Defender delighted with FA Cup success at Fulham

Toby Alderweireld feels Tottenham’s FA Cup triumph over Fulham has restored their sharpness and confidence as they attempt to overturn their one-goal deficit against Gent in Thursday’s Europa League tie at Wembley.

Having lost 2-0 at Liverpool, Spurs suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Belgian club in the first leg of their last-32 continental clash last week.

However, the Lilywhites recovered from those setbacks to secure a commanding 3-0 victory at Fulham in Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round clash, with Harry Kane scoring a hat-trick.

Now they are focusing on the home leg of their European clash with Gent, seeking to come from behind at the national stadium in Brent and secure a place in the last 16 of the competition.

“I think it’s important, if you lose two times in a row, to have a good game again,” said Alderweireld.

“We knew before [playing Fulham] that it was the FA Cup, so it’s always difficult, and in away games as well. I think we played well.

“We just talked to each other after the game in the Europa League and said ‘yeah, we have to change’. I think we showed the desire is there to go to the next round.

“Everyone is trying, everyone is doing their best. Maybe [it’s] just a little bit of sharpness that’s back now. Sometimes it’s all about confidence as well. If you get battered at Liverpool then it’s difficult to change that. Mainly we needed a good result like this to get back on track.

“We have to work hard and the next goal is to go through to the next round of the Europa League, in a full Wembley.

“We’re looking forward to that, to change the game that we played last Thursday, and to get a good result to go to the next round.”