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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou performed down his heated touchline trade with Bournemouth’s backroom workers in direction of the top of an entertaining 3-1 residence win.
Pape Sarr, Son Heung-min and Richarlison have been heading in the right direction to fireside fifth-placed Spurs to a fourth victory in 5 matches, which places them three factors behind Premier League leaders Liverpool going into 2024.
The backwards and forwards contest threatened to spill over in direction of its conclusion when younger Tottenham substitute Alejo Veliz suffered a suspected knee harm and whereas he tried to play on, he was repeatedly advised by Postecoglou and his workers to remain right down to obtain remedy.
It led to Postecoglou exchanging phrases with Bournemouth first-team coach Shaun Cooper in stoppage time earlier than a melee ensued on the touchline, which resulted in referee Stuart Hooper reserving the duo and Spurs midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.
However Postecoglou joked: “We have been simply wishing one another completely satisfied new 12 months.
“It’s alright. Just a bit little bit of emotion within the recreation. I used to be extra involved with Alejo as a result of we have been type of attempting to get him off the sphere and, aside from my bodily occurring the pitch and dragging him off, he wasn’t actually going to go down.
“So, we have been simply shouting at him and I feel the Bournemouth workers thought, I don’t know what they thought, perhaps that we have been attempting to make a substitution however we knew we had none. It was nearly getting him off.”
Reverse quantity Andoni Iraola was additionally completely satisfied to brush off the incident, though instructed it was intelligent recreation administration.
“No, it’s regular. I feel it’s what all of the groups do. When you’re successful the sport, you need to play as much less as potential, you need to cease,” Cherries head coach Iraola stated.
“They’d Veliz injured and it’s regular. We have been placing a whole lot of strain, even when it was 3-1 and it was a harmful recreation for them.
“It’s one thing that if you end up successful, all of us do. We attempt to play as much less as potential and we’ve got to simply accept it.
“He (Veliz) is injured however he has to go to the bench and sit. We can not wait as a result of he’s injured.
“It was apparent he was injured, for positive. I do know in any other case he would proceed enjoying and operating, no? However he may simply stroll to the bench however it’s regular.
“He tried to play as a result of it was good for them attempt to proceed enjoying, cease a bit of bit, proceed, cease as a result of we have been pushing loads and generally you must handle the sport like this. It’s regular and we’ve got to simply accept it.”
Whereas Postecoglou was capable of toast a victorious finish to 2023, Spurs’ harm disaster reared its ugly head once more with a tearful Sarr pressured off with a hamstring harm and Veliz additionally emotional upon leaving the pitch.
Rodrigo Bentancur did make a shock return a month forward of schedule from an ankle harm, which is a well timed enhance with Sarr and Yves Bissouma set for Africa Cup of Nations responsibility subsequent month and Son additionally in Asian Cup motion.
“Pape felt his hamstring and he’s emotional as a result of he desires to go away along with his nationwide workforce,” Postecoglou stated.
“Disappointing for him however I hope it isn’t too severe and he can nonetheless go away and contribute to his nation.
“Alejo was in a whole lot of ache.”
Sarr later instructed on X – previously Twitter – that his harm was not as severe as first feared and that he can be out there for Senegal responsibility subsequent month.
He wrote (in French): “Extra concern than hurt, see you at CAN!”
On Bentancur’s return, Postecoglou stated: “I believed he was nice right this moment. Aside from the win, that was most likely probably the most pleasing factor that he bought by means of 60 minutes and he can assist us from right here on.”
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