Apart from three Tottenham Hotspur goals, one moment brought the biggest cheer of the evening.

Cristian Romero’s sliding tackle on Tariq Lamptey during the first half brought Spurs fans to their feet and a roar erupted within the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Returning alongside Heung-Min Son, central defender Romero reminded everyone of the quality he brings to the Tottenham backline against Brighton.

The Argentine’s aggressive press of Neal Maupay coupled with an air of comfort in possession outlined his potential importance to Antonio Conte.

A player who won Serie A Defender of the Year last season playing centrally in a back three, Romero was deployed in the same position and regularly put Tottenham on the front foot in the early stages by stepping out, reading play and progressing the ball forward.

With Eric Dier missing the fixture as a precaution with a thigh injury, it remains to be seen who Conte’s preferred three-man defence will be.

Cristian Romero. That is all. pic.twitter.com/Qg1khaOdtT

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 6, 2022

Able to step into midfield to collect possession to support Harry Winks and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Romero injects an intensity into Spurs’ play with a composure that hears the words ‘Rolls Royce’ muttered amongst Tottenham fans.

Spurs’ attack matched a solid defensive performance against the Seagulls, with Harry Kane netting twice.

The England captain’s first goal came after 13 minutes when pressure on the Brighton defence turned the ball over, and when Kane collected it on the edge of the area, he delivered a trademark curling finish past Robert Sanchez.

Against a Brighton team who have given Tottenham tough games in recent years, Conte’s side pulled further ahead after 24 minutes in a dominant first-half display.

Romero would be involved in the second, intercepting the ball before finding Winks in the midfield. The Englishman then fed the ball through to Emerson Royal to drive the team forward.

With little help in the area, the Brazilian drove on and on before firing a speculative cross into the area. Fortunately for him, the effort deflected off Solly March, over Sanchez and into the net.

There would be further chances for Kane and Son to further condemn Graham Potter’s team but a 2-0 scoreline gave Tottenham confidence to secure a place in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup.

A switch to a back four for Brighton would see them dominate the opening exchanges of the second period and find a way back into the match through the impressive Yves Bissouma.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, the Mali international drove across the Tottenham 18-yard box before reversing a shot back across Lloris, who was wrong-footed by a deflection off a defender.

Any hopes of a comeback would fade quickly for the visitors as Spurs reaffirmed their two-goal cushion when Kane reacted quickest to a loose ball after a bursting run from Son into the area.

There would be time for debuts to be handed to Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski as the pair begin their adaption to life in English football.

Uruguayan international Bentancur impressed with his reading of the game and neat footwork, including a neat flick to get out of danger much to the delight of the Spurs faithful. Meanwhile, Kulusevski could have enjoyed an assist on debut if not for a Steven Bergwijn miss from close range.

A trip to Middlesbrough awaits in Round Five for Tottenham as Antonio Conte aims to maintain his record of reaching the FA Cup final.

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