Dier confronts fan in stand
Flare-up after Spurs lose shoot-out
Eric Dier was involved in an extraordinary confrontation with a supporter in the middle of a stand just moments after Tottenham Hotspur’s penalty-kick defeat to Norwich.
Dier was shown on mobile phone footage climbing more than 10 rows into a home stand to clash with the fan, shouting “He’s my brother, he’s my brother”.
It is likely the England international will face questions from the Football Association, but manager, Jose Mourinho, says he hopes the club takes no action against him.
Mourinho explained that Dier’s actions were sparked after his younger brother, who was watching from the stand, took issue with another supporter, who was abusing his elder sibling. A source said later that Dier was looking for his family in the crowd and responded after one fan apparently made a gesture, presumed to be offensive, towards him.
“I think Eric Dier did something that we professionals cannot do but in these circumstances every one of us would do,” Mourinho said later. “Because when somebody insults you and your family is there and you get involved with the person that is insulting you, in this case a younger brother, I think Eric did what we professional we cannot do. But I repeat, probably everyone of us would do.”
The supporter at the centre of Dier’s rage normally sits a row in front of his family. Mourinho speculated that they were in corporate seats. “Of course some are Tottenham fans but I think a lot of corporate, a lot of invitation, a lot of people with special status and probably it’s the place of the stadium where I sometimes have doubts over if they are the real Tottenham fans because these are the ones who support the boys until the last,” he added.
The ugly scenes stole the thunder of Tim Krul who had been Norwich’s penalty hero – each time referencing a list of Tottenham takers written on his water bottle. The list was believed to have been prepared by a member of the backroom team. “I like a shootout,” Krul said. Referencing his list, he added, “that’s what you do it for.”
No strikers and another year with no FA Cup for Tottenham after this sucker-punch penalty win for City, inspired by Krul.
The Dutchman, who so memorably sent Holland into the semi-final of the World Cup in 2014 just minutes after being brought on, staged another psychological triumph, this time by reading a list of Spurs takers on his water bottle. Among two magnificent saves was one from poor 18-year-old Troy Parrott, brought on in extra time. Jubilation for Norwich and intense frustration for Tottenham, who looked set to squeeze through thanks to a towering first-half header from resurgent Jan Vertonghen.
But for all their bad luck with injuries to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Mourinho’s side have only themselves to blame for failing to get to the FA Cup in 90 minutes last night.
Michel Vorm, Spurs’ third-choice keeper, survived a fumble in the first half, but then fluffed another tame shot in the second half to gift Josip Drmic an equaliser to send the game into extra time.
Much talk amongst Tottenham supporters pre-match had been that this would finally be the night for Parrott, but having only been introduce in extra time he will remember his entrance only for his penalty.
On the basis of the first half, however, Mourinho has been justified in his conservatism for leaving him out. With three changes from the side beaten against Wolves on Sunday, Tottenham were superior. Vertonghen, restored to the side and with the captain’s armband back on, produced flashes of the elegant brilliance which showed that his worrying loss of pace might not have finished him just yet.
With no direct threat on Norwich’s right side, the 32-year-old set off on numerous raids forward and put Tottenham in front after 13 minutes with a thumping header from a Giovani Lo Celso free-kick. Vertonghen had climbed all over Mario Vrancic to score it, but there was little protest from a Norwich side who had been off colour in the opening exchanges, having done little two minutes earlier to stop Lucas Moura seizing on a loose ball to set up Lo Celso, whose close-range effort was gathered by Krul.
Tottenham survived a scare on 33 minutes when Vorm horribly spilled a Lukas Rupp shot, but there were more comedy errors in the second half.
Having survived a fumble in the first half, the bit-part goalkeeper then did again in the second half to gift Drmic an equaliser to send the game into extra time. Norwich grew in belief and Tottenham ran out of ideas in extra time and were rightly punished.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-2-3) Vorm 5; Vertonghen 7, Sanchez 6, Dier 6, Aurier 6; Winks 6 (Ndombele 81); Lo Celso 6, Skipp 5; Bergwijn 5 (Fernandes 54), Alli 6 (Parrott 96), Moura 5 (Lamela 70). Subs Gazzaniga (g), Alderweireld, Tanganga. Booked Skipp.
Norwich City (4-4-1-1) Krul 6; Aarons 5, Hanley 6, Godfrey 6, Lewis 5; Vrancic 5 (Mclean 67), Trybull 5 (Tettey 89), Buendia 5 (Stiepermann 97), Rupp 5 (Idah 72); Cantwell 6; Drmic 5. Subs Mcgovern (g), Pukki, Duda. Booked Vrancic, Hanley.
Referee Paul Tierney (Lancashire).