Having spent all summer desperately trawling Europe for a striker, Glenn Hoddle bizarrely chose to leave Keane in the dug-out as his side tamely capitulated at Loftus Road.

Even when Hoddle made his last throw of the dice, it was to Steffen Iversen that he turned as Les Ferdinand and Teddy Sheringham remained on the pitch.

Then again, he had rather more defensive worries on his mind by that time as his side, who had powered into a 2-0 half-time lead through Dean Richards and Sheringham, were under constant Fulham pressure.

Inspired by half-time substitute Steed Malbranque and driven forward remorselessly by the effervescent Sean Davis, Jean Tigana's side simply refused to give up.

Junichi Inamoto pulled a goal back with 22 minutes remaining and then Malbranque struck a penalty equaliser and Sylvain Legwinski scored a late winner.

While it was expected that Keane would start, Hoddle had evidently decided that Les Ferdinand and Sheringham deserved to keep their places up front after the club's promising start to the season.

Initially, his faith looked to be misguided as Ferdinand struck his first half-chance wide of the far post, headed the next over the bar and was then dispossessed in front of goal by Alain Goma.

However, the home side's early lack of cutting edge, with Louis Saha limping off, was matched by their defensive disarray in the absence of captain Andy Melville.

Tottenham duly took full advantage as Richards rose above Zat Knight to powerfully head home Acimovic's corner on 35 minutes.

Fulham's defence remained worryingly suspect thereafter and it was not long before Spurs' lead doubled with Fulham again only having themselves to blame following a weak clearance.

The ball was quickly returned to Ferdinand, who controlled it into the path of Matthew Etherington and his neat touch found Sheringham, who swept a shot home from 12 yards out.

As the game wore on the Fulham pressure was gradually increasing and Inamoto managed to haul the home side back into contention with 22 minutes left.

Davis was the catalyst behind the move and when his shot was weakly blocked by Chris Perry, the Japanese international delivered a stinging shot back into the far corner.

That was the inspiration which Fulham desperately needed and while Finnan clipped the bar, Gardner tangled with Hayles inside the area.

Although referee Mike Halsey did not immediately point to the spot, he consulted his assistant before awarding a penalty with six minutes left. Malbranque calmly planted his spot-kick to the right of Keller's desperate dive.

Tottenham were by now hanging on desperately for a point as Keller produced superb saves from Finnan and then Malbranque.

However, they were undone again in injury-time as Legwinski burst through the centre of their slipshod defence to beat Keller and claim a memorable victory.