Redknapp ready to spit the dummy as Gomes gets risky

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Heurelho Gomes got away with it, but the Brazilian goalkeeper's latest piece of penalty-box brinksmanship may finally have pushed Harry Redknapp over the edge.

Gomes will play in Sunday's Carling Cup final against Manchester United, because Carlo Cudicini is cup-tied. But his antics during the first half of Spurs' final game of their UEFA Cup campaign could have begun the final phase of his time in London.

With Shakhtar striker Olexandr Gladkiy bearing down on him in the 34th minute, Gomes opted to sell a dummy rather than hoof the ball clear.

Although his trick came off, Redknapp greeted it with a dismissive wave of his hand before turning to the bench with an expression of incredulity.

Gomes's upturn in form towards the end of 2008 appeared to have revitalised his White Hart Lane career after a dreadful start to the season. But Redknapp signed Cudicini from Chelsea during last month's transfer window, and has never been totally convinced by the Brazilian.

Gomes was one of only four senior players on duty against Shakhtar – Gareth Bale, Tom Huddlestone and Jamie O'Hara were the others – who have a genuine chance of figuring at Wembley, so Redknapp will have been heartened to see his fringe players at least putting in plenty of effort.

Fraizer Campbell — the club's fifth-choice striker — in particular ran his heart out and should have been awarded two penalties.

Out-of-favour midfielder Huddlestone was also excellent in a central defensive role, while Bale, playing on the left of midfield, had one of his best games of the season.

Giovani dos Santos will almost certainly leave the club in the summer, but his stunning left-footed strike in the 55th minute —his first competitive goal for Spurs — at least showed fans why the club paid £4.75million to sign him from Barcelona last summer.

Shakhtar eqalised four minutes from the end after John Bostock lost the ball but Redknapp was happy with what he had seen.

He said: "We were unlucky not to win the game by the number of goals we needed, and go through on aggregate. It was a terrific performance."