JAN: DEFEAT MAKES US CLOSER

JAN VERTONGHEN reckons Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea on Thursday will only bring them closer together as a team.

And it places even more importance on the FA Cup, the competition which now gives them their best chance of winning some silverware this season.

Today, Vertonghen (right) and his team-mates face a fourth-round clash with Crystal Palace.

And in the wake of the Chelsea defeat, the Belgian said: “Obviously, we were all disappointed on Thursday, but it brings us together.

“Like the game we had at Stamford Bridge when we drew 2-2 a couple of years ago.

“Winning something would definitely mean a lot. I don’t know how many years to come, but, hopefully this year we can. The FA Cup is very important.

“It’s such a shame. This team deserves so much more, but there are so many teams competing for a rare prize. “Over the last five years, we haven’t had a lot of luck. It would be a big shame if we don’t reward ourselves, because this team and everyone in the club deserves that reward. It would be good to win something.” Winning something will be made all the more difficult by the absences of Kane and Dele Alli, with Kane sidelined for another month at least and the midfielder out until March.

In their absence, Lucas Moura saw his (and Tottenham’s fourth) penalty saved against Chelsea, after Eric Dier had blazed the third over.

Vertonghen said: “Eric and Lucas were maybe a bit more disappointed than the rest, but they showed so much responsibility. This is how it goes.

“Hopefully the game against Palace will give us a better feeling.”