Tottenham almost blew their Carabao Cup semi-final as they allowed Manchester United back into a game they had led commandingly 3-0 – eventually winning out in a seven-goal thriller
Tottenham almost blew their Carabao Cup semi-final as they allowed Manchester United back into a game they had led commandingly 3-0 – eventually winning out in a seven-goal thriller Tottenham almost blew their Carabao Cup semi-final as they allowed Manchester United back into a game they had led commandingly 3-0 – eventually winning out in a seven-goal thriller
Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham held on to win a crazy generation game with Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United to see the North London club get within three wins of their first trophy since 2008.
But Tottenham nearly threw away a three-goal lead in another breathless display full of goalkeeping errors before captain Heung-min Son sealed the win with a goal direct from a corner.
With Marcus Rashford back home in Manchester, Dominic Solanke and Swedish wideman Dejan Kulusevksi took advantage of shocking United defending to put the home side three goals up after 54 minutes.
Postecoglou, 59, had claimed before this quarter-final that being a Premier League manager is harder than being prime minister.
And his keeper Fraser Forster showed why with two blunders to let Manchester United back into the contest as Spurs threatened a traditional collapse.
But in the 88th minute, Altar Bayindir missed Son’s curling corner under pressure from sub Lucas Bergvall and the goal stood despite fierce United protests. Sub Jonny Evans’s injury-time header from a corner – his first United goal for nearly 11 years – was not enough to force penalties. After losing their last home match 3-4 to Chelsea, Postecoglou’s men this time reversed the score despite 10 men out with illness and injury to reach the two-legged semi-finals
Postecoglou said: It should have been a lot more comfortable than it should have been. But I can’t speak high enough of this group of players. We had 10 players out for various reasons.”
Sky Sports pundit and former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp said: “A masterclass of how not to see out a game from Tottenham. It was crazy, crazy to see.”
Amorim, 39, enjoyed his best win in English football in the Manchester derby on Sunday and this was his worst defeat in a thrilling game of high pressing and low defensive standards. United have kept only one clean sheet in the first eight games of the Amorim era – the 4-0 win over Everton.
But that is not his only problem. Rashford announced he wanted to leave Manchester United on Tuesday before he was left out of a second consecutive matchday squad. Before kickoff, United fans in the away end unveiled a banner reading: “Excuses ta ra Marcus”. It harked back the infamous banner unfurled at Old Trafford in December 1989 which declared: “Three years of excuses and it’s still crap… Ta ra Fergie.”
Sir Alex Ferguson went on to win 13 Premier League and two Champions League titles.
Amorin had won the League Cup three times in Portugal with Braga and Sporting but he has his own teething problems at Old Trafford.
He made another five changes to his side with Carabao Cup keeper Altay Bayindir returning in goal.
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But the Turkey goalkeeper should have done better with former Sporting full-back Pedro Porro’s long-range shot after 15 minutes following a short free kick. Rasmus Hojlund was slow out to block but Bayindir only pushed the ball out for Solanke to slot home his eighth goal of the campaign. Injured Victor Lindelhof was subbed off in tears just before half-time to be replaced by Jonny Evans. And fellow centre-back Lisandro Martinez was at fault for Tottenham’s second goal just 48 seconds into the second period.
Son released James Maddison down the left and the wrong-footed Argentine defender could only stab the ball out to Kulusevksi eight yards out. It was the Swede’s fourth goal in four games. And the contest seemed to be over when Solanke ran onto a Djed Spence ball over the top to slot home his ninth goal of the season after 54 minutes.
But the game changed with a triple substitution from Amorim – and two blunders from Forster. After 63 minutes, his pass out was intercepted by Fernandes to allow sun Joshua Zirkzee an easy tap-in And it got worse seven minutes later when the ex-England keeper dallied on a backpass from Archie Gray and another sub Amad Diallo launched himself to divert his clearance into the net to set up the frantic finale.
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