Ange’s team news update from Villa Park | Sarr and Sonny
Fri 16 May 2025, 22:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou said Pape Matar Sarr was substituted ‘as a precaution’ in our Premier League loss against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Friday night.
The midfielder was replaced by Yves Bissouma after 53 minutes. “Pape felt something in his back, so we took him off as a precaution,” Ange told us post-match. “It looks like everyone else came through unscathed. We protected a few today, Sonny got 65 minutes, which was important. I think everyone else is fine.”
Heung-Min Son was back in the starting line-up for the first time since the first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on 10 April, having returned from a foot injury off the bench against Palace on Sunday.
The skipper looked sharp, particularly with a couple of bursts down the left in the first half. “It’s good to have him back and involved,” said Ange. “I’m sure he feels better for that run out, as well, having a decent hit out. Hopefully, that puts in him good shape for the final.”
As he alluded to, Ange rested Cuti Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie - neither travelled - while Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur were all on the bench.
Having held Villa for the best part of an hour, the home side took the points via Ezri Konsa’s close-range finish from a corner (59 minutes) and Boubacar Kamara’s low drive (73) as it ended 2-0 at Villa Park.
Attention quickly turns to the UEFA Europa League Final against Manchester United in Bilbao on Wednesday evening (8pm UK). United lost against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening.
