Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated from the FA Cup in the fourth round following a 1-0 loss to Manchester City.
Spurs, led by Ange Postecoglou, missed out on perhaps their finest chance to win a trophy in 2023/24, as numerous key players were absent due to international duty.
Nathan Ake scored in the 88th minute to give Pep Guardiola’s team their first win at Tottenham’s new stadium on the sixth attempt.
The goal was contentious because Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario failed to hold onto the ball as Ruben Dias backed into him.
Despite the quality of City’s winner, Spurs battled for much of the game and appeared to have done little more than force a rematch.
Son Heung-min is a significant absence for Tottenham.
Clinton Morrison, a BBC Sport analyst, believes Tottenham were simply not the same without Son Heung-min.
The 31-year-old is now captaining South Korea in the Asian Cup, where he has helped his team advance to the knockout stages.
Son’s nation finished second in their group and will face Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 on January 30.
Tottenham did not seem as sharp in attack without the £22 million man, and Morrison, commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, believes Son’s absence was a factor.
“Watching Tottenham today, they have missed Son badly,” he told BBC Sport shortly after City scored against Spurs.
Son Heung-min is one of three crucial Tottenham players out on international duty.
In addition to Son, two other crucial Tottenham players are now on international duty: Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr.
Both are at the Africa Cup of Nations, and after finishing first in their respective groups, they will advance to the round of 16.
While it is encouraging to see Tottenham’s players performing well for their country, it is still a significant setback for Spurs, who may have performed better against Manchester City if they had been at full strength.
