<p class="bodytext">Gareth Bale and Harry Kane were on target as Tottenham moved into the League Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win against Championship side Stoke on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wales forward Bale made the most of a rare start to put Jose Mourinho's team at the Bet365 Stadium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jordan Thompson equalised for Stoke after the interval, but Ben Davies put Tottenham back in front with his first goal since 2017 before England captain Kane sealed a comfortable quarter-final success.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Mourinho, a four-time League Cup winner with Chelsea and Manchester United, galvanised his players to avoid an upset in the Potteries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tottenham's most recent silverware came in the League Cup in 2008 and they remain in the hunt to end that drought after joining Manchester City and Brentford in the semi-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock recently branded the Stoke's away dressing room as a "pigsty".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stoke reportedly upgraded their facilities in time for Tottenham's visit, but Mourinho's description of the "very good tent" his team had been given hardly sounded luxurious.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The unglamourous changing area and wet and windy conditions suggested an uncomfortable evening could be in store, but Tottenham were on their game from the start.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho made seven changes from Sunday's defeat against Leicester as Dele Alli made his first start since November 26 amid talk of a January move to Paris Saint-Germain.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stoke were without four goalkeepers due to injury and ineligibility, so 37-year-old Andy Lonergan made his first start since March 2019.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Lonergan was called into action early on when he punched away Kane's rising drive, but he was picking the ball out of the net in the 22nd minute.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Harry Winks' inswinging cross reached Bale in the Stoke area and he guided a precise header past Lonergan into the far corner.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was Bale's third goal since returning to his former club on loan from Real Madrid in September.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alli almost doubled Tottenham's lead when he ran onto Kane's pass and hit a low shot that Lonergan saved with his feet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho went for the kill by sending on Son Heung-min for Bale at half-time, but it was Stoke who equalised against the run of play with their first shot on target.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jacob Brown's low cross found Thompson and he slotted past Hugo Lloris.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alli's wayward flick had conceded possession in the build-up to the goal and Mourinho was quick to issue a stinging rebuke on the touchline before hauling off the out-of-favour midfielder.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho's instant action sparked a response from Tottenham.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Davies put them back in front in the 71st minute when the left-back's 25-yard drive beat Lonergan and went in off the post.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kane put the result beyond doubt in the 81st minute when he ran onto Moussa Sissoko's pass and blasted a typically predatory finish into the roof of the net for his 16th goal of the season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Wednesday's other quarter-final, Everton host Manchester United.</p>.<p class="bodytext">United are hoping to move a step closer to the first silverware of boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Everton haven't won a major trophy since the 1995 FA Cup, but are flying high in fourth place in the Premier League.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manchester City, who have won the League Cup for the last three seasons, thrashed Arsenal 4-1 on Tuesday, while second-tier Brentford reached their first major cup semi-final with a shock 1-0 win against Newcastle.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Gareth Bale and Harry Kane were on target as Tottenham moved into the League Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win against Championship side Stoke on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wales forward Bale made the most of a rare start to put Jose Mourinho's team at the Bet365 Stadium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jordan Thompson equalised for Stoke after the interval, but Ben Davies put Tottenham back in front with his first goal since 2017 before England captain Kane sealed a comfortable quarter-final success.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Mourinho, a four-time League Cup winner with Chelsea and Manchester United, galvanised his players to avoid an upset in the Potteries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tottenham's most recent silverware came in the League Cup in 2008 and they remain in the hunt to end that drought after joining Manchester City and Brentford in the semi-finals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock recently branded the Stoke's away dressing room as a "pigsty".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stoke reportedly upgraded their facilities in time for Tottenham's visit, but Mourinho's description of the "very good tent" his team had been given hardly sounded luxurious.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The unglamourous changing area and wet and windy conditions suggested an uncomfortable evening could be in store, but Tottenham were on their game from the start.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho made seven changes from Sunday's defeat against Leicester as Dele Alli made his first start since November 26 amid talk of a January move to Paris Saint-Germain.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stoke were without four goalkeepers due to injury and ineligibility, so 37-year-old Andy Lonergan made his first start since March 2019.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Lonergan was called into action early on when he punched away Kane's rising drive, but he was picking the ball out of the net in the 22nd minute.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Harry Winks' inswinging cross reached Bale in the Stoke area and he guided a precise header past Lonergan into the far corner.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was Bale's third goal since returning to his former club on loan from Real Madrid in September.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alli almost doubled Tottenham's lead when he ran onto Kane's pass and hit a low shot that Lonergan saved with his feet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho went for the kill by sending on Son Heung-min for Bale at half-time, but it was Stoke who equalised against the run of play with their first shot on target.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jacob Brown's low cross found Thompson and he slotted past Hugo Lloris.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alli's wayward flick had conceded possession in the build-up to the goal and Mourinho was quick to issue a stinging rebuke on the touchline before hauling off the out-of-favour midfielder.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mourinho's instant action sparked a response from Tottenham.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Davies put them back in front in the 71st minute when the left-back's 25-yard drive beat Lonergan and went in off the post.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kane put the result beyond doubt in the 81st minute when he ran onto Moussa Sissoko's pass and blasted a typically predatory finish into the roof of the net for his 16th goal of the season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Wednesday's other quarter-final, Everton host Manchester United.</p>.<p class="bodytext">United are hoping to move a step closer to the first silverware of boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Everton haven't won a major trophy since the 1995 FA Cup, but are flying high in fourth place in the Premier League.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Manchester City, who have won the League Cup for the last three seasons, thrashed Arsenal 4-1 on Tuesday, while second-tier Brentford reached their first major cup semi-final with a shock 1-0 win against Newcastle.</p>