It is almost one year to the day when the Leeds manager, Daniel Farke, produced the tactical overhaul many observers believe saved his job. That day, Farke abandoned his trusted 4-3-3 when Leeds were 2-0 down at Manchester City and although they lost the game, the 3-5-2 he reverted to was the bedrock for the success that followed.

To suggest Farke was under similar pressure going into this game would be a stretch, but without a win in five Premier League games it was not unreasonable to suggest the Elland Road natives were getting slightly restless. Defeat going into the international break would have firmly extinguished what had been a positive start, with eight points from the first four.

So how fitting that with the stakes high once again, Farke's tactical flexibility which he appears to have developed over the past 12 months laid the platform for a much-needed win for Leeds. His decision to go back to 3-5-2 heading into this meeting with Tottenham led to a largely stalemate opening 45 minutes, with the hosts cancelling out an in-form opponent.

But what happened at half-time was significant. Just like a year ago, Farke changed shape and breathed new life into his side. He switched first to a 4-2-3-1 and then into a 3-4-3, with a mountain of pressure ultimately producing the goal Leeds' play deserved, as the substitute Noah Okafor's late strike proved to be the difference.

It was a moment that clearly meant as much to Farke as it did the Elland Road faithful, the German punching the air in delight as his tactical tweaks paid off, with another substitute Harry Wilson the man to tee up Okafor for the winner. It was a successful afternoon for Leeds, who can look ahead with optimism once again after a tricky period.

"There's no replacement for this winning feeling," Farke said after. "All my credit goes to the boys for a terrific performance against an in-form Spurs side. It was important to be tactically spot on against their processes."

Spurs may look back on this as a frustrating afternoon. They failed to create enough opportunities to trouble a well-organised Leeds side, but they will consider whether a crucial moment as half-time approached could have shifted the momentum firmly their way, with Jayden Bogle perhaps fortunate to avoid a red card.

Bogle caught Mathys Tel on the achilles, with replays showing a nasty contact that left the forward unable to continue. A lengthy video assistant referee stoppage led many to assume Bogle would follow Jean-Philippe Mateta in seeing red against the same opposition, but it was deemed the Leeds wing-back did not commit serious foul play.

In both halves Spurs' attacking potency let them down and they never really truly tested James Trafford in the Leeds goal as their bid to win four successive Premier League games for the first time in three years came grinding to a halt.

"The second half we didn't show the same spirit," Roberto De Zerbi said. "We didn't show the hunger we need for these types of big games. We have to analyse. Many games like this can be a problem for us."

There were few clearcut opportunities in the first half, with the Bogle-Tel incident the undoubted talking point. But Farke reverted to a back four after the restart, and it led to a huge spell of Leeds pressure. Both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ao Tanaka had glorious opportunities, with Spurs struggling to contain Leeds' new shape.

The momentum remained with the hosts as the hour mark arrived, which prompted De Zerbi into a triple substitution to attempt to wrestle back control. The result was almost immediate as Conor Gallagher shot wide while at the other end Sean Longstaff was next to spurn a huge chance for the hosts.

It looked as though it would end goalless but Farke rolled the dice again. His next move was another change of shape with Wilson and Okafor introduced to support Calvert-Lewin. Within two minutes the two substitutes combined and Okafor rifled home past Kinsky to send Elland Road into uproar with a goal – and a result – their second-half performance undeniably merited. Leeds navigated any late drama with minimal fuss.