Spurs load big guns and find firepower to get the better of Fulham | Nick Ames


Tottenham’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, picked his biggest attacking threats and watched them beat Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup fifth round

At the most disarming of venues Tottenham Hotspur found their way through by dispatching the heavy artillery. Four days ago Mauricio Pochettino might not have imagined letting Harry Kane stretch out from the start against Fulham, much less if he had known a knock to his knee would render him a slight doubt; sometimes, though, a job needs doing properly and, if the purpose here was to blow the cobwebs of a sterile February away, then it was served conclusively.

Supporters foraging their way to Craven Cottage through the artisan food market in Bishops Park might have expected something closer-run. The six years since Fulham defeated Tottenham 4-0 here in the FA Cup fourth round feel like a lifetime for both clubs – the only remaining player of the 36 selected this time was Mousa Dembélé, who has switched sides – but it had been a weekend of old-fashioned footballing romance and this, still London’s most elegantly appointed arena, seemed the place for it.

Related: Harry Kane hat-trick eases Tottenham past Fulham and into FA Cup’s last eight

Related: Fulham 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur: FA Cup fifth round – as it happened

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