Bryan Gil vows to repay Antonio Conte’s faith at Spurs

MAKING STRIDES: Tottenham Hotspur's Bryan Gil. Pic: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

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Tottenham attacker Bryan Gil has vowed to repay Antonio Conte’s faith and thanked his boss for comparisons to Bernardo Silva.

Gil, who joined the club 18 months ago from Sevilla, has started each of Spurs’ last three matches after waiting for opportunities this season.

Injuries opened the door for the 21-year-old, who has been compared to Manchester City’s Silva by Conte and also repeatedly described as not strong enough for the Premier League prior to his recent full debut. Yet an encouraging display on Wednesday night at Crystal Palace was followed up with a lively showing against Portsmouth on Saturday to further gain his managers’ trust while also reducing the possibility of the highly-rated Spanish youngster leaving on loan during the January transfer window.

Gil said: “I’m getting more opportunities now, he is giving me minutes and I have to repay his faith. I have to show he can trust me when I get those chances and show that I can play well.

“If he said that (about Bernardo Silva) then, well he’s a fantastic player, one of my favourites and he’s on a different level so I suppose I have to say thanks!”

When Gil signed two summers ago, he was rated as one of the hottest prospects in world football but a difficult first half of his maiden campaign saw him sent back to Spain last January on loan to Valencia. But the diminutive wide forward believes he is slowly adapting to the demands of English football.

“The physical aspect is something I struggled with in my first year, but I’ve got my head down and worked with the physical coaches and I can notice the difference,” Gil insisted.

Meanwhile Brendan Rodgers expects to remain without star man James Maddison for tomorrow’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at Newcastle. Creative midfielder Maddison has provided seven goals and four assists in the top flight this term.

But he is yet to feature for the Foxes since returning from Qatar due to a knee injury, and after Leicester’s ’s 1-0 third-round win over League Two Gillingham, Rodgers was asked if the 26-year-old will be available against the Magpies in midweek. He said: “I don’t think so.

“It’s just day by day with James. Listen, we may go in tomorrow and it may be different but we’ll see.”

Derby also eased through with a 3-0 success, beating fellow League One side Barnsley thanks to a penalty from Ireland striker James Collins penalty, plus goals from Tom Barkhuizen and another Irish internatoonal Jason Knight.

Blackburn defeated Norwich 1-0 at Carrow Road in David Wagner’s first match in charge of the Canaries courtesy of a Jack Vale strike.

Bristol City snatched a replay after Antoine Semenyo’s second-half header cancelled out Joel Piroe’s opener in a 1-1 draw with Championship rivals Swansea at Ashton Gate.