Ange Postecoglou explains why Tottenham were 'flat' against Coventry and responds to form questions

Tottenham looked flat and laboured in their Carabao Cup match and could have been embarrassed if not for a late goal by Djed Spence and a brilliant finish from Brennan Johnson, which turned the game on its head and ensured they progressed to the fourth round of the competition.

This was a much-needed win for the Lilywhites after their disappointing defeat to Arsenal. Speaking after the game, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou explained why they appeared flat for most of the match.

He said: “Yeah, I don't know, saying it was a flat performance is a bit harsh. I thought it was a typical cup game. I thought Coventry were really good. They put some real energy into the game, and we couldn't really get a grip on it.”

The nature of the win builds character and could kick-start what has been a troubling season for Spurs, who have lost back-to-back league games. Postecoglou praised his team for staying in the game, and he believes that coming away with the win shows mental toughness.

He added: “We had to hang in there. We had to work really, really hard just to stay in the game, and obviously, going a goal behind made it even more challenging.

"But like you said, at the end, we showed some real spirit and character, which is probably what's been missing in the first four games. We've had the performances, but we haven't had that relentlessness to get a result. You could sense that in the last 10 minutes. We got real belief out of that, and hopefully, that's a good sign moving forward."

Spurs will hope they can now build on this when they take on Brentford this weekend before heading into their first Europa League game next week.