Tottenham Hotspur edged past Manchester United 4-3 in a pulsating League Cup quarter-final encounter, booking their place in the semi-finals where they will face reigning champions Liverpool.
While the victory brought joy to the Spurs faithful, the London club has already been dealt a blow ahead of the two-legged clash with the Reds.
James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr to miss Liverpool clash
Midfield duo James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr will miss the first leg after accumulating their second yellow cards of the tournament during the win against United. Under competition rules, two bookings result in a one-match suspension.
This development leaves manager Ange Postecoglou with a significant midfield headache as he prepares to face an in-form Liverpool side aiming to defend their crown.
Tottenham’s quarter-final clash with Manchester United was nothing short of electrifying. Spurs took an early lead in the 15th minute when Pedro Porro’s thunderous strike was parried into the path of Dominic Solanke, who made no mistake with the rebound.
Dejan Kulusevski doubled Tottenham’s advantage just seconds into the second half with a composed finish, and Solanke added his second minutes later, putting the hosts in a commanding 3-0 position.
However, Manchester United refused to bow out quietly, capitalising on a pair of glaring errors from Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster, scoring twice in 7 minutes.
The momentum was on the visitors side until Tottenham captain Heung-min Son stepped up in the 88th minute to ease nerves, stunning the crowd by scoring directly from a corner.
Despite a stoppage-time header from Jonny Evans that made it 4-3, Spurs held on to secure their spot in the last four.
Tottenham hoping to end their trophy drought
Awaiting Tottenham in the semi-finals are Liverpool, who fielded a youthful side to dispatch Southampton 2-1 in their quarter-final. Spurs will go into the game hoping to beat Liverpool and get one over them after being denied a chance to win the Champions League by them back in 2019.
Spurs are now just one step away from the League Cup final, offering a golden opportunity to end a trophy drought that has plagued the club for over 15 years.