‘Very big difference’: Sky pundit hails Tottenham duo who should be starting after 3-2 win

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Clinton Morrison has hailed Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Moura for making a ‘very, very big difference’ during Tottenham Hotspur’s comeback 3-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.

The former striker thinks the likes of Bentancur, Moura, Eric Dier and Ivan Perisic should have started for Spurs yesterday, even if they have a big Champions League game against Marseille coming up on Tuesday, as he told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (29/10/22 at 5:25 pm).

With the likes of Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski already sidelined, those changes from Antonio Conte made Spurs even weaker.

It showed in the first hour of the game because Gary O’Neil’s side were deservedly 2-0 up, with Emerson Royal and Davinson Sanchez suffering all sorts of problems.

Moura was the first to come onto the pitch when he replaced Oliver Skipp at the break, before the likes of Bentancur, Dier and Perisic joined him during the second half.

In the end, those changes made the world of difference, especially given that it was Bentancur wheeling away in celebration and scoring a stoppage-time winner.

“You are thinking ‘can Tottenham respond?’,” asked Morrison. “Credit to him. He makes changes. Brings on Lucas Moura, Perisic, Bentancur and Eric Dier.

“All these players should be starting anyway. Worry about this game, then worry about the Marseille game after. This is the important game, but he brought them on and they made a big difference, especially Lucas Moura and Bentancur made a very, very big difference.

“They were the only team that was going to win it. He deserved it Bentancur because I felt he was the player that put his foot on the ball and tried to get the incisive pass.”

THE MARSEILLE TEST

For a few minutes against Sporting Lisbon, Spurs were through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, only for VAR to rule out Harry Kane’s goal.

In the end, despite the outcry, the correct call was made, but Spurs still have to get something against Marseille if they want to progress.

There’s no doubt that the likes of Dier, Bentancur and Perisic will come back into the fold, but the north London club just simply can’t defend like that again, or they will be punished.