Pochettino reveals Kane missed FA Cup match due to daughter's birth

Tottenham cruised to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday but did so without star striker Harry Kane, who was mysteriously absent from the team's starting lineup and wasn't listed on the bench, either.

But Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino alleviated any fear of a potential departure by clearing up exactly why Kane was nowhere to be spotted - he and his wife had just welcomed a baby girl, after all.

"After a 2-0 win, it is better to explain now," Pochettino said of the circumstances of Kane's exclusion, according to ESPN FC. "I want to send a big, big heart from here to Kate, his wife. It was a difficult night for her but now it's OK and they have a beautiful girl.

"Harry was more tired than his wife and we sent him to sleep. He spent all night at the hospital waiting and at 7:30 a.m. the baby was born. The plan was for him to be on the bench."