Tottenham suffered a huge blow during their crucial Premier League match against Crystal Palace on Thursday night.
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham will be without their captain for the clash against Liverpool later this month(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
View Image
Tottenham defender Mickey Van de Ven will be absent for his team's journey to Anfield to face Champions League contenders Liverpool after he received a red card against Crystal Palace. The Dutchman was dismissed for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity when Ismaila Sarr was brought down after the Senegalese player had got beyond the defender.
Referee Andrew Madley didn't hesitate in brandishing a straight red card and leaving Spurs with ten men in a vital match for Igor Tudor. It was an eventful opening 40 minutes in North London where Sarr had an early goal disallowed for offside after semi-automated technology determined that the 28-year-old's face was in an offside position.
Five minutes afterwards, Dominic Solanke broke the deadlock after instinctively firing home following excellent work down the left from Archie Gray but their advantage was brief as Van de Ven was dismissed just four minutes subsequently. Sarr took responsibility and confidently converted past Guglielmo Vicario, beating the Italian goalkeeper.
Van de Ven will miss the clash with Liverpool next Sunday, but because Premier League red cards only apply to domestic competitions, he is still eligible to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. With Spurs already out of the FA Cup, they have no fixture this weekend.
The satisfaction for caretaker manager Igor Tudor had rapidly turned to frustration as his captain was given his marching orders, leaving Spurs a player short for the final 50 minutes. With favourable results for West Ham United and Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the expectation was on the Croatian's team in North London on Thursday as they faced a struggling Palace outfit.
Solanke's goal, a first against the Eagles, seemed to provide Spurs with the momentum they required. However, they created a significant challenge for themselves when Van de Ven brought down former Watford player Sarr after being caught out of position.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
Tudor took preventative measures, making a double substitution at the interval with Conor Gallagher and Yves Bissouma coming on for Souza and Randal Kolo Muani.
Speaking on commentary, former Spurs goalkeeper Joe Hart said: "Oh dear. Oh goodness me, seeing it on the replay, I think you're going to have to go Mickey.
"Strand-Larsen deals with Danso, Sarr gets the wrong side of Van de Ven, his instincts take over, he pulls down the Crystal Palace man, makes no attempt to play the ball that's why it's a red.
"He's holding him, he's holding. The only thing they can clutch onto is Strand-Larsen on Danso but I don't think that's a foul. You can't believe it can you? He doesn't need to do that, he'll be so disappointed."
Van de Ven glanced skyward while Tudor sat back, slumped in his seat and the former Wolfsburg defender will now be absent for their visit to Anfield next Sunday.
During first-half added time, matters deteriorated further as Strand-Larsen netted his third goal in four matches against Spurs before Sarr scored his second of the evening to establish a two-goal advantage for the visitors.
Spurs fans were seen leaving the stadium just before half‑time after they conceded the third goal.