Tottenham lost at home to Aston Villa at the weekend, in a game that had its fair share of heat and steam. Spurs defender Kevin Danso made a strong challenge on Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne in the first half.
The tackle resulted in a deep gash on Digne’s ankle, described as “gruesome” by Goal.com, and requiring stitches.
Digne was forced off the pitch and later vented frustration with an X-rated tirade at the fourth official, believing the challenge warranted a red card.
Remarkably, Danso escaped punishment and even continued to play, but the incident sparked debate over its severity. The Daily Mail accused the player of losing his head.
Media reaction to Lucas Digne
Lucas Digne LOST his head during Aston Villa’s win over Tottenham 😳👀 📹spurs_kid_joel pic.twitter.com/XiQAAqNNdf
— Daily Mail Sport (@MailSport) October 19, 2025
“I saw the picture of his ankle… I didn’t get the chance after the game but I apologised to him on the pitch and I will do it publicly as well. I apologised and I will again, publicly!”
Fan reaction to the challenge
The responses were predictable enough, with Villain54 saying: Lucky he didn’t lose the use of his ankle after that dirt follow-through tackle.
SomCiderVinegar added: Should have been a red card. All his studs went down Digne’s shin.
Whilst MalcomMacdonald rather bizarrely chipped in with: Wasn’t even a foul.
The wound was not to be sniffed at
Digne has since shared images of the injury on his Instagram, confirming it was a cut that needed medical attention but ruling out any long-term damage.
Digen provided those fans not quite grasping the size of the issue with some valuable insight by posting an image of the wound on his Instagram.
No further disciplinary action is expected from the FA.
This moment highlights the fine line between competitive defending and fair play in the Premier League. Danso’s response helped defuse potential bad blood between the clubs.
Anyone for shin pads?
