Discarded ex-Leeds United man saves side with impressive fresh impact upon new chance

Offloaded ex-Leeds United loanee Djed Spence saved the day for Tottenham Hotspur with an impressive impact in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash at Coventry City.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou made eight changes to his side for the third round fixture at the CBS Arena, including handing a full debut to summer Leeds departure Archie Gray.

Gray lined up at right back but Spurs were heading for an early exit from the competition until second-half substitute Spence bagged an 88th-minute equaliser, finishing a neat move that he started himself.

Spence joined Leeds on a season-long loan from Spurs last summer but the full-back was sent back to Tottenham the following January having only made seven appearances for the club.

Spence then joined Genoa on loan for the rest of the season but the 24-year-old is now back at Tottenham and the ex-Whites loanee was brought on for Destiny Udogie at Coventry as Postecoglou’s sole change at the break.

Replacing Udogie like-for-like at left back, Spence impressed and recovered the ball to start a sweeping attacking in the 88th minute that he then finished by bursting into the box to beat keeper Ben Wilson from Dejan Kulusevski’s neat through ball.

Brandon Thomas-Asante had put Coventry ahead in the 63rd minute but Spence’s strike then had the game heading for a penalty shoot-out until Brenan Johnson struck a 92nd minute winner to seal a dramatic 2-1 success for Postecoglou’s side.

Gray pulled the full duration of the contest in what was his first start for Tottenham since his £40m sale from Leeds this summer.