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Tottenham's loanees got back into the swing of things over the weekend with domestic football fully resuming following the second international break of the season. The pause in play meant that the vast majority of the loan players didn't play for their clubs the previous weekend, with only George Abbott in action for Notts County as they played out a 2-2 draw away at Chesterfield.

As ever, it was once again a mixed weekend for the loan players as some starred for their respective clubs, others got a matter of minutes to their name and some did not play at all. For those who were restricted in terms of their match action, a full complement of EFL action is on the calendar in midweek in addition to this weekend's fixtures.

So how exactly did everyone fare over the past few days? Here's how Tottenham's loan players got on for their respective clubs over the weekend...

Manor Solomon (Leeds United)

Manor Solomon made his return to the pitch on Friday evening with a 22-minute cameo appearance in Leeds United's 2-0 win over Sheffield United. On the sidelines recently due to a back complaint and subsequent hamstring injury, the winger was named in Israel's squad for their October international fixtures but he instead remained behind with Leeds to continue his rehabilitation.

Solomon received a score of seven out of ten in Leeds Live's player ratings. They wrote: "Inevitably rusty. Didn't get to see the dazzle we saw before his injury. It will come."

Solomon will have the opportunity to get more minutes in the tank over the next few days with Watford and Bristol City on the calendar this week.

Dane Scarlett (Oxford United)

It was a week to remember for Dane Scarlett as he scored his first goal as an Oxford United player. Involved for England Under-21s in the days leading up to Oxford's home clash against West Brom, the striker was also on the scoresheet for the first time for the Under-21s in the 7-0 win over Azerbaijan.

Scoring from close range in the 86th minute, Scarlett then turned provider four minutes later with some lovely footwork to tee up former Ipswich Town teammate Omari Hutchinson for the Three Lions' final goal of the contest. In Saturday's Championship encounter against West Brom, the 20-year-old was introduced off the bench in the 64th minute and he made a vital contribution in the second minute of stoppage time with a flying header from Will Vaulks' long throw-in.

Oxford manager Des Buckingham praised Scarlett's patience since his loan move from Tottenham as minutes have been hard to come by.

“We’re happy that we’ve come up against a really good side in West Brom, a team that I’m sure will be challenging to go up and out of this league, and to be able to put on the second half performance that we did and come away with a result against a very good team, I’m very happy," said Buckingham, as reported by Oxford Mail.

“We made some changes. You saw quite a few in the second half. Louie Sibley came on with Dane Scarlett, and you saw Owen [Dale] and Malcolm [Ebiowei] come on.

“We wanted to really get after them and get more attacking players on the pitch. It paid off, and Dane’s been very patient. He’s had probably fewer minutes than he’d have liked, but Mark Harris has been in extremely good form.

“What we’ve now got, including Will Goodwin, is three there, so if we know it’s not quite working with Sparky, then Dane is more than capable of going in to contribute. It’s about time one of those long throws came in. We don’t use them very often, so it’s nice to see.

“Pricey [Lewis Price, goalkeeping coach] will be claiming it as a set-piece goal, and we chucked an extra body in the box because of the time, and Elliott did really well to flick it on, and I’m really delighted for Dane.”

Scarlett will be hoping a start comes his way over the next couple of days with Oxford hosting Derby on Tuesday evening before travelling to first place Sunderland on Saturday.

Bryan Gil (Girona)

Bryan Gil was not part of the Girona squad at the weekend as they lost at home to Real Sociedad. A regular for the Spanish side since joining on loan from Tottenham, the 23-year-old has been incredibly unlucky over the past fortnight after receiving a call-up to the Spain squad before having to unfortunately pull out of their UEFA Nations League fixtures.

"Physical discomfort" was the reason for Gil missing the Denmark and Serbia games following talks between club and country.

Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)

Alejo Veliz was only on the pitch for Espanyol for 45 minutes on Saturday as they lost 4-1 away at Athletic Bilbao. The hosts were 3-0 up at the break and that resulted in Manolo Gonzalez making a triple sub at the beginning of the second half, with Veliz one of three to make way.

Veliz and Espanyol will have the opportunity to return to winning ways on Friday evening when they host Sevilla in LaLiga. The match will also give the striker the chance to prove a point against his former club following limited minutes during his loan spell at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in the second half of last season.

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic (Westerlo)

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic were on the losing side at the weekend as Club Brugge secured a 2-1 win at Westerlo. Both players played the full 90 minutes for the Belgian side, who found themselves 2-0 down after 24 minutes.

Leading up to the Club Brugge fixture, Devine had spoken to Belgian publication Het Nieuwsblad about keeping in contact with his parent club following his temporary switch to Belgium. The attacking midfielder also mentioned that he previously had good conversations with Ange Postecoglou and that he still feels involved in the group.

He said: “Andy Scoulding was recently in Westerlo, the performance manager at Spurs. After the match we had a long chat. It’s nice that they follow you so closely. That involvement is motivating.

“Scoulding is a professional, he has already worked at Rangers, Valencia, Olympiacos and Liverpool, so he knows what he is talking about. If I need something, they are always there.”

He added: “At Spurs I had good conversations with coach Ange Postecoglou. I went on a training camp with the first team, and I still feel involved in the group. You never know what the future will bring, but you are so happy to be in the picture.”

Westerlo return to action on Saturday with a game away at STVV.

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips is still waiting to get his Stoke City career up and running. The centre-back has so far made three appearances for the Potters, with two of those coming in the Carabao Cup.

Phillips is unfortunately just not getting a look in under new boss Narcis Pelach at present and he was an unused substitute in Stoke's 1-1 draw with Norwich City on Saturday.

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)

Josh Keeley made his first League One start for Leyton Orient on Saturday in their 1-0 defeat to Northampton. Tottenham teammate Jamie Donley also featured in the match but the 19-year-old started the game as a substitute before coming on in the 62nd minute of the contest.

The duo will be hoping to get more minutes in the tank this week when Orient host Rotherham United on Tuesday evening before making the trip to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

Matthew Craig (Barnsley)

Matthew Craig started as a substitute in the league for the first time since joining Barnsley on loan in the summer. The midfielder was introduced for the final 23 minutes of the contest away at Blackpool, with Marc Roberts going on to win the game for the visitors in stoppage time.

Barnsley host Charlton at Oakwell on Tuesday evening and then travel to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

George Abbott (Notts County)

Abbott continues to be a key player in the middle of the park for Notts County. The versatile youngster played the full 90 minutes and received a yellow card as the Magpies secured a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon that sees them keep pace at the top of League Two.

The games keep coming thick and fast for the starlet as Notts County play Barrow and Harrogate Town over the next couple of days.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

The Premier League were forced to release several statements during Tottenham Hotspur's victory over West Ham.

Spurs recorded a 4-1 win over the Hammers with Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma and Son Heung-Min on the score sheet, alongside an own goal from Alphonse Areola. Ange Postecoglou's team moved up to seventh place in the Premier League table thanks to the three points and will now prepare to face AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday night.

There were plenty of talking points from the fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and football.london takes a look at what the Premier League had to say about some of the decisions. One of the decisions that got some attention during the game was Spurs' third goal going down as an Areola own goal.

After a strike from Son which was deflected off West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo, the centre-back was initially credited with an own goal. However, replays showed that Areola got a decisive touch on the ball and the Hammers goalkeeper was then given the mark against his name.

"The goal accreditation panel has adjudged the third Tottenham Hotspur goal as an Areola own goal," the Premier League's Match Centre account on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted on Saturday afternoon.

West Ham wanted a penalty in the 62nd minute for a potential handball by Destiny Udogie. Referee Andy Madley did not give a spot-kick and the decision was confirmed by Chris Kavanagh on VAR.

"The referee's call of no penalty for a potential handball against Udogie was checked and confirmed by the VAR, who deemed his arm was inside the bodyline," wrote the Premier League's Match Centre account.

One of the main talking points during the game, though, was West Ham star Mohammed Kudus being sent off. Initially only a yellow card was shown, but following a VAR check it was deemed that a red was necessary.

"The referee issued a yellow card to Kudus," the Premier League said. "The VAR deemed that his actions were violent conduct and recommended an on-field review. The referee then upgraded the yellow to a red card."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

The Premier League table makes for better reading for Tottenham fans following the team's 4-1 triumph over West Ham on Saturday. It was the perfect response to the 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion prior to the international break.

Ange Postecoglou's side could have scored more than four goals on the day after going close on a number of occasions across the 90 minutes. Dominic Solanke unfortunately didn't find himself on the scoresheet, with the summer signing only managing one shot on goal during his playing time.

However, he did play a huge role in the victory and he fully deserved the standing ovation that came his way in the 81st minute when he made way for Richarlison. Some football fans may point to Solanke's three goals in nine games since his move from Bournemouth but Tottenham supporters will you tell that is far from the full story.

While of course strikers are going to be judged on the amount of goals they score, Tottenham look so much better with Solanke in the team and offering a focal point up front. His hold-up and link-up play has stood out during his short time in a Tottenham shirt, as has his pressing qualities and ability to drive the ball forward when in possession

Solanke is a real No.9 and it is quite clear to see why Postecoglou was so intent on luring the ex-Chelsea youngster to the club this summer. Tottenham's No.19 did have a key role to play in the team's first goal of the day after getting a vital touch to the ball that set James Maddison free for Dejan Kulusevski's goal.

He continued to cause a whole host of problems for West Ham in his playing time and it came as no surprise to see Tottenham fans rise to their feet to applaud him when it was time for him to make way. Solanke has made a real impact for Tottenham so far and there's even more still to come from him.

The striker's performance was a key talking point on the latest episode of football.london's Gold and Guest Talk Tottenham podcast. As well as reflecting on Solanke's performance, Rob Guest and Lee Wilmot also discussed Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, the response to the Brighton game and Postecoglou's analysis of the win.

Thursday's Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar is also on the agenda, with the Spurs boss likely to rotate his team ahead of a busy few days for the club. You can listen to the show in podcast format by heading right here or you can watch the show on YouTube by going right here.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham will be aiming for consecutive victories in all competitions this Thursday in the Europa League following their dominant win over West Ham. Spurs put four past their London rivals at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon and they will be back on home soil in just a few days for a European clash against AZ Alkmaar.

Ange Postecoglou welcomed Son Heung-min and Richarlison back to his team for the clash against the Hammers with both players having missed the last few weeks through injury. Wilson Odobert meanwhile, remains absent but he is edging closer to a return.

While an attacking duo returned for the Lilywhites, Djed Spence was left out of the squad because of a new injury. Concerns surrounding James Maddison had also arrived following his early withdrawal, but Postecoglou quickly eased those.

With that said, football.london has taken a look at the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates before their next Europa League fixture.

James Maddison

Maddison was surprisingly subbed off at half time of the Premier League clash against West Ham. Such a change sparked injury concern surrounding the midfielder but it was later revealed the alteration was purely tactical.

Possible return date: AZ Alkmaar - Europa League - October 24

Son Heung-min

Injury: Hamstring

For the first time in three weeks, Son Heung-min was named in a Tottenham starting XI. The South Korea international scored on his return before being withdrawn after 70 minutes.

Possible return date:Returned

Djed Spence

Injury: Groin

Spence was a surprising absentee from the squad to face West Ham, just a few days on from signing a new contract. Having not been named in the Europa League squad, he will also miss Thursday's clash.

What Postecoglou said: "He picked up a bit of a groin strain in training. Hopefully nothing too bad but he missed out today."

Possible return date: Crystal Palace (A) - Premier League - October 27

Wilson Odobert

Injury: Hamstring

Odobert is expected back in first-team training this week having missed the last few months with a hamstring injury.

What Odobert has said: "I’m disappointed about this injury but I’m working hard now to come back and play again. I just need to keep pushing and keep working."

Richarlison

Injury: Calf

Richarlison played the final nine minutes of the weekend victory having been absent since the August win over Everton because of injury

Possible return date: Returned.

Enjoy some Spurs nostalgia with the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham, where it's all about the 1990s! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

It came as no surprise to see Dejan Kulusevski have a pivotal say in Tottenham's 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday. A game in which Ange Postecoglou needed an instant response from his Spurs players after the Brighton & Hove Albion defeat, Kulusevski was on it from the get-go as he toyed with his opponents.

That was evident inside the first couple of minutes as he rode challenges, twisted his opponents inside and out and glided across the pitch when in possession of the ball. The Stockholm-born player was the man to get Spurs back on level terms with a low shot that went in off both posts 18 minutes after Mohammed Kudus had opened the scoring for the Hammers.

Kulusevski was also key to Tottenham's third goal of the afternoon as Alphonse Areola put the ball through his own net. Moving into the space down the right and taking in Son Heung-min's pass, the 24-year-old raced into the area and slipped a lovely ball back to his teammate on the outside that culminated in the West Ham goalkeeper scoring an own goal.

Due to the fact it was an own goal, Kulusevski unfortunately doesn't get an assist to his name despite putting the ball on a plate for Son to shoot at goal. It means Tottenham's No.21 remains on two assists for the season so far, which is one behind his tally for last term and six behind the eight he racked up in 2022/23.

The attacker is well on course to beat last year's total and he will be intent on bettering his numbers from two seasons ago come May. In terms of goals, Kulusevski, who scored eight times last campaign, now has two to his name already, with his first strike of the season coming in his standout showing in the 3-0 win over Manchester United.

Such a devastating player across the pitch for Tottenham right now, Postecoglou hailed his player in his post-match conference when reflecting on the West Ham game. One thing he does want from the Swede, though, is more goals and assists.

"Yeah he has been doing that all year and the evolution of Deki as a player, that is now his role not just for us but he's playing there for the national team too," said the 59-year-old. "He's got this ability to get out of tight spaces and he's a really strong runner. He is relentless in his running capacity and he also has the quality.

"In that final third I still think we can get more goals out of him, more assists but he is constantly in those threatening areas and he's been outstanding for us all year. Today he had to show some other facets of the game, some defensive work as well which I thought he did well but I thought the whole team did well."

Tottenham have plenty of goals in their team, especially in the frontline with Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Son all more than capable of finding the net on a regular basis, and only Man City (19) have scored more than Spurs' 18 goals in the Premier League this season. There's also James Maddison, Timo Werner and Richarlison to add to the aforementioned trio, with Pape Matar Sarr, Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro also contributing on the goal front last season.

If Postecoglou can get Kulusevski to better his eight goals from last season and also chip in regularly in terms of assists, his Spurs team can most definitely go up another level if they can find some real consistency with their results and performances. Kulusevski will also go up another level or two as well if those goals and assists Postecoglou wants become a regular occurrence.

That is a very scary prospect for Premier League clubs going on the sublime performances he is delivering right now in a Tottenham shirt.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has been warned starkly about his performance levels. The playmaker was subbed off at half-time during Saturday's 4-1 win at West Ham.

Starting the match with Spurs trailing from Mohammed Kudus' early goal, Maddison assisted Dejan Kulusevski for the equaliser before the break. However, manager Ange Postecoglou decided to bring in Pape Sarr straight after half-time, signalling an aggressive change in tactics.

Following the change, Spurs notched three more goals, a testament to Postecoglou's astute tactical switch. Former Chelsea player Tony Cascarino reckons Maddison's time in the starting XI might now be at risk due to this brave managerial move, reports the Mirror.

"He [Postecoglou] has put the challenge of changing Tottenham's mentality and notoriously soft centre on his shoulders. I liked that he was prepared to make a big call and withdraw James Maddison at half-time," said Cascarino in The Times.

"It would have sent a message to every player that their place is not assured after the Brighton debacle. Maddison was a big signing last year, and I have no doubt he would have taken the timing of the substitution personally. Postecoglou can manage the situation."

"But Maddison may reflect on his delivery, especially from corners, and work rate. Maddison is no longer a promising young player. He turns 28 next month and needs to impose himself on matches. He finds himself out of the England squad and his starting place for Spurs is no longer guaranteed."

Hindered by his omission from the England squad and a less certain start at Tottenham, Maddison knows that resting on potential is no longer enough.

Post-match analysis sees Postecoglou full of confidence after taking what seemed to be a risk; praise was given to Sarr’s impactful play which was critical in Spurs' control over the game. "We needed more running power in midfield and Pape [Sarr] has lots of that, bags of energy and running. He really helped us to get control of the midfield and that gave us a good platform to go forward," the Aussie coach exclaimed on Match of the Day.

Spurs' tenacity was apparent, with Postecoglou noting how the home pressure eventually paid dividends. "We knew that putting them under pressure here at home we would eventually get there. We had to fight hard in the first half. Going a goal down wasn't ideal but we clawed our way back into it, and it is not easy."

Postecoglou lauded the team’s effort, particularly in the latter half. "Second half we were outstanding.

"We upped the tempo and played some quality football, defended when we needed to and got our finishing right. We want to be that sort of side that creates lots of chances.

"We needed more running power in midfield and Pape [Sarr] has lots of that, bags of energy and running. He really helped us to get control of the midfield and that gave us a good platform to go forward.

"We knew that putting them under pressure here at home we would eventually get there. We had to fight hard in the first half. Going a goal down wasn't ideal but we clawed our way back into it, and it is not easy.

"Second half we were outstanding. We upped the tempo and played some quality football, defended when we needed to and got our finishing right. We want to be that sort of side that creates lots of chances."

Brennan Johnson has revealed that it wasn't a "massive deal" to deactivate his Instagram account. In wake of September's 1-0 North London Derby defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Spurs ace decided to call it a day with his social media account due to the amount of abuse coming his way.

It proved to be a difficult period for the 23-year-old and Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou jumped to his defence and hit out at those sending the attacker and other players online abuse. Since electing to come off Instagram, Johnson has enjoyed a prolific run in front of goal after scoring in seven of his last eight games for club and country.

Saturday's win over West Ham was the only match the winger didn't manage to score in but he went very close to extending his tally in the first half with a header that just went wide of the post. Opening up on the decision he made regarding social media, Johnson revealed that it didn't stop him changing his approach on the training ground and he instead continued to work as hard as always.

"It wasn't a massive issue in my head, " explained the Wales international when speaking to Tottenham's official matchday programme ahead of the West Ham match. "I think it's been made out to be quite a big thing.

"It was just a split decision in the moment where I thought 'I'll just delete it', which I have kind of done before when I deleted the app, and this time I thought I'd just deactivate my account, but it wasn't a massive deal for me.

"I think, naturally, it can be a distraction and everyone's probably guilty of scrolling for too long and things like that. It wasn't anything too tactical and it definitely wasn't to try to enhance and improve my game or add something different - it was just a personal decision I made instead.

"All the training and hard work never stopped throughout. I didn't change my approach as I always come in and try to do the best I can here because l love this team."

Johnson has already bettered his goal tally for last season by one after hitting six goals in Tottenham's first 11 games of the 2024/25 campaign. The player could finish with a rather impressive total come May if he continues to excel at his current rate.

Key to his prolific form in front of goal has been his work with Tottenham assistant coach Ryan Mason. The pair have worked closely together at Hotspur Way on a number of different aspects of his game and it has resulted in Johnson reaping the rewards on the pitch.

"Last season most of my goals were kind of at the back post as we work on a lot of crosses and I'll always have it nailed in me to get in there because l know there are goals to be had, like the one against [Manchester] United," explained the former Lincoln City loanee.

"I want to show a bit of everything to be honest and want to keep doing what I'm doing at the moment. Obviously, if I can keep building and adding extra parts to my game then I will do that.

"I've been working with the coaches here and especially with 'Mase'. He's been doing a lot of work with me on picking up positions, the different types of finishes, what kind of part of the foot I'm hitting with and also dribbling and then shooting, so a lot of thanks must go to him because he's been helping me a lot with that."

Johnson will be looking to make it three goals in three games when Tottenham return to Europa League action against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday evening. Having already netted in the Qarabag and Ferencvaros games, the Nottingham-born player will be intent on playing a big part again as Tottenham look to maintain their 100 per cent start to their Europa League league phase campaign.

It is Johnson's first time playing in Europe and he is hoping it ends with Tottenham lifting the trophy in Bilbao come May.

"It's been really cool playing in the Europa League. It gives you new experiences and also new styles of play," he said. "We've been able to cope with the two teams that we played against. We've shown why we play at such a good level because we're intense and showed why our style of football is really good at any level.

"It's been a really good start to Europe and hopefully that can continue because that's definitely a competition that we're looking to win and I think we have enough to do that."

Enjoy some Spurs nostalgia with the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham where it's all about the 1990s! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Dominic Solanke has called on his Tottenham colleagues to replicate the level of performance they displayed in the victory over West Ham, as he reflected on sharing the pitch with Spurs' all-time top scorer Harry Kane. After a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Brighton prior to the international break, Tottenham roared back with an emphatic 4-1 weekend win.

Solanke, who recently earned his second England cap, believes the loss to Brighton should serve as a valuable lesson for Ange Postecoglou's side. "It was huge. Before that Brighton game we were on a good run of form," said Solanke.

"We started that game well, maybe got a bit complacent so it was important we bounced back and showed we had learned from it. Speaking to a couple of the boys after, I think we need to play like this as much as we can because we know we can do it.

"Like I said, the last game before this we showed we can do it in one half and not in the second half, but we need to do this consistently."

Despite not scoring in the clash with West Ham, Solanke's energetic performance drew comparisons to Kane, especially with his relentless pressing that troubled the opposition defence. An injury to Kane opened the door for Solanke to make another appearance for England, coming off the bench in the match against Greece earlier in the month, marking his first national team action since 2017.

Solanke, who then remained on the bench during the 3-1 victory in Finland, had the opportunity to glean insights from the former Spurs striker. Solanke shared: "Yeah, of course we spoke a lot while we were there together and we have this (Tottenham) in common now so we spoke and he is a great guy. A great lad to learn from.

"Not really (any advice). We were just speaking about his experiences and stuff like that. Obviously he has done so much in football and it’s nice to pick his brain."

Reflecting on his own performance, Solanke said: "I feel like I helped the team (against West Ham) and it is important we all contribute in different ways.I didn’t get the goal, which is obviously frustrating for me personally, but it was a great game and if we keep playing like this we’ll be in a good place."

While Solanke put in a solid effort against West Ham, Dejan Kulusevski emerged as the standout player. Praising his teammate, Solanke remarked: "He is a great player. This season he has been phenomenal for us and we need players to be on top form, especially in the Premier League because we want to do as well as we can."

Enjoy some Spurs nostalgia with the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham, where it's all about the 1990s! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Dejan Kulusevski has pulled no punches in his Tottenham verdict after starring in the stunning 4-1 victory against West Ham. The Sweden international has been in sensational form since being moved into a central position with that continuing as he scored his first home goal of the season.

Mohammed Kudus had initially put the visitors in front, but Spurs then struck back swiftly with Kulusevski's effort bouncing off both posts before trickling into the back of the net. Yves Bissouma then turned the game on its head with an Alphonse Areola own goal moments later stretching their lead, while Son Heung-min grabbed a fourth.

The Spurs captain, making his first start in three weeks because of a hamstring injury, very nearly scored a second right after the restart, with a fierce attempt striking the post. Though there were no more goals, drama still arrived with Kudus sent-off for violent conduct after raising his hand at both Micky van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr.

Although he was only on the pitch for 45 minutes, Tottenham's Senegalese midfielder endured an exhilarating afternoon. Prior to being in the red card drama, Sarr provided the assist for Son's goal with it clear he brought a strong energy to Spurs.

James Maddison, who set up Kulusevski for his goal, was the player subbed off for his arrival at half-time with Postecoglou, amid injury concerns, explaining that his switch was tactical. "I just felt West Ham ask you certain questions in midfield areas and I just felt Pape's running power would help us in the second half," he said.

"They obviously worked hard in the first half, and I thought he [Sarr] could give us some real energy. I thought he did really well and he gave us a platform to really threatening every time we want forward and clinical in our football." Kulusevski shared a similar belief to that of his Postecoglou with the 24-year-old issuing a brutally honest verdict.

"I think the [midfield] balance wasn't good enough, we were a little too offensive so we have to look into that and improve next game," he told TNT Sports. "It's hard to do both things all the time, so it was good that we got Pape in and I think he changed the game for us."

In the wake of the clash, Kulusevski also posted a Tottenham message on social media with several teammates praising his display. On Instagram, he captioned the post: "Dk tha..." while Dominic Solanke responded by adding; "Coldest!" with Sarr then also writing: "What a player."

Kulusevski's recent performances and honest words after the West Ham win could spell bad news for Maddison if Postecoglou reverts to a more defensive structure with the former having made the central attacking role his own.

Enjoy some Spurs nostalgia with the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham, where it's all about the 1990s! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Radu Dragusin has decided whether or not he'll push to leave Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming transfer window. The 22-year-old defender, who joined the Lilywhites in a £26.7m deal from Genoa in January, has been briefly linked with an exit after falling out of favour under Ange Postecoglou.

He featured just four times for Spurs this season, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven preferred at the back. The duo have recently established themselves as one of the strongest centre-half partnerships in the Premier League, keeping Dragusin out of the starting lineup.

Dragusin has been given chances in cup competitions, but he's still struggled to impress. In fact, just seven minutes into Tottenham's opening match of the new-look Europa League campaign, the Romania international was given a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity after losing control of the ball.

Postecoglou has only given Dragusin a nine-minute cameo off the bench since the incident, casting doubt over his future in north London. However, according to the Mirror, the Romanian will not push to leave Spurs in January.

The report states that several Italian clubs, including Napoli, are 'monitoring his situation closely', but Dragusin 'remains committed' to the Lilywhites. After swapping the Serie A for the Premier League earlier this year, he signed a long-term contract, which keeps him in north Londoners until at least June 2030.

In May, his agent suggested that Postecoglou play Dragusin alongside Romero and Van de Ven in a back three to solve Tottenham's defensive woes. Speaking on Radio CRC, Florin Manea said: "The coach said many times he does not want to play with a three-man defence, evidently he knows best, but Tottenham concede a ton of goals.

"Playing with three gives more security. I also think Tottenham concede a lot of goals from set plays, so Dragusin would be very helpful due to his power in the air, he used to get all the headers at Genoa."

Despite pressure to play Dragusin, Postecoglou has persisted with Romero and Van de Ven. The Spurs boss has also reassured the Romanian numerous times that he remains a key player for the club.

In an interview with Spursplay following the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James' Park last month, Postecoglou heaped praise on Dragusin. He said: "He did well. It’s a unique challenge here, the crowd create a strong atmosphere, and I thought he handled it well.

"They’ve got some threats up front, particularly Isak with his pace, and a couple of times he handled that really well. Overall, it’s a great experience for him, still only 22, and he’s going to play a big part in our season. Getting through that will stand him in good stead."

Then, speaking to reporters in his post-match press conference, Postecoglou added: "I thought he was good. It was a great opportunity to expose him. I mean, he's only 22. He's still a young man, especially for a defender and I thought exposing him to this atmosphere and the threat.

"The particular threat that Newcastle posed with Isak up front, he had to be really concentrated, and I thought he was. I think he's going to play a big part in our season. Him coming through that, that whole experience, will set him up well."