Spurs bid to bounce back after Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool
Tottenham are back in FA Cup action as they face Aston Villa in the fourth round. Spurs, who needed extra time to overcome non-League Tamworth in the last round, will be looking to bounce back after their Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool on Thursday.
That defeat at Anfield turned up the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, whose hopes of salvaging a difficult season now rest on the FA Cup and the Europa League. Spurs do have a good recent record at Villa Park and won 4-0 there in the Premier League last season.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham latest news
Slot: Liverpool starting to make better use of Nunez
Arne Slot believes Liverpool are finally starting to get the best out of Darwin Nunez, having learned a more effective way to play with a number nine.
Nunez impressed with his work rate and all-round contribution in Thursday's win over Tottenham, despite not really having a genuine goal-scoring chance.
Nunez has alternated with Diogo Jota in the central attacking role, while winger Luis Diaz has been deployed as a false nine on a number of occasions.
Jota is likely to get the nod to start today but Nunez's progress offers hope he can still have a long-term future at the club and Slot thinks that is down to a greater understanding of what he wants from a striker.
"I think in general we used the number nine better and better than we maybe did in the beginning of the season," he said.
"That is the positive thing of playing more games, training more together and having more meetings together - you can highlight that a bit more as well.
"I think in the beginning of the season we were quite dependent on our wingers, but I see that we are starting to use our nine more and more in situations that we have to use him.
"As a result of that these players come in promising positions and they have just as much quality as our wingers.
"So, if you put Jota in a promising position or if Lucho (Diaz) plays there or Darwin. they will give you what we are all hoping for and that's goals and assists."
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Postecoglou shutting out speculation over his future
Ange Postecoglou has said he is shutting out speculation about his Tottenham future.
Postecoglou knows talk over his job will intensify if Spurs exit a second competition in quick succession.
Asked if he would still be in charge if his side lost at Villa, Postecoglou replied: "Me personally? That doesn't enter my head space.
"I get that's obviously a massive topic of discussion because when things aren't going well you look at the person who's largely responsible for that and that's me. It is what it is.
"You've got to get on with it. It doesn't change the decisions I make, how I feel, how I work today or how determined I am to continue on this path.
"Right now the focus is on getting this group of players recovered for Sunday. It's a big game and hopefully a positive result and then over the next couple of weeks we'll get some significant players back, which I think will help."
Hayters
Tottenham have a strong recent record against Aston Villa.
In all competitions, Spurs have won nine of their last 10 away games at Villa Park and their last two wins came by the same 4-0 scoreline (April 2022 and March 2024).
Spurs lost against Manchester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup last season but they have progressed from four of their last five ties at this stage of the competition.
Tel thrown into the Tottenham deep end
With Richarlison injured again, new signing Mathys Tel is set to play a crucial role for Tottenham in the coming weeks.
Tel is in line to start an Anfield and will have no time to ease himself gently into life at Spurs.
And what does Richarlison’s latest injury mean for the Brazilian’s future?
Read Dan Kilaptrick’s analysis here.
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Stakes are high for Spurs
It was not so much the result as the manner of Tottenham's performance at Anfield that was alarming for Ange Postecoglou.
As the head coach acknowledged, a "passive" Spurs sunk without a trace in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in their Carabao Cup semi-final decider on Thursday.
This was not like Spurs' 6-3 home defeat to Liverpool in December, which was shambolic but at least spirited, and even less their disciplined, feisty 1-0 win in last month's first leg in London. It was a surrender.
There would have been no shame in Spurs going down swinging against Arne Slot's league leaders, especially given the state of Postecoglou's depleted squad, but a limp exit without laying a glove on Liverpool is harder to justify, and further raises the stakes for Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Aston Villa.
Read the full story here!
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Standard Sport prediction
Tottenham will be keen to bounce back after losing their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Liverpool.
However, Spurs’ well documented injury woes make that task even harder against an Aston Villa side that have bolstered their attacking department with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
The visitors do have a good record at Villa Park, but it’s difficult to see that continuing on Sunday evening.
Aston Villa to win 3-2
Early Aston Villa team news
Aston Villa will be without five first-team players for tomorrow’s game, including star striker Ollie Watkins.
The striker was forced off during the loss at Wolves last weekend with a groin injury, and replaced by January signing Donyell Malen.
Malen could again deputise up front, or Marcus Rashford is available to make his debut, with manager Unai Emery confirming Watkins has been unable to train.
“We are going to work tomorrow, but at the beginning, we have out, not available for Sunday, Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres, [Matty] Cash, Ross Barkley and Watkins," Emery told reporters on Friday.
“For [Watkins], each day is being important, how he is feeling, but for Sunday, I think he is not going to be available because today he didn’t train.
“Tomorrow, I think he is not going to train as well, because he will need more days to recover. Hopefully, for next week, he will be available.”
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Early Tottenham team news
Tottenham’s injury woes have further worsened.
Spurs head to Villa Park for their fourth-round tie hoping to avoid exiting two domestic cups in four days, having lost 4-1 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-final after Thursday’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
Richarlison’s injury, sustained against the Reds, means Spurs have 11 first-team absentees for the trip to Villa Park.
The 27-year-old striker was forced off in the first half with a calf injury and is the latest to succumb to injury, with Postecoglou revealing the Brazilian was “emotional” after his latest injury setback.
New signings Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel made their debuts in Thursday’s heavy defeat at Anfield and are available. Tel could be handed a first start given Postecoglou’s two main strikers, Solanke and Richarlison, are injured and youngster Dane Scarlett is cup-tied.
Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Davies, Spence; Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall; Kulusevski, Tel, Son
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How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on BBC One. Coverage starts at 5.20pm GMT ahead of a 5.35pm kick-off.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Tottenham’s FA Cup fourth round clash with Aston Villa.
Kick-off at Villa Park is at 5.35pm GMT on Sunday, February 9, 2025.
Stick with us for all the build-up, action and reaction.
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