O'Hara impresses Redknapp - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

O'Hara impresses Redknapp

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will monitor Jamie O'Hara's hip injury before deciding what part the midfielder will play in the Carling Cup final at the weekend.

England Under-21 midfielder O'Hara made his return action in the clash against Shakhtar Donetsk in a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane which sent Spurs out of the UEFA Cup on aggregate. Redknapp was impressed with the 22-year-old and hopes he will feature against Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday.

The Spurs boss, when asked if O'Hara could feature against United, said: "Hopefully. He's had a groin problem and it's how he reacts to it after this game."

"Jamie was outstanding in his first game back for a month. He has had an injury or he would have been in my team.

"He was top class. You see how much it means to him, he came out and wanted to play. He is a terrific passer and gives you balance, he can play wide or inside and he is in my plans. You'd have him in your side any day of the week."

O'Hara would compete with David Bentley for a place on the left flank against United, while Tom Huddlestone and Gareth Bale were the other players who faced Shakhtar who have a chance of playing at Wembley. Giovani dos Santos, out of favour since moving from Barcelona in the summer in an £8.6million deal, found the top corner in the 55th minute to give Spurs real hope of forcing extra time.

The Mexico midfielder raced into the penalty area and lashed home.

"It was a good finish, he took it very well," he said.

Fraizer Campbell was then denied a penalty when Razvan Rat brushed him and Mykola Ischenko slid in.

"It was a blatant penalty, he got pushed by one and chopped by the other," Redknapp said.

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