TOTTENHAM STAGED A superb fightback from two goals down to sweep into the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-2 win against Burnley.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were rocked as Marvin Sordell and Ross Wallace struck for Burnley in the first eight minutes of the third round replay at White Hart Lane.
But Brazilian Paulinho gave Spurs a lifeline soon after Wallace got Burnley’s second and French midfielder Etienne Capoue equalised before half-time.
That set the stage for a blistering start to the second half, with Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches and left-back Danny Rose scoring in the space of three minutes to ensure Spurs earned a home tie against Leicester in the fourth round later in January.
It was exactly the kind of spirited performance Pochettino needed after his side crashed to a surprise 2-1 defeat at struggling Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.
Pochettino had made seven changes from the Selhurst Park meltdown, with in-form striker Harry Kane left on the bench, while Burnley boss Sean Dyche, whose priority is avoiding relegation from the top-flight made five changes from the side that beat QPR at the weekend.
All the Tottenham alterations seemed to unsettle the hosts during a chaotic opening which saw the Clarets take the lead in the third minute.
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen was caught out of position by Kieran Trippier’s hopeful long ball and Sordell took advantage to race clear to slam a left-foot half-volley past Michel Vorm from just inside the penalty area.
There was even better to come for Burnley as the visitors doubled their lead just five minutes later as Wallace’s free-kick took a huge deflection off Roberto Soldado in the Spurs wall and flashed past the wrong-footed Vorm.
Spurs hit back decisively and reduced the deficit when Andros Townsend’s cross was headed on by Soldado to Paulinho, who controlled on his chest before firing home from close-range in the 10th minute.
In first half stoppage-time, Capoue latched onto Ben Davies’ cross and drilled a superb strike past Heaton from 20 yards.
Spurred on by that well-timed leveller, Pochettino’s side took the lead four minutes into the second half when Heaton missed Paulinho’s corner, leaving the unmarked Chiriches with the simple task of bundling home on the goalline.
And the tie was effectively over three minutes later when Rose slid in to convert Soldado’s low cross from close-range.
