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Tottenham Hotspur continue their fine form at home against Man City with a 2-1 victory in the Carabao Cup. Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from the match:

Tottenham 2-1 Man City: Into the Carabao Cup pot

Did someone say Carabao Cup quarter-finals? The first quarters with eight Premier League teams in more than a decade too, so no easy draws. Of course, there is still a long way to go before you can talk about winning the thing, but this was a hugely important night for Spurs in terms of morale alone. You can watch the quarter-final draw live HERE. A Tottenham win over Man City is always stressful though, Carabao Cup or not!

Guts, tenacity, and running through brick walls

It would be wrong to say that tonight was a vintage Ange-ball performance. Sure, the first 20 minutes included some really nice sweeping attacking moves, but it was a rather messy game all-in-all. What Tottenham did really well – which they have often been missing this season – is they dug in and showed real tenacity off the ball. It is always so easy to implode against Manchester City, especially with so many changes to the starting XI and during the match itself. Every single Tottenham player ran through brick walls for the result tonight, and we need to see so much more of that.

Timo Werner… scores a goal!

Timo Werner so often does everything right, up until the finish. This evening, he finally managed to curl one past the keeper and give the timing of his run the ending it deserved. Yes, he did go on to miss another big chance which would have put the game to bed, but he was a big reason behind why Tottenham made it through to the quarters. He deserves a lot of credit this evening.

Rodrigo Bentancur Man of the Match

It may go largely unsung, but I thought Rodrigo Bentancur had a superb game this evening. Not only did he keep Spurs ticking over in the middle of the park, but he also found some lovely little passes between the lines to set the likes of Kulusevski, Werner, Johnson and Solanke away. Not content with just being an asset on the ball, some of his tracking back was also phenomenal tonight. Time after time he came in with crucial interceptions and tackles to prevent dangerous Man City attacks. That battle between the Uruguayan and Bissouma for the first-choice pivot role is getting very interesting.

Micky Van de Ven injury again

Tottenham and Manchester City played out a thrilling Carabao Cup fourth-round tie tonight, and we’ve watched closely to offer player ratings for every Spurs star involved.

There was a weight of expectation on the Tottenham players going into this game, with fans hungry for a cup run, and Pep Guardiola openly admitting he would not be taking the Carabao Cup seriously.

Spurs were 2-1 up at half-time thanks to goals from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr, but came under intense pressure from City late in the first half.

After the interval, Tottenham created a number of chances but were unable to put them away, while City turned the screw looking for an equaliser. But, it wasn’t to be, and Spurs progress to the next round. Let’s take a look at those Tottenham player ratings for their respective performances in the win.

Tottenham player ratings at full-time

Guglielmo Vicario: Had to settle for an observatory role for much of the game. Couldn’t have done much about the goal, distributed fairly well, but pretty quiet overall. Got a big touch on a cross late on to divert the ball away from danger. Absolutely flapped at a corner and looked hopeless shortly after. 6.

Archie Gray: Really struggled defensively and simply could not cope with Matheus Nunes. He lost his man for City’s goal, and was caught in possession a number of times. Did grow into the game though and managed to push forward more in the second half. 6.

Cristian Romero: A pretty uneventful night for the Spurs skipper, who had little to do in the first half and then was brought off just five minutes after the break. 6.

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Radu Dragusin: Put in a brilliant first-half display, mopping up everything that came his way, putting his body on the line, and covering a lot of ground. Stood out less in the second half, but still a really strong showing from the defender. 8.

Micky van de Ven: Had to leave the field after just 13 minutes when he picked up a hamstring injury. It would be unfair to judge him on that outing. N/A.

Pape Matar Sarr: A stunning goal for Sarr to double Tottenham’s lead, but he had to be replaced at half-time after picking up a yellow card after a number of clumsy fouls. 7.

Rodrigo Bentancur: An imperious display in the middle of the park, and Bentancur finally looked like the kind of player who can really control a game again. Big tackles, effective passes, incredible work rate. Could not ask for more. 9.

Dejan Kulusevski: Continues to show why he is Tottenham’s most important and influential player right now, with two brilliant assists in the first half, and a number of exciting runs and good catches created in the second. 9.

Brennan Johnson: Had one good chance that was well-saved by Ortega in the City goal, but simply wasn’t making the right runs to get involved in the game. Has to do better when making runs into the box to get ahead of his man. 4.

Dominic Solanke: Aside from some decent hold-up play, Solanke was pretty much invisible for Spurs. Was he getting enough service? No. But sometimes, as a striker, you have to make things happen yourself, and he didn’t do that. 4.

Timo Werner: Will be delighted to have got his goal, and could and should have had more, to be fair. Just couldn’t quite apply the right finishes and the right passes in crucial moments, but a very promising display from the German. 7.

Substitutes

Destiny Udogie: Played almost the entire game, and did fairly well to contain the City threats down his side, while still managing to get forward and support in attack. Did get caught in possession for the build-up to City’s goal, though. 6.

Yves Bissouma: On for Sarr at half-time. Picked up a yellow card ten minutes into the second half. Failed to really make his presence felt in the middle of the park, but did offer some solid moments in breaking up play and calming down the game. Put in a huge goalline clearance late on to save Vicario’s blushes. 7.

Ben Davies: On for Romero just five minutes into the second half. You’d barely even notice he was playing, which is a good thing, all things considered. 6.

Mikey Moore: Replaced Timo Werner with just over 20 minutes to go. Struggled to get into the game down the right-hand side, with Josko Gvardiol keeping him at bay with relative ease. Poor passes from the youngster, too, who will be disappointed with his involvement tonight. 5.

Richarlison: Replaced Brennan Johnson with just over 20 minutes to go. Came out of the traps ready to make an impact, carrying the ball well, holding it up, pressing with energy, winning fouls, and getting Spurs forward when they needed a lift. Missed an absolute sitter when gifted an opportunity by City, though. 7.

Things do not get any easier for Tottenham following their defeat at Selhurst Park, with some extremely challenging fixtures on the horizon for Ange Postecoglou’s men.

Spurs have to pick themselves up after harrowing loss

The defeat at Selhurst Park came as a huge blow for Postecoglou’s side just as they were looking to build some momentum and move up the table.

The performance raises some serious doubts about the Lilywhites’ consistency and about their ability to grind out results away from home.

The issue for Spurs is that they may not find it easy to bounce back from this defeat as some tough fixtures await them over the next few weeks.

Tottenham next five fixtures

Spurs now have to pick themselves up for a big Carbao Cup round of 16 clash, with Manchester City visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday.

Following that game, the Lilywhites have a huge six-pointer in the race for the top four, with Aston Villa next to visit North London.

Postecoglou’s men then face a tough away game against Galatasaray in the Europa League before hosting Ipswich Town in the Premier League and making the trip up to the Etihad to take on the champions.

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Tottenham fixtures

October 30 vs Manchester City (H) at 8.15pm – Carabao Cup

November 3 vs Aston Villa (H) at 2pm – Premier League

November 7 vs Galatasaray (A) at 5.45pm – Europa League

November 10 vs Ipswich Town (H) at 2pm – Premier League

November 23 vs Manchester City (A) at 5.30pm – Premier League

How this compares to some of their rivals

The one saving grace for Tottenham is the fact that many of their rivals also have a tough run of fixtures coming up in November.

That potentially could mean that Spurs may not find themselves a long way adrift of the top four places even if they do not pick up wins over the coming weeks.

Chelsea’s next five fixtures:

October 30 vs Newcastle (A) at 7.45pm – Carabao Cup

November 3 vs Manchester United (A) at 4.30pm – Premier League

November 7 vs Noah (H) at 8pm – Conference League

November 10 vs Arsenal (H) at 4.30pm – Premier League

November 23 vs Leicester City (A) at 12.30pm – Premier League

Aston Villa’s next five fixtures:

October 30 vs Crystal Palace (H) at 7.45pm – Carabao Cup

November 3 vs Tottenham (A) at 2pm – Premier League

November 6 vs Club Brugge (A) at 5.45pm – Champions League

November 9 vs Liverpool (A) at 8pm – Premier League

November 23 vs Crystal Palace (H) at 3pm – Premier League

Manchester United’s next five fixtures:

October 30 vs Leicester City (H) at 7.45pm – Carabao Cup

November 3 vs Chelsea (H) at 4.30pm – Premier League

November 7 vs PAOK (H) at 8pm – Europa League

November 10 vs Leicester City (H) at 2pm – Premier League

November 24 vs Ipswich Town (A) at 4.30pm – Premier League

Antonio Conte is personally getting involved to ensure that Napoli beat Tottenham Hotspur to the signature of an emerging Serie A star.

Tottenham big fans of Serie A wing-back

Spurs are reportedly keen on adding a left-back to their squad in January, and one player who has caught their attention is Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu, who has dazzled in the Italian top-flight since last season.

Multiple outlets have reported over recent weeks that Spurs and Chelsea have both scouted the Denmark international and are considering making offers for the youngster in January (FiorentinaNews).

However, it now turns out that Conte is determined to ensure that he beats both of his former clubs to the signing of the 20-year-old.

Antonio Conte meets with Patrick Dorgu

This information has been carried by Fabrizio Romano, who reveals that both Tottenham and Chelsea failed with approaches for Dorgu in the summer.

He confirms that both London clubs are still on the left-back’s trail, but they are now having to contend with competition from Serie A leaders Napoli.

In fact, Conte has allegedly chatted with the young wide-man personally, likely in an effort to convince him to move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

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How much will Dorgu cost?

It was reported by The Mirror last week that having tied Dorgu down to a new contract recently, Lecce will demand a big fee for the teenager.

The report suggested that it might need an offer of over £30m to prise the defender away from the Italian club during the winter transfer window.

The publication added that even though Spurs were at the front of the queue, Chelsea might have an advantage as the Dane grew up supporting the West London side.

Tottenham Hotspur may make a shock move for a young Arsenal player who is impressing on loan in Spain at the moment.

Spurs look to raid North London rivals

Not many players in history have made a direct move from Arsenal to Spurs or vice versa, but it looks like the Lilywhites have their eyes on pulling off an unlikely transfer.

Tottenham are thought to be on the lookout for a goalkeeper, and according to Fichajes, one player who has caught their eye is Gunners shot-stopper Karl Hein, who is impressing on loan at Real Valladolid this season.

In fact, the report describes Spurs’ interest in the 22-year-old shot-stopper as an ‘obsession’.

Spurs set for transfer battle

According to Fichajes, it is not just Tottenham who are keen on Hein but also their London rivals, Chelsea, with both clubs viewing the goalkeeper as a potential long-term option between the sticks.

The youngster’s reflexes and agility, along with his composure on the ball under pressure have impressed the scouts of both the Blues and Spurs.

Hein is said to fit the profile of goalkeeper that Ange Postecoglou’s men are after as they look to sign a successor to Fraser Forster, whose contract with the club runs out next summer.

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Arsenal’s stance explained

It is explained that Arsenal are aware that the Estonia international is attracting interest from their London rivals, and they have a big decision to make regarding the player.

Mikel Arteta’s men are expected to make a call on whether to cash in on Hein or potentially keep him on as an understudy to David Raya.

The publication adds that an offer of around €15m-€20m (£12.5m-£16.6m) may convince the Gunners to part ways with the goalkeeper.

Ange Postecoglou does not doubt that Manchester City will have a strong team out on the park this evening, no matter who Pep Guardiola decides to play.

Pep Guardiola has hinted at rotation

Man City travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening for the Carabao Cup round of 16 clash, with the winner of the clash being just two games away from a big Wembley final.

The game is undoubtedly the tie of the round but based on the comments from the two managers, we might see both sides name a weakened side.

Guardiola made it clear ahead of the clash that he will not risk any of the players who are not 100 per cent fit and added that some academy players will be handed a chance (The Standard).

Ange Postecoglou is not under any illusions

However, Postecoglou has no doubts that irrespective of who starts for the Premier League champions, they will be an extremely hard side to beat.

He pointed out that Guardiola has a formidable record in the Carabao Cup despite rotating his squad.

When asked about City potentially playing kids in today’s game, the Tottenham boss told Football.London: “I don’t know but if you look at Pep in this comp he has always pretty heavily rotated, and they won in four in a row didn’t they?

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“He’s not playing his kids. No disrespect to Pep’s kids. These are good players. They’re at City. They have a pretty good programme. Pedro [Porro] was part of that so… if you’re part of the City infrastructure you’re a good player.

“We’re expecting a tough game. But irrespective of who they put out we want to win. We want to stay in this competition and put in a strong performance.”

Postecoglou making himself an easy target for criticism

Postecoglou himself has made it clear that he will rotate his troops, much like he has done for all the midweek games so far this season.

That might not go down well with a lot of Tottenham fans, who see this clash as potentially being bigger than the upcoming Premier League game against Aston Villa.

If the Australian does name a weakened side, he would be making himself a target for intense criticism if his side were to be knocked out this evening.

Spurs swap the Premier League for the Carabao Cup this evening in North London as they welcome Man City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs vs Man City in the Carabao Cup

The League Cup is often seen by many as the best route to ending a long trophy drought in N17, but coming up against the reigning Premier League champions in Round Four is less than ideal.

Spurs have performed poorly in the cup competitions over the past two seasons and fans will be dying for a good old-fashioned cup run into 2025.

Of course, facing a heavyweight like Man City so early on comes with its pros and cons. If you get knocked out, at least you did so early and have fewer games to play. If you get through, you’re not only in the hat for the next round, but also knocked out one of your biggest rivals to lift the trophy.

Tottenham vs Man City score prediction

Pascal Chimbonda has gone with the complete opposite prediction to us this week. He expects Spurs to drop out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of Man City, while we are hoping for a narrow win.

Pascal prediction – 2-1 Man City win

Spurs Web prediction – 2-1 Tottenham win

The Table

What do you think the Tottenham vs Man City score will be?

Ange Postecoglou has offered a scenario where both Richarlison and Dominic Solanke could start against Manchester City, in light of the injuries that he is dealing with. But should Tottenham go for it?

Who starts on the left?

The big question for Postecoglou to answer is who starts on the left, with Heung-min Son and Wilson Odobert still out of action.

Mikey Moore has started Tottenham’s last two games against Crystal Palace and AZ Alkmaar, but it has been suggested that the 17-year-old is now expected to drop back to the bench.

This claim was made by GiveMeSport, who reported on Tuesday that Timo Werner is expected to return to the lineup against Man City despite his recent struggles.

Ange Postecoglou has suggested an alternative option

Postecoglou said this week that he is also open to the option of starting Richarlison on the left rather than through the middle, pointing out that the former Everton man has played in that position plenty of times in his career.

The Tottenham head coach said in his pre-match press conference (via Football.London): “I think Richy has played a lot of his football on the left and he’s definitely an option there for us. He’s an option through the middle as well.

“Again, he’s getting some good match minutes now and hopefully with the next couple of weeks, with a good game schedule. He is only just getting his season started and the more we can expose him without overburdening him in these early stages, he’ll be able to contribute even more.”

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Should both Richarlison and Solanke start?

It would be quite surprising if Ange decides to play Richarlison on the left and names Dominic Solanke to lead the line. The Australian has made it clear that he wants to manage the minutes of his key players, which is why one would expect the English centre-forward to be on the bench for this evening’s clash.

However, I believe that Richarlison on the left and Solanke down the middle is perhaps the best of a bad bunch when it comes to options for this evening. Mikey Moore has started the last two matches and Postecoglou won’t want to burn him out, while both Son and Odobert are unavailable through injury. Timo Werner is an option, but he has hardly set the world alight in recent weeks.

Richarlison not only provides a direct threat from the left, but also offers something a little different in the box. Pedro Porro crossing in from the right to two strikers in the Man City box is a whole lot better than one. Not to mention the fact that getting Richarlison’s fitness up will be a huge boost to Spurs regardless of the result tonight.

If I were Ange Postecoglou, I would start with a front three of Richarlison, Solanke, and Johnson, with at least one of Maddison or Kulusevski in midfield too. It seems unlikely both creative midfielders will start this evening, and maybe that is a good thing because Spurs need all the solidity they can get in that engine room against Man City.

Sometimes, getting players to sign new deals can be just as important as signing a new player entirely. Here, we take a look at five Spurs stars who need new contracts signed as soon as possible.

Heung-min Son

Out of all possible new contracts at Spurs, this one is a no-brainer. The Spurs captain’s current contract expires at the end of the season, and while the club does have the option to trigger an automatic one-year extension, it would be far wiser to secure Heung-min Son into a new agreement that would take him to the end of the career.

Son is still the most important and influential player in the squad at Tottenham, and with the legacy he has built at the club over the last ten years, he more than deserves to stay for as long as he wants. Plus, getting him locked in for the rest of his playing days would delight the fans, too.

Ben Davies

While Ben Davies may not be a regular fixture in the starting XI these days, he has proven time and time again that he is a dependable and valuable member of the wider squad. His experience and versatility are hugely beneficial, and he knows how to get us through the more high-stakes games that some of the younger players aren’t used to.

Davies’ current contract expires at the end of the season. Giving him a new deal would be a really sound investment for the future, not just in terms of what he offers on the pitch, but what he can do for Spurs after he retires. Make no mistake, Davies will be a top manager one day, and we would do well to integrate him into the coaching staff at Spurs as soon as we can. He definitely deserves one of the new contracts at Spurs.

Yves Bissouma

He’s had his ups and downs in his time at Spurs, but Yves Bissouma is arguably the best central midfielder in the squad on his day. Calm, composed, strong, and possessing the ability to drive forward with the ball, the Mali international is the epitome of what Ange Postecoglou wants in a midfielder.

His contract expires in 2026, and though he will be pushing 30-years-old by that point, he’s a player Spurs will want to keep around for another year or two after that.

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Cristian Romero

Cristian Romero‘s current deal doesn’t come to an end until 2027, but with Real Madrid sniffing around, it would not hurt to get him on new terms as soon as possible.

The vice-captain is one of the highest-paid players at the club already, but bumping that up a little would certainly keep Romero happy, and extending his contract would potentially be enough to deter other clubs from trying to make an approach.

Dejan Kulusevski

There is no Tottenham player in better form right now than Dejan Kulusevski. Since moving inside and playing as more of a central playmaker rather than a winger, the Swedish star has been able to dictate the game far better. He’s making Spurs tick, and he is absolutely essential to this team now.

Kulusevski still has a while left on his contract — it doesn’t expire until the summer of 2028 — but if he keeps up this level of performance, he will not only deserve a new deal, but it would also help to stave off any interest from outside parties. He will be more in demand than ever next summer, so needs one of these top five new contracts at Spurs.

Ashley Phillips has had a tought start to life with Stoke City during his loan spell this season, but he just bagged his first goal for the club, and a wonderful one at that.

Ashley Phillips struggling for minutes at Stoke

After a fairly successful spell with Plymouth Argyle last season, there were high hopes that Ashley Phillips could continue his development effectively at Stoke this term.

However, the young defender has made just two appearances in the Championship so far, and has been an unused substitute on six occasions.

He got 90 minutes under his belt at the weekend, though he and his teammates were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline against Sheffield United.

Phillips has featured prominently for the Potters in the Carabao Cup, though, and managed another 90 minutes this week in a 3-2 defeat to Southampton in the fourth round of the competition.

Phillips off the mark in cup tie

With Stoke trailing 2-0 to their Premier League opponents, the cup tie appeared to be done and dusted, but the Championship side were back in it just before half-time thanks to Phillips’ first goal for the club.

With 45 minutes on the clock, Stoke won a free-kick about 35 yards out. The ball was fired into the box and, after a flick-on from Jaden Dixon and a richochet off Saints defender Yukinari Sugawara, the ball fell to Phillips, who coolly converted with a clever flick.

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Phillips saw the ball floating just behind him, and in a stroke of genius, used a neat backheel finish to slot the ball beyond Aaron Ramsdale.

The start of a good run for Phillips