Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted it was important for his fringe players to build their confidence in today's 2-0 FA Cup victory over Aston Villa.
The Spurs boss made nine changes to the side which beat Chelsea in midweek, offering plenty of players operating on the fringes of his squad a rare run out.
Steve Bruce's team proved to be a difficult nut to crack but late goals from Ben Davies and Heung-min Son eventually secured progression.
The manner of Tottenham's victory was far from straightforward but Pochettino was satisfied to not only book a place in the next round but also give more of his squad some game time in a competitive environment.
"It's always difficult in the FA Cup, but we played a team that had very good organisation and it was tough to break them," Pochettino told the BBC.
"I was very pleased in the end, it’s never easy to win in the FA Cup. It was a good opportunity for many players to show their quality."
"I'm pleased for the players that haven’t played too much, it’s important for them to build their confidence," he added.
Vincent Janssen was given a chance to prove his worth up front but, once again, struggled to provide a cutting edge.
Dele Alli's introduction for the Dutch forward helped to turn the tide in Tottenham's favour and Pochettino has admitted he needed to tweak the team's shape to find a route to goal.
"At 0-0 we changed the system a bit to try and change the game and from that we scored.
"We had lots of possession but a lot patience to try and build from the back," Pochettino said.
Tottenham will discover their fourth-round opponents when the draw is made on Monday evening, with Pochettino's side now just three steps from a Wembley appearance.
