Ange Postecoglou plays down heated touchline row with Bournemouth’s coaching staff during Tottenham’s 3-1 victory, claiming ‘We were just wishing each other Happy New Year’

There was pushing and shoving between the two benches after Alejo Veliz was forced off with an injury in the 82nd minute.

Tottenham had used all five of their substitutes when Veliz went down. The forward tried to continue but was eventually helped off the pitch by medical staff before the touchline melee ensued.

Bournemouth had just pulled a goal back to make it 3-1 when Veliz’s injury occurred and manager Andoni Iraola explained his staff thought Spurs were deliberately wasting time.

Postecoglou clashed with Bournemouth’s coaching staff and had to be held back by a member of Spurs’ security team

Assistant boss Shaun Cooper led their protests, which prompted an angry response from Postecoglou.

The Australian rushed out of his technical area to remonstrate with Cooper but was held back by a member of Spurs’ security team.

Giovanni Le Celso, who had been substituted earlier in the game, was also involved in the confrontation.

He, Cooper and Postecoglou were all booked but the Tottenham boss played down the incident at full-time.

‘I was fine,’ Postecoglou insisted when asked if the incident was the angriest Spurs fans had seen him. ‘We were just wishing each other Happy New Year and making some resolutions.

‘There was a bit of emotion in the game. I was more concerned about Alejo because we were trying to get him off the field, apart from me running on the field and me physically dragging him off, he wasn’t going to go down.

‘I think the Bournemouth staff thought we were trying to make a substitution but we knew we had none, it was just about getting him off.’

‘It is normal, when you are winning the game, you want to play as little as possible,’ Iraola said. ‘They had Veliz injured. It is normal. We were putting on a lot of pressure at 3-1.

‘It is something that when you are winning, you all do. Try and play the least possible and we have to accept that. We would have done the same. When you are ahead, it is good not to play a lot of time.

‘If he is injured, he has to go to the bench. We cannot wait because he is injured and doesn’t want to sit on the bench. Sometimes you manage the game like this – it is normal – and you have to accept it.’

The Tottenham manager played down the altercation after the match, claiming that both sides were just ‘wishing eachother Happy New Year’

The altercation happened after Alejo Veliz was forced off with an injury in the 82nd minute

Despite that, Spurs claimed a big win against the in-form Cherries with Son Heung-min and Richarlison scoring

Tottenham saw out the final five minutes with 10 players but Veliz was not the only injury concern for Postecoglou.

Pape Sarr, who opened the scoring in the ninth minute, was forced off with a hamstring issue before half-time, which puts his participation in the African Cup of Nations with Senegal in doubt.

‘He’s emotional because he wants to go away with his national team. It’s a big tournament for them.

‘It’s kind of the way our season has gone. He was so good again early in the game, as well as his goal, and then he gets an injury. Disappointing for him but I’m hoping it’s not too serious and he can still go and contribute to his country.’