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Sky Sports pundit Danny Murphy has praised the impact of Lucas Moura on Tottenham Hotspur after his cameo against Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
The Brazil international replaced Harry Kane after the Spurs striker sustained a potentially serious ankle injury at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
What’s he said?
Lucas came on in the 58th-minute following Kane’s injury.
Per WhoScored, the former PSG attacker completed two dribbles after coming on, made one tackle and, despite his diminutive frame, won two aerial duels.
And Murphy was impressed with the forward, who last completed 90 minutes in the Premier League in December, in the 5-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Debate podcast (08:33), he said: “I actually think Lucas Moura deserved credit.
“He was great when he came on. He’s a talented player.”
Deserves a chance
Lucas has been something of a bit-part player this season.
Clearly talented on the ball and blessed with genuinely explosive pace, he has completed 90 minutes just nine times in all-competitions this season.
He has been a European super-sub before, coming off the bench to score the equaliser in the brave 1-1 draw with Barcelona in the Camp Nou that sealed Spurs’ qualification to the knockout stages.
With Kane surely set for a lengthy period on the sidelines, giving Lucas a chance makes all the sense in the world for Pochettino.
Pairing him with Son Heung-Min up front allows for a greater degree of tactical flexibility and could bamboozle opposition defences both at home and abroad.
The time, surely, is now.