The City Ground was pulsing to the tune of Depeche Mode’s iconic ballad as Nottingham Forest’s joyous players danced down the tunnel.
Tottenham, meanwhile, gave the impression that they had had enough for the time being. They stumble into the World Cup, eager for a break and a fresh start.
No one more so than England’s captain, Harry Kane. When questioned about Kane, who has played in all but around 30 minutes of the 12 games Spurs have played in the 39 days since the last international break, Antonio Conte responded, “A problem of fatigue.”
Five minutes into the second half, Forest’s Renan Lodi had given them the lead, but Lingard’s goal gave the Premier League’s bottom team a well-deserved victory in the Carabao Cup.
