After Tottenham Hotspur’s convincing 4-0 victory over Aston Villa, manager Ange Postecoglou took the opportunity to respond to Paul Merson’s prediction and aimed a dig at the Arsenal legend. Merson had predicted Villa to finish fourth, but the result has tightened the race for a top-four spot.
“All them people that called me clueless, hope your off to bed. COYB,” he tweeted post-match.
He also retweeted a message from a Spurs fan, who wrote “When we beat Chelsea Paul Merson needs to retire as a pundit”. Merse added: “You will have to put up with me 4-1 more year at least”.
The former Arsenal man turned pundit Paul Merson also gave his verdict for the game and predicted it will be a 2-2 draw at Villa Park, but Ange Postecoglou disappointed him with a thumping 4-1 win for his troops instead.
The victory over Villa significantly impacted the battle for a Champions League spot, with Tottenham now just two points behind fourth-placed Villa and a game in hand. Postecoglou used the opportunity to take a swipe at Merson, suggesting that Tottenham fans can indeed get excited after the impressive performance.
“It was a big game with plenty of significance,” said Postecoglou. “For us to perform like that was a big credit to everyone. Get excited? Why not? The supporters, if they don’t get excited by a performance and result like that, in what was a significant game… you’ve got to enjoy that. It means we’re one game closer, with just 11 games to go. Everyone was billing this as a do-or-die for us. I assume we’re not dead yet.”
The match had high stakes, and a win for Villa would have seen them move eight points clear of Spurs in the race for the last Premier League spot guaranteed a place in the Champions League.
However, goals from James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, coupled with John McGinn’s red card, tilted the scales in Tottenham’s favor.
According to data experts Opta, Tottenham’s convincing victory at Villa Park has increased their chances of finishing in the top four to 54%, compared to Villa’s 40% and Manchester United’s mere 2%.
While Postecoglou urged Tottenham fans to get excited about their team’s performance, Villa manager Unai Emery is keen for his side to move on quickly from what he termed a “very bad day in the office.” The upcoming fixtures, including a Europa Conference League clash with Ajax and a Premier League match against West Ham, provide Villa with opportunities to rebound.
The banter between Postecoglou and Merson adds an extra layer of intrigue to the Premier League race, with both managers looking to steer their teams to success in the final stretch of the season.