Fringe players fail to impress Pochettino

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted he was left feeling underwhelmed by his fringe players following their narrow 4-3 FA Cup victory over League Two Wycombe Wanderers.

Son Heung-min, who was among nine changes to the Tottenham team which drew at Manchester City in the Premier League last Saturday, netted a stoppage-time winner to spare the home side’s blushes.

Wycombe, who are 70 league places below Tottenham, led on two occasions at White Hart Lane before substitute Dele Alli equalised in the 89th minute and Son sealed the victory.

Spurs also trailed 2-0 at the interval following a brace by Wycombe captain Paul Hayes.

“Full credit to Wycombe and how they played the first half as they were better than us,” Pochettino said.

“You know we are a team which is involved in different competitions, and if you are in the Tottenham squad for this type of game you can play. If you cannot play in this type of game then we will have a problem.”

Tottenham were booed off at the interval following a lacklustre display. And Harry Winks, the 20-year-old midfielder, admitted their performance made for a frank half-time team talk.

“It was a bit embarrassing to be honest,” Winks said. “It wasn’t the performance we expected to go out there and give. It was more a case of livening up – not really tactical advice – but to go out there and liven ourselves up.

“It was a tough game, very tough, and credit to Wycombe as they came at us and followed us all around the pitch man-marking.

“They also went 2-0 up so full credit to our team. It shows no matter what team we play against we’re always in it to win it and we never give up.”

While Spurs will head to Sunderland on Tuesday night as they bid to retain their seven-match unbeaten streak in the top flight, Wycombe, fifth in League Two, travel to Exeter City.

“Mauricio said to me ‘that’s football and you were unlucky today, but be proud of your boys’,” Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth said.

“But he doesn’t have to tell me to be proud. I am immensely proud and he is right, that is football.

“It can be like that but what a brilliant game of football, and for Wycombe Wanderers to come here and do that is fantastic.”