BENTEKE GLUT CONTINUES AS TIM HAUNTS TOTTENHAM
NOTE to all managers: if your top striker is misfiring, have a word with Tim Sherwood. He obviously knows the secret to getting them back among the goals. Sherwood revived Emmanuel Adebayor’s flagging Tottenham career last season; now he’s replicating the feat with Christian Benteke, who scored another priceless goal on Saturday. His success in rejuvenating Benteke, who has eight goals in his last six league games, will be viewed as perhaps Sherwood’s most vital contribution if Aston Villa win their Premier League survival battle. ‘It’s about strikers applying themselves,’ said the Villa boss, fresh from his side’s victory over his former club Tottenham. ‘Like Ade, when I gave Ade an opportunity to come back into the group at Spurs, he had to earn the right and he did that by the way he trained. Christian’s no different. ‘I think Christian was on the back of being dropped when arrived. ‘I’ve had chats with him, told him what I think of him and how everyone in Europe seemed to want him a year ago, and that doesn’t just vanish.’ Villa’s win virtually ended Spurs’ chances of qualifying for the Champions League. And when asked whether he’d want another campaign of playing in the Europa League, manager Mauricio Pochettino gave an uncommitted response. ‘How would we deal with the Europa League again? It’s difficult. It has been a very long season. When you do a whole season playing Thursday-Sunday maybe you arrive at the end at a very difficult level,’ said the Argentine. ‘When you are a young squad and you make the biggest effort during the season maybe you arrive, not physically but mentally, in a very difficult moment at the end of the season.’
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Vorm 6; Chiriches 4.5 (Yedlin 79min), Dier 6, Fazio 6.5, Rose 6.5; Mason 6.5, Bentaleb 6.5; Townsend 5.5 (Lamela 79), Eriksen 6, Chadli 5.5 (Soldado 62, 5); Kane 6.5. Subs not used: Paulinho, Friedel, Stambouli, Davies. Booked: Rose, Bentaleb, Lamela.
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Guzan 7.5; Bacuna 7.5, Clark 6 (Baker 18, 7.5), Vlaar 8, Richardson 7; Sanchez 7, Cleverley 7, Delph 8; Agbonlahor 7 (Cole 70, 6.5), Benteke 8.5, Grealish 7 (Weimann 63, 6.5). Subs not used: Okore, N’Zogbia, Given, Lowton. Booked: Richardson, Benteke. Sent off: Sanchez. Scorer: Benteke 35. Man of the match: Christian Benteke.
Referee: Lee Probert 7.