Carabao Cup quarter-final draw
Tottenham v Manchester United
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v Brentford
Southampton v Liverpool
Ties to be played week starting 16 December
Updated
Here’s Ange Postecoglou: “It’s a cup tie, against pretty formidable opponents … we had to defend, didn’t give away too many clear-cut chances. We had some, we could have put the game away, but City will push you and push you. This team is growing all the time, you’re gonna stumble sometimes, we have but we’ve always bounced back. Disappointed as we were on Sunday, I had every confidence that we’d come back with a performance today.”
Righto, David Hytner’s match report is here:
Which means we’re finished for tonight. Check back here in 15 minutes to find out who’s playing who in the last eight – Brentford, Man United, Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool, Palace, Southampton and Arsenal are the clubs left – but otherwise, ta ra.
Updated
Earlier, I wondered why Guardiola bothered bringing Haaland to not send him on, but on reflection, he probably decided he couldn’t risk another injury to an important player.
Timo Werner tells Sky that it was important to play well after the weekend, and they started well then played well at the end. It’s good to score, he says, especially so early, and praises the assist from “Dekky”, admitting it’s been a hard few weeks.
Kulusevski, meanwhile, says he loves these games against the best teams in the world because he wants to be one of the best players in the world. He thanks his teammates and manager, then notes that there’s a big game coming up on Sunday against Villa.
Back to City, though they have ridiculous depth, they don’t have replacements for Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne. I imagine they’ll buy a six in January, but one thing we know: he won’t be as good as the man he’d locum. They’ll still win most games and that might be enough, but they might also struggle against teams with good players.
It’s been a really bad night for City. They’re out of the competition, they looked underpowered and shy of cohesion, and lost Akanji and Savio – the latter to an injury that looked nasty.
That’s a colossal result for Bigange. He needed something after the weekend effort, and more generally must do all he can to win win a trophy. There’s plenty of quality left in an all-Premier League draw, but if they play like that they’ve got a shot.
Updated
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester City
Spurs deserved that. In the first half the were lively in midfield and going forward; in the second, they were solid and the back and sharp on the counter.
Updated
90+6 min Lewis crosses from the right and in the middle, O’Reilly desperately contorts to redirect it goalwards … but can only force it wide. That might be it!
Updated
90+4 min City were really good for about 15 minutes before half-time and 10 after, but other than that, Spurs have kept them at arm’s length and defended pretty well when they’ve been asked to.
90+2 min Out on the right, Wright curls in one of those nasty balls that might be heading far corner but which a keeper can’t move for in case a striker gets a touch. But one doesn’t, it goes behind, and here comes Kovacic, carrying deep into their half down the right before finding the impressive Wright on the edge. But his shot drifts wide and Spurs are nearly there.
90+1 min “In Iceland, the proper way to refer to someone is by their given name, since family names are fairly rare,” says Kári Tulinius. “This means that when Iceland’s defensive stalwart Kári Árnason did something notable, I’d be startled by news headlines like: Kári Goes to Aberdeen, Kári Disappointed by Loss, Kári Is Knacked, and so on.”
Sounds like a series of children’s books.
90 min We’ll have six additional minutes and here’s Bernardo, screwing a cross into the box at sail’s pace, but no one can get at it and Spurs clear.
90 min Nunes again barges by Gray, who pulls him back and is booked. He’s had a hard night, but has shown decent moxie sticking with it.
88 min Vicario isn’t great under aerial pressure and he wanders miles seeking a ball that isn’t there, getting nowhere near, and when O’Reilly imparts laces to leather it looks for all the world like 2-2. But on the line Bissouma hurls his body in the road, and that is brilliant, potentially matchwining behaviour.
Updated
87 min Back doon sooth, City have a corner down the right…
87 min By the way, there’s some great work going at Pittodrie, where Aberdeen have just beaten Rangers.
In his first season as head coach, Jimmy Thelin has led Aberdeen to the greatest start in the club's history, winning 15 of 16 games.
— Coaches' Voice (@CoachesVoice) October 30, 2024
It’s their best start since the 1984/85 season, when Sir Alex Ferguson led them to the Scottish title. 🇸🇪🔴 pic.twitter.com/O80ESNudW4
85 min A foul on Richarlison gives Spurs a free-kick down the left and Moore curls in low, but City smuggle clear.
83 min Good work from Richarlison, who carries it across the face of the box, finding Bissouma, who can’t create anything. But Spurs hang on to possession for a while longer, cede a throw deep inside the City half, “Box them! Box them!” no doubt the cry, then WHAT ON EARTH?! Gvardiol chucks across his own box, failing to appraise Richarlison, loitering, and he’s in! But rather than put his foot through it or pick his spot, he assumes he merely has to hit the target, passing an embarrassingly tame effort straight at Ortega! That was the game right there!
Updated
80 min City do, though, win a corner … which Spurs clear to the edge, Lewis spreading wide, before the ball goes back and forth in the box, Wright eventually swinging a boot and sending it out for a throw. Which of course reminds us of this League Cup classic.
79 min Watching the Spurs back four, they look nicely in sync even though they’ve probably never played together as a unit. Ordinarily I’d be looking for signs of fatigue around now, but they’ve not been under the pressure you’d expect given City are chasing an equaliser.
77 min “The update at 69 min startled me,” writes Peter Oh. “For a split second I thought Big Ange was throwing me on along with Mikey Moore with stern instructions to adequately replace Brennan Johnson!”
Heh – when I used to watch Danny Welbeck playing for Man United, I’d call him Daniel for obvious reasons, and every time I voiced displeasure I realised how much more often people must’ve said similar about me.
75 min Wright’s had more impact on the game having come on at half-time than either McAtee or O’Reilly, and after taking a little pass from Gvardiol, who runs off him and into the box, he narrowly fails with a clever return, flicked square with the outside of his boot.
74 min Simpson-Pusey, by the way, is a centre-back so goes in alongside Stones.
73 min But no! Haaland stays on the bench – why, then, did they bring him? – and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey comes on for his debut, replacing Ake.
72 min Spurs are disappearing time pretty effectively here, keeping their passes short and to a free man wherever possible. City are struggling to pin them back now, but of course have Haaland on the bench and plenty others on the pitch able to conjure summat out of nowt.
69 min City pick out Wright on the edge, roughly where Sarr was when he scored, and again it’s a curler unfurled, this time a high one, and it passes the angle by the thickness of a Rizla blue.
Updated
69 min Oh and Moore also comes on, replacing Johnson.
Updated
68 min Werner limps off to be replaced by Richarlison.
67 min Bit of City pressure but Lewis’ cross is cleared, then Werner goes down clutching his quad. I think that’ll be his night over.
66 min Nice from Spurs, Bissouma extending a go go Gadget leg on halfway to send Werner away; Gvardiol sticks the ball behind, then Ortega catches the ensuing corner.
65 min Credit to Spurs, they’ve come back well after spending 20 or so minutes on the rack. They’ve been braver in their passing and as such, City don’t have the momentum they did 10 minutes ago.
64 min Palace have won 2-1 at Villa, Liverpool 3-2 and Brighton, Man United 5-2 at home to Leicester.
62 min I’m afraid it was one of those innocuous-looking ones – he grimaced as he went to take the corner – that can turn out to be something nasty. As he ran down the slope behind the goal, his knee and feet went in different directions, the kind of thing that rarely means anything good. Jacob Wright replaces him.
61 min Oh dear. The stretcher is on, Savinho is on it, and I fear we’ll not be seeing him for a while. Godspeed.
59 min Savinho has hurt himself; I think his studs stuck in the grass winning that corner, and he’s lying on the turf, hands over face.
58 min Bernardo replaces the ineffective Foden.
58 min Savinho’s played well tonight and he wins a corner down the right as Bernardo readies himself; when the ball comes in, Stones is penalised for a foul.
57 min The last few minutes have been better for Spurs, but the more football they play, the more space they leave for City to attack.
55 min And here Spurs come, this time through Kulusevski down the right – again, the release-pass came from Bentancur. And he has options inside too, instead opening body to shoot across Ortega, who gets a strong palm to the ball, sending it just beyond Johnson, following up. Will Spurs rue their profligacy?
Updated
54 min Spurs can’t get close to City, who always seem to have a spare man. But they’re very high and square at the back, so a goal for the home side looks as likely as one for the away.
53 min O’Reilly glides through midfield so Bissouma pushes him over, remonstrating when he’s penalised and earning a yellow card for his trouble.
52 min Change for Spurs: Davies for Romero.
51 min Again, City pin Spurs back, but the defence is deep and they can’t find a telling pass, then a fine pass out, from Bentancur I think, sends Werner away at inside-left! They won’t catch him! But as Ortega comes out, he sends a confident finish wide of the far post; how much will he rue that in the final analysis?
Updated
51 min Reminder: if scores are level after 90, we go directly to penalties.
50 min Spurs look to take heat out of the game, knocking the ball about just to keep it. And, in the process, there’s always the chance they draw city on to them, opening space in behind.
48 min Already, Spurs are penned back in their own half – City have taken control of this game, but the home side are nasty on the counter. And, as I type, here they come, Werner nashing down the left before Johnson’s low shot is palmed away by Ortega and the flag goes up.
46 min My sense is that Gvardiol has been introduced as much for his attacking skills as his defensive proficiency. For that reason, I imagine, h’s gone to left-back with Ake moving into the middle.
46 min We go again…
Half-time changes: Spurs bring on Bissouma for Sarr, whole City do Gvardiol and Kovacic for Gundogan and Dias.
Around the grounds:
Brighton 1-3 Liverpool
Man United 5-2 Leicester
Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea
Updated
Half-time entertainment is right here:
HALF-TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester City
A half of two halves; the second will be a belter. Don’t you go changing.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester City (Nunes 45+4)
Savinho isolates Udogie, shapes to come inside on his favoured left foot, then nips outside on his also nifty right, and his cross is stuck into the net at the back post by Nunes, who’s been instrumental in their revival. It was coming, but Spurs will be poorly to have conceded seconds before the break.
Updated
45+2 min “Fairly sure in the famous 9-0 Ryan Bertrand was sent off after the first goal was scored?” says Nat. “(Could’ve been a VAR thing so not sure it counts though!)”
That was the first VAR red card, I think.
45 min We’ll have four additional minutes.
45 min Very deliberately, Foden addresses the ball, the curls over the top.
44 min City are coming, and when Udogie gives it away, Savinho finds Foden and Romero can’t help himself, ceding a free-kick just outside the D, just right of centre.
42 min City also appear to have sorted their spacing – they’re much closer together now – and it’s that which is underpinning their dominance. And as I type, Nunes lofts a curling pass into the box from out on the left, the ball dropping over Foden’s shoulder but he watches it well … then slices a volley over the bar.
39 min It’s all City for the now, Savinho curling a shot just wide. They’re picking better passes, while Spurs have slowed a little, presumably playing for half-time.
38 min We said at the start that City would fancy getting after Gray, who clearly doesn’t have the speed or strength to stop Nunes; Spurs need to depute one of the midfielders to help him out.
37 min Better from City, Nunes seeing the outside of Gray and deciding he wants it, marching past and crossing low; Foden narrowly avoids connecting with it on the slide.
35 min Tangentially, I’d have loved to be in the City dressing room when they played Spurs in the 2004 FA Cup, finished the first half 3-0 down, and Joey Barton came in telling Kevin Keegan that actually, things were worse – he’d been sent off for mouth walking off the pitch. Though obviously Spurs found a way to lose anyway.
34 min “Looking at Werner’s goal again,” returns Andy Flintoff, “Rico Lewis was very lucky that he scored as that was an incredibly late tackle, with both feet up and studs showing. Anywhere else on the field and that’s yellow if not more.”
I need to see that again, but has that ever happened? A side concedes and also has a player sent off for an offence committed in the process. One for the knowledge.
33 min We’ve not seen much of Matheus Nunes tonight, but he’s been a bit more involved the last few minutes – as he has to be if he’s to convince Guardiola he’s good enough to play for him on a regular.
32 min …which Gundogan curls over the bar.
31 min Savinho runs at Gray so Johnson shoves him in the back, ceding an unnecessary free-kick out on the left, not far form the box…
30 min Better from City, stringing together a few passes, the O’Reilly sends his into touch. Ouch.
28 min Looking at the goal again, the ball dips in so late it almost looks like the only way Ortega can save it is by hurling himself into the post. In co-comms, Alan Smith originally blamed him, but seeing the finish from behind the keeper, revised his opinion to credit a beautiful strike.
LOVELY GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester City (Sarr 25)
The corner goes short, Kulusevski to Werner, the return is punched back to Sarr on the edge, right of centre … and he unfurls a luscious low curler which arcs inside the near post at the last second, giving Ortega no chance to reacting. Spurs deserve that … and so do City.
Updated
25 min Johnson slips a ball down the side for Werner, whose cross is blocked behind by Dias. City are struggling and Postecoglou will know his side need another while they’re on top, because they can’t rely on their opponents playing this badly for 90.
24 min Savinho bursts forward inside his own half, Sarr trips him, and is booked.
23 min Pre-match, we wondered how City might fare in midfield and now we’ve seen the answer: badly. They just aren’t as quick, strong, or clever as Spurs, and I don’t see how that changes without changes.
22 min It goes short along the by-line, whereupon it’s funnelled back to Kulusevski on the edge, whereupon he leathers aeons over the bar.
Updated
21 min Cody Gakpo has put Liverpool in front at Brighton and Leicester now trail Man United 4-2; it’s half-time there. Meanwhile, back in our game, O’Reilly is back on and Spurs have a corner.
20 min Akanji, it turns out, has a calf problem, and now O’Reilly’s down. City only have Bernardo and Kovacic on the bench.
19 min City have created near-enough nowt. Which sounds like the name of a midranking Britpop band.
18 min He’s got the look! (He’s got the look).
16 min Normal service is resumed. Again, Spurs find Werner on the left side of the box, but this time he tamely dribbles an effort straight at the keeper. It’s good to be back.
15 min The names and numbers on the City short look like they were scrawled on by one of the players’ kids. And also, why are they playing in burgundy? Their black and red number was a beauty.
13 min Nup, that’s Van de Ven’s night done and he’s in tears, Udogie racing to leap on him to provide consolation as he limps dahn tunnel.
11 min Eeesh, Van de Ven is caressing a hamstring having slid in on Savinho, and seconds later he’s signalling to the bench before going down. That’ll be his evening, I’d expect, but he takes treatment rather than leave immediately, so you never know.
10 min Let’s round up some goals: Ethan Nwanieri has scored a jazzer to put Arsenal 2-0 up at Preston, while Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Man United now lead Leicester 4-1.
9 min City, though, have been behind plenty this season, and every time that’s happened, they’ve won the game, so.
8 min That’s the thing with Spurs: they’re game for a ruck with anyone, like that loose cannon mate everyone has. Sometimes, they bite off more than they can chew, other times less so.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester City (Werner 5)
Do not adjust your television sets! This is not a misprint! Gray plays a decent pass out to Johnson, on the right flank at halfway, and his cunning flick sends Kulusevski streaking clear. He’s got Solanke in the middle, but instead picks out Werner at the back post, who opens body to punish a fine finish across Ortega.
Updated
4 min Gundogan finds Foden down the left, whose low cross is dangerous, but with no centre-forward in the side and the nominal one hitting the cross, it’s no surpriser to see the ball scoosh all the way across the box, unmolested.
2 min Talking of Solanke, I’m suspicious. He was excellent last season, but when you’ve so many season that were significantly less than, it’s hard to justify paying what Spurs did. Anyhow, good work from Gray wins the ball high, then Kulusevski muscles around Gundogan, breaks into the box and goes down; he wants a penalty but nothing doing.
1 min Immediately, Kulusevski is on the ball, feeding Solanke, but City crowd him out.
Updated
1 min Aaaand away we go!
Late change for City: Akanji has hurt himself, so Dias replaces him in the middle of the City defence.
More goals: Alejandro Garnacho has just put Mna United 2-0 up against Leicester – Van Nistelrooy in! – while an own goal from Disasi means Chelsea trail Newcastle 2-0.
Here come our teams…
You’ve gotta laugh. Eze has gone off injured at Villa Park, where of course Jhon Duran has equalised; Gabriel Jesus has put Arsenal ahead at Preston; and at St James’ Park, Alexander Isak has given Newcastle the lead against Chelsea.
I guess we’re in for another Spurs situation at Everton. Goodison Park is another favourite ground at which you can feel the history, and however good the sightlines are at the new place, I’m not sure how you manufacture personality. Which, as we know, goes a long way.
“Living nearby to Tottenham’s stadium,” writes Andy Flintoff, “I can tell you it looks mighty impressive looming above the street from the High Road, but thanks to one end being flatter than the other, so it’s not perfectly elliptical, it looks so much like a toilet seat from the air that it’s difficult not to see it that way.”
I know what you mean, and it also looks like a rarely-seen part of one’s anatomy.
Goals! Eberechi Eze’s fine header has put Palace in front at Villa, while Casemiro has just spanked a jazzer into the top corner so Man United lead Leicester 1-0.
Email! “Spurs’ ground is great,” says Daniel B. “Journey to get there is terrible. Any news of a delayed kick-off yet?”
I cannot tell you how little I want to hear that; lozz those who played for a ticket, save those liveblogging. And tangentially, I love the fact that when she came to the UK, Beyoncé chose to perform in Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou said earlier in the week that he wasn’t looking for a reaction he was looking to see his principles; asked what they are, he tells Sky that after 15 months he thinks people are pretty clear on them, thus avoiding their enumeration. And that’s the most he gives away.
Guardiola tells Sky that his squad can handle having 14 players for a few weeks but not over a long period, and notes that he’s had trouble with Spurs, recalling his first game against them when Mauricio Pochettino’s side absolutely monstered City. This is a very different outfit, though, one relying more on moments than energy.
McAtee won’t say what his instructions are beyond play with freedom, which sort of feels like the opposite of Guardiolisme. Either way, though, he’ll know this is a chance for him, because none of his rivals for the wide berths have impressed enough to nail down a spot.
How do we rate the Spurs ground? I quite like it, I’d say; I loved White Hart Lane, which had character, but they’ve done a fairly good job of the new place, though the upper-tier seats down the sides feel a long way from the pitch.
As for City, I’m sure they’ll target Gray, a midfielder who can play right-back, and Van de Ven, a centre-abck who can play left-back. Otherwise, they’ll look for Foden’s elusiveness, speed and power-shooting to discomfit Dragusin and Romero, and of course they’ll look to limit Spurs’ ability to attack by monopolising the ball – the classic Guardiola strategy.
Where is the game? Spurs, I’m certain, will be looking to run over City in midfield. Silky Ilkay is a beautiful footballer but physical he is not, and with similarly attack-minded partners alongside him, there’ll probably be space to exploit behind them. Otherwise, I expect their wingers to play off Solanke and attack the box, given neither Ake nor Lewis are exactly natural full-backs.
Guardiola, meanwhile, selects both Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee – I’m looking forward to watching both – and Phil Foden will, I think, play as a false nine.
We’re under way at the Amex; Tim de Lisle is following that and rest of the 7.45s next door:
Postecoglou has gone for physicality in midfield – even Kulusevski, his attacker, is an absolute brute. I’m sure that we’ll see Maddison at some point, but I can see why he’s not been included from the start. At the back, I’m intrigued to see how Archie Gray gets on, and wondering whether Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven is the ardest trio in the league, while up front, I guess the space City leave in behind in one reason Timo Werner is in the XI.
I’ll write those down, then we’ll wonder what they might mean.
As for City, they leave out Ederson, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Bernardo and Haaland, with Ortega, Stones, Ake and Gundogan, plus the rookies O’Reilly and McAtee, coming in.
Postecoglou makes five changes to the team that lost at Palace. Porro, Udogie, Bissouma, Maddison and Moore drop top the bench, with Gray, Dragusin, Sarr, Bentacur and Werner coming in. I’m a little surprised at that – I expected fewer changes – but Spurs have reasonable strength in depth these days, so they’ve still plenty of quality in the side.
Teams!
Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): Vicario; Gray, Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Werner. Subs: Forster, Porro, Davies, Udogie, Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison, Moore, Richarlison.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Ake; Gundogan, O’Reilly, Nunes; Savinho, Foden, McAtee. Subs: Ederson, Dias, Kovacic, Haaland, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Wright, Simpson-Pusey, Alfa-Ruprecht.
Updated
Preamble
It feels ridiculous to say so, but this is an absolutely gargantuan match for Tottenhamhotspurfootballclub. This cup was the last one they won, in 2008, and their desperation to break their spell without will only have increased following Ange Postecoglou’s insistence everyone recognise his success in winning second-season trophies with South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic. As Roy Hodgson once chin-stroked, “My track record, if people bothered to study it, would put me in the same category as [Alex] Ferguson enjoys today, but people don’t talk about what I’ve done outside England … I’ve got an excellent track record in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and in Denmark.”
It’s fair to say that Postecoglou’s lustre has dulled over the last year or so – laconic larrikining and homespun hometruths can only take you so far when your Spurs are spursy and getting spursier. The capitulation at Brighton was exactly what shouldn’t be seen a year-odd in, and the weekend loss to previously winless Crystal Palace could just as easily have happened under Christian Gross and Jacques Santini.
And yet there’ve been signs. Guillermo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie were fine signings, moving Dejan Kulusevski into midfield was a masterstroke, and it will soon be impossible to omit Mikey Moore. If Spurs play well, they’re a hard night for anyone and they’re also fun to watch – a crucial aspect for a club that reifies style in the absence of substance.
In the end, though, fun and style won’t keep Postecoglou in a job, winning games like this one will, and that’s easier said than done. It’s true that Pep Guardiola is without Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Jérémy Doku, Jack Grealish, Oscar Bobb, but he has plenty of quality available nevertheless, and the four League Cups won under his command tell us how difficult his teams are to beat even when not at full strength, even if they seem to draw Rochdale at home in every round. However they might, as Eric Clapton almost sung, be vulnerable tonight, and even if they’re not, Spurs will get after them as though they are.
Kick-off: 8.15pm GMT
