Tottenham ended their International Champions Cup campaign in disappointing fashion as they ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline against Manchester United on Thursday. The result meant that Spurs end their pre-season tour of Asia with one win and one loss.
While the game was an evenly contested end to end affair, it did have its fair share of negative incidents. Both sets of players flew into some hard tackles and there was one incident involving Sissoko and Man Utd winger Daniel James that ended up with a mini bust-up between the two sets of players.
While Sissoko appeared to have accidentally stamped James in the replay, some United fans insisted that it was deliberate from the Spurs midfielder.
James has now spoken about the incident which took place midway into the first half. The 21-year-old who signed from Swansea City this summer suggested that he is used to getting rough treatment from defenders.
According to the Manchester Evening News, James said, “No, not (bothered) at all (about the incident). It’s always going to be part of my game.
“Being a winger I’m always going to get fouled but it’s just about how you get on with it. I don’t let it get in my head and just keep going.
“If you watch any of my games from last season I think it’s going to happen to me every game. I got some rough treatment today but it’s literally every game. I’m used to it. It’s just about getting back up and getting on with it.
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“The Sissoko one today, I’ve nipped in just before and he’s fouled me at the edge of the box in a good position. Part of my game is about winning those fouls and getting in good positions.”
When asked if the Tottenham midfielder deserved harsher punishment for his action, James added, “I’d say in these friendly games the refs are a bit more lenient. Maybe refs out here are a bit more lenient than they are back home.
“It’s a friendly so you’re always going to be more lenient. They don’t want to be handing out red cards. We’ll see when we get back but certainly last year there was a bit of rough treatment.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Based on the amount that Manchester United players and fans are complaining about Tottenham’s physicality on Thursday, you would think the game was akin to the battle of the bridge that took place a few seasons ago. In fact, it was Andreas Pereira’s tackle on Harry Kane that was the game’s worst, and if anybody deserved to get their marching orders it was Pereira.
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