Ninety-five days after Ange Postecoglou reminded his doubters that he never failed to win a trophy in his second season, Ossie Ardiles can feel his knees starting to shake.
Ardiles was among the Tottenham legends in the VIP seats to watch Postecoglou’s team reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in typical style, building a three-goal lead against Manchester United, before hitting the panic button and move forward.
Two howlers in possession by goalkeeper Fraser Forster invited United back into the tie. First, a misplaced pass to Radu Dragusin inside his own six-yard box, allowing Bruno Fernandes to pounce and set up Joshua Zirkzee to score.
Forster then took a poor touch to control a back pass from Archie Gray and took so long to readjust his feet and address the clearance that Amad Diallo was able to charge his kick.
The rebound went into the net against Diallo. United felt a famous comeback and Tottenham were in the grip of anxiety, seemingly unable to remember what to do as shots peppered Forster’s goal.
Diallo’s fizzing shot from 25 yards was simply saved by the former England goalkeeper.
It was a frantic finish when Spurs should have been inching forward until Heung-min Son calmed nerves when he headed wide in the fourth straight from a corner in the 88th minute.
Tottenham survived a second-half scare to secure a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals
Two howlers in possession by goalkeeper Fraser Forster invited United back into the tie
Dominic Solanke had opened the scoring with a close-range shot in the 15th minute.
Altay Bayindir claimed he had been fouled by Lucas Bergvall, who jumped on him and deflected the United goalkeeper’s left arm, but the referees missed the infringement and there is no VAR in the Carabao Cup.
Jonny Evans headed in a United corner to come back from 4-3 down in injury time, but Tottenham held on.
It is a big statement for Postecoglou as Tottenham seek to win their first trophy since they won this competition in 2008.
Rubén Amorim may have been impressed by the spirit of the comeback, but in the end he was forced to digest defeat in his first domestic cup tie.
Amorim explained Rashford’s absence as a “selection” and that he had chosen players he thought were “ready to tackle”, although the United boss took the opportunity to announce changes for their first domestic cup tie.
Five of the starters from the Manchester derby were substituted, including only a second starter for teenage centre-back Leny Yoro. Alejandro Garnacho returned to the call.
Meanwhile, Tottenham looked very strong from the start, with their injury crisis persisting.
Here were two teams looking at the competition from different perspectives. Spurs would take what Manchester United consider an abject failure since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and regard the five knockout trophies as a decade of resounding success.
Dejan Kulusevski doubled Spurs’ lead just a minute into the second half
Solanke (right) scored the third solo goal, his ninth of the season.
Forster lost a pass inside his own six-yard box, allowing Bruno Fernandes to pounce and set up Joshua Zirkzee to close the gap.
Postecoglou’s team had a better start and were rewarded with the first goal in the 15th minute. It came from a free kick, went short and went out on the left towards Son and then again along the edge of the area to Pedro Porro, who he aimed despite being close to 30 meters.
Porro struck sweetly and the ball whistled into a crowded area. Bayindir probably saw it emerge late and could only parry the shot and could only push it towards his goal.
Dominic Solanke had been the only player to anticipate the possibility of a rebound. On him in an instant, he applied an excellent shot, precise on the half volley, which crashed into the post without Bayindir having any chance.
The United players hoped for a flag but there was none. There would also be no intervention from the VAR, not used in the Carabao Cup.
Tottenham gained confidence, began to sew passes with greater ease and forced the visitors to defend. Yves Bissouma, back after a one-match suspension, imposed his authority in the midfield.
Djed Spence, who had to wait two and a half years for his first start for Spurs, made his second in five days. This time he replaced Destiny Udogie at left back and proved to be an attacking threat.
Amad Diallo was able to finish off Forster’s shot and put the visitors within reach.
Heung-min Son calmed nerves by going wide in the fourth straight from a corner
United resisted. Bayindir made amends with a save at his near post to deny Dejan Kulusevski, who received a short pass from a free kick and converted Bruno Fernandes inside the penalty area as if he were not there.
The Swedish international probably should have scored. From one angle, he opted for power at the near post. Bayindir stood his ground and made the block.
Manuel Ugarte made another vital interception, running back to cut out a low Kulusevski cross. Amorim’s three defenders spent most of the half as five defenders and their team was limited to advancing on the counterattack.
Christian Eriksen recorded his first attempts. One was blocked by Bissouma, another whistled after a free kick went wide from the left, grazing the roof of the net in its path.
Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund shot wide from distance as United generated some pressure just before the break. They took advantage of the space left by Porro on the right side, always dangerous with Diego Dalot in the overlap.
But they suffered a setback when they lost center back Victor Lindelof to another injury.
Lindelof has struggled to recover after a toe problem this season, looking completely dejected as he trudged off in stoppage time at the end of the first half, replaced by Jonny Evans.
Tottenham compounded their problems by taking advantage of further sloppiness by United’s defense to extend their lead in the opening seconds of the second half.
Jonny Evans headed in from a United corner to make it 4-3 down in injury time.
James Maddison beat Heung-min Son in the overlap. Lisandro Martínez was in the right place to intercept Maddison’s low cross, but his clearance was terrible. With the outside of his boot, he fed the ball directly to Kulusevski, who gleefully swept it into the net from close range.
Solanke made it three with a nice solo goal, his ninth of the season. His willingness to run in behind is vital for Tottenham and here he escaped into an inside left channel, before passing to Martínez and Evans and finishing low inside the post with his right foot.
Amorim brought on Zirkzee, Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo, Spurs headed in and Forster, after making a fabulous save after a Zirkee header, resurrected the tie with errors with the ball at his feet.
And Son finished it off with a freak goal.