On Wednesday night, Spurs welcomed Manchester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round, as they looked to try and bounce back from the disappointment of Sunday in the best possible way.
For the task at hand, Ange opted for a line up of; Vicario; Gray, Romero, Dragusin, van de Ven; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Sarr; Johnson, Solanke, Werner.
After six minutes, Spurs had a surprise lead and a shock goalscorer. A quick counter attack lead to Kulusevski galloping down the right hand side, before playing a cross field ball to Werner who swept home a superb curling effort past Ortega. Can’t help but be happy for him.
It was really good work from Gray to start the move, also. He also did really well to win the ball back and start a counter a couple of minutes later, but Spurs would lose the ball.
Eleven minutes in, Savio took van de Ven on down the outside. The Dutch defender put in a superb sliding challenge, but immediately felt his hamstring, and had to be withdrawn. Destiny Udogie, for the second time this season, had to come on as an early sub.
With around a quarter of an hour gone, a poor pass from Ilkay Gundogan fell to Werner, though his shot would on this occasion be comfortable for Ortega in the City goal.
After 26 minutes, a short corner was played to Sarr on the edge of the box, who curled home an absolutely sublime finish into the bottom corner, making it 2-0 to Spurs.
With around 10 minutes of the first half remaining, City began to create in roads, and had a couple of crosses flash across goal. Spurs were caught playing out from the back once or twice, and needed to be careful. Give City an inch, and they’ll run a mile.
There were around three minutes of the half left when the ball was scooped to Phil Foden inside the box, but he blazed his effort over the bar.
Spurs continued to be architects of their own downfall, and poor playing out lead to giving the ball away and subsequently conceding a free-kick in a dangerous area. Fortunately, Foden clipped the resulting shot over the bar.
Right at the end of the half, the goal that Spurs were inviting came. Matheus Nunes attacked a back post cross to half the defecit. A poor goal to concede after a really poor 15 mins to end the half.
At the break, Ange looked to his bench, and brought Bissouma on for Sarr.
Seven minutes into the second half, an outrageous outside of the foot pass from Solanke, deep inside his own half, found Werner through on goal, but his left footed strike sailed wide.
Straight after, Romero was replaced in central defence by Davies. He didn’t seem injured, so perhaps it was with Aston Villa in mind. Though, you’d wonder why that didn’t at half-time.
Ten minutes into the second half, Kulusevski raced down the right hand side. Realising he had missed the opportunity to pass the ball, he opened up his body, forcing a save from Ortega with a curling effort.
Midway through the second half, Moore and Richarlison replaced Werner and Johnson, with the former seeming to have pulled a muscle.
With seven minutes to go, City were caught from their own throw in, with the ball falling to Richarlison unmarked inside the box, but he could not beat Ortega, looking visibly frustrated with himself.
With just two minutes of the 90 left, Vicario came out for a corner and didn’t get close. The loose ball fell to Nico O’Reilly, whose shot was heroically cleared off the line by Bissouma. From the resulting corner, Gvardiol flicked a header over the bar.
With around a minute of the six additional minutes left, O'Reilly headed over the bar from a fantastic cross into the box. If only Pep Guardiola had a 6'5 freak of nature centre-forward in the squad. Wait...
That would be that, and Spurs would be through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. The perfect response to the defeat at Crystal Palace. It will be another home game in the quarters, as Ange Postecoglu's side welcome Manchester United to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium