Aston Villa boss Smith expects backlash from Tottenham

Football
20 Mar 2021 • 9:34 PM MYT
Tribal Football
Tribal Football

Tribal Football covers news from the Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith expects a backlash from Tottenham on Sunday.

Villa host Spurs on Sunday after Jose Mourinho's side crashed out of the Europa League at Dinamo Zagreb.

Smith said: “The result for us is probably the wrong thing because I can expect Jose Mourinho to get a backlash from his players and for them to come out fighting at Villa Park.

“We have to make sure that we concentrate on ourselves rather than Tottenham.

“It's a squad that is littered with very good players, none more so than Harry Kane. We have to be at our best to get anything out of this game.

“The thing that helps us more than anything is the fact that their game went to extra time."

Tottenham's season is close to collapsing, with manager Jose Mourinho and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris criticising the squad's attitude after defeat on Thursday – the French goalkeeper also hinted at divisions in the dressing room.

But Smith insists Mourinho will emerge from the trouble at Spurs still standing.

“I look at him in awe in terms of what he has achieved already. They won five and lost two and all of a sudden it's a crisis," said the manager, who will make a late call over the fitness of skipper Jack Grealish.

“He has been in these situations before and he will come out of it as well as he has done before.

“We can't control what Tottenham do, we can only control ourselves and that's what I'll be stressing to the players.

“If there is any chink (in the armour) we have to take advantage of it."