Savio marked his Tottenham debut with a goal and an assist as Spurs eased past Charlton 5-1 to reach the third round of the Carabao Cup.
The Brazilian, signed from Manchester City on Tuesday for around £85m, came off the bench and made an immediate impact. Introduced in the 71st minute, he needed just 11 minutes to open his Spurs account, then was involved again moments later when his effort deflected in to make it 5-1.
Roberto De Zerbi selected a strong starting lineup as Tottenham sought a response after their disappointing Premier League opening day defeat at Brentford. It was youngster Mikey Moore who finally broke down a stubborn Charlton backline, smashing a shot through the hands of keeper Tiernan Brooks to put Spurs ahead just before half-time.
Dominic Solanke doubled the lead shortly before the break, finishing smartly after Charlton failed to clear their lines. After the interval De Zerbi introduced several senior players, and Kevin Danso extended the advantage in the 67th minute by heading home from a Mateus Fernandes free-kick with his first touch.
Savio’s arrival electrified the Tottenham crowd. Cutting in from the right, he drove a low left-footed strike into the bottom corner to make it 4-0. Three minutes later a scrambled Savio effort took a deflection off veteran Ben Davies and looped over the keeper for Spurs’ fifth. Charlton got a late consolation through Lloyd Jones from a corner, but the result was never in doubt.
With the win Tottenham progress to the Carabao Cup third round, where they will face Liverpool at Anfield.
Reaction to Savio’s short but dramatic cameo was overwhelmingly positive. Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp said: “He lit the place up. This is what Tottenham want. Players like that can get you off your seat.” Jermaine Beckford added that Savio’s confidence was obvious, particularly for an attacking player who looks to run at opponents.
Team-mate Dominic Solanke praised the new signing, saying Savio “did great when he came on” and predicting he will become a fan favourite. Sky Sports reporter Callum Bishop noted how quickly the winger won the crowd over despite joining the club barely 24 hours earlier, and highlighted the importance of end product for a Spurs side that has sometimes lacked cutting edge.
Key moments:
– 40′: Mikey Moore opens the scoring for Tottenham.
– 45′: Dominic Solanke makes it 2-0.
– 67′: Kevin Danso heads in from a Fernandes free-kick.
– 71′: Savio makes his Spurs debut.
– 82′: Savio scores his first Tottenham goal.
– 85′: Savio involved again as his shot deflects in for the fifth.
– 87′: Lloyd Jones heads a consolation for Charlton.
The win offers De Zerbi some attacking reassurance and plenty for supporters to be excited about after Savio’s eye-catching introduction. The competition now presents a high-profile tie at Anfield, where Tottenham will test themselves against Liverpool in the next round.