Eriksen helped Tottenham to their first Wembley win in the Premier League and for once, there was no Harry Kane goal to show for it.
Guardiola’s remark had clearly incensed Mauricio Pochettino in the build-up but match winner Eriksen said: “It is a team performance. If Harry doesn’t score someone else will score.
“Of course with all the chances he gets he has a bigger chance of scoring. He will score goals and we will help him score goals.
“But we have a strong enough team to score when Harry doesn’t score. If it is me or Dele, or Son, or Trippier or Sissoko or anyone – anyone is good enough to finish.
“No one wants to be called a one-man team, if it is meant serious. I don’t know if it was. It’s a team performance and if you have respect you probably don’t say it.
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“We have built something special and I hope people on the outside can see that.”
Just when Spurs feared this game would follow a similar pattern of domination then dropped home points, Eriksen curled home in the 47th minute.
Kane did not bring his shooting boots, denied three times by Asmir Begovic, which ensured Bournemouth had a sniff right to the end.
Ironically after watching his Tottenham side prove they not reliant only on Kane, Pochettino has to now keep quiet a European giant whose statistics point towards one man also dominating. Not that he plans to any special treatment to combat Cristiano Ronaldo tomorrow night.
Instead the Spurs manager bullishly vowed to take the game to defending champions at the Bernabeu.
“We will try to dominate,” said Pochettino. “We will try to be better, but it’s a massive challenge for us to dominate them.
“We will press high, try to play in the opposition’s half, try to be aggressive and brave. That’s how we feel football should be played.
“If they try to push us back deeper, then okay we may have to adapt to their quality. But from the beginning we will be brave and aggressive and play to win the game.
“It’s Real Madrid and we respect them, but we go to play.”
Pochettino doesn’t know any other way. And, despite the daunting task awaiting them, playing away from Wembley at the moment seems no bad thing.
Spurs might have ended their league hoodoo at their temporary home, but they were once again far from convincing.
Eddie Howe was left to rue his side’s latest defeat as they continue to struggle for results despite posing problems.
“Previous times against Tottenham away, we’ve found it very difficult to contain their attacking players, and it’s been a totally different game,” said manager Howe. “We were in the game and we created chances at the other end.
“A few weeks ago we were scratching our heads and looking at the team, thinking that we weren’t recognisable in terms of spirit and endeavour. But the last month, we’ve returned to something near our best levels.
“We’ve now played Arsenal away, Tottenham away, Manchester City at home, and last year we found those games incredibly different.
“The challenge for us is against the other teams in the division where we’re going to need to pick up points.”
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Trippier 7, Sanchez 6, Alderweireld 7, Vertonghen 6; Winks 8, Dier 6, Eriksen 7, Alli 6 (Nkoudou 90), Son 6 (Sissoko 75, 6); Kane 6 (Llorente 85). Booked: Vertonghen. Goal: Eriksen 47. NEXT UP: Real Madrid (a)tomorrow CL.
BOURNEMOUTH (5-4-1): Begovic 7; A Smith 7 (Ibe 75), Francis 6, S Cook 6, Ake 6, Daniels 6, Gosling 6, Surman 6, L Cook 6 (Mousset 83), Stanlislas 7 (Defoe 75); King 6. Booked: S Cook, A Smith, Begovic. NEXT UP: Stoke (a) Sat PL.
Referee: R Madley (Wakefield).