Irish Examiner

Anthony Elanga’s first-half goal was enough for Forest to consolidate their position in the top four as the mist gathered at City Ground and the outlook keeps getting gloomier for under-pressure Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

The embattled Australian watched his side lose for a fifth time in eight Premier League games and the pressure is growing as they languish in the bottom half of the table after a first Boxing Day defeat since 2003.

While Spurs, who had Djed Spence sent off at the death, ponder a season of mediocrity, Forest are daring to dream after posting a fourth successive Premier League win for the first time since 1995.

They have already surpassed their points total from last season and are looking like genuine contenders for European qualification, which outlines the impressive job Nuno Espirito Santo has done at the City Ground.

Given Postecoglou’s stubborn refusal to alter from his attacking approach, it was no surprise that chances at both ends came quickly.

Son Heung-min shot straight at Matz Sels after Murillo had given the ball away and then Callum Hudson-Odoi fired over with a trademark effort cutting in from the right soon after.

Brennan Johnson could have scored on his return to the City Ground after being played in by returning Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, but Sels did well.

Just as it looked like Spurs were taking control, Forest went in front in the 29th minute after a quick break.

Morgan Gibbs-White galloped into space and played in Elanga, who beat the offside trap and coolly clipped home for his third goal in three games.

The visitors’ response was good and Forest needed another big save from Sels to keep their lead intact, again denying Johnson with a flying stop.

Son then whipped a 20-yard free-kick inches wide as Spurs pressed, but Forest got into half-time unscathed.

They had a chance to double their lead early in the second half when Fraser Forster flapped at a cross and it fell kindly to Gibbs-White, but the goalkeeper recovered well to block the shot.

Spurs kept on creating chances as Johnson cleverly made space for himself, but Sels again came to the rescue with a brave block.

Forest needed a second goal to give themselves some breathing space and Nikola Milenkovic headed over before Ola Aina failed to make proper contact when the ball fell kindly to him on the penalty area.

Spurs pushed for an equaliser, but Forest put in a defensive performance Spurs could only dream of as central pairing Murillo and Milenkovic won all of their headers and made all of their tackles.

The visitors ended with 10 men as former Forest right-back Spence was dismissed deep into injury time for two yellow cards.

Tottenham have been beset by injuries and suspensions over the past month, which has seen them plummet down the Premier League table amid an inconsistent run of form.

With Carabao Cup, Europa League and FA Cup matches to come in January, it is no secret what was on Postecoglou’s Christmas wish list, but he tempered expectations.

“I’m kind of hoping I’ve been really good this year because I’ve got a fair Christmas list for Santa so I will see what I get,” Postecoglou joked at his pre-match press conference on Christmas Eve.

“I think improving the team may be a bit challenging, but improving the depth of our squad, I think there’s always possibilities out there.

“I think it’s a bit more challenging this January because of the way European football is set up, because sometimes in January you would find maybe a couple of clubs out of Champions League contention that were thinking, well, you know what, ‘we’re not in the Champions League, so maybe just release a couple from our roster.’

“So, that doesn’t exist now because all European competitions are kind of still in the balance. That probably adds another layer of difficulty to it, but we’ll endeavour because I think there’s definitely a need for us to reinforce. We’ll just see how successful we are in that.”

Postecoglou revealed on Tuesday he would be home alone on Christmas Day due to his wife and young children going back to Australia, but he retained his festive spirit by pushing back the time of training on the day before a trip to Forest.

It allowed his players to spend the majority of the day with their own families on Christmas Day before they travel to Nottingham, where Spurs will aim to climb the table from 11th spot.

Spurs’ list of unavailable players has hit double figures since a 4-0 victory at Manchester City on November 23, but light is at the end of the tunnel with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Mikey Moore and Richarlison primed to return in January.

“I always felt after the City game this is the toughest period we would come up against in terms of the number of games and the squad we had."

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has repeatedly stated Postecoglou must change and cannot play the same way for 90 minutes, which was echoed by Jamie Redknapp even though injury-hit Tottenham set up a last-four showdown with Liverpool in midweek.

Ahead of a semi-final dress rehearsal with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, summer recruit Solanke lauded his head coach.

“Ange is very unique in the way he plays and we love it. The way he plays, it suits us,” Solanke told the PA news agency at Tottenham’s One Hotspur Junior Christmas party earlier this week.

“It is a great style, especially for me being a striker to play in. Like I said, we haven’t been consistent enough this season. We’ve just come off not the greatest run but I feel we’re building towards that consistency.

“We’re like a family, we all want to achieve the same thing and every day we’re on the training ground working towards our goals. Ultimately we want to win stuff and we’re all on the same wave length.

“We all back each other, all believe in each other, like I said, we’re all on the same page.

“In football there is always times when you are on top and when you have a bit of dip, but it’s about working on the negatives to get that steady flow going. I think it will definitely come.”

Sunday will see Solanke back at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the third time this week after he was joined by Son Heung-min, Timo Werner, Richarlison, Pape Sarr, Pedro Porro, Will Lankshear and Alfie Dorrington for Tuesday’s Christmas party with junior Spurs fans, where various festive activities were put on.

While the 27-year-old has only been at the club since August, the £65million forward has quickly developed into an integral player and is eager to become a leader for a young squad which features several of teenagers in Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Mikey Moore and Lankshear.

Solanke added: “We have a lot of young boys and players like me, the more senior players with a bit more experience, definitely need to help the younger ones.

“It’s something you need in football. You need everyone you can to be a leader and help each other. That’s something I definitely want to do more.”

Across five-and-a-half years at Bournemouth, Solanke developed into a talisman with 21 goals in all competitions during the 2023-24 campaign.

It earned the former Chelsea academy product a big-money move to Spurs and despite being able to improve his goal tally to nine on Thursday, Solanke wants more and is desperate to win his new club a first trophy since 2008.

The manager speaks about it all the time, we all obviously want to win something as well and that's the dream of the football club.

“I always want more goals no matter how many I score. I would have liked to have a few more by now, but that’s always the mindset, you always want more. I think the main point is trying to get the consistency in the team right now and working towards some trophies,” Solanke insisted.

“I feel like I am where I wanted to be but I feel like I have still got a lot more to give though, so I will keep working and improving. And our main goal here is to win something now.

“The manager speaks about it all the time, we all obviously want to win something as well and that’s the dream of the football club. Like I keep mentioning, that is the wave we are on and hopefully we can achieve it.”

Spurs’ immediate priority is Sunday’s visit of Liverpool where the hosts’ will target a third consecutive victory despite being without eight players.

The fixture will carry extra significance for Solanke after he spent a difficult 18 months at Anfield before he left to join Bournemouth in 2019.

Solanke reflected: “I was still very young and it might have been a bit too young for me going there, but I learned a lot and I was thankful for my time there.

“Every game you want to win and do well. Obviously when it’s an old club, it always means a little bit more because you see familiar faces and want to get the better of them. It will be another tough game but we’ll take that challenge.”

It’s official - Cole Palmer is not normal, according to Enzo Maresca, after Chelsea’s fifth straight victory closed the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table to four points and condemned Tottenham to more misery in an enthralling London derby.

Palmer scored two second-half penalties as the Blues came from 2-0 down to win 4-3, giving him a Premier League record 12 consecutive conversions.

His second, after he had been bundled over by Pape Matar Sarr, was a cheeky chip over Fraser Forster, to cement his reputation as ‘ice-cold Palmer’, and afterwards his manager confirmed that the England man never practices penalties.

“Cole belongs to that group of players who are not normal,” said a beaming Maresca, whose side are now in second place, two points clear of Arsenal and have to be considered genuine title challengers.

“Top players do things that other players, and us, ask : ‘How can they do that?’ It is because it is Cole, he is top, and we can expect that sort of thing from him.”

Palmer’s performance encapsulated the confidence that is flowing through the Blues, even after going two goals down inside the first 11 minutes.

“It’s painful, considering how well we played at times and were 2-0 up,” he said.

But Chelsea showed why they must be taken seriously as title contenders with an outstanding display second-half display. After Jadon Sancho reduced the arrears before half-time, Palmer scored the first of his penalties and Enzo Fernandez volleyed home to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Maresca has surprised most neutrals - and even some Chelsea supporters - by taking over an expensive but underperforming squad and moulding them into a serious unit. They have lost only twice in the league - to Manchester City and Liverpool - and this was their fifth consecutive victory.

Yet it had started so well for Spurs, who desperately need a break. The teamsheet showed a surprise with the return of Tottenham’s first-choice centre-back pairing of Micky Van de van and Cristian Romero from injury.

It was something of a gamble, perhaps a sign of the pressure Ange Postecoglou has been feeling, although he insisted he had little choice because of injuries to back up defenders.

All the same, it backfired to some extent when Romero limped off in the 15th minute. “Cuti’s injury was different to the previous one, and there’s nothing you can do about that. It sums up the way our season has gone,” he said.

Tottenham’s 2-0 lead originated from an unlikely source, with Marc Cucurella slipping to concede possession each time. For the first, Brennan Johnson nipped in and crossed low for Dominic Solanke to stab home from close range.

The second time Cucurella slipped, six minutes later, Johnson again pounced to feed Dejan Kulusevski, who dribbled across the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before hitting a low shot through a crowd of legs inside Robert Sanchez’s near post.

Cucurella immediately changed his footwear and was more settled thereafter. Sanchez was also having a nightmare, regularly giving away possession, and it looked like Tottenham might go on to make hay.

But Jadon Sancho gave Chelsea hope with a fine strike in the 18th minute, cutting in from the left before unleashing a low shot that rebounded in off the far post.

Chances came and went at both ends. Heung Min Son curled a shot just over the angle of bar and far post, then crossed for Pape Matar Sarr to head on to the crossbar.

Sarr had earlier been caught on the shin by Moises Caicedo’s studs, but Anthony Taylor did not consider it a red card offence and a VAR check agreed, angering Postecoglou.

“The referee is scared to make a decision, VAR won’t intervene and it feels like nobody is really in control,” he said.

Forster, in the Tottenham goal, made a fine save from Cole Palmer and then blocked Pedro Neto’s follow-up shot with an outstretched leg.

But the keeper had little chance when Palmer equalised from the penalty spot after Yves Bissouma brought down Caicedo on the hour mark.

From that point on, Chelsea looked the most likely side to score and so it proved 12 minutes later when Enzo Fernandez volleyed home from 15 yards to put them ahead for the first time.

It was all over soon afterwards when Palmer scored his second penalty of the game, having been barged over by Sarr. The England midfielder is known for his cool temperament, and he was ice-cold as he cheekily chipped the ball over a diving Forster.

Son pulled one goal back for Spurs deep in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late to prevent another momentous win for the Blues.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Forster 7; Porro 6, Romero 6 (Dragusin 15), Van de Ven 7 (Gray 79); Udogie 6; Sarr 6, Bissouma 6 (Bergvall 79), Kulusevski 7 (Maddison 79); Johnson 7 (Werner 53) Solanke 7, Son 6.

CHELSEA: Sanchez 5; Caicedo 6, Badiashile 6, Colwill 6, Cucurella 5; Palmer, 9 Lavia 7 (Gusto 46), Fernandez 8; Neto 7, Jackson 6 (Nkunku 76), Sancho 7.

Referee: Anthony Taylor 8.

Ange Postecoglou has been under pressure after a poor run of results, with only one win in their previous six games, and this latest defeat will hurt all the more considering Tottenham were 2-0 ahead inside the first 11 minutes.

But Chelsea showed why they must be taken seriously as title contenders with an outstanding display second-half display. After Jadon Sancho reduced the arrears before half-time, Cole Palmer scored twice from the penalty spot and Enzo Fernandes volleyed home to complete a remarkable turnaround that enabled Chelsea to move clear in second place, two points ahead of Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca has surprised most neutrals - and even some Chelsea supporters - by taking over an expensive but underperforming squad and moulding them into a serious unit. They have lost only twice in the league - to Manchester City and Liverpool - and this was their fifth consecutive victory.

Yet it had started so well for Spurs, who desperately need a break.

The team sheet showed a surprise with the return for injury of Tottenham’s first-choice centre-back pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. It was something of a gamble, perhaps a sign of the pressure Ange Postecoglou has been feeling, and it backfired to some extent when Romero limped off in the 15th minute.

The second time Cucurella slipped, six minutes later, Johnson again pounced to feed Dejan Kulusevski, who dribbled across the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before hitting a low shot through a crowd of legs inside Robert Sanchez’s near post.

Cucurella immediately changed his footwear and was more settled thereafter. Sanchez was also having a nightmare, regularly giving away possession, and it looked like Tottenham might go on to make hay.

But Jadon Sancho gave Chelsea hope with a fine strike in the 18th minute, cutting in from the left before unleashing a low shot that rebounded in off the far post.

Chances came and went at both ends. Heung Min Son curled a shot just over the angle of bar and far post, then crossed for Pape Matar Sarr to head on to the crossbar.

Fraser Forster, in the Tottenham goal, made a fine save from Cole Palmer and then blocked Pedro Neto’s follow-up shot with an outstretched leg.

But the keeper had little chance when Palmer equalised from the penalty spot after Yves Bissouma brought down Moises Caicedo on the hour mark.

From that point on, Chelsea looked the most likely side to score and so it proved 12 minutes later when Enzo Fernandes volleyed home from 15 yards to put them ahead for the first time.

It was all over soon afterwards when Palmer scored his second penalty of the game, having been barged over by Sarr. The England midfielder is known for his cool temperament, and he was ice-cold as he cheekily chipped the ball over a diving Forster.

Spurs substitute Archie Gray pulled one goal back for Spurs deep in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late to prevent another momentous win for the Blues.

TOTTENHAM 4-3-3: Forster 7; Porro 6, Romero 6 (Dragusin 15), Van de Ven 7 (Gray 79); Udogie 6; Sarr 6, Bissouma 6 (Bergvall 79), Kulusevski 7 (Maddison 79); Johnson 7 (Werner 53) Solanke 7, Son 6

CHELSEA 4:3:3 Sanchez 5; Caicedo 6, Badiashile 6, Colwill 6, Cucurella 5; Palmer, 9 Lavia 7 (Gusto 46), Fernandez 8; Neto 7, Jackson 6 (Nkunku 76), Sancho 7.

Referee: Anthony Taylor 8/10

Tottenham brought in three teenagers alongside £65million forward Dominic Solanke in Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert, with another in 18-year-old Yang Min-hyeok set to be available from January, but on Sunday they will face the team with the youngest average age in the Premier League in Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca is only a matter of months into his tenure at Stamford Bridge and yet able to work with a squad which has been put together in a £1billion spending spree by owners Clearlake Capital since they took over in 2022.

It led to Postecoglou quickly dismissing suggestions there are similarities.

He said: “I don’t think so. The sheer volume that they’ve invested, both from a financial perspective but also a numbers perspective (means) that we are nowhere near being in that boat.

“The players we’ve signed are not only young in age but young in experience. Archie Gray made his senior debut last year in the Championship. Lucas Bergvall has come from Swedish first division. Wilson’s out (injured) but the teenagers weren’t experienced either.

“It’s different in both approaches and really almost impossible to compare what we’re trying to do.” Postecoglou’s current energy is being poured into breaking Spurs’ cycle of inconsistency which has seen them win six and lose six of their 14 league games this season.

“It doesn’t sit well with me. Nor should it. I’m not going to accept it,” the 59-year-old said.

“My role within that and my responsibility is to change that because if we’re going to get to where I want us to get to, we need to break that cycle of not showing the belief and resilience in key moments.

“Nothing has changed in terms of my resolve to play the type of football I want to play and be that kind of team.

“It’s just that we haven’t understood the other side of that and that is the discipline and resilience to overcome difficult moments, so that the football we have can come through.

“When we have won this year, we have been pretty compelling. It’s not just struggling victories. Every game we have won, we have been very dominant and exactly the team we want to be.

“So, we have shown the potential of what we can be but that kind of gets diminished by performances like (Bournemouth).” A regular stick to beat Tottenham with is the ‘Spursy’ tag which has followed the club amid a trophy drought going back to 2008.

Postecoglou, who could have vice-captain Cristian Romero back on Sunday, pointed out this season’s wins in Manchester should show there is not a mentality issue at Spurs.

He added: “It’s a funny one because if you talk about mentality, you’d think mentality would be ‘well, against the big teams, you come up short.’ “I didn’t go into this job where I felt there was something institutionalised here that would stop this club having success. I just don’t think that way.

“I think everything while I am here is in my control. So, I’m not going to palm off responsibility to whatever we’re going through to things that have existed in the past.

“From the moment since I’ve come in, I have the ability and the opportunity to change things so that’s what I am endeavouring to do."

The promoted Tractor Boys had been denied a maiden league success this season by a stoppage-time leveller against Leicester last weekend, but finally got off the mark at the 11th attempt.

Szmodics’ acrobatic effort put Ipswich ahead in the 31st minute and Delap made it 2-0 12 minutes later to set Kieran McKenna’s side halfway towards a long-awaited result.

Rodrigo Bentancur reduced the deficit for Spurs with 69 minutes played, but they could not muster a grand finale and missed out on the chance to rise to third in the table.

Tottenham had won their previous six home matches, but were up against a manager that spent 16 years at the club as player and coach in McKenna.

Ex-Spurs academy coach McKenna almost had a goal to celebrate on the second minute of his return as Szmodics bundled his way into the penalty area and had a low shot saved by Guglielmo Vicario.

It sparked an end-to-end start as Brennan Johnson poked wide Son Heung-min’s cross soon after before Town defender Cameron Burgess headed against the crossbar from a Leif Davis corner.

The hosts responded with a Dominic Solanke shot deflected over and the England international forced Arijanet Muric into a decent save with a low 19th-minute effort after Cristian Romero’s ball over the top.

Ange Postecoglou’s team had appeared to be getting to grips with Ipswich’s aggressive press by the midway point of the first half as Muric made another stop to prevent an own goal from Davis after he deflected Johnson’s cross goalwards.

However, the visitors had already looked a threat out wide and made the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark through Szmodics.

Jens Cajuste’s cross was headed up in the air by Romero under pressure from Delap and Szmodics was first to the loose ball with a fine overhead kick which beat Vicario from close range.

Johnson had been slow to react and one goal for the visitors quickly become two after more excellent wing play.

As a Spurs move broke down with a poor Son pass, Omari Hutchinson carried the ball impressively and possession was worked out to Szmodics, whose cross was parried by Vicario into Radu Dragusin and it allowed Delap to lash home on the goal-line.

Boos greeted half-time, but Tottenham returned with renewed vigour and after the break with Son having a shot tipped over and Solanke bundling home from a corner only for VAR to cut short home celebrations as the England forward had handled the ball before it went in the net.

Spurs remained in the ascendancy but were restricted to hopeful efforts as Solanke drilled over from long range before Son curled off target.

Postecoglou sent on Timo Werner with 24 minutes left and Tottenham did pull one back three minutes later through a set-piece.

Pedro Porro produced an inch-perfect corner to the near post, where Bentancur powered home a header for his first goal of the season.

Spurs peppered the Ipswich goal with another Son effort sent off target before Werner forced Muric to tip over his 25-yard strike.

Werner lifted another shot over before Postecoglou turned to James Maddison, but the Tractors Boys would not be denied and held on for a memorable win.

Villa had taken the lead through Morgan Rogers in the first-half, and might have fancied their chances of another smash-and-grab win in north London, having won at both Tottenham and Arsenal last season.

But once Brennan Johnson equalised for Spurs early in the second half, Solanke scored twice in the space of four minutes before James Maddison scored a stoppage time free-kick to wrap up all three points.

It was the second time in as many meetings that Tottenham hve put four goals past Villa, who pipped them to fourth place last season and are knocking on the door again.

But Spurs are now only two points behind them and Arsenal in fourth place, and gathering momentum after beating Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

And while Solanke went goalless through October, Postecoglou has always backed the hardworking forward.

“He put in an enormous effort to help us win on Wednesday, and again it was an unbelievable effort from him today,” said his manager.

“I can’t speak highly enough of what he’s contributing. He makes us a better team.”

Postecoglou was delighted to see his side match Villa physically, and then take the game beyond them with their superior football in the second half.

“We had to work hard to match Villa but we have two or three more gears in us and felt we could break them open in the second half. Full credit to the players.”

It was chalk and cheese to Tottenham's limp defeat at Crystal Palace last week, when they were muscled out of a physical battle.

Some supporters questioned Postecoglou's methods, but they were singing his name again at the final whistle on Wednesday and this weekend.

“You don’t fall off cliffs and club mountains in the space of a week. It’s how you cope. We had two huge games this week and won them both.

Yet Villa had taken the lead, somewhat against the run of play.

The opening half-hour was cagey, both sides playing within themselves, perhaps conscious that one mistake could cost them dearly, and so it proved when Rogers scored in the 32nd minute.

Villa won a corner on the right, Lucas Digne swung it in and the ball flew off two Tottenham players, Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur, forcing Guglielmo Vicario into a scrambled save.

The Italian keeper could only parry the ball to the lurking Rogers, who accepted his gift gratefully and volleyed home from close range.

It should have been 2-0 before half-time when Youri Tielemans sent Ollie Watkins clean through on goal, but the England striker dragged his shot horribly wide of the far post.

Spurs had enjoyed the majority of possession without troubling Emi Martinez unduly in the first half.

Villa had defended well for the opening 45 minutes, with two banks of four being supplemented by Rogers dropping back from the forward line once he had scored, and there was a question over whether Tottenham needed more creativity in midfield, with James Maddison sitting on the bench.

But Postecoglou kept faith with his side and was rewarded with an equaliser within five minutes of the restart.

Heung Min Son, back from injury but not fully match fit, burst down the left and sent in an inviting low cross that Johnson swept in from close range at the far post.

Home supporters erupted in joy and suddenly Spurs looked really up for it. Martinez had to get down low to save a Solanke shot at full-stretch, Pape Sarr flashed a shot wide and Richarlison, replacing Son, curled a high shot wide of the far post.

You could feel Tottenham's pressure building, and so it proved as Solanke scored twice in the space of four minutes.

Both goals stemmed from Villa losing possession in key areas. First, Ben Davies stepped in with a superb tackle to rob Watkins and send Sarr away.

Intricate passing on the edge of the penalty area ended with the ball dropping for Solanke, who dinked a delicate finish over Martinez.

Pau Torres then gave the ball away twice, the second time to Sarr, who played in Richarlison on the left. The Brazilan crossed low and hard, being injured in the process, and Solanke tucked the ball away from close range.

Unai Emery went for broke, sending on forwards Jaden Philogene and Jhon Duran hoping to find a route back in.

Postecolgou sent on Maddison and Archie Gray to see the game out, with 10 added minutes mostly as a result of Martinez's extensive time-wasting.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time Maddison curled a free-kick past the Argentinian from 20 yards to complete an excellent afternoon for Tottenham.

Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario 7; Porro 7, Romero 7 (Davies 61), Dragusin 7, Udogie 7 (Gray 82); Kulusevski 8, Sarr 8, Bentancur 7 (Bissouma 56); Johnson 7, Solanke 9, Son 7 (Richarlison 56 [Maddison 82)

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez 6; Cash 6 (Carlos 60), Konsa 6, Torres 5, Digne 7; McGinn 6 (Bailey 81), Onana 6, Tielemans 6 (Kamara 81), Ramsey 6; (Philogene 81) Rogers 7, Watkins 5.

Referee: Craig Pawson 8/10

ASTON VILLA 1 (Rogers 32)

DOMINIC SOLANKE scored twice in four minutes as Tottenham put four goals past Villa for the second time in as many meetings, coming from behind to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

Having thrashed Unai Emery's side 4-0 at Villa Park last March, Spurs did it the hard way this time, after falling behind to a first half goal from Morgan Rogers.

But Brennan Johnson equalised early in the second half, Solanke scored two quick goals to set them on their way, and James Maddison completed another thrashing with a superb free-kick in stoppage time.

The result means Spurs are now only two points behind Arsenal in fourth place, while Villa's push for another top four finish was set back. Yet they had started well by taking the lead against the run of play.

The opening half-hour was cagey, both sides playing within themselves, perhaps conscious that one mistake could cost them dearly, and so it proved when Rogers scored in the 32nd minute.

Villa won a corner on the right, Lucas Digne swung it in and the ball flew off two Tottenham players, Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancuer, forcing Guglielmo Vicario into a scrambled save. The Italian keeper could only parry the ball to the lurking Rogers, who accepted his gift gratefully and volleyed home from close range.

It should have been 2-0 before half-time when Youri Tielemans sent Ollie Watkins clean through on goal, but the England striker dragged his shot horribly wide of the far post. With the next England squad to be announced soon, it was a bad time for Watkins to be outshone by Solanke.

Spurs had enjoyed the majority of possession without troubling Emi Martinez unduly in the first hal, the Argentinian keeper's best work cutting out low crosses.

Rodrigo Bentancur sent a couple of shots over the bar from long range, Solanke put a header high and then had a shot blocked, and Porro volleyed high over the bar.

Amadou Onana almost found the net with a towering header from another Digne corner, but Vicario got down well to save at his near post.

Villa had defended well for the opening 45 minutes, with two banks of four being supplemented by Rogers dropping back from the forward line once he had scored, and there was a question over whether Tottenham needed more creativity in midfield, with James Maddison sitting on the subs bench.

But Postecoglou kept his powder dry, and was rewarded with an equaliser within five minutes of the restart. Heung Min Son, back from injury but looking far from fully match fit, burst down the left and sent in an inviting low cross that Johnson swept in from close range at the far post.

Home supporters erupted in joy and suddenly Spurs looked really up for it. Martinez had to get down low to save a Solanke shot at full-stretch, and Porro mis-hit his volley on to the roof of Villa's net after another lightning quick break.

Pape Matar Sare flashed a low shot wide, Richarlison, replacing Son, curled a high shot wide of the far post, and you could feel Tottenham's pressure building. And so it proved, as Solanke scored twice in the space of four minutes.

Both goals stemmed from Villa losing possession in key areas. First, Ben Davies stepped in with a superb tackle to rob Watkins and send Sarr away. Intricate passing on the edge of the penalty area ended with the ball dropping for Solanke, who dinked a delicate finish over Martinez.

Pau Torres then gave the ball away twice, the second time to Sarr, who played in Richarlison on the left. The Brazilan crossed low and hard, being injured in the process, and Solanke tucked the ball away from close range.

Unai Emery went for broke, sending on forwards Jaden Philogene and Jhjon Duran hoping to find a route back in. Postecolgou sent on Maddison and Archie Gray to see the game out, with ten added minutes mostly as a result of Martinez's extensive time-wasting.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time Maddison curled a free-kick past the Argentinian from 20 yards to complete an excellent afternoon for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): Vicario 7; Porro 7, Romero 7 (Davies 61), Dragusin 7, Udogie 7 (Gray 82); Kulusevski 8, Sarr 8, Bentancur 7 (Bissouma 56); Johnson 7, Solanke 9, Son 7 (Richarlison 56 [Maddison 82]).

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez 6; Cash 6 (Carlos 60), Konsa 6, Torres 5, Digne 7; McGinn 6, Onana 6, Tielemans 6 (Kamara 81), Ramsey 6; Rogers 7, Watkins 5.

Referee: Craig Pawson 8.

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham side worked to the very last second of Wednesday night to send Manchester City packing from this season's Carabao Cup. Their reward? A date with the red half of Manchester in the next round.

Spurs will host United, who blitzed Leicester City 5-2 in Ruud van Nistelrooy's first game in interim charge at Old Trafford. While United seem almost certain to appoint Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim as their new permanent manager it remains unclear how soon that deal can be done. They will surely hope to have him at the helm for the cup quarter-final trip to Tottenham which comes in mid-December.