Micky van de Ven is reduced to tears as the Tottenham defender is substituted against Man City with a hamstring issue – as Ange Postecoglou provides an update on the injury

Micky van de Ven was reduced to tears as he was substituted in the early stages of Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester City.
Spurs upset the Premier League champions to book their places in an all-top flight quarter-final, where they will host Manchester United, who will likely be under Ruben Amorim by then.

It was Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr who were on the score sheet for Ange Postecoglou’s side, with Metheus Nunes’ strike at the end of the first half proving to be a consolation.

But the win came at a cost for the hosts, who lost centre back van de Ven after just 12 minutes through a hamstring issue.

And the Dutch defender was seen crying as he left the pitch in north London, having initially received treatment on-field having hit the deck and called over physios.

Postecoglou confirmed the news after the game, with it seeming as though he will be without one of his first-choice back two for the foreseeable future.

‘Micky felt something in his hamstring,’ Postecoglou said. ‘I haven’t got the full update on him but he definitely felt something and we’ll see how he is.’

The Australian did confirm that Cristian Romero’s withdrawal in the second half was down to fatigue, with the defender van de Ven’s usual partner.

Radu Dragusin, who started the game against City on Wednesday, will likely deputise for his team-mate while he is out injured.

Van de Ven injury in Spurs win was a cruel reminder of a gruelling calendar

This is the inevitable consequence of a schedule that prioritises profit over player welfare time and again

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Ange Postecoglou has a mannerism when he realises Tottenham are in need of some metaphorical chest-puffing, his voice becoming ever so slightly gravellier. It is usually followed by a reminder that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club.

There was little choice but to take the visit of Manchester City seriously, but amid the euphoria as Spurs march into the last eight of the Carabao Cup it cannot be overstated at how heavy a price this tie came for both sides.

The sight of Micky van de Ven leaving the pitch in tears, clutching his leg after just 14 minutes, was deeply troubling and risks leaving Postecoglou hamstrung for a vital string of games. Call it stubborn, principled or dogmatic, but Spurs’ pulsating way of operating is utterly dependent on Van de Ven’s pace. Without him, there is no safety net.

Pep Guardiola has countless worries of his own as he conceded afterwards that “we are in real difficulty” regarding injuries. Manuel Akanji was forced off in the warm-up and Savinho ended his night on a stretcher, at a time when City are already missing Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku, among others.

These are the inevitable sub-plots to a schedule that has prioritised profit over player welfare.

The mood around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was nevertheless euphoric as Postecoglou’s men marched into the last eight. Inside six minutes, Timo Werner had buried the type of chance that you suspect, had he had time to think

about, he might have missed. Instead, the assist from Dejan Kulusevski was timed so perfectly that there were just seconds between Brennan Johnson’s flick up the pitch and the goal.

Pape Matar Sarr’s curling effort was even more exquisite, one of those strikes that gets a second sigh of contentment when it is replayed on the big screens. Spurs’ corners have received scrutiny of late but Kulusevski and Werner worked together, before the Swede found Sarr 20 yards out.

Once Van de Ven had departed, City’s breakthrough was inevitably created down the flank where he had been deputising. Replacement left-back Destiny Udogie was unable to keep up with Savinho and Matheus Nunes was waiting unattended at the far post. Cristian Romero’s substitution did little to settle the nerves.

Asked if the Argentine was also taken off due to injury, Postecoglou confirmed: “Yeah. Obviously Micky felt something in his hamstring, I haven’t got the full update on him, but he definitely felt something so we’ll see how he is. Cuti [Romero] was a bit tight, I was contemplating taking him off at half time.

“Losing Micky as well, I didn’t want to lose another centre-half. He said he felt ok but my gut was telling me I didn’t want to take a risk.”

Guardiola had at least been able to seize the opportunity to rest some of his key men, though Phil Foden as a false nine struggled to cut through.

A makeshift City line-up should not take away from Spurs’ achievement. A year ago, Postecoglou was lambasted for failing to take this competition seriously in a second-round exit at Fulham, consequently squandering his side’s best hope of silverware.

Now two rounds from Wembley, a first trophy since 2008 is once again within touching distance.