Tottenham were knocked out of The FA Cup by Manchester United.
Martin Keown has criticised Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino in his Daily Mail ‘Tackle Keown’ column after the Argentine boss said he would consider playing youngsters in next season’s FA Cup.
Spurs were knocked out of The FA Cup by Manchester United last weekend, despite taking the lead through playmaker Dele Alli. Goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera saw United win 2-1.
In the immediate aftermath of the loss, Pochettino said that he would consider playing Spurs’ younger players in the 2018-19 edition of the competition.
Former Arsenal defender and BT Sport pundit Keown criticised the Spurs boss for down-playing the historic competition, but did understand that the former Southampton manager may have said the comments in the heat of the moment.
Pochettino should be thinking, ‘Let’s learn from the mistakes in the last two seasons and come back stronger next year to win the FA Cup.’
“We must remember that Pochettino’s comments were said in the heat of the moment after a suffering the disappointment of an FA Cup semi-final defeat,” Keown said.
“The longer Tottenham go without silverware, the more likely their best players will want to leave. This is why Pochettino should not downplay the importance of the FA Cup.”
Spurs and Pochettino have been criticised for much of the season for failing to win a trophy during his reign as manager, with The FA Cup being his last chance of silencing the doubters.
However, the best Spurs can hope for now is finishing in the top four of the Premier League and qualifying for next season’s Champions League. They sit five points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea.
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