Some talking points from the win over Manchester United

On Thursday evening, we saw Tottenham Hotspur overcome Manchester United for a second time this season, knocking out ttheir counterparts with a dramatic 4-3 win, to reach the Carabao Cup semi finals for the first time since 2022.

Safe to say that there were several talking points from the game, some good, and some bad. Let’s take a look at them.

To begin, perhaps the biggest talking point within the Spurs fanbase at the moment – the performance of Djed Spence. Despite being deployed at left-back, we saw another superb display from the 24-year old, who was key to the victory.

On the ball, the way he carries the ball is just sublime. He seriously helps get Ange’s side get up the pitch and sustain attacks. He is really getting the hang of those underlaps for Heung Min-Son in the final third, and the two are beginning to form some chemistry down that side.

For the fourth goal, where the skipper scored directly from a corner, it could be easily forgotten that the corner itself was won by great work from Spence. Latching onto the ball in the United half, the defender managed to go on yet another one of his excellent carries forward, despite how late on in the game we were, before playing a nice ball in behind, that had to be put behind for the resulting corner.

His athleticism is key in an Ange Postecoglu side, a trait that the manager has acknowledged himself. It would be great to see a full-back pairing of Destiny Udogie and Spence for the game against Liverpool on Sunday.

We have seen Yves Bissouma receive plenty of criticism for his recent performances, and it would be disengenous to say that it was not deserved. However, it is only fair to praise him when he plays well, and boy did he in this game.

After the goals United scored, you could tell the momentum had been completely shifted. From then, Bissouma did really well to help control the game, and take the sting out of it. After the Noussair Mazraoui chance, United did not really create anything whilst the score was still 3-2, allowing Spurs to then create another two goal cushion, that ultimately won them the game.

In the most part, the game was actually pretty well managed from a collective and tactical point of view. It was individual mistakes that allowed the visitors back into the game.

Just a big shout out to Archie Gray. The teenager has been tasked with playing everywhere but his position, and has generally done pretty well considering. He had another good game here. Some have said he shouldn’t have passed back to Fraser Forster, with there even being an idea that he admitted as much himself, when speaking to the goalkeeper.

However, in fairness, it felt like he was trying to slow the game down, as a lot of other players were. He can’t legislate for Forster doing that. Yes, we know he isn’t good with his feet, as we saw a few minutes before – but the situations were different. Being passed the ball inside your own six yard box is different to only clearing the ball as soon as an opponent is charging you down.

Sure, his (Forster’s), confidence was low at that point, but it is harsh to blame Gray for not foreseeing what happened next. The teenager showed a lot of courage playing out of position, and not partnering either first choice defender.

Not news, but still worth reiterating. Dominic Solanke’s movement means so long as he gets the service, he is going to work out. It is absolutely world class, and we saw it for both goals. First the instinct to get to the rebound for his first goal before anyone else, and then the movement in behind for his second goal.

Having a centre-forward who can be a box presence and have top class instincts, whilst also being a threat in behind is not too common a skillset, yet Spurs have it with Solanke. Then, the perhaps lesser spotted agility and 1v1 ability to leave Lisandro Martinez in the dust, before firing into the back of the net.

We just really have to hope that, somehow, someway, Richarlison can stay fit and allow Spurs to manage his minutes more. Unfortunately we cannot hold our breath on that one. It does make you worry that Solanke will be burned out and/or injured at the business end of the season.

Don’t want to dig players out too much after a defeat, and this will remain objective criticism, but Pedro Porro still looked absolutely shattered. It is true that is part of the system, but he left the right hand side completely exposed at a point in the first half, where Pape Sarr came across and got booked, leaving him suspended for the first leg of the semi-finals.

Still, again, he does look shattered, and has already played a hell of a lot of minutes so far. As said earlier in the piece, it would be great to see a duo of Udogie and Spence on Sunday. Porro needs the rest, and those two would be best at trying to deal with the threat Liverpool have on the wings.

To finish off, one player who doesn’t need any analysing, Dejan Kulusevski. Just to say, what a player, what a season.