A new start for Marcus Rashford may have taken Ange Postecoglou a step closer to the end. Rashford was the substitute who was rendered a subplot by the drive and directness of Aston Villa’s younger generation; Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers illustrating that the first task in rebuilding his career will simply be to earn a place in a side with the speed and verve the Mancunian used to exhibit.
But for Postecoglou, this became a horrible week. Cast out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool, Tottenham were ejected from the FA Cup by Villa, conceding six goals in four days. They were flattered by the narrowness of the margin here. The first minute seemed to sum up the gulf between rivals: Spurs contrived to trail after 57 seconds with at least three players at fault for Ramsey’s opener. “We obviously didn’t get off to a great start,” said Postecoglou, with a nice line in understatement.
