Fredi's nightmare splits Spurs camp

Head coach Martin Jol showed little sympathy for the player who "cost us dearly", but captain Ledley King refused to add his voice to the barrage of criticism.

He said: "We win as a team and lose as team. Fredi was fine afterwards, he said it was an accident and he didn't see the ball. Obviously, everyone is disappointed so now we've got to put things right on Saturday at Blackburn."

Team-mate Michael Carrick was equally phlegmatic, saying: "You can't legislate for something like the handball, it's just one of those things."

With the players showing solidarity, it was down to Jol to more closely reflect the frustration of the club's supporters. As well as blaming Kanoute for the defeat, the Dutchman also hinted that the blunder could cost him a place in the team at Ewood Park.

He said: "We have to go on. Fredi was wrong. I just hope he does not do it again. In those situations you need a bit of coolness. Of course the mistake is not unforgivable. We need him again on Saturday - probably."

Although Kanoute is the obvious scapegoat, Spurs should never have allowed the game to progress as far as extra-time.

With Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez making nine changes from the team which beat Arsenal on Sunday, the initiative was immediately handed to an almost full-strength Spurs.

They dominated the first half with Kanoute, Rohan Ricketts and Robbie Keane each squandering excellent chances.

It was a similar story at the start of the second period with Keane somehow firing against the post in the 53rd minute after being presented with an open goal.

But the longer Dudek preserved his clean sheet the more frustrated Spurs - and their fans - became and the whistle for the end of normal time was greeted with jeers.

Even with top scorer Defoe introduced as a 64th-minute substitute for Ricketts, Spurs strugg led to break down Liverpool's hardworking youngsters in the latter part of the game and were themselves lucky not to be reduced to 10 men after Anthony Gardner was only booked for what appeared to be a professional foul on Pongolle.

Defoe finally put Spurs ahead in the second half of extra-time, lashing in an inviting cross from Kanoute before Pongolle was handed the chance to force a shoot-out.

Defoe and Carrick's successful strikes were cancelled out by Stephane Henchoz and Richie Partridge. Dudek and Paul Robinson then swapped saves from Kanoute and Potter before Michael Brown blazed Spurs' fourth penalty over the bar. Even though Reto Ziegler scored with his side's final attempt, Pongolle still had the opportunity to secure a 4-3 win which he took with aplomb.

Of the misses, Jol said: "I know Fredi and in training he is always scoring penalties. You hope that he is strong enough because we had a couple of players who said 'No, I never take penalties'.

"The penalties are a lottery. Brown has been doing okay in training and is one of the six or seven players who can take a penalty. But he wasn't cool and it's about cool --ness."

Given the number of top stars missing from the Liverpool team - Steven Gerrard did not even travel to north London - the result is a depressing one for Spurs.

After losing six of their last seven in the Premiership, the club must look to the FA Cup as the only realistic hope of salvation this season.

King added: "It's big blow for us. We expected to win the game.

"But the longer we went without scoring the more Liverpool grew in confidence. Even though we always felt in control, anything can happen at 1-0 and of course it happened."