Gracia’s gripe at ground switch
JAVI GRACIA wants Watford’s Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham switched from Milton Keynes to Vicarage Road.
Spurs were drawn at home to the Hornets in the third round but their new stadium is not ready and Wembley is not available either.
That left Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy having to ask the EFL for special dispensation to play the game at StadiumMK instead, which actually has a bigger capacity – at 30,690 – than Watford’s 21,000 ground.
The EFL will decide next week, but Gracia and Watford want the fixture reversed.
The Hornets boss said: “If they cannot play in Wembley, it would be normal to play at Watford.
“It happens in the Premier League as they cannot play at their stadium so they are playing at Vicarage Road on Sunday. So in the Carabao Cup it may be the same thing. I would say no to a different stadium.”
Mauricio Pochettino has warned his players they are heading for a “crash” if they believe they have cracked Tottenham’s enigma code.
Far from making a big statement about their title credentials, he believes Spurs were flattered by the 3-0 win at Manchester United on Monday.
“We are going to play against a very good team,” said Pochettino, whose goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris has been ruled out with a thigh injury.
“If we are not ready, just because we beat Manchester United 3-0 and everything is fantastic, we are going to crash.”