Toon pick off rotten Cherries with ease
Surprise twist in Basham’s journey MOURINHO HAILS HIS ‘NEW MODRIC’
CHRIS BASHAM never imagined when Sheffield United last played Tottenham at Bramall Lane that they would face each other tonight as Premier League equals.
Basham is the sole survivor from Nigel Clough’s League One side who nearly upset Spurs in the League Cup semi-finals five years ago.
Spurs won the first leg 1-0 and United levelled the tie in the return as they led 2-1 before Christian Eriksen’s late goal sent Tottenham toWembley, 3-2 on aggregate
“It was a great game,” said Basham. “Them coming to us on a snowy night, Eriksen scored one of the best goals I’ve ever seen.
“Little Louis Reed missed a glorious opportunity to take us through but, yeah, I could not have imagined five or six years ago, going from League One to playing in the Premier League against Tottenham.
“We are so close in the league and we want
JOSE MOURINHO has backed Tanguy Ndombele to go from costly benchwarmer to the new Luka Modric.
The £55million player has not played in the past three matches amid rumours of a training-ground bust-up with his Tottenham boss.
Mourinho denied a rift, saying Ndombele, above, has the talent
BIG NIGHT: Basham beats Kane in 2015
SHEFF UTD TOTTENHAM 6PM, SKY SPORTS
to beat them and overtake them. I feel truly privileged to be where I am now.”
ChrisWilder and most of his squad have progressed from the lower leagues.
“It helps massively,” said Basham. “The gaffer, being where he’s been and coming all the way through, it shows the hunger we’ve got.”
United are just a point behind Spurs but have lost their past three games and Basham wishes this match had been on its original date in April when they were in better form and Harry Kane was injured.
The defender added: “You just have to bite the bullet and enjoy the opportunity of playing against one of the best strikers in the country.”
SHEFF UNITED (3-5-2): Henderson; Basham, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Fleck, Norwood, Berge, Stevens; McBurnie, McGoldrick.
SPURS (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Dier, Sanchez, Davies; Ndombele, Winks; Son, Alli, Bergwijn; Kane. to turn his fortunes around, just as Modric did when he signed him for Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2012. “After six months he was elected the worst signing of Real Madrid’s history by the fans and the press,” said Mourinho. “But when you have talent, lots of things can change and can happen.”