Wed 27 October 2021, 22:30
Tottenham HotspurNuno Espirito Santo congratulated the team for an all-round performance to overcome Burnley 1-0 and progress to the last eight of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
It was one of those testing nights at Turf Moor as the rain lashed down and wind whipped around the stadium, but we were in control for the most part, took the lead via Lucas Moura’s thumping header on 68 minutes and then dug in defensively to deal with Burnley’s late onslaught - all boxes ticked.
We had more possession and more attempts - 61 per cent/10-5 - but at 1-0 the slightest lapse of concentration can cost you dearly against Wood, Barnes and co, but Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez held firm under that late pressure to see us home. Earlier, Harry Kane had a couple of chances in the first half and Giovani Lo Celso was denied by Nick Pope, who then produced a fine save to keep out a Lucas piledriver just after his goal.
We worked hard, we were organised, and we played good football... defensively, we were spot on.
“We showed character and played a good game,” said Nuno pitchside after the win at Turf Moor. “We had a lot of chances, a lot of situations where we could have done better, but it was a very good game, a tough team to play against, Burnley, a good team, and the boys did well.
“We worked hard, we were organised, and we played good football. In the first half we could have finished the actions better, and we had clear chances in the second half to make a different score, but congratulations to the players because they did very well.
“Burnley are so strong in the things they do - long balls, second balls - and they have good players to finish the actions in the box. Defensively we were spot on.”
We stepped up a gear around the hour mark, and chances followed - including Lucas’ winner, a brilliant downward header from Emerson Royal’s cross. “The game required more movement in the spaces, to move the ball faster, to create the space and finish the actions, and we did it, we were much better in the second half,” added Nuno.
"We mentioned at half-time, when you have a clear chance, try and take it. Lucas didn’t do it in the first half, but he did it fantastically in the second half!”
Quarter-final draw
We’ve joined Arsenal, Chelsea, Sunderland, Leicester, Liverpool, Brentford and West Ham in the quarter-finals - the draw is on Soccer AM on Sky Sports at 10.30am this Saturday.
