Tottenham Hotspur produced an outstanding performance to beat Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, with Japhet Tanganga playing a key role.
Son Heung-min bagged the winner in the second half, firing a left-footed strike beyond Ederson to give Nuno Espirito Santo a wining start as Tottenham boss.
Harry Kane wasn’t involved, and fans mocked him by chanting ‘are you watching Harry Kane?’, but another homegrown star really stepped up.
Tanganga started at right back for Nuno’s men, landing a key role despite the Portuguese boss reuniting with his former Wolves defender Matt Doherty.
Tanganga was superb; he had to battle through the early stages of the game as both Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling operated down Tanganga’s side.
He shackled Sterling brilliantly though, and offered defensive stability down Tottenham’s right flank, rarely venturing forward.
That was part of Nuno’s setup; he used an asymmetrical back line with Tanganga almost playing as a third centre back whilst left back Sergio Reguilon went forward.
Tanganga was so good in that role that Fabio Paratici may now have to give serious thought to Tottenham’s interest in Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The Athletic reported in July that Tottenham were on the verge of signing Bologna defender Tomiyasu for around £15million plus add-ons.
The deal went a little quiet whilst Tomiyasu was at the Olympic Games with Japan, and Tanganga’s display now means Tomiyasu may not be needed.
Tomiyasu was seen as a player who could play at centre back or as a defensive-minded right back like Tanganga.
Tanganga has now shown that he can fill that role, and with two other right backs still at the club in Doherty and Serge Aurier, a considerable investment in Tomiyasu may no longer be a priority given how good Tanganga has shown he can be in that position.
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