Tottenham repel fightback from under-strength Man City to bag a spot in the quarter-finals

Carabao Cup 4th round

Tottenham (2) 2 Werner 6, Sarr 25

Manchester City (1) 1 Nunes 45+4

When even Timo can get on the scoresheet, you just know it's going to be your day.

The German's goal early on, with a second coming from Pape Matar Sarr 20 minutes later, proved just enough as Spurs repelled City's second-half attempts to get back on level terms, having pulled one back just before the break.

The much-maligned Werner has established a terrible reputation for himself as a serial misser of chances, but he made no mistake when a raid down the right by the charging Dejan Kulusevski ended with the Swede playing in a delicious pass behind a retreating defence to reach his team-mate.

And the lead doubled when Sarr curled in a low shot past Stefan Ortega from 22 yards after a short corner routine ended with Kulusevski rolling the ball back to the unmarked midfielder.

The half wasn't all roses and chocolates though. Some of the joy was tempered by a setback soon after the opening goal when Micky van de Ven had to depart after feeling pain in his hamstring - and looking distressed as he hobbled off the field.

And with the interval in sight, Spurs allowed Savinho to get down the right and send in a deep cross that was put away at the far post by an unattended Matheus Nunes.

That led to a greater tempo and intensity all round after the break. Yves Bissouma came on to add ballast in midfield, Mateo Kovacic came on to do the same for City.

Which way would it go? Werner flashed a shot just wide after being released by Dom Solanke's clever scooped chip. Kulusevski had an effort turned aside by Ortega. Richarlison spurned an easy chance from a stray City throw-in.

The visitors had the possession but not the better chances. They also did not have Erling Haaland to bail them out as he stayed on the sidelines. That said, it needed Bissouma's boot on the line to deny Nico O'Reilly at the death.

Pep Guardiola has loved this competition, winning it four times already. But he did warn beforehand that he would need to rest players because of a punishing run of away games coming up in Bournemouth, Lisbon and Brighton after tonight.

He started with James McAtee and O'Reilly and held back the big guns, knowing that defeat in this competition would be the least damaging place to suffer a first lapse of the season. An honourable discharge from the least important competition.

This was a repeat of the final that never was for Jose Mourinho, of course. Axed in the run-up to the 2021 showpiece that saw Man City make off with the trophy thanks to a solitary goal from Aymeric Laporte.

The game, overseen by a then 29-year-old interim boss Ryan Mason, and played in front of less than 8,000 during Covid, was the one which confirmed that Harry Kane was probably never going to win a trophy during his Spurs career.

For the team he left behind, though, opportunity knocks and Ange Postecoglou's belief in a personal second season trophy habit could yet come to pass in this silverware-deprived neck of the woods.

Spurs: (4-3-3) Vicario - Gray, Romero (Davies 52), Dragusin, van de Ven (Udogie 14) - Sarr (Bissouma h/t), Bentancur, Kulusevski - Johnson (Moore 68), Solanke, Werner (Richarlison 68)

City: (4-1-4-1) Ortega - Lewis, Stones, Dias (Gvardiol h/t), Ake (Simpson-Pusey 74) - Gundogan (Kovacic (h/t) - Savinho (Wright 63), McAtee, O'Reilly, Matheus Nunes - Foden (Silva 58)