Wolfsberg 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur: 5 talking points as Spurs pick up comfortable first-leg victory | UEFA Europa League 2020-21 

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Wolfsberg in the Europa League on Thursday
Tottenham Hotspur defeated Wolfsberg in the Europa League on Thursday

#3 Sloppy Sissoko almost costs Tottenham Hotspur

Moussa Sissoko was not at his best for Tottenham Hotspur
Moussa Sissoko was not at his best for Tottenham Hotspur

Moussa Sissoko's performance on the night was the only blot on what was otherwise a five-star performance from Tottenham Hotspur.

He was deployed as part of a double pivot alongside Harry Winks. However, while the Englishman was tidy and efficient in possession, Sissoko was guilty of lingering on the ball too often.

The 31-year-old gave away possession right at the end of the first half in a dangerous position. Jose Mourinho's annoyance was clear as he threw away the card he scribbled on during the game.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager ostensibly had a go at him during halftime but his words seemingly fell on deaf ears as two errors in the second half came in quick succession.

One of them led to the awarding of a penalty to Wolfsberg, which made the game less comfortable than it was at halftime.

Ultimately, his side held on for a more convincing win but their job was undeniably made more difficult by Sissoko's sloppiness in possession.

#2 Son delivers yet again

Heung-Min Son opened the scoring for Spurs
Heung-Min Son opened the scoring for Spurs

This has been Son's best season of his career, and the South Korea international has flourished under Mourinho's management.

His telepathic combination with Harry Kane has been one of the revelations of the season but even in the absence of his strike partner, Son still shone brightly.

He opened the scoring with a well-taken header and put the home side on the back foot throughout his 45 minutes on the field.

The 28-year-old was taken off at halftime with several key games to come for Tottenham Hotspur but he made his mark in his short time in the fray.

#1 Gareth Bale puts out a confident display

Gareth Bale put in a man-of-the-match performance
Gareth Bale put in a man-of-the-match performance

Things have not gone to plan for Gareth Bale since he joined Tottenham Hotspur last summer. However, the Wales international was given a chance to impress in the Europa League knockout round. He took his chance well and was arguably Spurs' best player on the night.

Having set Son up for the opening goal, the Real Madrid loanee got in on the action himself with a brilliant strike soon after.

His combination with Matt Doherty down the right flank came to the fore on several occasions, and their combination led to the second goal for Tottenham Hotspur.

With Doherty charging at the Wolfsberg defense, Bale used his hand to direct him to where he wanted the ball. The Irish defender promptly complied, playing the ball in behind Jonathan Scherzer.

The Tottenham Hotspur number 9 took an exquisite touch to set him up and leave Scherzer sprawling on the floor, before finding the corner with a pristine shot.

The goal was reminiscent of Gareth Bale at his best and gave him the confidence to play his best football before he was replaced by Eric Lamela in the 65th minute.

Wolfsberg are not the toughest opposition that Tottenham Hotspur will face, and Bale will need to up the ante against more formidable opposition.

However, his performance here could serve as a confidence boost for him to play his best football in the home run of the season.

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