MAUR MISERY HARD TO TAKE
SPURS manager Mauricio Pochettino rued missing yet another chance to pick up his first piece of silverware at the club.
After coming so close to winning the League Cup in 2015 when they lost the final to Chelsea, they were in contention for Premier League title in 2016 – only to lose out to Leicester.
And last night’s defeat was also a bruising one for Poch and his players.
The Argentine (below) said: “I think every defeat is bad.
“It’s difficult to accept but of course we are disappointed we are out and cannot achieve a final. We competed but not enough to win.
“We dominated the first half and were much better than United.
“United defended very well and so deep. We are disappointed because we are so close. We need to think, move, on, finish the season and try and finish in the top four.
“We need to understand where we have come from. It’s easy to talk about winning trophies. To win a trophy when you face a side like United, Chelsea or Manchester City is not easy. But the most important thing is that we are able to compete.”
Tottenham goalscorer Dele Alli could not mask his disappointment as yet another chance of a Wembley final went begging.
The England star said: “We let ourselves down – it’s very disappointing.
“We have to try and pick ourselves up and finish the season strongly.
“You can’t go
1-0 up and then
2-1 down against a team like United. “We can’t put ourselves in that situation.
“We were dominant from the first minute and it only looked as if it was going one way.
“Everyone talks about winning things. We want to win trophies and we have the staff that want to win.
“We can’t throw things away. We have got to improve.” Pogba. I don’t expect them to be man of the match every week. I just expect a certain level.”
He was also happy with how his players performed in the high-pressure atmosphere at Wembley.
He added: “The players were all very good and when they are all good the team is solid and we can play against any team including Spurs, who are one of the top teams in Europe. It was a great achievement to beat them in their stadium.
“I had this morning one simple text from one of my bosses Ed Woodward.
“He was saying that, ‘I believe we are going to win but if we don’t the season is a good season, a season where everyone is professional and everyone is bringing the club in the right direction’. That’s my feeling too.
“We can close the season in a final and that’s a good achievement.
“But we need to focus. We deserve to finish second and to do that behind a fantastic team is a good achievement.”
ALEXIS SANCHEZ answered the big debate on whether or not he should play in the best possible manner.
His erratic form since arriving from Arsenal had put his starting place in doubt for last night’s semi-final, with Marcus Rashford threatening his position.
But Sanchez had the final say. United boss Jose Mourinho picked him and the Chile star responded with his side’s equaliser.
He then helped set up the winner for Ander Herrera as United reached a record-equalling 20th final against Chelsea or Southampton, who play today in the other semi.
Spurs led through a Dele Alli goal but eventually their semi-final agony in this competition continued.
It is now eight successive defeats at this stage of the competition.
But Mourinho remains on course for another trophy, after lifting three in his first season at United.
It was Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino who made the first big call of the day when he selected second-choice keeper Michel Vorm.
That decision continued the Argentine’s policy with his keepers for cup ties, so France’s Hugo Lloris was on the bench.
And Holland star Vorm was able to make a relaxed start as Spurs were on the front foot from the kick-off.
That led to them taking the lead in the 11th minute with United badly exposed at the back.
Davinson Sanchez released a long ball down the right and Christian Eriksen easily ran away from a floundering Paul
Pogba.
Ashley Young was also not in position and
Eriksen was left free to put in a deadly cross which was met at the far post by Alli.
The England midfielder made no mistake and Tottenham were soon swarming all over United.
Three minutes later, Harry Kane just failed to make contact with a superb delivery from the left from Heung-Min Son.
Then Phil Jones made a vital clearance near the goal-line to stop Tottenham taking a firm grip. The significance of that intervention was underlined seven minutes later when United equalised with Pogba this time involved in a positive manner. Mousa Dembele lost possession and Pogba delivered a telling cross which was headed past Vorm by Sanchez in the 24th minute. So United’s high-profile but recently erratic pair delivered just when their side needed inspiration. Before that, Vor m had had nothing to do other than watch a Romelu Lukaku header sail over from Nemanja Matic’s cross.
An excellent first half saw both sides almost take the lead just before the break.
Vorm made a fine diving save to keep out a curling effort by Pogba at the expense of a corner.
Then United had a big escape when Eric Dier’s low, long-range effort hit the post with keeper David De Gea