Two mistakes by Fraser Forster set up a grandstand finish, but Spurs held on for a precious victory.
Dominic Solanke (left) scores Tottenham’s third goal (Mike Egerton/PA)
Dominic Solanke (left) scores Tottenham’s third goal (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)
Dominic Solanke’s brace helped Tottenham edge a rip-roaring Carabao Cup quarter-final tie with Manchester United by a 4-3 score and take a big step towards winning a first trophy since 2008.
Spurs were in cruise control when Solanke rifled home his second in the 54th minute to add to his first-half opener and Dejan Kulusevski’s effort 46 seconds into the second half.
Tottenham’s back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster pressed the self-destruct button, though, as his two errors set up a nervy finale.
First Man United substitute Joshua Zirkzee tapped in after Forster’s pass out from the back had been intercepted before Amad Diallo blocked his clearance to make it 3-2 with 20 minutes left.
Ange Postecoglou’s men were teetering on the brink of collapse at this point, but captain Son Heung-min scored directly from a corner with two minutes left despite protestations from Altay Bayindir.
It ensured Jonny Evans’ stoppage-time header was a mere consolation as Spurs march on towards the semi-finals, with Ruben Amorim left to pick the bones out of the third defeat of his short tenure.
Marcus Rashford was again absent from the United squad, 48 hours after he declared he was “ready for a new challenge”, but Amorim made five changes from the 2-1 win at rivals City, with back-up goalkeeper Bayindir brought in ahead of Andre Onana.
A cagey start occurred with anxiety in the air given Tottenham’s desperation for a trophy.
That was replaced with ecstasy after 15 minutes when Solanke broke the deadlock for Spurs with his eighth goal of the campaign.
A short free-kick saw the ball worked out to Pedro Porro and his swerving effort from 22 yards could only be parried by Bayindir, allowing Solanke to rifle home the rebound.
It failed to stop a section of Tottenham fans chanting about chairman Daniel Levy before United responded with a dangerous Christian Eriksen effort against his old club blocked by Yves Bissouma.
Eriksen sent another shot onto the roof of Forster’s goal midway through the first half as the visitors probed for a leveller.
Spurs almost grabbed a second after 25 minutes when Kulusevski rolled Fernandes inside the area, but Bayindir saved well.
Clear-cut chances remained few and far between with Antony’s curler headed away by Tottenham’s makeshift centre-back Archie Gray before Manuel Ugarte poked wide of his own goal from Kulusevski’s dangerous centre.
Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez also fired off target as half-time approached before Eriksen was thwarted by another Gray block as it remained 1-0 at the break.
Amorim sent his United players out several minutes early for the second half but they were caught cold after 46 seconds.
Son combined down the left with James Maddison, who watched Martinez scuff his cross straight into the path of Kulusevski to lash home.
As the Tottenham fans started to sing about Wembley, Solanke ensured they really were in dreamland when he scored again in the 54th minute.
Djed Spence produced a superb ball over the top and Solanke cut inside Martinez and smashed into the bottom corner.
Amorim reacted with a triple substitution as Kobbie Mainoo, Diallo and Zirkzee were sent on and the latter made an immediate impact.
Seconds after Forster had produced an outstanding save to claw away Zirkzee’s header, the former Bologna forward pulled one back.
Forster was at fault after his pass out from the back was intercepted by Fernandes, who squared for Zirkzee to tap home after 63 minutes.
Seven minutes later and another howler from Forster set up a dramatic finale.
The former Southampton keeper dallied on the ball and was closed down by Diallo, who blocked the clearance into the Tottenham net to make it 3-2.
It was a real test of mentality for Postecoglou’s team and Noussair Mazraoui was inches away from a leveller in the 74th minute but fired wide after cutting inside.
Forster showed his nerves when he kicked away Diallo’s long-range effort as tension filled the air.
Son brought serenity to a largely barmy night as he scored directly from a corner much to the frustration of Bayindir, who had Spurs substitute Lucas Bergvall in close proximity.
There was still time for Evans to head home a corner, but it was Tottenham’s night as they qualified for a first cup semi-final in three years.