By Burnett Munthali

Tottenham Hotspur will take on Aston Villa today without key defender Micky van de Ven, who sustained a hamstring injury during their midweek 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Manchester City. Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed that while Van de Ven’s injury forced him off the field in the 14th minute of Wednesday’s match, the setback is not serious, and the Dutchman is expected to make a swift recovery.

Postecoglou, keen to maintain momentum with his side, is optimistic about Van de Ven’s return in the near future, adding that the defender’s absence is only precautionary. Spurs will hope to continue their strong form in the Premier League as they contend with Villa, who have posed a challenging threat under Unai Emery this season.

In other news, Chelsea will face Manchester United in a much-anticipated fixture, but United’s newly appointed manager, Ruben Amorim, will not be in charge just yet. Amorim is currently fulfilling his notice period with Sporting Lisbon before assuming the role at Old Trafford. This delay means interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will lead United for today’s game and two additional matches.

The former United forward has shown steady leadership since stepping in, and fans are eager to see if he can guide the team to victory before Amorim officially takes the reins.