Fraser Forster
Fraser Forster, parachuted into this Spurs line-up, had a torrid evening
Tottenham Hotspur’s wild victory over Manchester United was defined by a series of calamitous goalkeeping errors, with Altay Bayindir and Fraser Forster both at fault on multiple occasions.
On an extraordinary night of League Cup football, Forster would have been hugely relieved that his mistakes – which took place within seven minutes of each other – did not end cost his team a place in the semi-finals.
Instead, it was Bayindir’s errors, which included a goal conceded directly from a corner, that proved the most costly. Here, Telegraph Sport assesses and ranks each of the four goalkeeping blunders.
Blunder #1: Bayindir fumbles
Only 15 minutes had passed when Pedro Porro, the Spurs full-back, unleashed a shot from distance towards the United goal. Bayindir hardly had to move to stop the ball but was flummoxed by the power of the strike.
Instead of pushing the ball away from his posts, the United back-up goalkeeper spilled it into the path of Spurs forward Dominic Solanke. Bayindir was then unmoved as Solanke produced a crisp, powerful finish.
Blunderscore: 6/10
Solanke scores against Man United for the fourth game in a row! ⚪ pic.twitter.com/KvHcv3C1f4
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 19, 2024
Blunder #2: Forster’s gift
Forster has been a hugely impressive figure in recent weeks, following Guglielmo Vicario’s long-term injury, and he had started well in this quarter-final. He lost his composure in spectacular fashion in the second half, though, as he gifted United a way back into the game after 63 minutes.
Ange Postecoglou insists that his players must build play from the back, which requires his goalkeeper to be brave in possession. On this occasion, Forster looked more foolish than bold.
Receiving the ball almost on his goal-line, Forster woefully underhit a short pass to Radu Dragusin. Bruno Fernandes snatched the ball and quickly set up Joshua Zirkzee to score for United.
Blunderscore: 8/10
"It's a GIFT from Fraser Forster!" 🫣🎁
Joshua Zirkzee pulls one back for Manchester United! pic.twitter.com/GsNVdXNkQp
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 19, 2024
Blunder #3: Forster loses control
“The first one probably affected his confidence a little bit and he lost a bit of belief and the second one compounded it,” said Postecoglou of Forster’s errors, and it was hard to argue with that assessment. Would the second error have happened without the first? It seems unlikely.
On this occasion, just seven minutes after Zirkzee’s goal, Forster failed to react in time as Amad Diallo charged him down. Dallying on the ball from a simple pass, Forster gave hope to Diallo, who lunged in to make the tackle as the Spurs goalkeeper finally attempted to clear the ball. Six yards out, the challenge resulted in the ball flying into Forster’s unguarded net.
Forster’s low confidence was again highlighted when he bizarrely attempted to save a long range shot by booting it away rather than using his hands.
Blunderscore: 9/10
"This is one of the most Tottenham things you'll see!" 😱
Amad Diallo takes advantage of a Fraser Forster blunder! 🫣 pic.twitter.com/fShVGyBmNG
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 19, 2024
Blunder #4: Bayindir fails to clear the corner
The fourth goal for Spurs ultimately proved to be the winner, and it was scored in gruelling circumstances from United’s perspective. With Ruben Amorim’s side chasing an equaliser, Bayindir allowed Son Heung-min’s corner to float all the way into the corner of his net.
Bayindir complained that he had been fouled as the ball swirled towards him, but the contact was hardly extreme. Not for the first time on the night, United needed their goalkeeper to be much stronger in a key moment of the game.
Blunderscore: 8/10
WOW. WOW. WOW.
Son scores straight from the corner! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KDhNXNL7cp
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 19, 2024