Glenn Hoddle instantly reacts as Tottenham beat Man United to win Europa League
Tottenham lifted the Europa League after a 1-0 victory over Manchester United to secure their first trophy since 2008.
Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of the match as Spurs managed to see out a nervy second half to win the cup.
Ange Postecoglou took a risk when he played a more defensive approach when Tottenham took the lead in Bilbao.
However, this paid off, and Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle insisted that Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma deserve credit for their defensive role in the second half.
Hoddle hails Bentancur and Bissouma after Europa League triumph
Tottenham fans were no doubt on edge in the second half. Man United had all of the ball as they pushed for an equaliser.
Yet, the Red Devils rarely troubled Spurs and had little to worry about throughout the second period.
Apart from Micky van de Ven’s goal-line clearance and Guglielmo Vicario’s late save, there were no chances of note for Manchester United.
Looking back on the result, Hoddle insisted that midfield duo Bentancur and Bissouma deserved a lot of credit for their role in the defensive set-up as he labelled the performance as “brilliant”.
He told TNT Sports (21 May): “We were going through hell just watching it.
“Tottenham dropped deeper and deeper. Ange Postecoglou put a three at the back – in the end it worked out well.
“The two midfielder players played well, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma.
“It was brilliant second half defensively.”
Postecoglou deserves credit for second-half set-up
Postecoglou has received a lot of stick for how he has managed games at Tottenham throughout his spell. However, he deserves a lot of credit for how he managed that second half.
The Australian’s tactics were spot on, and he ensured that Spurs won the trophy with ease.
Amad Diallo was running riot in the first half, yet Postecoglou ensured that his creativity and threat were minimal in the second period.
It was a masterclass in defence and, in the end, this is what ended the trophy curse at Tottenham.
Postecoglou will now return to North London as a hero and will rightly earn praise from pundits and players alike for his European success.