Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson praised the performance of Japhet Tanganga following the victory against Manchester City.
New Spurs head coach Nuno Espirito Santo opted to name the same starting eleven for the opening match of the Premier League season from the side which beat Arsenal in a friendly seven days earlier, with Tanganga lining up at right-back.
The academy graduate impressed against Arsenal and was in superb form against Pep Guardiola’s side and was named as Sky Sports’ Man of the Match for his efforts.
The 22-year-old helped to keep both Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling quiet down the wing, with both City players struggling to dribble past Tanganga.
Dawson, who took up the role of Tottenham club ambassador following his retirement from the game this summer claimed Tanganga is everything a manager wants, after describing his performance.
Tanganga was replaced in the latter stages of the fixture by Matt Doherty and received a standing ovation from the North London faithful.
“He was magnificent,” he told Sky Sports’ Premier League channel (broadcast on 15/8; 19:12). “Gary [Neville] gave him man of the match. And you talk about Nuno putting his stamp on him, he could have quite easily gone senior in Aurier, Matt Doherty.
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“He went with Japhet Tanganga. He’s honest, he lives a stone’s throw away from the stadium, he’s one of their own and he gives everything. He epitomises everything a manager wants. Strong, physical, everything.”
SpursWeb Opinion
Tanganga was flawless against City, his strength and pace helped to limit City’s threat from the left flank.
Any prospect of the defender leaving on loan for the likes of Galatasaray surely now must be over following his display yesterday afternoon.
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