Premier League

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 25.

Player analysis: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United) v Conor Gallagher (Tottenham Hotspur)

A potentially decisive central midfield duel between England hopefuls Mainoo and Gallagher will be one of the highlights of Man Utd's 12:30 GMT kick off at home to Spurs.

World Cup incentive for England hopefuls

With World Cup places up for grabs, there is plenty of incentive for Mainoo and Gallagher to win over Thomas Tuchel’s affection between now and the end of the season.

Both men are also driven by a desire to impress their respective head coaches too.

Mainoo, 20, has been brought in from the cold by United head coach Michael Carrick, and looks hungry to make a positive difference in their push for a top four spot.

For Gallagher, after 18 months in Spain with Atletico Madrid, the 26-year-old is determined to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s top midfielders.

Joining Spurs during a testing period for the club, his leadership skills are going to be crucial over the next few months.

How Mainoo is helping Casemiro and Fernandes thrive

Starting all three wins under Carrick, United’s academy graduate has been outstanding alongside the Player of the Matchweek 24 winner, Casemiro in midfield.

His inclusion has pushed Bruno Fernandes into the No 10 role, and that switch has helped both players thrive.

Mainoo’s athleticism has been a key factor in improving results.

While Ruben Amorim did not see the youngster as anything but an attacking midfielder, Carrick has given him a chance to show he can cover plenty of ground in a deeper position and he’s taken that opportunity.

Averaging an astonishing 12.9km per 90 minutes this season, Mainoo’s running power has been on a different level to his United team-mates.

Mainoo's distance covered and pressures compared to teammates

Player Games started Minutes played Distance (km) Kobbie Mainoo 3 498 12.9 Manuel Ugarte 7 751 12.0 Joshua Zirkzee 4 483 11.4 Benjamin Sesko 11 1066 11.2 Patrick Dorgu 14 1333 11.0

Player Games started Minutes played High-intensity pressures Joshua Zirkzee 4 483 62.3 Kobbie Mainoo 3 498 59.8 Manuel Ugarte 7 751 57.6 Benjamin Sesko 11 1066 48.8 Bruno Fernandes 21 1809 45.8

There has been a real intensity to his off the ball endeavour too.

Getting around the pitch to apply pressure and force turnovers, the player who was not trusted as an orthodox central midfielder under the previous manager, has proved he can stabilise a unit that was labouring.

The Casemiro-Mainoo-Fernandes axis is purring.

Unfazed and unflustered

After playing well in their 3-2 success at home to Fulham, Carrick was full of praise for Mainoo.

“Without the ball he was terrific. And then with the ball, the ability to cope, he’s not fazed by it. He just plays his game and understands what is needed. The moments of quality, it’s what we expect of him,” he said in his post-match press conference.

This cool-headed nature has been a real asset.

It was Mainoo who looked after the ball cleverly in a tight area, before slipping an incisive pass to Matheus Cunha for the winner at Arsenal.

Watch ALL THE GOALS from Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd

Last time out against Fulham, a day when he completed 32 of 35 passes, the 20-year-old’s distribution was measured and effective.

Happy to take an extra touch when necessary, Mainoo is excellent at waiting for the right time to release well-weighted forward passes, such as these two that set up promising attacks.

There is no question Mainoo’s unflustered style of play, is helping those around him.

Gallagher’s infectious drive is lifting teammates

Dominic Solanke’s brilliant ‘scorpion kick’ strike against Manchester City last Sunday, would not have been possible without a great contribution from a re-energised Gallagher.

Watch: Solanke's brilliant scorpion kick

Showing fierce determination to latch onto a second ball, the former Chelsea man won his duel before driving forward at speed (below).

Then, from the right wing, a whipped in cross was converted in style by the in-form Solanke (below).

From three starts and 265 minutes of action, Gallagher’s engine has immediately stood out.

His 11.8km per 90 minutes of distance covered, places him second only to Lucas Bergvall at Spurs this season.

Charging around the middle third, Gallagher’s desire is lifting those around him.

In that remarkable 2-2 comeback draw with City, Gallagher won two tackles, made three interceptions and won a team-high eight ball recoveries.

His presence on the pitch at Old Trafford has potential to disrupt United’s flow.

Gallagher – Defensive chalkboard v Man City*

*Tackles won, interceptions, ball recoveries

While it remains a small sample size, Gallagher’s numbers are right up there among the division’s best.

Bringing steel, determination and ball-winning quality to Thomas Frank’s starting XI, he looks a very sound addition.

Premier League midfielders defensive stats compared*

Ball recoveries per 90 Interceptions per 90 Anderson (NFO) 8.5 Cook (BOU) 2.57 Rodri (MCI) 7.21 Caicedo (CHE) 2.42 Gallagher (TOT) 6.79 Janelt (BRE) 2.36 Ramsey (NEW) 6.63 Santos (CHE) 2.12 Andre (WOL) 6.62 Gallagher (TOT) 2.04

*Minimum three starts

An intriguing box-to-box battle awaits

These are two excellent central midfielders who have reinforced the middle third for their respective clubs.

Both can play higher up the pitch as No 10 types – and each has a decent goalscoring record - but right now their wide-ranging skill sets mean they are perfect for box-to-box roles.

In terms of their attributes, there is not a lot to differentiate between these two England contenders.

Gallagher is the better ball-winner, leading for duels won, tackles won, interceptions and ball recoveries.

Yet Mainoo (who has had 498 minutes of action compared to Gallagher’s 265) is perhaps the more impactful on the ball, creating nine chances to Gallagher's three.

His also averaging more successful passes inside the opposition half and final third.

Can Gallagher's pressing unsettle Mainoo?

Tactically, it will be fascinating to see if Frank ditches three at the back to revert to the 4-3-3 which worked so well during the second half against City.

His players were asked to go man-for-man in an aggressive manner during that much-improved 45 minutes, with Gallagher at the forefront of their press.

When he gets tight to Mainoo it will be interesting to see how the young midfielder copes with the pressure.

The 20-year-old is very cool in possession and one of the most press-resistant players around, but Gallagher’s tenacious style will test his composure on the ball.

In front of the watching Tuchel this promises to be a spellbinding head-to-head.

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Dominic Solanke scored a sensational 'scorpion-kick' equaliser as he inspired Tottenham Hotspur to fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side appeared to be in cruise control after goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo put them in command at half-time, before the game was turned on its head.

After reducing the visitors' advantage eight minutes into the second half, Solanke brilliantly flicked Conor Gallagher’s cross beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma to complete the comeback.

Solanke's brace paved the way for a back-and-forth finale at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Xavi Simons’ curling attempt, which was tipped over by Donnarumma, the closest either came to snatching a winner.

A potentially pivotal result for Thomas Frank moves Spurs into 14th place. Man City, meanwhile, stay second, but are now six points behind leaders Arsenal.

How the match unfolded

Man City took the lead on 11 minutes when Cherki’s low drive found the bottom-left corner after Yves Bissouma cheaply lost possession.

Erling Haaland, who assisted Cherki’s opener, then came close to ending his goal drought in the top flight soon after, but the Norway international lofted his finish over the crossbar after surging on to a ball played over the top of Spurs’ high line.

But Man City’s dominance was rewarded in the 44th minute. Rodri cut out Radu Dragusin’s poor clearance and fed Bernardo Silva, who set up Semenyo to coolly dispatch with a neat first-time finish.

Spurs came out swinging after the break, though, and the deficit was halved when Solanke shrugged off Abdukodir Khusanov and managed to find the net, despite the best efforts of Marc Guehi.

And Solanke completed the comeback with his stunning 70th-minute effort, getting the back of his heel to Gallagher’s cross and sending the ball looping in over Donnarumma.

Man City’s goalkeeper thwarted Wilson Odobert before denying Simons, with Man City failing to capitalise on a goalmouth scramble at the other end as the spoils were shared.

Injury-hit Spurs dig deep

Frank has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks, and while Spurs’ winless Premier League run was extended to six matches, this will be a performance that he can look back on with pride.

A lot has been made about Spurs’ attacking play under the Dane, and those frustrations were on show once again in a tepid first half for the hosts, with Simons’ free-kick in first-half stoppage time representing their only shot on target.

That being said, they were also all at sea defensively, and they were probably fortunate to go into half-time only 2-0 down.

One could feel sorry for Spurs, given they have only 11 senior players at their disposal, while five of those named on the bench had never kicked a ball in the Premier League.

Those issues were not helped when Pape Matar Sarr replaced captain Cristian Romero at the break, but that seemed to improve the hosts as Destiny Udogie's shot stung the palms of Donnarumma shortly after the interval, setting the tone for a much-improved second-half performance.

Solanke’s first strike then breathed new life into the home supporters, but his second goal will take all the headlines for its ingenuity and execution.

Spurs, whose struggles at home this season are well documented, are back on the road next week when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford.

More Man City mistakes hand Arsenal further impetus

Fresh from sealing their spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, Man City arrived in north London with the wind in their sails and appeared to have strolled into an unassailable advantage, given how poor Spurs were in the first half.

But more errors caused Guardiola’s team to drop two points in their pursuit of Arsenal, who put the onus on their rivals by hammering Leeds United 4-0 on Saturday.

Haaland squandered a glorious opportunity to put his team further in front after Cherki’s opener, and though Semenyo’s fine goal was thoroughly deserved, the visitors appeared to believe the job was done and they wilted after the break.

Solanke’s double was no more than what Spurs merited for their improved display, and Donnarumma had to be alert to Odobert’s near-post attempt before tipping Simons’ curling shot over the bar to stop the hosts scoring a winner.

That being said, Man City had chances to win the match late on, too.

Tijjani Reijnders twice headed wide of the mark before Haaland scooped over, and Guardiola will surely look back at this game as two points dropped rather than one point gained.

Man City’s focus now turns to getting the job done in the EFL Cup against Newcastle United – they have a 2-0 aggregate lead in that semi-final tie – before they make the trip to Anfield to face Liverpool next weekend.

Club reports

Spurs report | Man City report

Next five PL fixtures

Key facts

Thomas Frank has taken four points from games versus Manchester City in the Premier League this season (W1 D1); the most by a Spurs manager in a single campaign since Mauricio Pochettino in 2016/17 (also W1 D1).

This was the first time Manchester City had led by 2+ goals at half time in a game and failed to win since April 2018 (3-2 defeat to Manchester United). Coming into today, the Citizens had won on each of the last 115 occasions when leading by 2+ goals at the break (all competitions).

Antoine Semenyo has scored 14 goals in 26 appearances this season (all competitions); his most in a single campaign in his career, overtaking his 13 in 42 games for Bournemouth in 2024/25.

Cristian Romero came to Tottenham Hotspur’s rescue as his 90th-minute header salvaged a 2-2 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Lyle Foster’s scruffy 76th-minute goal seemed set to snap Burnley’s winless streak in the Premier League, but Romero headed in a last-gasp equaliser to prevent under-pressure Spurs head coach Thomas Frank suffering a third consecutive league defeat.

Spurs went ahead in the 38th minute through Romero’s defensive partner Micky van de Ven, though Axel Tuanzebe equalised for Burnley on the stroke of half-time.

Foster’s somewhat fortuitous finish put the hosts ahead, though Spurs responded in force, with Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons going close before former Burnley attacker Wilson Odobert crossed in for Romero to head home.

Spurs, who are 14th, remain winless in five league games, but at least avoided back-to-back defeats against teams in the bottom three, while Burnley stay 19th.

How the match unfolded

In an open start at Turf Moor, Spurs' left wing-back Djed Spence flashed a teasing ball across the face of goal before his Burnley counterpart, Lucas Pires, had a goal ruled out at the other end after straying several yards offside. Another defender, Pedro Porro, twice went close to giving Spurs the lead.

Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka produced a superb double save to deny Odobert and Conor Gallagher. Still, Spurs were rewarded for their persistence when Burnley failed to clear Simons’ corner, and the ball dropped for Van de Ven to bury it powerfully.

However, Tuanzebe drew Burnley level seven minutes later, ghosting unmarked into the box to calmly steer Kyle Walker’s pinpoint cross into the bottom corner.

Van de Ven thwarted Armando Broja with a brilliant last-ditch block, but Burnley flipped the game on its head when Foster prodded past Guglielmo Vicario at the second time of asking, with Destiny Udogie unable to keep it out on the line.

That sparked a Spurs onslaught, with Dubravka making an outstanding stop to deny Tel before Simons rattled the crossbar. But the pressure finally told when Romero powered a fantastic header beyond Burnley’s goalkeeper.

Relive the match action of Burnley v Spurs

Frank’s Spurs show fight

Spurs ended their winless start to 2026 with a 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund in midweek, offering some much-needed relief for Frank, although he knows their Premier League form remains under scrutiny.

A disappointing 2-1 home defeat to 18th-placed West Ham United in Spurs' last league outing marked a new low, but their self-assured European display, shaped by Frank’s switch to a three-man defence, at least offered positive signs.

Frank stuck with the back three against Burnley, and it appeared to pay early dividends as Spence caused plenty of problems down the flank, enjoying greater attacking freedom.

His fellow wing-back Porro also enjoyed an impactful opening half as he went close to putting Spurs ahead with a pair of well-taken free-kicks, the first of which struck the side netting, while the second drew a sprawling save from Dubravka.

Spurs showed plenty of attacking intent, with Odobert and Gallagher testing Dubravka, who also denied Dominic Solanke early in the second half.

A familiar pattern threatened to repeat itself as Foster put the Clarets ahead, but Spurs at least showed spirit to snatch a late point and, in doing so, may just have bought Frank some more time.

But with a Champions League meeting against Eintracht Frankfurt looming before a clash with Manchester City, the pressure is still on.

Dubravka shines but Clarets can’t get the win

Despite being rooted in the bottom three, Burnley would have spent the last week in high spirits following their spirited display in their 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out.

Scott Parker’s side showed plenty of heart in their display at Anfield as they did well to absorb pressure and strike when it mattered most – qualities they brought forward once more on Saturday following Van de Ven’s opener.

Despite falling behind, Burnley’s determination did not waver, and they managed to pull a goal back with effectively the final kick before half-time, thanks to an excellent delivery into the box from former Spurs and Man City full-back Walker.

Burnley were more adventurous after the break as Broja kept Spurs’ defence on their toes, floating in behind after excellent combinations with Jaidon Anthony to test Van de Ven and Vicario.

The Clarets' standout performer came at the other end, though, with Dubravka consistently frustrating Spurs. His save to somehow tip Tel’s effort wide as the visitors searched for a leveller was extraordinary.

But for all the encouragement, it is now 14 league games without a win for Burnley, who are seven points adrift of safety and will next visit Sunderland, one of the Premier League's strongest home sides.

Club reports

Burnley report | Spurs report

What the managers said

Scott Parker: "I think we did [enough to win the game]. You score the second and take the lead, you understand that at that moment, they're going to commit a lot more men forward and the centre-half they commit ends up scoring the goal.

"A little bit disappointing, no doubt, because you're that close and in the last dying seconds you concede. But overall, really pleased with my team.

"I thought we showed an incredible spirit today and showed our quality at times. After going a goal down, our response was superb. Just disappointed we didn't hold on."

Thomas Frank: "This is a game where we created a lot, do more than enough to win the game. We just didn't defend well enough in two situations.

"We created a lot of chances today, which has sometimes been the problem. Today we did that. Normally we have been quite strong defensively but we can never concede those two goals."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Burnley remain winless in their last 14 Premier League games (D5 L9), their longest such run in the top division since between August and October 1970 (also 14).

Dubravka has made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season (94), while only once has he made more saves in a Premier League match than his nine today (10 against Liverpool in January 2024).

All four of Romero’s Premier League goals in 2025/26 have made the scores level, with no player netting more equalisers than the Spurs captain this season.

Only Richarlison (eight) has scored more goals for Spurs than Van de Ven (seven) in all competitions this season. The Dutch centre-back also has the highest goal tally of any Premier League defender across all competitions.

Cristian Romero came to Tottenham Hotspur’s rescue as his 90th-minute header salvaged a 2-2 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Lyle Foster’s scruffy 76th-minute goal seemed set to snap Burnley’s winless streak in the Premier League, but Romero headed in a last-gasp equaliser to prevent under-pressure Spurs head coach Thomas Frank suffering a third consecutive league defeat.

Spurs went ahead in the 38th minute through Romero’s defensive partner Micky van de Ven, though Axel Tuanzebe equalised for Burnley on the stroke of half-time.

Foster’s somewhat fortuitous finish put the hosts ahead, though Spurs responded in force, with Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons going close before former Burnley attacker Wilson Odobert crossed in for Romero to head home.

Spurs, who are 13th, remain winless in five league games, but at least avoided back-to-back defeats against teams in the bottom three, while Burnley stay 19th.

How the match unfolded

In an open start at Turf Moor, Spurs' left wing-back Djed Spence flashed a teasing ball across the face of goal before his Burnley counterpart, Lucas Pires, had a goal ruled out at the other end after straying several yards offside. Another defender, Pedro Porro, twice went close to giving Spurs the lead.

Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka produced a superb double save to deny Odobert and Conor Gallagher. Still, Spurs were rewarded for their persistence when Burnley failed to clear Simons’ corner, and the ball dropped for Van de Ven to bury it powerfully.

However, Tuanzebe drew Burnley level seven minutes later, ghosting unmarked into the box to calmly steer Kyle Walker’s pinpoint cross into the bottom corner.

Van de Ven thwarted Armando Broja with a brilliant last-ditch block, but Burnley flipped the game on its head when Foster prodded past Guglielmo Vicario at the second time of asking, with Destiny Udogie unable to keep it out on the line.

That sparked a Spurs onslaught, with Dubravka making an outstanding stop to deny Tel before Simons rattled the crossbar. But the pressure finally told when Romero powered a fantastic header beyond Burnley’s goalkeeper.

Frank’s Spurs show fight

Spurs ended their winless start to 2026 with a 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund in midweek, offering some much-needed relief for Frank, although he knows their Premier League form remains under scrutiny.

A disappointing 2-1 home defeat to 18th-placed West Ham United in Spurs' last league outing marked a new low, but their self-assured European display, shaped by Frank’s switch to a three-man defence, at least offered positive signs.

Frank stuck with the back three against Burnley, and it appeared to pay early dividends as Spence caused plenty of problems down the flank, enjoying greater attacking freedom.

His fellow wing-back Porro also enjoyed an impactful opening half as he went close to putting Spurs ahead with a pair of well-taken free-kicks, the first of which struck the side netting, while the second drew a sprawling save from Dubravka.

Spurs showed plenty of attacking intent, with Odobert and Gallagher testing Dubravka, who also denied Dominic Solanke early in the second half.

A familiar pattern threatened to repeat itself as Foster put the Clarets ahead, but Spurs at least showed spirit to snatch a late point and, in doing so, may just have bought Frank some more time.

But with a Champions League meeting against Eintracht Frankfurt looming before a clash with Manchester City, the pressure is still on.

Dubravka shines but Clarets can’t get the win

Despite being rooted in the bottom three, Burnley would have spent the last week in high spirits following their spirited display in their 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out.

Scott Parker’s side showed plenty of heart in their display at Anfield as they did well to absorb pressure and strike when it mattered most – qualities they brought forward once more on Saturday following Van de Ven’s opener.

Despite falling behind, Burnley’s determination did not waver, and they managed to pull a goal back with effectively the final kick before half-time, thanks to an excellent delivery into the box from former Spurs and Man City full-back Walker.

Burnley were more adventurous after the break as Broja kept Spurs’ defence on their toes, floating in behind after excellent combinations with Jaidon Anthony to test Van de Ven and Vicario.

The Clarets' standout performer came at the other end, though, with Dubravka consistently frustrating Spurs. His save to somehow tip Tel’s effort wide as the visitors searched for a leveller was extraordinary.

But for all the encouragement, it is now 14 league games without a win for Burnley, who are seven points adrift of safety and will next visit Sunderland, one of the Premier League's strongest home sides.

Club reports

Burnley report | Spurs report

What the managers said

Thomas Frank: "This is a game where we created a lot, do more than enough to win the game. We just didn't defend well enough in two situations.

"We created a lot of chances today, which has sometimes been the problem. Today we did that. Normally we have been quite strong defensively but we can never concede those two goals."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Burnley remain winless in their last 14 Premier League games (D5 L9), their longest such run in the top division since between August and October 1970 (also 14).

Dubravka has made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season (94), while only once has he made more saves in a Premier League match than his nine today (10 against Liverpool in January 2024).

All four of Romero’s Premier League goals in 2025/26 have made the scores level, with no player netting more equalisers than the Spurs captain this season.

Only Richarlison (eight) has scored more goals for Spurs than van de Ven (seven) in all competitions this season. The Dutch centre-back also has the highest goal tally of any Premier League defender across all competitions.

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Football writer Ninad Barbadikar reports on Tuesday's three UEFA Champions League matches involving Premier League sides.

Jesus stars as Arsenal secure place in round of 16

Inter Milan 1-3 Arsenal

Arsenal set a new club record in the UEFA Champions League with their seventh consecutive win, beating Inter Milan 3-1 at San Siro.

Manchester City’s defeat against Bodo/Glimt earlier in the evening meant that Arsenal had technically already qualified for the round of 16. However, victory against the Italian giants confirmed their status as the best team in the competition so far.

To further underline their excellence thus far, Arsenal are now just the second team in the competition’s history to win seven games in Europe by two goals or more. The other team was Bayern Munich in 2019/20, en route to winning the Champions League that season.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spoke to Amazon Prime and said: "We went to another level and to do it at the San Siro against one of the best teams in Europe is something else."

With a first brace for the Gunners in over a year, Gabriel Jesus was the star of the evening in Italy, acrobatically finishing for the first and grabbing the second from a set-piece.

In between those strikes, a curling equaliser from Petar Sucic gave Arteta's side some cause for concern, but the Gunners ultimately deserved their first win in Italy since 2008. They had lost four of their five previous matches on Italian soil.

Arsenal substitute Viktor Gyokeres added a final flourish to the victory with a strike from outside the Inter area in the final five minutes of the game; it was the Swedish striker's third goal in five Champions League outings.

The Gunners got off to a bright start at San Siro, racking up two two attempts in the first twenty seconds, setting the tone for the opening exchanges.

They wouldn’t have to wait long for the opener though, as a mishit attempt from Jurrien Timber was converted by Jesus who scored for the first time since returning from a lengthy knee injury layoff.

Sucic's impressive leveller shook Arsenal briefly, but Jesus was there once again, this time converting from a corner when Leandro Trossard won the first contact at the near post before knocking the ball back into the path of an unmarked Jesus.

The Brazilian’s 25th and 26th goals in the competition were the highlights of a hugely significant victory for the Gunners.

Speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, Jesus said: "It's a dream night, to be here in this stadium and score here [puts] tears in my eyes because I always dreamed of being here."

The Brazilian’s record in the Champions League remains outstanding. With 34 goal involvements in 53 appearances, his average of 1.03 goal involvements per 90 is only behind Kylian Mbappe who has 1.08 per 90.

Reflecting on the competition for places up front now at Arsenal, Jesus added: "Everyone wants to start. I am a very respectful guy. I am not a kid anymore, I am 28, so I understand football. I am very happy Vik [Gyokeres] came on and scored a goal. I am so happy I scored and Vik scored. I am confident Kai [Havertz] will score when he gets the chance."

Guaranteeing themselves a top-two finish in the league phase of the Champions League means that Arsenal will play the second leg of every knockout tie at home.

Furthermore, this landmark victory marked the first time that an English top-flight team has won away games in four different competitions in a single month, following Arsenal's wins over AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League, Portsmouth in the FA Cup and Chelsea in the EFL Cup.

Arteta's side will aim to finish off the league phase on a high when they welcome Kairat Almaty to the Emirates next Wednesday, but first they return to their pursuit of the Premier League title, with a home match against Michael Carrick's rejuvenated Manchester United side on Sunday.

See: Arsenal match report and line-up

Romero and Solanke give Spurs some respite

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Borussia Dortmund

Spurs made it 24 games unbeaten at home in Europe, beating 10-man Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in a solid display.

Thomas Frank’s side have struggled at home all season in the Premier League, losing six of their 11 matches at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

A first start of the season also brought a first goal of the season for Dominic Solanke, who converted from close range to double Spurs’ advantage after captain Cristian Romero had given his team the lead.

The Argentine’s header from a corner after 14 minutes was the reward for a superb start from Frank’s Spurs, who were on the front foot and suffocating Dortmund with their high press.

Between the two goals, the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute, after a dangerous challenge from young defender Daniel Svensson, who caught Wilson Odobert with a high boot.

Extending their European record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a victory and a clean sheet against Dortmund, Frank’s Spurs are now the only side not to concede at home in the Champions League this season, winning all four games to nil.

Spurs boss Frank told TNT Sports: "I think this is the eighth game in a row where we've done lots right, now we've got a win as well. That means we look forward to another [good] result on Saturday."

Solanke became only the fifth player to score on his Champions League debut for Spurs, and was also the second Englishman to do so, after Peter Crouch, who netted against German opposition in Werder Bremen in September 2010.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game about his goal, he said: "I'm so happy to be back out here. It was my first start since the last game of last season so to be back out here and get the win meant the world."

Victory against Dortmund moved Spurs up to fourth in the league phase for the time being, putting them in a good spot to seal a top-eight finish when they face Bundesliga opposition once again next week, with an away trip to Eintracht Frankfurt. In the meantime, they travel to Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.

See: Spurs match report and line-up

City slip up on historic night for Norwegian club

Bodo/Glimt 3-1 Manchester City

Man City had an evening to forget at the Aspmyra Stadion, where their 3-1 defeat made them the first English club to lose to Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.

It was also Bodo's first victory in the group stage or league phase of the Champions League, while this result marked the third time this season that Man City have lost back-to-back games in all competitions.

Two goals from Kasper Hogh in the 22nd and 24th minutes set the stage for Bodo's historic triumph; it was the quickest brace by a Champions League player against Man City since Son Heung-min netted for Spurs in the seventh and 10th minutes back in April 2019.

Jens-Petter Hauge's curling effort from outside the box extended the home side's lead to 3-0 in the 58th minute, making them only the sixth team in the history of the competition to have an advantage of three goals or more against Man City. And although Rayan Cherki scored for the visitors on the hour mark, their chances of a comeback were hampered two minutes later when Rodri was shown two yellow cards in quick succession and sent off.

Rodri has, perhaps unsurprisingly, struggled to get back up to speed after a long injury layoff, and this game was stretched from the very start.

Man City youngster Max Alleyne had the first big chance of the night when his header from a corner just flew past the near post. But the visitors then paid a heavy price for mistakes at the back as Hogh, who has been linked with a move to Norwich City, scored his quickfire double.

With an average age of 24 years and 84 days, Man City's starting XI was their youngest ever in a Champions League match. Pep Guardiola made four changes from the derby defeat at Manchester United, headlined by Rayan Ait-Nouri making his first start for the club since November.

Next, Man City will host Ait-Nouri's former club Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday, before they make another attempt to secure their passage to the Champions League's round of 16, at home to Galatasaray next Wednesday.

Guardiola underlined the need for a response to their latest defeat, saying: "The results since [the end of] 2025 have not been good in terms of the Premier League and today.

"Now we have to move forward with Wolves and Galatasaray. Today was an incredible opportunity for us but the feeling is [everything is] going wrong. We have to change the dynamic quickly."

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Callum Wilson's stoppage-time goal earned West Ham United a dramatic 2-1 derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The substitute, who has been linked with an exit from the London Stadium this January window, struck three minutes into added time to end the Hammers' 10-match winless streak in the Premier League.

It had looked like the spoils would be shared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a Cristian Romero header cancelled out Crysencio Summerville's deflected first-half goal.

But Wilson prodded home from a goalmouth scramble after a corner to add to the woes of boss Thomas Frank, as Spurs were booed off.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side remain 18th but move to four points off Nottingham Forest in 17th, while Spurs stay 14th and are still without a win in 2026.

How the match unfolded

The Hammers opened the scoring after 15 minutes as Summerville skipped inside a couple of challenges and saw his shot deflect in off Micky van de Ven.

Spurs then lost Ben Davies to injury, but they went close to equalising, with Alphonse Areola denying both Wilson Odobert and substitute Djed Spence from close range.

However, a second West Ham goal looked more likely as the first half wore on. Valentin Castellanos headed wide from two yards out and Jarrod Bowen was denied by the offside flag, while Konstantinos Mavrapanos' looping header was clawed away by Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs were vastly improved after half-time. Yves Bissouma’s curling 20-yard strike produced a smart reflex save from Areola, before the equaliser arrived in the 64th minute as Romero buried a header from Pedro Porro’s cross.

The game then became end-to-end as Areola pushed away Xavi Simons' volley, while Porro thwarted Wilson.

However, the latter reacted quickest after the 90 minutes were up, poking a loose ball into the roof of the net from a corner to clinch three crucial points.

Pressure cranks up further on Frank

Spurs' winless start to 2026 continues following a dramatic defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the pressure continues to mount on beleaguered boss Frank.

His side have now won just one of their last seven Premier League matches, though they started brightly here, with Mathys Tel volleying over after just four minutes.

Yet, after Castellanos fired narrowly wide and fellow new West Ham signing Pablo saw a goal chalked off for a clear foul in the build-up, Spurs failed to heed those early warnings, finding themselves behind to Summerville's deflected strike.

The hosts were then forced into an early change when Davies was carried off on a stretcher, but they carried a lot more purpose after the break and were deserving of their equaliser through Romero.

At that stage, Spurs looked the more likely to claim only a third home league win of the season, but they were made to pay for not fully capitalising on their pressure, and the displeasure among the home fans was evident when the final whistle blew.

Attention turns to the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, when Spurs host Borussia Dortmund and will try to give their supporters something to cheer about. They then visit Burnley in the Premier League next weekend.

Wilson ends winless streak in dramatic fashion

West Ham's long wait for a Premier League win is finally over, courtesy of a player who may not be at the club by the time the January transfer window closes.

The Hammers did end their winless streak in all competitions with a victory over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup last weekend, and they made a positive start here, going close even before a bit of luck helped them take the lead through a resurgent Summerville.

Nuno's side had the ball in the net on a further two occasions in the first half, with Pablo denied after Van de Ven was fouled, while Bowen was also thwarted by the offside flag.

Castellanos also spurned a glorious opportunity from two yards out, and it looked like that might prove costly when Romero equalised.

Yet, after holding off Spurs' wave of pressure, the visitors delivered a hammer blow to their rivals. Moments after he was brilliantly denied by Porro's sliding intervention, Wilson was alert to turn the ball home from a yard out and send the visiting fans wild.

West Ham will hope that is the goal that revives their difficult campaign, as they prepare to face Sunderland at London Stadium next Saturday.

Club reports

Spurs report | West Ham report

What the managers said

Thomas Frank: "It's tough to take, it hurts a lot. The boys put everything in, and that's a sign of a squad that is fighting, doing everything they can to try and win. It's fair to say if there was to be a winner in the second half then it should have been us.

"The way we came back into it, the same as at Bournemouth, both games we lost in the last minute. That makes it emotionally tough for the players, me, the club, the fans, everyone. We conceded on a deflected shot and a last-minute corner, which we should have done better with.

"We pushed very hard, to have that extra freshness to put on the pitch would have helped with more quality.

"It's tough times, the only thing we can do is move forward. We have to go again, it's hurting so much, incredibly so for everyone at the club that puts in such hard work.

"But we can only be disappointed and emotionally down for 24 hours, then we must go again on Tuesday."

Nuno Espirito Santo: "It means a lot for our fans, who were there cheering for us. It's special to do it in the last moments of the game, because we have been on the other side of that many times this season.

"We stared really well. The way we were organised, not allowing Spurs to go easy, always trying to press and recover.

"When we had the ball we had good chances and combinations. First half we played really good football.

"We believe [we can escape relegation]. We have to worry about ourselves, work harder and commit more. I'm really proud of the way the players have been dealing with this situation. It's a tough one, but they are determined to turn it around.

PL form and fixtures

Key facts

Spurs have now lost 50 games in all competitions at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with their first also coming against West Ham. They’ve played 176 games at the ground, with their last 50 defeats at White Hart Lane coming over a 295-game spell between 2006 and 2017.

West Ham have now conceded in each of their last 19 Premier League games, since a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest in August. It’s their longest run without a clean sheet within a single season in the competition.

Wilson’s goal was just West Ham’s second winner in the 90th minute or later in an away London derby in the Premier League, after Paolo Di Canio’s strike at Fulham in October 2002.

No team have scored more headed goals than Spurs in the Premier League this season (nine, level with Arsenal before their game at Nottingham Forest).

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League