Tottenham Hotspur vs. Burnley: Winners and Losers from FA Cup Game
Tottenham Hotspur are into the fourth round of the FA Cup after coming from behind to beat Burnley, 4-2, in Wednesday's third-round replay.
Marvin Sordell and Ross Wallace had given the Clarets a 2-0 lead inside eight minutes, but Paulinho's 10th-minute tally signalled a change in momentum that would last until the final whistle.
Etienne Capoue restored level terms just prior to the interval with a thunderbolt of a strike, and shortly after the restart Vlad Chiriches converted what proved to be the winner from a Paulinho corner.
In the 52nd minute Danny Rose, who was playing as a winger, rounded out the scoring after latching on to Roberto Soldado's well-placed pass.
Overall, there were several standout performances in what was an entertaining night at White Hart Lane, as well as one or two others that were rather less impressive.
Following are the individual winners and losers from the encounter.
Winner: Andros Townsend, Who Put in a Man of the Match Performance
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At least one pundit felt Andros Townsend was worthy of Man of the Match honours on Wednesday.
"Andros Townsend—MotM tonight," tweeted The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke.
Indeed, the Tottenham winger came up with a memorable display in his side's FA Cup third-round replay at home to Burnley.
In the 10th minute he helped set up Paulinho's goal when he accurately picked out Roberto Soldado with a chipped pass, and until his exit in the 76th minute he generally ran the right-hand side of the park.
Loser: Ben Mee, Who Was Overrun Down His Flank
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Ben Mee started Wednesday's match at left-back for Burnley and by the end of it was surely looking for the nearest supply of water.
The 25-year-old was absolutely overrun by Andros Townsend at White Hart Lane, and Spurs right-back Vlad Chiriches found considerable joy down the flank as well.
The hosts created numerous high-quality chances from the right-hand side, and the Clarets simply had no answer for the opposing wide players.
Winner: Paulinho, Who Needed a Big Performance
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Prior to kick-off there were additional reports that Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho was being offered to Juventus, as per Tuttomercatoweb.com (h/t Football Italia).
Depending on how Spurs' administration view the situation, the Brazilian's performance against Burnley either enhanced his value on the transfer market or put him back in the frame for regular appearances in manager Mauricio Pochettino's first-choice side.
In the 10th minute the 26-year-old began Tottenham's fight back with a goal that capped off a fine piece of buildup play, and in the 49th his corner assisted Vlad Chiriches' winner.
"Townsend down the right, cuts back, left-footed cross, Soldado flicks it on at the near post, Paulinho controls and shoots on the turn," was how The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke described the first Spurs goal of the night.
Loser: Roberto Soldado, Who Couldn't Buy a Goal
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Once again Roberto Soldado couldn't buy a goal, and once again the Spanish striker had numerous opportunities to do so.
In the 43rd minute the Tottenham man managed to hit the upright from four yards after being played through brilliantly, and midway through the second half his fierce drive from dangerous space narrowly missed the target.
That said, the 29-year-old had a hand in two Spurs goals, although it was off his shoulder that Ross Wallace's free-kick deflected into the back of the home net in the 10th minute.
Winner: Marvin Sordell, Whose Early Goal Set the Tempo for an Entertaining Match
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Burnley began Wednesday's fourth-round replay on the front foot and found themselves ahead inside three minutes as a result.
"Cracking finish from Marvin Sordell"—something I never thought I would read," joked the Press Association's Simon Peach via Twitter.
That the guests endeavoured to attack from the outset created a tempo that didn't slow until the final whistle, and while they ended up losing the match, Burnley certainly contributed to a wildly entertaining cup tie.
Winner: Etienne Capoue, Who Scored with a Thunderbolt of a Shot
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Etienne Capoue ensured Tottenham Hotspur would go back down the tunnel on level terms with Burnley after equalising with a thunderbolt of a shot in first-half stoppage time.
After Paulinho got a slight touch to the ball, the Frenchman smacked it on first touch and watched as it arrowed into the back of the net.
From there the Tottenham fans yelled "Shoot!" whenever Capoue had the ball at his feet, and while he didn't score another, his overall performance will have no doubt pleased Mauricio Pochettino considerably.
