Tottenham Hotspur can keep dreaming of silverware this season after earning a Carabao Cup fourth-round clash with Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
Ange Postecoglou has made no secret of his desire to win trophies and Spurs proved they are ravenous for equaliser, as strikes from Timo Werner and Pape Sarr secured a 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s much-rotated Cityzens.
It was nerve-wracking at times, but which stars have crept into their Australian coach’s thoughts and who will be nervously watching over their shoulder ahead of the weekend?
Here are Tottenham’s best and worst players against Man City, as revealed 90 minutes player ratings.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 9/10
Tottenham they lacked an enormous amount of courage when they fell to defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend There was no hunger in midfield, but that was not the case for Rodrigo Bentancur on Wednesday night.
The Uruguay international was often on the scene to launch dangerous Spurs counter-attacks, picking the right pass time and time again, and also broke up play well with tackles and interceptions.
Complete control is rarely achieved under Ange Postecoglou and even more so against quality opposition like citybut Bentancur’s dominance in the midfield battle set the tone for a momentous victory.
Honorable Mentions
Radu Dragusin – 8/10
Radu Dragusin’s agent seems to enjoy seeing his name in the papers given how often he blows the whistle about his client’s lack of playing time. It’s unlikely to be a short-term problem after Micky van de Ven suffered a hamstring knock, but this may have been the Romanian’s first truly authorized performance.
He was sloppy with the ball on a few occasions, but was also involved in some eye-catching sequences, helping Tottenham build from the back. What was positive for Spurs fans, however, was Dragusin’s willingness to pounce on every ball, a trait not always displayed by Cristian Romero or Van de Ven.
Dejan Kulusevski – 8/10
Few players throughout the Premier League can claim to look as transformed this season as Dejan Kulusevski.
The Swede has all the qualities needed to play in midfield and is combining all facets of his game at the moment, running hard on the ball while helping out his teammates. He scored both goals on Wednesday, centering Werner before firing away Pape Sarr’s strike from distance.
Kulusevski is becoming the midfield leader Tottenham are crying out for and their hopes of silverware this season may rest more heavily on his shoulders than any other player.
Timo Werner – 8/10
Timo Werner hasn’t exactly been exuding confidence in recent weeks. In fact, there were times when it looked like the former RB Leipzig and Chelsea striker had never kicked a ball in his life.
However, things came together for the German early on against City. His movement remains incredible and he did well to race to the back post to force Kulusevski’s cross home for the first time.
Werner had time to think about his shot, but it was the first strike and it paid dividends. He might have gotten another on another day, but he put his effort a little paint wide of the post when he sent it running. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.
William Vicar – 6/10
Guglielmo Vicario remains questionable under crosses and that was clear at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Italian was caught on several occasions and seems to struggle when put under pressure from set pieces.
He still makes a few saves here and there, but he needs to quickly improve that specific part of his game.
