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Tottenham Hotspur eased through to the last four of the 2020-21 Carabao Cup after recording a comprehensive 3-1 win over Stoke City.
Gareth Bale scored the opener, and Ben Davies and Harry Kane also got on the scoresheet after Jordan Thompson had equalised in the 53rd minute.
It was a decent first half for the visitors, but they'll be kicking themselves for not scoring more. That was because Stoke City offered very little going forward and struggled to match the level of their Premier League opponents. The hosts failed to record even a single shot on target and only had 27% possession before the break.
However, Stoke City scored with their first goal on target when Jordan Thompson found the back of the net with a wonderful first-time finish.
The hosts continued building the pressure on Tottenham Hotspur but went a goal behind again. Ben Davies collected a poor clearance from Harry Souttar and scored from long range for his first Spurs goal in his last 111 appearances.
Harry Kane sealed the fate of the game after doubling Tottenham Hotspur's lead nine minutes before the final whistle. On that note, we take a look at the five major talking points from the game.
#5 Andy Lonergan has an impressive outing against Tottenham Hotspur
If not for Andy Lonergan, this game would've been done and dusted in the first half, as Tottenham Hotspur came close to scoring twice after Gareth Bale opened the scoring. On both occasions, Dele Alli saw shots saved by the 37-year-old keeper.
Lonergan denied Alli from close range in the 36th minute by sticking out his left foot. Seven minutes later, the Tottenham Hotspur keeper thwarted Alli again.
The saves proved to be crucial, as Spurs struggled to create chances, and Stoke City were able to get back on level terms early in the second half. However, Lonergan was no match for Ben Davies' powerful shot in the 70th minute and Kane's subsequent match-winning goal.
#4 Gareth Bale scores in his first Carabao Cup appearance in eight years
Gareth Bale opened the scoring in what was a comfortable first half for Tottenham Hotspur. The winger connected well with Harry Winks' inswinging cross from the left and directed the ball into the back of the net with a backward header.
The Welsh forward has scored in back-to-back appearances in the Carabao Cup, though his previous outing in the competition was over eight years ago.
Bale was taken off after the first half and was replaced by Son, possibly due to the player suffering from exhaustion or incurring an injury.
Also Read: Only 4 players have scored a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester United: Where are they now?
#3 Harry Kane continues his impressive form for Tottenham Hotspur
Harry Kane was on the scoresheet against Stoke City, scoring a well-deserved goal after an impressive outing in the game.
The move began after Stoke City squandered possession in the middle of the park. Spurs substitute Moussa Sissoko reacted quickly and found Kane with a first-time pass. The Spurs striker held off Souttar and smashed his shot into the roof of the net from 16 yards out.
It was his 16th goal across all competitions this season, with Kane already impressing in the Premier League.
#2 Tottenham Hotspur fail to keep a clean sheet for a fourth consecutive game
Tottenham Hotspur eased past Stoke City for their first win in four games. However, it was not a perfect win for Spurs, as they conceded early in the second half to fail to keep a clean sheet yet again.
Surprisingly, Spurs had kept a clean sheet in six of their seven games in all competitions before their game against Crystal Palace this season.
Jose Mourinho's men have dropped out of the top four in the Premier League and will need to work on their defensive solidity if they are to move back to the top four again.
#1 Dele Alli's time may be up at Tottenham Hotspur
Dele Alli was given a fair shot to make an impression against Championship side Stoke City. However, despite a good start, Alli missed two chances in the first half and had to be substituted in the 66th minute.
The young midfielder was unfortunate not to have not doubled his side's lead, as he saw two of his best efforts of the game saved by the 37-year-old Lonergan. However, Alli was also guilty of missing a couple of chances and did not make the most of Kane's incisive passes.
In his first start for the club in over a month, Alli had a visible exchange with his manager after getting subbed off, an incident which will only cast more doubt over his future at Spurs.
Also Read: The 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world.
