Micky van de Ven reveals what Ange Postecoglou told him to do before his incredible assists vs Manchester United

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Micky van de Ven produced one of the most notable moments of Tottenham Hotspur’s season so far with an incredible assist for Brennan Johnson’s opener against Manchester United.

The Dutch international intercepted a loose pass inside his own half and then proceeded to charge through the entire United team to reach the byline and tee up Johnson for the first of three Spurs goals.

For any player, it was a top assist let alone for a central defender, as Van de Ven showcased his exceptional athleticism at Old Trafford.

Now, the defender has been discussing what his manager, Ange Postecoglou, told him before the match that inspired his decision to make a surging run through the heart of Erik ten Hag’s side.

Van de Ven on his assist vs Manchester United

Van de Ven has revealed that Postecoglou told him and his Tottenham teammates to express themselves when the right opportunities arise.

The 23-year-old sensed the chance to run at United as he saw a gap appear and he took it with both hands to pick out Johnson at the back post.

Speaking ahead of the clash with AZ Alkmaar, Van de Ven told the media: “I feel free to run and do what I want because the gaffer always tells us that what pops up in your mind you can do. Of course you can’t shoot from the halfway line all the time but when you have the trust and the situation says you can do it, you can do it.

“Against Everton I saw the gap and the pitch was open and against Man United I just saw the gap and thought ‘If I start sprinting now it is going to be difficult for the defenders to stop me’.”

Van de Ven has been discussing how much he loves playing Postecoglou’s football and it’s no wonder when he’s given the licence to produce such moments as a defender.

Where does Van de Ven rank among the Premier League’s quickest players?

Van de Ven’s top speed of 37.12 km/h makes him the fastest player in the Premier League this season recording an incredible. He is 1.22 km/h quicker than any other player, with Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga the next quickest.

Erling Haaland is another player who has shown to have unbelievable speed, however, Van de Ven has shown to have the edge on the Norwegian, despite their similar builds.