Manager Ange Postecoglou admitted his team are still growing as Spurs saw off Manchester City to reach the last eight of the Carabao Cup.
Goals from Timo Werner and Pape Sarr inside the opening half an hour were enough to give Postecoglou’s side a 2-1 victory in what was an exciting, open contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Matheus Nunes pulled a goal back for City just before the break but the hosts held firm in the second half and perhaps should have been out of sight.
But their hopes of lifting a first trophy since 2008 remain alive, and the Spurs boss was quick to praise his players’ showing.
“We’re a side that’s growing and developing, hopefully we’ve got more good days ahead of us.”
Ange Postecoglou praises his Tottenham side after a great performance against Manchester City 👏 pic.twitter.com/AmacPXy43Q
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 30, 2024
“It’s a cup tie, you’re playing against a pretty formidable opponent,” Postecoglou told Sky Sports.
“You have to do a bit of everything and I thought we did that really well for the most part.
“We didn’t give them too many clear-cut chances. We certainly had a few ourselves that we could have put the game away.
“City are always going to push you and push you but the most important thing for us in an important cup tie is that we got a victory.”
Postecoglou added that his team is still developing but believes positive signs are there.
He said: “This team is growing all the time. Sometimes you’re going to stumble and we’ve had out stumbles it’s fair to say.
“But we’ll always bounce back and I had great belief and confidence that we’d come out today and put on a good show.”
The Spurs boss singled out praise for striker Werner, who limped off towards the end of the game, highlighting that his goal should do wonders for his confidence.
“With attacking players, they feel that anxiety a bit when they don’t score,” said Postecoglou.
“But hopefully tonight’s goal helps him [Werner] with that.”
“It is what it is, it’s normal…”
Pep Guardiola is straight to the point when responding on Manchester City’s growing injury list 🤕 pic.twitter.com/9H2GR6YuyS
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 30, 2024
Despite the defeat, Pep Guardiola called his side’s performance “exceptional” as they suffered their first loss of the season.
“With the problems that we have in terms of injuries, it was exceptional,” said the City boss.
“The young players played really, really good so really pleased for the way we played.
“I know perfectly how good we played.”
Both Manuel Akanji and Savinho suffered knocks, to add to City’s growing list of injury concerns.
Guardiola, however, shrugged off any temptation to complain about the situation.
He added: “It is what it is, it’s normal. So many players are playing 11 months and are at their limit.
“But 11 players will be at Bournemouth [for the Premier League game this weekend].”
