FA Cup: A stunning goal from Enzo Fernandez has capped a dominant 3-1 win for Chelsea against Aston Villa, as they advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
When Ange Postecoglou took over at Tottenham before the Premier League season kicked off, the appointment was met with surprise and even dismay in some quarters – from those who have not followed his career, at least.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Ange at Spurs – but he’s laying the foundations for long-term success.It’s fair to say that they’ve confounded the critics so far. That’s especially true considering the club’s talismanic captain Harry Kane, who had scored at least 20 goals in each of his last nine seasons, was sold before the season kicked off.
Tottenham’s average age of the starting XI last season was 27.5 years old, while the average age of the entire squad was 27.1 – the fourth-oldest in the competition. Manchester City, as another example, started just one new signing in their 3-1 win over Brentford: 22-year-old left back Josko Gvardiol.And in the January transfer window, he took the process a step further – being far more active than any of his top-half rivals.
He also has a strong record of helping maligned players to discover top form, something he has demonstrated this season with the resurgence of Richarlison. While Villa still hold out hope of a late-season title charge, it’s more likely that Unai Emery’s men will be targeting a top-four finish – and the all-important boon of Champions League qualification.
Had the rule been in place for this season, Liverpool and Atalanta would have qualified for the group stage – both teams having finished fifth in their respective leagues last campaign.