Tranmere Rovers 0-7 Tottenham: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Spurs Obliterate League Two Side

Fernando Llorente's hat-trick helped Tottenham on their way to a 7-0 demolishing of Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup third round on Friday.

​The first chance of the match fell to Heung-min Son after Tranmere Rovers captain Steve McNulty gave away possession in midfield, presenting Son with a one on one chance, but the South Korean was thwarted by Scott Davies.

Lucas Moura was next to miss a gilt-edged chance for the visitors on 13 minutes. Tranmere tried to play the ball out from the back and ​Son pounced to lay the ball off for Moura, but his tame shot in the box was easily collected by Davies.

After Fernando Llorente was denied a penalty by Andre Marriner for a shirt pull in the box, Tranmere grew into the game and had their first meaningful effort in the 25th minute. Top scorer James Norwood beat the offside trap and drove an effort well wide from a tight angle, when he should have squared it to Jay Harris.

Manny Monthe drew a routine save from a corner not long after, as Tranmere's high pressing offered the League Two side and their supporters encouragement. However, the deadlock was broken as Tranmere failed to clear a corner and Serge Aurier, from 25 yards, bent an excellent effort into the top corner with the outside of his right foot.

Spurs went into the second half with purpose and the impressive Son went wide from Aurier's flick to play a great cutback for Llorente to tap into an empty net three minutes after the break. Tranmere nearly equalised soon after with Harvey Gilmour's effort deflected over from close-range, however ​Tottenham soon put the game to bed.

Son beautifully controlled a long ball forward and played in Aurier to finish low and grab his second of the match. The game was well and truly dead just two minutes later as Son got the goal his performance deserved on 57 minutes, running from his own half before drilling across Davies in the Rovers goal to continue his outstanding form.

As Tranmere tired, the Tottenham floodgates opened and Llorente's quickfire double saw them race into a six goal lead and earn the striker his hat-trick. Oliver Skipp found the Spaniard with a brilliant through ball, that Llorente calmly slotted away on 71 minutes before he added his third a minute later with a neat finish.

A rampant Spurs continued raining goals as ​Harry Kane, introduced for Llorente, beautifully flicked over the onrushing Davies for the seventh.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Key Talking Point

Son yet again showed his class with a brilliant all round display to send Tottenham into the fourth round draw and avoid any potential cupset, no matter how unlikely. The South Korean is set to head of to the United Arab Emirates to play in the Asian Cup, meaning Tottenham's next Premier League home match against Manchester United will be his last before the tournament.