If Roberto Soldado is to be cast as a donkey, as Lord Sugar suggested, then he might yet prove to be the most popular since the one played by Eddie Murphy in the film Shrek.

Soldado has had his problems since his £26million move from Valencia to Tottenham, not least finding the net in the Barclays Premier League without the help of the penalty spot.

Until Sunday, he had managed this feat only once but when he pounced in the 28th minute against Cardiff — a goal which proved the winner in an otherwise forgettable game — he was engulfed by goodwill.

Soldado was mobbed by team-mates as Spurs fans sang his name with genuine warmth, and even Lord Sugar, who branded him a donkey for missing a sitter against Dnipro, performed a rare act of contrition.

‘On reflection, calling him a donkey was harsh,’ tweeted the former Spurs chairman, although he then added: ‘I sent him a present to the dressing room. A bag of carrots.’

Spurs boss Tim Sherwood claimed Soldado had never heard of Lord Sugar but echoed the sentiment of support after the win kept his team in touch with the top four.

‘If I could’ve picked someone to score the winner it would’ve been Robbie,’ said Sherwood. ‘He’s a great character, and the boys love him. He knows he’s been in a sticky spell but I’ve looked him in the eyes and I know he has always had the belief.

‘He’s a true pro, never a problem, he gets on with it in training and has desire to improve and do well. I stuck by him because I believed he would come good. I still believe that. This is one goal. I hope it’s the platform for him to go on and score 20 more before the end of the season.’

Twenty goals was one of Sherwood’s little jokes, but behind it he knows it will be vital if Soldado can ease the burden of responsibility on Emmauel Adebayor.

Spurs were far from fluent. They were hesitant in attack, short of conviction and lacking invention. They were not solid either and Michael Dawson and Jan Verton-ghen were engaged in more last-ditch defending than they would have hoped.

‘We weren’t great,’ said Sherwood, who cut a frustrated figure. ‘But when you calm down and see our record is so poor after Europa League games, to get over the line and win ugly was important.’

In contrast, Ole Gunnar Sols-kjaer had been pleased with his team’s first-half display but they were stunned on the counter-attack when Kyle Naughton cleared a Cardiff corner and Andros Townsend accelerated down the pitch.

Townsend selected the right pass to Adebayor on the left. He cut the ball in to Soldado, who took a good touch and arrowed a low shot into the corner.

Cardiff almost hit back within seconds, when former Spurs defender Steven Caulker headed a cross from Craig Bellamy against the bar. Caulker, otherwise superb, ought to have scored.

Hugo Lloris saved at the near post from Declan John and Spurs threatened late on as the visitors committed more in attack. Aaron Lennon had a case for a penalty when he was tripped by John but referee Phil Dowd gave a free-kick just outside the area and, late on, David Marshall saved well from sub Harry Kane.

Cardiff fans gave their team great vocal backing but unfurled a ‘Tan Out’ banner and sang for their club back. Controversial owner Vincent Tan addressed the players on Saturday and was watching at White Hart Lane.

‘They were encouraging words,’ said Solskjaer, who called on ‘everyone with a Bluebird Cardiff heart’ to pull together, but it looks ever bleaker ahead of a crunch game against Fulham.

Spurs defender Kyle Walker will miss England’s friendly against Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday with a hip injury.

Their Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen has also been ruled out with a back injury.

—Daily Mail