Redknapp: Players weren't affected by Muamba
442 Staff - Thursday 22 March 2012, 10:37
Harry Redknapp insisted his Tottenham Hotspur squad were not affected by the horrifying scenes involving Fabrice Muamba during the draw with Stoke City.
Spurs needed a late Rafael van der Vaart header to salvage a point against the Potters after Cameron Jerome had opened the scoring.
The game was the first for the players since Saturday's FA Cup encounter with Bolton Wanderers, where Muamba collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Both sets of players wore ‘Get well soon Fabrice’ T-shirts, while an applause was held for the player and medics who saved his life on Saturday evening.
"No, not at all," Redknapp said when quizzed if the events of four days ago had affected his players' performances.
"Nothing affects them - they've been ready to play. I'd be making excuses if I said that."
The Spurs manager also stated that his squad have not lost their nerves in the race for a top-four finish after seeing Arsenal leapfrog them in to third place.
The North London side have blown a 10-point lead over their rivals after suffering a 5-2 defeat at Emirates Stadium, and they have now failed to win any of their last four Premier League games.
"People can look at it as much as they want," Redknapp added.
"We've played three games before tonight. They weren't exactly nine points you'd have been looking at.
"We're all disappointed to have had a blip at this time of the season but we've got to come out of that now, we've got to keep going."