Tottenham 4-3 Man United: Spurs attain semi-final as goalkeeping errors litter SEVEN-goal thriller, with Fraser Forster and Altay Bayindir at fault for 2 targets every

Ninety-five days after Ange Postecoglou reminded his doubters that he never failed to win a trophy in his second season and Ossie Ardiles can feel his knees beginning to tremble.

Ardiles was among the Tottenham legends in the VIP seats to see Postecoglou’s team reach the last four of Carabao Cup in typical style, racing into a three goal lead against Manchester United, before hitting the panic button and scrambling through.

Two howlers in possession by goalkeeper Fraser Forster invited United back into the tie. First, a misplaced a pass to Radu Dragusin inside his own six-yard box, enabling Bruno Fernandes to pounce and set up Joshua Zirkzee to pull one back.

Then, Forster took a poor touch to control a back pass by Archie Gray and took so long to readjust his feet and address the clearance that Amad Diallo was able to charge down his kick.

The rebound flew into the net off Diallo. United sensed a famous fightback and Tottenham were gripped by anxiety, seemingly incapable of remembering what to do as shots peppered Forster’s goal.

One fizzing drive by Diallo from 25 yards was simply booted clear by the former England goalkeeper.

It was a frenetic finish when Spurs should have been coasting until Heung-min Son settled the nerves when he swerved in the fourth direct from a corner in the 88th minute.

Altay Bayindir claimed he had been fouled by Lucas Bergvall who leapt across him and deflected the left arm of the United goalkeeper but the officials had not seen the offence and there is no VAR in the Carabao Cup.

Jonny Evans headed in from a United corner to peg it back to 4-3 in stoppage time but Tottenham clung on.

It is a big statement for Postecoglou in pursuit of Tottenham’s first trophy since they won this competition in 2008.

Ruben Amorim might have been impressed by the spirit of the fightback but ultimately was forced to digest defeat in his first domestic cup tie.

Amorim explained Rashford’s absence as ‘selection’ and that he had chosen the players he thought were ‘ready to cope’, although the United boss did take the opportunity to ring changes for his first domestic cup tie.

Five of those who started the Manchester derby were replaced, including only a second start for teenage centre-half Leny Yoro. Alejandro Garnacho was back in the squad.

Tottenham, meanwhile, were strong as could be from the outset with their injury crisis lingering on.

Here were two teams looking at the competition from different perspectives. Spurs would take what Manchester United write off as abject failure since Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit and consider the five knock-out trophies to be a decade of resounding success.

Postecoglou’s team made the better start and were rewarded with the opening goal in the 15th minute. It came from a free-kick, taken short and worked out to the left to Son and then back across the edge of the penalty area to Pedro Porro who took aim despite being close to 30 yards out.

Porro struck it sweetly and the ball whistled through a crowded penalty area. Bayindir probably saw it emerge late and could only parry the shot, and could only push it back into his goalmouth.

Dominic Solanke had been the only player to anticipate the possibility of a rebound. Onto it in a flash, applied an excellent finish, crisp on the half volley, in off the post with Bayindir given no chance.

United players looked in hope for a flag but there was none. Nor there would any intervention from VAR, not in use in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham took confidence, began to stitch passes together with more fluency and forced the visitors to defend. Yves Bissouma, back after a one-match ban, stamped his authority on the midfield.

Djed Spence, who had to wait two and a half year for his first Spurs start, made his second in five days. This time deputising for Destiny Udogie at left back and proved an attacking threat.

United resisted. Bayindir made amends with a save at his near post to deny Dejan Kulusevski, who took a short pass from a free kick and turned Bruno Fernandes inside the penalty box as if he wasn’t there.

The Sweden international should probably have scored. From an angle, he opted for power at the near post. Bayindir stood firm and made the block.

Manuel Ugarte made another vital interception, racing back to cut out a low cross by Kulusevski. Amorim’s back three spent most of the half as a back five and his team were limited going forward to flickers on the counterattack.

Christian Eriksen registered their first couple of efforts. One was blocked by Bissouma, another whistled over from a free kick swerved in from the left, skimming the roof of the netting on its way over.

Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund fired wide from distance as United generated a little pressure just before the interval. They capitalised on the space vacated by Porro at right back, always dangerous with Diego Dalot on the overlap.

But they suffered a setback losing centre-half Victor Lindelof to another injury.

Lindelof has struggled back to fitness after a toe problem this season, looked utterly dejected as he trudged off in stoppage time at the end of the first half, replaced by Jonny Evans.

Tottenham compounded their problems by pouncing on more sloppiness in the United defence to extend their lead in the opening seconds of the second half.

James Maddison tore past Heung-min Son on the overlap. Lisandro Martinez was in the right place to intercept Maddison’s low cross, but his clearance was awful. With the outside of his boot, he gave the ball straight to Kulusevski who swept it gleefully into the net from close range.

Solanke made it three with a fine solo goal, his ninth of the season. His willingness to run in behind is vital to Tottenham and here he broke away into an inside left channel, before cutting square past Martinez and Evans and finishing low inside the post with his right foot.

Amorim sent on Zirkzee, Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo, Spurs nodded off and Forster, having made a fabulous save from a Zirkee header, brought the tie back to life with mistakes with the ball at his feet.

And Son settled it with a freakish goal.