Tottenham weren’t helped by seeing striker Richarlison limping off the pitch just before half time. The Brazil international had barely been involved in the game, his most notable moment being a coming together with Virgil Van Dijk early doors.
Fresh injury blow for Tottenham Hotspur
Richarlison, who signed from Everton for £60 million in 2022, has missed a large chunk of the season with a hamstring injury but had scored two goals in his four Premier League appearances since returning to fitness. However, it wasn’t to be for the former Everton man on his return to Anfield.
Postecoglou is relying on the striker with Dominic Solanke out until March with a knee injury. The forward arrived at Tottenham Hotspur from AFC Bournemouth for £65 million and had scored 11 goals before picking up the injury in training.
Speaking after the 3-2 win over Hoffenheim, Postecoglou said: “All the information now is kind of we’re looking at around the six-week mark for him. No surgery but maybe we can get him back a little bit earlier, we’ll just see how he progresses, but at this stage it’s only around six weeks.”
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The Aussie boss did give Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel a debut as Richarlison came off, but the 19-year-old is more comfortable as a winger than through the middle. That could leave Postecoglou short of options once again for this weekend’s FA Cup meeting with Aston Villa and the upcoming Premier League clash against Manchester United.
Having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and the Europa League are the last realistic remaining chance of silverware this term for the under-pressure Postecoglou. The Spurs manager will be desperate for a return from his side against the Villains and Red Devils, especially when it comes to hitting the target.
Jamie Redknapp slams Spurs showing
Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, pundit Jamie Redknapp said: “I can’t get my head around not having one shot on target in a semi-final. The one half chance was when Son manufactured something and hit the bar, even then you thought the game was gone for them.
“When you come into a semi-final, and it’s difficult when you arrive at Anfield 1-0 up with the pressure and the noise that goes with it, but I just felt first half they were trying to play out the back, the goalkeeper was edgy, they didn’t show any courage to get on the ball and make things happen. They were so abject.
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“It wasn’t the inexperienced ones, it was the experienced ones I was looking at thinking, go on, lead the team. Son’s your captain, show something, some character. Kulusevski, nothing.”
In other news, this is how the Tottenham Hotspur players rated in that underwhelming defeat to Liverpool last night.
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