As previously reported, influential midfielder Dejan Kulusevski is set for several months on the sidelines after having surgery on the knee injury which forced him off in the 19th minute against Palace.
However with one eye on the showdown with United in Spain, it’s worth noting that Postecoglou had previously made eight changes for the Palace game, from the team that beat Bodo/Glimt 2-0 in Norway to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory in the semi-finals.
Postecoglou said Pape Matar Sarr was substituted as a “precaution” against Villa, after the midfielder was replaced by Yves Bissouma in the 53rd minute and appeared to be in discomfort as he went down the tunnel alongside medical staff. Moore also needed treatment before he was taken off in the 87th minute.
Giving an update on the pair, Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference: “Pape felt something in his back so we took him off as a bit of a precaution. I don’t think it’s anything too significant speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back and I think Mikey [Moore] was okay. It was fatigue as much as anything else. He hasn’t played that sort of minutes before.”