‘Tottenham surprise as shock ace spotted on bench v Man United after surgery’
Tottenham’s bench for the Europa League final against Man United has caused confusion after an expected name on it after surgery.
The two sides went head to head in Bilbao on Wednesday night (21 May), with both looking for the major trophy and Champions League qualification to salvage an otherwise dismal season.
It remains to be seen whether victory in the final would be enough to keep manager Ange Postecoglou in a job at Tottenham.
Even so, he will have been desperate to claim victory in the final, to maintain his own reputation and record, and himself iconic status as the man to end the club’s long trophy drought.
Perhaps as a result of that, the Spurs boss did make one rather surprising selection call when it came to naming his substitutes, with young forward Dane Scarlett in that number alongside another unexpected name in senior star Son Heung-min.
Dane Scarlett makes remarkable return from injury
Injuries have been a relentless and unwelcome hallmark of the season for those connected with the North London club.
Indeed, Tottenham were unable to call upon the likes of James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Radu Dragusin for the final due to their fitness problems.
One player who was named on the bench for Postecoglou‘s side in that game though was Dane Scarlett, who had spent the first of the campaign on loan with Championship side Oxford United.
| Dane Scarlett 2024/25 stats | Total (Transfermarkt) |
| Appearances | 27 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 |
Having been returned to Spurs in January, the young striker has made a handful of appearances for the club in the second half of the campaign, before being named among their substitutes for the final.
But as The Athletic’s Tottenham reporter Jay Harris pointed out, his presence in the matchday squad was a shock, given Postecoglou only recently ruled him out until after pre-season due to groin surgery.
Taking to X to react to Scarlett’s presence among the substitutes, the journalist noted: “Hang on, Dane Scarlett is on the bench?
“Earlier this month, Postecoglou said that the 21yo forward had groin surgery and the aim was for him to return for pre-season. He is unlikely to play but that is a rapid recovery”.
Tottenham selection call an intriguing one
Football Insider Verdict
It is a big call for Postecoglou to include Scarlett on the bench in the circumstances, given his fitness situation means it would be a big ask for him to play.
Even beyond that, it would be a big ask for a young striker with limited experience to make a considerable impact for Tottenham in a game as big as this.
However, given the other players they have absent due to injury, it appears there was a space on the bench for him.
With that in mind, there could be an argument that at least getting used to being in this sort of environment may still be useful for him.
At 21-years-old, Scarlett still has the vast majority of his career ahead of him, and this sort of experience may help him adapt if he is involved in a similar game and atmosphere in the future.
As a result, the Tottenham star may well be grateful to Postecoglou for giving him this opportunity, even in the absence of any actual time out on the pitch.