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Big Ange on Mathys Tel
We’re going to have to lean on him a fair bit now. But he came here to play. His physical condition is not too bad. He hasn’t played a lot but watching him in training and last night, he was still moving quite well. We have to be careful with him, also. But he came here to play and he’ll get an opportunity to do that.
David Hytner on Spurs’ miserable season
Read Barney Ronay on Marcus Rashford
There is a kind of trap here, Flex’s Conundrum, which states that it is impossible to discuss Rashford properly because he doesn’t really play much football and isn’t that interesting when he does; at the same time it is also impossible to stop discussing him because he’s Marcus Rashford.
This is what the digital noise‑world has given us. Andy Warhol defined a good photograph as one that’s in focus and of a famous person. Maybe a good modern football discussion is one that’s about a famous person, where that famous person’s name is clearly enunciated at least 10 times.
Whatever happens at Villa Park – 48 goals, 12 red cards, the apocalypse – it won’t be the story of the day
Team news: Tel starts, Rashford on the bench
Villa are without the injured Ollie Watkins, so Donyell Malen starts alongside Morgan Rogers. Leon Bailey also comes into the side in place of Lamare Bogarde.
Spurs bring in Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall, Pedro Porro and Mathys Tel for Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies and Richarlison.
Aston Villa (possible 4-2-2-2) Martinez; Garcia, Konsa, Kamara, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Bailey, Ramsey; Malen, Rogers.
Substitutes: Olsen, Zych, Maatsen, Bogarde, Asensio, Rashford, Jimoh-Aloba.
Tottenham Hotspur (possible 4-2-3-1) Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Danso, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Bentancur; Moore, Kulusevski, Son; Tel.
Substitutes: Austin, Forster, Davies, Reguilon, Hardy, Cassanova, Bissouma, Sarr, Ajayi.
Referee Anthony Taylor.
The small print
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There will be extra time if necessary
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And penalties
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But there’s no VAR
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park. These clubs are FA Cup royalty, with 15 wins between them, but it’s been far too long between drinks. Villa last won the trophy in 1957, Spurs in 1991.
One of them has to go tonight. If Villa win it will complete an awful week for Spurs, who were hammered by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Both teams are still in Europe, so strictly speaking this isn’t theire last chance of a trophy. But it’s almost certainly their best one.
Kick off 5.35pm.
