CARABAO CUP FOURTH ROUND
WEDNESDAY 30TH OCTOBER, 2024
(8.15pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2(2) MANCHESTER CITY 1(1)

Spurs scorers:-
Werner, 5
Sarr, 25

Man City scorer:-
Nunes, 45+4

Attendance:- 60,797

Referee:- Robert Jones
Assistants:-Neil Davies and Simon Long
Fourth Official:- David Coote

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- 1. Vicario; 14. Gray, 17. Romero (Capt.) (sub 33. Davies, 52), 6. Dragusin, 37. Van de Ven (sub Udogie, 14); 21. Kulusevski, 30. Bentancur, 29. Sarr (sub 8. Bissouma, 46); 22. Johnson (sub 47. Moore, 68), 19. Solanke, 16. Werner (sub 9. Richarlison, 69)
(Armband to Vicario)

Subs not used:- 20. Forster; 23. Pedro Porro; 10. Maddison, 15. Bergvall

Booked:- Sarr (foul on Savinho), Bissouma (foul on O'Reilly), Gray (foul on Nunes)

Man City (4-1-4-1):- 18. Ortega; 82. Lewis, 5. Stones, 3. Dias (Capt.) (sub 24. Gvardiol, 46), 6. Ake (sub 66. Simpson-Pusey, 74); 19. Gundogan (sub 8. Kovacic, 46); 26. Savinho (sub 56. J. Wright, 63), 75. O'Reilly, 87. McAtee, 27. Nunes; 47. Foden (sub 20. Bernardo Silva, 58)
(Armband to Stones)

Subs not used:- 1. Ederson; 25. Akanji; 85. Alfa-Ruprecht; 9. Haaland

No bookings

Quality goals see Spurs through

Two superb first half goals (one by Timo Werner!) were enough to see Spurs past Premier League leaders (and Champions) Manchester City to reach a December quarter-final against the other Manchester side, who, led by interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, beat Leicester 5-2 last night. This was City's first defeat of the season.

A good home crowd were presented with an entertaining game. Spurs definitely fielded the stronger side, but City included three current England Internationals blended with other internationals and some youth with O'Reilly and McAtee in central midfield positions. Pep had to make a late change to his starting line-up with Dias replacing Akanji at a late warm-up stage. Erling Haaland was not used and remained on the bench. Two other teenagers (Simpson-Pusey and Wright) were also given outings.

Despite the absence of several big name players such as Walker, Grealish, Doku and not least De Bruyne, City put Spurs under pressure with a first half added time goal, and plenty of effort in the second half. I feared a penalty shoot-out until the final whistle was blown.

Ange shook up his team with Archie Gray at right back, Dragusin partnering Romero and Van de Ven at left back. Van de Ven suffered a hamstring injury early on and was replaced by Udogie. Mickey's absence will be sorely felt. Dragusin acquitted himself well, but Gray was given plenty of problems on his flank by former Wolves midfielder Nunes, who scored City's goal. Kulusevski and Sarr worked either side and generally ahead of Bentancur.

As is often the case, Spurs started very brightly, having kicked off playing towards the North Stand where City had a standard allocation of 3,000 fans. After only one minute, Kulusevski went down in the box after receiving from Gray, but no penalty was given. There was no VAR and referee Rob Jones annoyed the home crowd for most of the night.

It wasn't long before the first goal came, and it was from a highly unexpected source! Spurs had advanced down the right flank with Kulusevski providing a great ball around the back of the defence. Werner raced onto it and hammered home a right-footed shot. He and the crowd were delighted! It was Timo's first goal since March. He had other opportunities, but by and large reverted to his somewhat inept type. For example, he picked up an errant ball by Gundogan but dollied a right foot shot to Ortega.

On the plus side he won and took a clever corner from the left, which was flicked in Kulusevski's direction by Dragusin. Kulusevski skied the shot.

Sarr was booked for a foul on Savinho (signed from Troyes in July for €40 million), before Spurs went two up following another clever corner. It was taken short with Werner involved before Kulusevski passed inside to Sarr, who scored with a cracking right-footed curler from 25 yards.

City had been threatening without worrying Vicario. Gundogan went for a goal with a free from the right of the box, but he fired over the target. Gundogan hit another free kick from the left side and Dragusin got an important touch. Savinho was giving Udogie plenty to worry about too, and the Brazilian threatened Vicario's right post with a shot.

Romero was penalised just outside the box and Foden hit the free kick over the target. It was no surprise when City did score as a result of Savinho crossing from the bye-line and Nunes meeting the cross with a scoring shot.

Bissouma replaced Sarr at half-time and both Kovacic and Gvardiol were inserted for City. Savinho took an early pass from Stones but hit his shot wide across the goal. At the other end Ortega had to save a trademark Johnson effort. This followed a swift move down the right side.

Solanke turned a ball to the feet of Werner who advanced to a goal-scoring position before pushing his shot wide.

Romero left at a fairly early juncture (hopefully with no injury) and was replaced by Ben Davies. This allowed Dragusin to take up his stronger right-side position.

Spurs attacked again down the right with cute interplay by Gray and Johnson before Kulusevski had a shot well saved by the City keeper. Gray was proving effective with his forward play, and after his pass, Kulusevski crossed to Werner, who sadly failed again with his cross passing wide.

Savinho was hitting the ground in frustration when he got injured and was stretchered off to be replaced by Jacob Wright. Werner was hobbling after another pacey run, and he was replaced by Richarlison who worked hard up and down that left flank. Wright soon had a chance to score but put his right-footed shot wide. Another attempt at goal by the 19-year-old went out for a Spurs throw.

Richarlison was no doubt taken by surprise when he was gifted the ball when Gvardiol tried to reach his keeper with a throw-in, but Ortega saved the shot. Vicario stretched to parry a cross by Bernardo Silva, and after a corner, Bissouma made brilliant goal-line block of a shot by O'Reilly.

Gray "took one for the team" when preventing Nunes' advance down the left win. Both Wright and O'Reilly had chances just off target in added time, but eventually Mr. Jones blew for time, and we could celebrate and smile all the way home.

Would it be folly to mention that we beat City in 2007 and United in 1998 on our was to winning our last two trophies?

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