club, there was also no place in the starting XI for Marc Pugh.

Defender Steve Cook returned to make his first Premier League start in five weeks, as Cherries reverted to a back three which they also deployed against Manchester City and Arsenal earlier in the campaign.

Dan Gosling returned to the visitors’ midfield and Joshua King was fit enough to lead the line after recovering from a slight hamstring injury sustained on international duty with Norway.

There was no place in the squad for winger Ryan Fraser, who also picked up a hamstring problem while away with Scotland.

Spurs went into the contest having won their previous two Premier League fixtures at West Ham and Huddersfield respectively.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were still searching for their first league triumph at Wembley however, following home draws against Swansea and Burnley, as well as a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea back in August.

They were without Ben Davies, who missed out through illness, meaning Heung-min Son was initially deployed as a wing-back on the left flank for the hosts.

Spurs had the better of the opening exchanges but failed to create anything clear cut during the opening 10 minutes.

Defender Jan Vertonghen advanced forward and whipped a delivery in with his left foot, but with Harry Kane arriving in the area, the ball was well held by Asmir Begovic in the away goal.

Spurs’s playmaker Eriksen then attempted to unlock the door for the hosts.

After combining neatly with Dele Alli on the edge of the area, the Danish international’s menacing run was thwarted by Cherries skipper Simon Francis, who played the ball off Eriksen for a goal kick.

Eriksen then almost turned provider for Alli.

Following a Spurs corner, he drilled a cross in on the angle, only for the England star to flick the ball over the bar.

But having soaked up some early pressure, Cherries fashioned their first chance on the counter after 19 minutes.

A swift move saw former Tottenham man Adam Smith burst down the right and cut the ball back for Junior Stanislas, whose shot ricocheted off a defender narrowly wide of the post.

And from a corner moments later, Howe’s men came agonisingly close to gaining the advantage.

A devilish delivery from Stanislas was flicked goalwards off Spurs midfielder Eric Dier and forced an outstanding reaction save from keeper Hugo Lloris in the home goal.

At the other end, Cook was cautioned for lunging in on Kane, who then got away his first shot of the contest on 34 minutes.

Having raced on to a perfectly played ball over the top from Eriksen, the in-form frontman forced Begovic to get down low and make a sharp save to keep the game at 0-0.

Toby Alderweireld then headed over from the resulting corner.

But just two minutes following the interval, Spurs took the lead through Eriksen.

The midfielder bundled his way through a sliding challenge from Francis on the edge of the box and coolly placed the ball into the bottom corner past Begovic.

And Pochettino’s side had the ball in the net again just short of the hour mark through Kane. He rose highest to nod home a cross from deep but was flagged offside.

Kane continued to threaten however, and he would have given the hosts a two-goal cushion, but for a sublime double save from Begovic.

The Bosnian raced off his line to deny the England frontman from point-blank range before thwarting Kane once again, after he was teed up by Alli seconds later.

With Cherries looking for an equaliser, a breakthrough almost came when Gosling’s clever flick found the run of Stanislas, but he was forced wide by Vertonghen.

Boss Howe then looked to the bench and brought on Jordon Ibe and Defoe, the latter receiving a warm ovation from the home fans.

And with 13 minutes left, the two replacements almost combined to give Cherries a leveller.

Ibe cut inside and slid in striker Defoe, whose effort was well saved by the leg of Lloris at the near post.

Eriksen’s strike from the edge of the box then forced Begovic into another impressive stop and a late block from Cook thwarted Dier from adding a second.

Begovic was in trouble after he wiped out substitute Kévin Nkoudou on the edge of the box, as Spurs countered at rapid pace deep into stoppage time.

The keeper was left with a caution, as Spurs held firm in the closing moments.

Spurs: Lloris; Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen; Trippier, Dier, Winks, Son (Sissoko, 75); Eriksen, Alli (Nkoudou 90+1), Kane (Llorente, 85). Unused subs: Aurier, Foyth, Walker-Peters, Vorm (g/k).

Booked: Vertonghen.

Cherries: Begovic; Francis, Ake, S Cook; A Smith (Defoe, 75), Surman, L Cook (Mousset, 83), Daniels, Stanislas (Ibe 75); Gosling; King.

Unused subs: Arter, Pugh, Afobe, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: S Cook, Smith, Begovic.

Referee: Bobby Madley.

Attendance: 73,502.