Timo Werner scored his first goal in seven months to help Tottenham eliminate Manchester City from the EFL Cup with a 2-1 victory in Wednesday's last-16 tie.
Both teams were left to count the cost of muscle injuries come full-time of an entertaining game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Micky van de Ven hobbled off in tears and Savinho was also distressed as he went off on a stretcher.
Werner also sustained a knock that forced him off, but that was long after emphatically curling away from Stefan Ortega inside five minutes after being teed up by Dejan Kulusevski down the Spurs right.
Pape Matar Sarr tucked in a first-time finish of his own from outside the box to double the hosts' advantage 25 minutes later - an effort Ortega perhaps could have done better to keep out - but City finally woke up before half-time.
Savinho picked out Matheus Nunes to side-volley in at the back post and that set the tone for a gripping second period - one in which Erling Haaland watched from the substitutes' bench despite his side chasing a goal.
Ortega made three saves to keep City in the tie, with Richarlison failing to convert from a glorious position, and those misses so nearly proved costly in the closing stages.
Yves Bissouma brilliantly denied Nico O'Reilly on the line with quick reflexes, however, to ensure Ange Postecoglou remains on course for silverware in his second season at Spurs, while inflicting a first loss of the campaign on eight-time EFL Cup winners City.
Data Debrief: City can't handle Kulu
Tottenham had suffered elimination from their previous three EFL Cup ties against fellow Premier League opposition - against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in the past three seasons - but they showed great resolve to overcome City.
Werner and Sarr scored the goals that sent Spurs through, both of those assisted by Kulusevski in a different manner. The Sweden international created four chances in total, which was double the number of any other home player.
Man City may have scored for the first time in four away games in the EFL Cup, but this marks their third successive away loss in the competition for the first time since August 1997.
Flawless victory: Ja's Cavalier maul Dom Rep's Moca FC 7-0 to book spot in Caribbean Cup final
Jamaica’s reigning Premier League champions Cavalier FC booked a spot in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup final for a second consecutive year after they mauled Dominican Republic’s Moca FC 7-0 in a lopsided second leg semifinal tie at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
A hat-trick from Suriname's Shaquille Stein (6th, 45+3, 62nd) and a brace from Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaile Auvray (1st, 51st) did most of the damage for Cavalier, while Christopher Ainsworth (39th) and Dwayne Atkinson (79th) also got in on the act.
With the win, Cavalier, who lost last year’s final to Suriname’s Robinhood, now have a shot at redemption as they await the winner of the second semi-final between Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC and Haiti’s Real Hope in the showpiece. By virtue of making the final, Cavalier also secured a return to next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
Head coach Rudolph Speid was pleased but also surprised at the margin of victory, especially after being held to a goalless stalemate in the first leg.
“It was very pleasing. We didn’t expect to win by such a large margin; however, this is our third time playing them, so they aren’t strangers to us,” Speid said.
Cavalier wasted little time to make their intentions known as Auvray found the opener shortly after kickoff when he drove home a firm left-footer from a distance.
The Jamaican team struck again before Moca could regroup as Stein expertly headed home from Jalmaro Calvin’s weighted cross five minutes later.
Ainsworth extended the lead when he converted from the penalty spot as Moca FC’s custodian Miguel Baez was left flat-footed.
Stein then notched his second and Cavalier’s fourth with another comfortable finish as they went to the break 4-0 up.
With the writing on the wall, frustration set in, and Moca lost Baez and Jesus Correa to straight red cards and, as such, contested the second half with nine players.
Cavalier showed no mercy and made full use of the numerical advantage when Auvray completed his brace with another well-struck effort from outside the 18-yard box.
Stein completed his hat-trick soon after to move his tally to seven so far in the tournament, before Atkinson added his name to the scoresheet from the penalty spot 11 minutes from time.
Despite the loss, Moca FC still stand a chance of making the Champions Cup, provided they come out tops in the third-place playoff.
'I don't see myself as the best', says Yashin Trophy winner Martinez
Emiliano Martinez was humble as he accepted the Yashin Trophy for the second straight year at the Ballon d'Or awards on Monday.
Martinez, who played a key role in Aston Villa's Champions League qualification last term before helping Argentina retain the Copa America title.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper won the Yashin Award in 2023, having been integral to Argentina's 2022 World Cup success, and he kept hold of the prize dished out to the best goalkeeper at the ceremony in Paris.
"I don’t see myself as the best – there are so many good goalies I see week in, week out," Martinez said upon accepting the award.
"I only care about group titles with the national team, with Aston Villa. I focus on myself and my goalie coaches know the work I put in every day.
"For me, it's about improving myself."
Martinez and Villa have made an impressive start to the campaign. They are top of the Champions League with three wins from as many matches, and occupy fourth spot in the Premier League ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham.
"It's huge for me," Martinez continued.
"I always dreamed of playing one game for the national team. Coming from such a young lad to England and trying to work my way up to succeed at Aston Villa and with the national team, winning one [cap] was an honour.
"Back-to-back [Yashin Trophies] is something I never expected. I'm just proud to be here today. All thanks go to my family and friends.
"We’re doing something amazing in the club, we're moving forward. We've won back-to-back trophies with the national team and that’s all I care about."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham - Son Heung-min
Son, who missed Spurs' defeat to Crystal Palace last week, has been involved in nine goals in eight Premier League games against Villa (six goals, three assists), though all six of his goals against them have come at Villa Park. No player has scored more against an opponent without netting a home goal in the competition.
Aston Villa - Emiliano Martinez
Fresh from winning the Yashin Trophy for a second time, Martinez will no doubt be out to prove his credentials as the best in the world.
Keeping a clean sheet and helping Unai Emery's team to victory would be a good start.
MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN
Spurs have lost two of their last three league matches, but Opta's supercomputer backs them to come out on top on Sunday.
Tottenham have scored 49 goals in 23 home Premier League games under Ange Postecoglou. The only boss to hit 50 goals in 24 or fewer home games with Spurs is Antonio Conte (50 in his first 20).
Only two of Tottenham's last 71 home Premier League games have ended as a draw (W47 L22) and they are the only side without a home draw since the start of last season (W16 L7).
Just Liverpool (13) and Nottingham Forest (11) have won more away Premier League points this season than Villa (10 – W3 D1). Villa have only won as many as four of their opening five away league games in a season once before, doing so in 2020-21 (W4 L1).
Tottenham have lost three of their last four Premier League meetings with Villa, though did win the last such match 4-0 in March, so while Opta's model fancies Spurs' chances, Villa will certainly be no pushovers.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Tottenham - 49.5%
Aston Villa - 27.6%
Draw - 22.9%
Arteta: It's up to Nwaneri how quickly he becomes a first-team regular
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says that it is up to young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri to dictate how quickly he will become a regular in their first team.
That was after the 17-year-old midfielder played a starring role in his side's 3-0 victory away to Preston North End in the last 16 of the EFL Cup, curling in a wonderful effort for the second.
Nwaneri scored his first senior goals with a brace in the 5-1 win over League One Bolton in the previous round and looked in great shape again on Wednesday.
"He's a big talent, he's got the right attitude and he's got the right players and context around him," Arteta told BBC Sport.
"We need to make sure that we build brick by brick in the right tempo, in the right order, but we have some player there."
Nwaneri has already made four substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, having come off the bench against Tottenham, Leicester, Bournemouth and Liverpool.
In September 2022, meanwhile, he became the youngest player in history to feature in the Premier League after coming off the bench against Brentford at just 15 years and 181 days.
According to his manager, the pace of his further development will be down to him.
"He's going to really dictate how fast that's going to go, but I'm really happy with him," Arteta added.
"There's so much personality there. He wants to impose himself, he wants every ball, he wants to make things happen.
"He's very respectful, his work ethic is tremendous and he loves what he does, you can tell that. I think he is showing every day what he is capable of.
“You see his team-mates, they are giving him the ball all the time, that's a great sign. So we have some player there."
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