FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Manchester Metropolis’s long term with out a win or purpose at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium got here to an finish on Friday night time with a 1-0 victory within the FA Cup fourth spherical.
A slightly limp and lifeless efficiency from either side was settled late on, with Metropolis scoring a purpose on this a part of north London for the primary time because the new floor was opened in 2019.
Ange Postecoglou’s males have been capable of welcome again James Maddison from the bench however in the end couldn’t save the membership’s home trophy drought from extending into one other 12 months.
How the sport unfolded
Metropolis thought they’d scored their first ever purpose at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when Oscar Bobb tapped in from shut vary after Guglielmo Vicario spilled a shot from Julian Alvarez, just for the offside flag to go up and a prolonged VAR verify to spare Spurs’ blushes early doorways.
That was pretty much as good because it bought within the first half, with Metropolis suffocating Spurs and proscribing their hosts to zero photographs within the opening 45 minutes.
After the restart, Metropolis spurned one other superb likelihood to go forward. Bobb’s deep cross evaded each Tottenham defender and located Alvarez, however his shot was blocked behind by a last-ditch Micky van de Ven problem.
Metropolis have been afforded a late alternative when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – who up to now was having his greatest efficiency of the season – sliced a clearance straight into the trail of Bernardo Silva, however the Portuguese shot straight at Vicario.
Seconds later, Hojbjerg was let off the hook for freely giving possession in his personal field once more, this time spared by Kevin De Bruyne by some means firing extensive.
Jeremy Doku then introduced a low save out of Vicario on the break as Metropolis pushed ahead in the hunt for a late winner.
With two minutes remaining, Metropolis grabbed their first ever winner at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. De Bruyne’s nook flew near Vicario, whose punch away was meek having been challenged by Ruben Dias, and Nathan Ake was available to nudge the free ball over the road.
GK: Guglielmo Vicario – 7/10 – Bailed Tottenham out with a number of enormous saves, as is turning into the norm round these elements. Maybe unfortunate to not have had a foul dominated in his favour for Metropolis’s winner.
RB: Pedro Porro – 6/10 – Unable to select the forwards along with his trademark passing and crossing however was at the very least strong defensively.
CB: Cristian Romero – 6/10 – Lucky to not have been punished for performing a bit of too relaxed on the ball and aggressive off it, however total had a good sport.
CB: Micky van de Ven – 7/10 – Tottenham desperately wanted the Dutchman’s insane restoration tempo to be able to snuff out quite a lot of Metropolis assaults.
LB: Future Udogie – 7/10 – Slipped main as much as the early offside purpose however was in any other case practically flawless from there on in.
CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 5/10 – One of many sport’s higher performers for 80 minutes however his dreadful absence of composure late on threatened to price Tottenham.
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur – 6/10 – Swept up properly however lacked his ordinary incisiveness in possession.
RM: Brennan Johnson – 5/10 – Tried his greatest to get spherical the skin of the clumsy Gvardiol however was solely profitable on a few events.
AM: Dejan Kulusevski – 5/10 – A collection of free touches and dribbles that went on just a bit too lengthy slowed down Tottenham assaults.
LM: Timo Werner – 6/10 – So usually made nice runs in behind, so usually he wasn’t discovered. Labored laborious for the trigger and straightforward to see why Postecoglou was eager to carry him in.
CF: Richarlison – 5/10 – Did not sufficiently maintain up the ball sufficient or create hazard.
Substitutes
SUB: James Maddison (73′ for Bentancur) – 5/10
SUB: Oliver Skipp (73′ for Johnson) – 5/10
SUB: Dane Scarlett (90′ for Hojbjerg) – N/A
Subs not used: Fraser Forster (GK), Emerson Royal, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Yago Santiago, Bryan Gil
Supervisor
Ange Postecoglou – 5/10 – Tottenham tried to go toe-to-toe with the very best staff within the land. It made for a colorless encounter.
GK: Stefan Ortega – 6/10 – Did not have an excessive amount of to do in means of shot-stopping however was fast off his line.
RB: Kyle Walker – 7/10 – Like Van de Ven was in a position to make use of his extraordinary quickness to cowl floor and plug defensive gaps.
CB: Ruben Dias – 7/10 – Monstrous in his silencing of Richarlison. Hardly troubled in any respect.
CB: Nathan Ake – 8/10 – Wonderful in each bins and that proved to be the distinction on the night time.
LB: Josko Gvardiol – 6/10 – Guardiola was barking directions on the Croatian all night time, seemingly irritated at his positioning and lack of chunk.
DM: Rodri – 7/10 – Makes soccer look so, really easy. Riled up from time to time however fought properly for his facet.
CM: Bernardo Silva – 6/10 – One way or the other bought away with a number of cynical fouls. Wonderful in spurts however could not take the sport by the scruff of the neck on his personal.
CM: Mateo Kovacic – 7/10 – Got here alive at any time when there was a lull, bursting by way of midfield with trademark majesty.
RW: Phil Foden – 5/10 – Light into the background and it was laborious to inform he was on the pitch at some factors.
CF: Julian Alvarez – 5/10 – Twice responsible of lacking alternatives at point-blank vary. Changed by De Bruyne halfway by way of the second half.
LW: Oscar Bobb – 6/10 – Man Metropolis’s liveliest attacker in his 65 minutes however the bar wasn’t significantly excessive. Received in the fitting areas however wasn’t at all times picked out.
Substitutes
SUB: Jeremy Doku (65′ for Bobb) – 6/10
SUB: Kevin De Bruyne (65′ for Alvarez) – 7/10
Subs not used: Ederson (GK), Rico Lewis, John Stones, Sergio Gomez, Mahamadou Susoho, Matheus Nunes, Jack Grealish
Supervisor
Pep Guardiola – 6/10 – Metropolis weren’t at their greatest however they saved up their relentlessness within the late levels and have been rewarded with a purpose.
