Even Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino raised a smile as he saw the funny side of something he said after his side's 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth.
Spurs threw away a chance to secure a top four finish with their loss at the Vitality Stadium, playing for almost 45 minutes with nine men after red cards for Son Heung-min and Juan Foyth either side of the half-time break.
Son was sent off just minutes before the interval for pushing over Jefferson Lerma before the interval and then after Pochettino had taken off Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld at half-time, substitute Juan Foyth came on and was red carded for a lunging tackle on Jack Simpson just two minutes into the second half.
When Pochettino was asked if he had taken off Dier to stop him getting a second yellow card, he explained: "Yes, and Toby too, because the action in the first half that he got a yellow card and then the action which was nearly a penalty with Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham player ratings vs Bournemouth: Sanchez good as Son and Foyth see red in 1-0 defeat
"There was a lot of risk, with Sonny out we needed to provide the team with fresh legs and to try and avoid some more yellow cards. But after three minutes the plan didn't work!"
That got plenty of laughs from the journalists in the press conference room and a smile from Pochettino even if he wasn't happy with the outcome of the game.
"Of course I am not happy. After all that happened in the first half, when you dominate. When you are so, so good on the pitch. We played 45 minutes with two players less than Bournemouth and in the end of the match the man of the match was their keeper," he said.
"When you think a bit about that I think we were playing, the first half [should have been] 3-0 to us and easy game but you finish it with one red card and three yellow cards, crazy game.
"Mad game, but one we have to accept. Of course in football it can happen and today a lot of circumstances and it wasn't for us."
Pochettino press conference: Every word on Son and Foyth reds, Dier, Alderweireld and Vertonghen
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