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Dejan Kulusevski was part of a transformative double signing completed by Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte in January of 2022, with the Swede joining Tottenham alongside Juventus teammate, Rodrigo Bentancur on an initial 18-month long loan deal, as per BBC Sport.

Tottenham impressively finished inside of the top four with Kulusevski’s five goals and eight assists in 14 starts pivotal to Conte’s immediate turnaround in North London.

At the time, Kulusevski was one of the most effective creators in the Premier League. The 24-year-old was deployed as a right winger, often cutting in to use his favoured left foot that would routinely deliver a wicked ball towards either one of Harry Kane or Heung-Min Son.

The foundations that Antonio Conte built at Spurs in that remarkable season crumbled as quickly as they were built, throwing Tottenham back into managerial turmoil with Ryan Mason temporarily warming the manager's seat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Ange Postecoglou was the man brave enough to what appeared to be a sinking ship in the summer of 2023, although the Australian soon plugged the holes that had been left by various managers and recruitment teams in previous years.

Tottenham flew out the blocks under the Australian, not tasting defeat in any of their opening ten Premier League games.

Kulusevski was key to Spurs' fast start, being named in the starting line-up for every single game and popping up with two goals.

The former Juventus man, perhaps most impressively, improved his performance level in the midst of adversity that Spurs were facing after their infamous 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, contributing four goals and assists in the six games after the disastrous loss that left Tottenham with a depleted squad.

Kulusevski’s performance levels fizzled out however – often becoming predictable on the ball and failing to score or assist a single goal in Tottenham’s final eleven games, barring a brace on the final day against an incredibly poor Sheffield United side, with Postecoglou even dropping the Swede for a handful of games in this run.

It appeared as though perhaps defences had figured out Kulusevski, his constant shifts inside from the right wing became predictable and ineffective with the forward’s early season goal contributions masking what was becoming a frustrating season for the 24-year-old.

An experimental pre-season

After a sluggish end to the 2024/25 season, Kulusevski was granted an entire summer’s rest due to Sweden’s failure to qualify for EURO 2024, giving the former Juventus man time to prepare for one of the most important seasons in his career whilst many of his teammates were competing in either the Copa America or European Championships.

Postecoglou has clearly been mulling over Kulusevski in the off-season.

It was apparent that Kulusevski, however technically talented may be, is rapidly reaching a crossroads in his career where he will be forced to improve or adapt. A poor end to the season suggested it may have to be the latter.

Kulusevski was utilised as a central midfielder in Spurs’ opening pre-season game against QPR after Lucas Bergvall was forced off, with the 24-year-old shining in the game and assisting one of Tottenham’s two goals of the afternoon.

Postecoglou then further toyed with the Swedish international in the final two games of pre-season - both against Bayern Munich.

Kulusevski started both fixtures as Tottenham’s striker, a position that the versatile attacker had shone in against Sheffield United in the final game of the season, and, just like at Bramall Lane, Kulusevski shone again, finding the back of the net twice.

Unfortunately for Kulusevski, the second game against Bayern Munich where he netted a brace was the very same day that new £65 million striker, Dominic Solanke, was unveiled to the Spurs faithful.

Moving to midfield

With Solanke routinely occupying Tottenham’s striker role and Brennan Johnson seemingly immovable from the right-wing position under Postecoglou, the Australian manager decided to fuse the two roles Kulusevski shone in during pre-season, allowing the 24-year-old to return to the role that he grew up playing.

Coming through the ranks of Atalanta’s U17’s, Kulusevski was routinely utilised as an attack-minded central midfielder, netting fifteen goals in twenty-one games whilst playing such a role.

Kulusevski only thrived when moved up an age level as a central midfielder, setting up 22 goals and netting 16 of his own in his 39 outings as a midfielder for Atalanta’s ‘B’ team. (TransferMarkt)

It was no shock therefore to Kulusevski himself when he started producing monstrous performances in his boyhood role when given the chance this season.

After his performance against Manchester United that near enough cemented the ex-Juventus man’s new role as a central midfielder, Kulusevski explained that he hasn’t surprised himself with his impressive return to being a midfielder, stating:

“I have worked incredibly hard to be able to play at that level. I’m not shocked. I’ve just been waiting for it. Every match has felt good, but that one was perhaps extra good.” (Fotboll Skanalen)

Kulusevski was first given a chance in midfield against Everton, when he teed up Yves Bissouma, who slammed in Spurs’ opener – neither Postecoglou nor Kulusevski has looked back since.

James Maddison accompanying Kulusevski in the middle of the park for Spurs has proved a match made in heaven with the former Leicester man often dropping deep and drawing in opposition players, allowing for Kulusevski to effectively enjoy a free role.

A creative machine

Dejan Kulusevski’s physical attributes have always been inarguably an aspect of his game that makes him an attractive option for any club or manager.

Even whilst playing as a right winger last season, Kulusevski covered the most ground in a single match in the entire Premier League, eating up an astonishing 13.36 Km against Everton. (Premier League)

Kulusevski has continued his machine-like running this season. Tottenham captain, Heung-Min Son has even revealed how the Swede’s teammates struggle to comprehend just how much he runs, explaining:

"Everybody is talking about how Deki's work rate is unbelievable. He's everywhere on the pitch. I think people have never seen that. Deki works really hard." (TalkSport)

It’s not just ground covered with no avail though for Tottenham’s newfound midfielder, Kulusevski is currently churning out the highest average progressive passing distance, expected assists, passes into the final third, and most importantly, shot-creating actions of his entire career, and by some way. (FBRef)

Dejan Kulusevski is currently providing an astonishing 6.48 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in the Premier League, barring Bukayo Saka, that’s the highest rate out of any player who has played five or more games this season. (FBRef)

Whilst Kulusevski hasn’t moved the dial in his defensive actions despite his deeper role, he is currently cutting out the highest rate of passes per 90 in his Premier League career, with an impressive 1.36. (FBRef)

If the 24-year-old can make his high work rate even more meaningful by further developing his tackling ability, Tottenham may well have one of the most effective midfielders in world football on their hands.

Feeling ‘unstoppable’ in his new role

On the pitch, Kulusevski appears to be playing with a freedom that other players can only envy and Tottenham supporters are currently relishing.

Kulusevski has even said as much, admitting to Viaplay Fotboll after his outstanding display against Manchester United, “I have played there my whole life, and I have waited to play in this position. I feel completely unstoppable.”

Whilst being wary of jumping the gun, it’s currently appearing as though Kulusevski’s midfield transformation has not only evolved Tottenham’s performance, barring a concerning 3-2 loss to Brighton, but also breathed new life into Kulusevski’s Tottenham career.

The midfielder was clearly more than aware of the importance of adapting his game, explaining to Fotboll Skanalen: "I want to try to maximise this career as much as possible and never be one in the crowd.”

It’s not just Kulusevski’s on-field position that has switched however, Kulusevski himself has hinted that there is perhaps more to his upturn in form that merely meets the eye, explaining:

“I really feel that I am stronger mentally and physically this season. I've changed my mindset a bit. I think that is to my advantage. I've grown off the pitch as well. The plan is to get better every day, and I feel that I will be.” (Fotboll Skanalen)

Spurs will now face West Ham United after the international break with the London derby wielding much more importance than many Tottenham may have expected after an agonising second-half collapse to Brighton stopped Spurs’ winning run in its tracks.

However, should Tottenham overcome their East London rivals, the hope will be that Postecoglou’s men return to the level of performance they displayed against Manchester United.

Should such events transpire, Kulusevski will once again be the prized piece of Postecoglou’s team, controlling the heart of his relentlessly attacking machine.

If Kulusevski continues his form, and perhaps even improves upon it as he suggested, there is no limit to how good the Swedish star could be.

Surfacing at N17 is an uncertainty of the future for Cristian Romero, who is beginning to become frustrated with the club, reflected in sub-par performances and effort in the opening fixtures of this Premier League season.

That frustration is born by the lack of ambition at Spurs – the same lack of ambition which has driven away stars of the last 20 years that have left to add deserved silverware to their name.

The weekend result against Brighton was not just painful, and typical, but the point of any Spurs manager's tenure where they begin to go slightly mad. Ange Postecoglou appeared defeated yesterday.

Cristian Romero seems to be losing a desire to fight at Spurs, with a lack of focus during games leading to sloppy conceded goals.

Though the Argentinian is not a failure of a footballer; the World Cup triumph in winter 2022 was a glorious showcase of the intelligence and dominance he can have on a football pitch.

However, the start of the season has presented an unmotivated, disenchanted defender who is growing tired of the powers that be in North London. The upward trajectory is no longer evident with the Ange Postecoglou train slowing down and losing momentum.

With rumoured interest from elite footballing superpowers in the summer, temptation may be entering the mind of Romero, who will be seeking a club with proven success to elevate his name and reputation.

The start of the season has not been a positive reflection of his talent or work rate, with both leading to on-brand, typical, Tottenham errors that have tumbled promising performances into dropped points, leaving a grim taste in the mouth.

In a bizarre contradiction, Romero is still performing in the stats yet the eye test suggests otherwise.

Statistically sound

Despite criticism arriving from Spurs fans at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, Romero has continued to excel in the statistical department.

A gradual improvement in the Argentinian’s game has been evident since arriving in North London in 2021, and with expectations for the defender now that great, consistent performances are required to justify the high appraisal.

As before the North London Derby last month, Romero averaged high for aerial duels won in the Premier League this season at 3 per 90 minutes among centre-backs with at least 135 minutes played, but a success rate of 56.25%, as per Squawka.

The aerial duels have always been an advantage of his game, with the ability to use his lack of towering height and instead the strength of his intelligence to oust and overcome physical Premier League strikers.

Romero also sat in the top ten centre-backs who have played 135 minutes for ground duels won (3.67 per 90), the top ten for ball recoveries per 90 (6), and tackles per 90 (3) per Squawka.

Statistically, this is a centre-back who would appear to be valuable to any team on the planet, performing in the top percentiles in the most useful stats to determine defensive quality.

However, moments in which Tottenham have conceded this season have caused questioning over Romero, particularly positionally.

Sequences of shocking marking

For a sequence of Spurs goals this campaign, Romero has been caught positionally unaware or completely out of position – in an exploit of poor defending. The disappointing beginning of the season has been partly down to the Argentinian.

In the first of many disasters, Cristian Romero leaves Jamie Vardy unmarked at the back post. Awareness zero. In a game where Postecoglou’s side had utterly dominated and controlled, that lapse in concentration cost Tottenham the three points, even though the attacking output was also lacking during the game.

After scoring and earning a clean sheet in the following game against the doomed Everton, Romero reverted back to positional errors at St. James’ Park.

On both goals, the World Cup winner was caught napping. For the first Newcastle goal, a quick throw-in, Romero was caught napping on the edge of the box, failed to track back into his position, and the goal followed from Harvey Barnes.

For the second of those, the effort put into tracking back was utterly appalling. As detailed earlier, it has appeared that his commitment levels to Tottenham have not remained the same as in previous seasons.

The second goal displayed something more than just not tracking back, but a frustration with something larger. Not that die-for-the-club attitude that has usually been seen, but a genuine lack of commitment.

The North London Derby last month was quite simply a poor defensive mistake, where he lost his marker Gabriel at the corner leading to the only goal in the Tottenham defeat.

And in a fashionable one-step forward, two-steps back result for Spurs, the collapse at the Amex encapsulated the lack of engagement and brutishness the defence needed.

There was a calamity everywhere, so this witch hunt on Romero can rest on this occasion. Actually, no. The third goal was dreadful in terms of commitment to the entire production of the goal.

Once again, it is an easy day for the striker, Danny Welbeck. You can scarcely believe how free he is. A free bird on the centre of the box, a few yards from the goal.

The errors have been costly, mainly due to the lack of output in the attacking sector of the team, which has been woefully unproductive in the opening stages of the season.

Cashing in on Romero - if the commitment and desire have dissipated - should be a genuine consideration based on the early performances of the season.

Teams were and will be interested. Daniel Levy will not sell to a Premier League rival, but a move to an elite Spanish team is an absolute possibility.

Diego Simeone managing Cristian Romero is the sort of horrific fairytale that would cause wars. Best to not imagine that, but clubs will be interested based purely on the statistical strengths he has.

Eres el arquitecto de tu propia caída, Romero. Or, to translate, you are the architect of your own downfall. The direct cause is unknown, but a lack of focus can be attributed to a lack of motivation.

Tottenham Hotspur travelled to the Amex off the back of wins in both the Premier League and the Europa League, with hope they could successfully carry on their winning streak of 6 wins in their last 6 games in all competitions.

Brighton on the other hand are unbeaten at home this season their most recent results at the Amex being draws against Nottingham Forest and Ipswich.

Tottenham started the half in control of the game and you could see the result of that in the 0-2 score line at half time with goals scored by in form Brennan Johnson, who has 6 goals in 6 games, and James Maddison.

After being behind at the break, Brighton turned the game on its head scoring three goals in 18 minutes, causing Tottenham Hotspur to fall apart and meant the Seagulls went on to win the match.

'Feedback is what I believe in'

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media and when asked on whether he let the players know his thoughts after the game he stated, "Feedback is what I believe in. I'm sure they are disappointed. I don't care. I am disappointed, the fans are disappointed."

Postecoglou described Tottenham’s performance as lacking intensity, he said in the press conference, "We didn't compete, lost the duels and we lacked intensity."

After scoring their first goal in the 48th minute, Brighton stole the show and score their next two within eighteen minutes, Tottenham became unrecognisable to the team they were in the first half.

After their poor performance in the second half, Ange Postecoglou was asked about the contrast of their first and second half performance.

"That's a real stark reminder of what elite sport is about. The core of it is competitive. If you're not competitive it doesn't matter how good you are or how good you think you are, you're going to trip up."

‘We've usually dealt with it pretty well’

The Tottenham Hotspur boss discussed whether he saw this coming at half time after being so dominant in the first half.

"Well like I said, I haven't seen it before, and I certainly didn't feel like that's the way the game was going to go.

"You understand that at 2-0 obviously they're going to come out and be fairly aggressive in their approach, but that's not the first time we've faced that and we've usually dealt with it pretty well. But obviously today we failed to do the things we needed to do," Postecoglou told the reporters.

Postecoglou discussed with the media whether he had seen a learned something new about his Tottenham side this evening at the Amex.

"I don't know if I learned something new, but I certainly experienced something new."

The Tottenham boss had a chance to explain how his players weren’t overconfident with their win streak behind their back, and how important winning their last games previous was.

"Look, it's not a couple of positive results. It was five wins, let's just keep things in context here.

"I understand the extremes of what we do. What I'm saying is that we didn't do the basics of everything we've done to get to this point, good, bad or otherwise.

"Even when we didn't win at Newcastle, we played well and fought hard to the last second to win that game of football. We didn't do that today and every time we've played that's been an element of our game but I didn't see that today."

Tottenham fell to a shocking defeat on the South Coast, as Brighton staged a thrilling second half comeback to defeat Ange Postecoglou’s outfit.

It was a real ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ performance from the Lilywhites, as they completely threw away their two goal lead they had the at break.

Goals courtesy of Brennan Johnson and James Maddison had put them into the driving seat and there was no indication of the farce that would ensue.

The Seagulls would completely turn the deficit around, with Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck all netting to inflict embarrassment on the North Londoners.

It is currently unknown what Spurs’ collapse was down to, but the team performance looked complacent and tired. Let’s rate their individual performances.

Tottenham Player Ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – 5

There was not an awful lot the Italian stopper could do about any of the three goals he conceded.

Minteh’s strike that sparked the comeback was from close proximity, Rutter’s finish was adroit in its accuracy and Vicario was stranded for Welbeck’s winner.

On the whole his distribution was decent, but the keeper did not make a notable save so we can not rate him any higher.

Pedro Porro – 5

The right-back did not make many mistakes, which can not be said for the rest of Spurs’ backline.

In the first half, Porro was constantly outnumbered by Kaoru Mitoma and the overlapping left-back Ferdi Kadioglou.

Despite this, the Spaniard battled hard to make sure the pair did not overcome him with ease.

Brighton appeared to alter their gameplan during the break as they switched their focus to attacking the opposite flank.

This proved to be decisive for the Seagulls, but it meant Porro could only be a spectator for the second half onslaught.

Cristian Romero – 4

Romero has been a polarising figure amongst the Spurs fanbase this season, with the Argentine frequently getting exposed.

His positional awareness and the timing of his attempted tackles leaves a lot to be desired, with the defender often pushing up to win the ball, which leaves a gaping hole in the defensive structure.

These risks look great when it comes off it, but when it doesn’t it appears rash and ill-disciplined.

Unfortunately for his team, the version of their captain today was the latter.

Micky Van de Ven – 3

That second half display is arguably the worst the Dutchman has played in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.

The speedy defender who is so often a reliable figure, looked a shadow of his usual self as he seemed to lose every duel and was uncharacteristically getting out-paced by the lively Minteh.

His body language was worrying and every time he engaged with an attacker it looked as if he would come off second best.

Destiny Udogie – 2

The Italian has endured several injury issues over the last six months and he simply does not look fit.

Udogie had to be taken off at halftime at Old Trafford last weekend and missed their midweek game away at Ferencvaros and questions will be raised over whether he should have started this game given his display.

His grave error presented Minteh with the simple task of finishing past Vicario which commenced Brighton’s revival and the Seagulls clearly sensed vulnerability as they targeted the full-back’s side.

All three goals ended up coming down his side, with Udogie directly involved in inadvertently facilitating all three.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 3

The Uruguayan was unusually sloppy and wasteful in possession in the first period and the Brighton press was overwhelming the midfielder on several occasions.

Alongside the large majority of his teammates, Bentancur looked devoid of any composure and fight.

Dejan Kulusevski – 7

Kulusevski is one of the only players that can reflect on the game his head held high.

The Swede ran the show in the first half, exuding creativity with every touch and being the catalyst for Tottenham’s dominance.

He is excelling in the more central area and has taken the burden of being the inventive midfielder in his stride.

The 24-year-old worked his socks off with his side trailing, but he fizzled out along with the rest of his colleagues.

James Maddison – 5

If there was one player who personified the vast difference in performance between the first and second half, it was Maddison.

It was a looking to be a productive day for Maddison as he struck home his second goal of the campaign with a slight touch of fortune as Bart Verbruggen made a mess of saving the shot.

However after the interval he was utterly non-existent and the occasion seemed to get the better of him.

Tottenham rely heavily on Maddison to succeed and today he went missing.

Brennan Johnson – 7

Confidence is evidently coursing through the Welshman’s veins at the moment as his ruthless opener meant he has now scored in six successive matches.

Everything looks so natural for Johnson and his perfectly timed run and first time finish was taken with conviction.

The 23-year-old tried to help his team defend when they were under siege, but he could only watch on helplessly as they disintegrated.

Dominic Solanke – 7

The striker was phenomenal in the opening stages, with his link-up play resembling the qualities of Harry Kane.

His incisive, defence-splitting pass to set up the Johnson goal displayed a creative aspect to his game that was previously unknown.

But after dominating the opposition defence he failed to impose himself on proceedings after the break.

The Englishman touched the ball five times in the second period, with four of them being from kick-offs. That damning statistic really highlights just how uninvolved Solanke was in that half.

Timo Werner – 2

Ange Postecoglou has opted to persist with starting Werner in recent weeks, but once again the German stood out as a weak point in a free-flowing outfit.

A perfect example of his shortcomings came inside the first minute, as he used his electrifying acceleration to burst in behind.

However, he then misplaced a simple pass to Johnson who would have had a tap-in to open the scoring and his teammates exasperation told the full story.

He consistently lost the ball in the final third, which halted any progress his side could make.

In fairness, he did record an assist for the James Maddison goal, with a simple pass into the Englishman’s path.

Werner seems to have all the ingredients to be an effective player but let’s himself down with his end product.

Substitutes

Yves Bissouma – 4

The Malian midfielder replaced Bentancur with 15 minutes to go but failed to have an impact against his former club.

Pape Matar Sarr – 4

Sarr came on to help the midfield regain some control but ultimately could not change the outcome of the match.

Mikey Moore – 4

Postecoglou really lacked offensive options on the bench so the responsibility of changing the game had to be bestowed upon Moore. The 17-year-old’s effort can’t be questioned but the teenager did end up looking like a boy amongst men.

Tottenham saw a 2-0 lead slip away from them as they went on to lose 3-2 away at Brighton.

It was a great first half for the Lilywhites, scoring twice with the man on form Brennan Johnson grabbing yet another goal, and James Maddison grabbing the second, Spurs finished the first half with the scoreline reading 2-0.

However, the second half was terrible for Spurs, conceding three and throwing away their two-goal lead in just 20 minutes.

Spurs went on to lose their game at the AMEX 3-2 after an utterly abysmal defensive display cost them massively in the second half.

Here's what we learnt from the game:

Spurs have major defensive problems

A common theme all season has been Spurs' defensive mistakes, and it was on display yet again at the AMEX.

Spurs full-back Destiny Udogie fluffed his lines when attempting to clear the ball from a Brighton cross, which led to Yankuba Minteh scoring the first for Brighton.

Spurs were also caught sleeping for Brighton's equaliser and allowed Georginio Rutter to easily hit the back of the net.

For the third, Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur were both beaten easily by Rutter, who found an unmarked Danny Welbeck in the box to head home.

Yet again, individual mistakes cost Spurs, a problem which has not only been at the club this year, but also for many seasons.

Letting a 2-0 lead slip after a good first-half performance is unacceptable and needs to be worked on massively to avoid the constant defensive mistakes.

Brennan Johnson is a vital player for Spurs

Brennan Johnson netted Spurs' first goal of the match, with a cute finish past Mark Verburggen.

The Welshman scoring meant that it was his sixth consecutive game he's scored in - in all competitions.

Johnson also put in a great first-half display, causing the Brighton defenders trouble, with both his pace and skill.

Unfortunately for Johnson, he was isolated in the second half and couldn't do the work that he did in the first half.

Despite the overall team performance, Johnson proved doubters wrong yet again and showed why he should always be starting for the club.

Timo Werner still can be a key player

Timo Werner has been under a lot of scrutiny by fans recently, mainly for his final product, but the Spurs forward still works hard week in and week out.

Werner managed to pick up an assist against Brighton, assisting James Maddison's goal, and using his blistering pace down Spurs' left-hand side.

Werner's shooting ability still let him down, however, he was proving to supporters that his build-up play is key.

For Werner, it is a confidence game now, and once he starts scoring, more goals will come from him and the team.

Ange Postecoglou needs to make changes quicker

A key issue brought up by Spurs fans this season is Ange Postecoglou's reluctance to make changes, and the game against Brighton was no different.

Despite being 2-0 up, Postecoglou decided to still attack them, leaving the defence open and subject to mistakes, which happened and ultimately led to Spurs' loss.

Alongside the reluctancy to change tactics in the game, the Australian also didn't make the first substitution until the 79th minute, in which he brought off an attacker and a midfielder for two midfielders. The decision was made at 3-2 down.

Postecoglou has said multiple times that his team will "not change" no matter the scoreline or the way they have been playing, but the problems are starting to show when teams are figuring out the tactics quite easily.

Tottenham Hotspur played out a fantastic 3-0 win at Old Trafford against top-six rivals, Manchester United.

Spurs started the game off strongly, scoring within three minutes, courtesy of Welshman Brennan Johnson who has started to hit extreme heights in his performances.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off shortly before halftime, which caused a shift in the nature of the game.

Nevertheless, Tottenham still played out their attacking football and scored two more in the second half, courtesy of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, sealing a strong victory.

Here are my Tottenham Player Ratings from the match.

Tottenham Player Ratings

Guglielmo Vicario - 8/10

Spurs' man between the sticks played a great game away against such a tough opponent.

The Italian made a few good saves and doing so earned him a clean sheet at the Theatre of Dreams.

Destiny Udogie - 6/10

Unfortunately for the young left-back, he came off injured at half time, so he didn't get to show his full class.

However, in his 45-minute spell, he caused problems down the left-hand side and was solid in his game.

Micky van de Ven - 9/10

The second best player on the pitch today was Spurs' Dutch speedster, Van de Ven.

Van de Ven played brilliantly, defending well and creating the first goal by running three-quarters of the pitch to assist Johnson.

A deserved Man of the Match award was given to him at the end of the game.

Cristian Romero - 7/10

The Argentine was also solid at the back, defending well against Joshua Zirkzee in the first half, and helping stop any other attacking threat for the rest of the game.

Nothing overly special, however, but did his job very well.

Pedro Porro - 7/10

Porro mainly showed his class in the game in the final third, creating a few chances for the team and getting forward well.

He had very minor problems against Marcus Rashford on the right-hand side, but ultimately not too problematic as he earned the clean sheet.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 7/10

The Uruguayan handled the midfield brilliantly, showing his class once again.

He dominated his national teammate, Manuel Ugarte, who seemed lost throughout the 70 minutes he was on the pitch.

James Maddison - 8/10

Yet another key performance from Maddison, who in the last few games has regained his best form again.

Maddison created many chances and skipped past the United players with ease, and even was the one who got Fernandes sent off.

Dejan Kulusevski - 9/10

The best player on the pitch today was Spurs' number 21, Dejan Kulusevski, who showed what he can do from a central position.

Kulusevski created nine chances throughout the game, which is the most from a visiting player at Old Trafford since the 2003/04 season.

His performance was topped off with a goal, but the Sweden international captain could've had a few assists too.

Timo Werner - 6/10

Despite the overall good game from Spurs, Werner disappointed in the attack.

Werner had a few chances in the game, but his final product was very lacklustre.

Brennan Johnson - 8/10

Johnson hit the back of the net once again, making it his fourth consecutive game he's scored in now for Spurs.

Despite his confidence knocks a few games into the season, the young winger has really hit new heights and is vital for the team now.

Dominic Solanke - 8/10

Another great performance by a man who was criticised quickly by some fans over concerns about his fitness at the start of the season.

Solanke worked tirelessly to help the team out, and in doing so earned a goal for himself from a corner.

Substitutes

Djed Spence - 7/10

Spence was the player who came on for the injured Udogie, but he filled his role well despite being out of position.

The full-back defended well against Alejandro Garnacho and helped provide for the team in attack too.

Mikey Moore - 6/10

Spurs' standout youngster this season got a nice spell at the end of the match for himself.

Moore even came very close to getting a goal with a chance the narrowly missed the target.

Lucas Bergvall - 6/10

Bergvall also came on for 10 minutes and impressed well.

Bergvall has shown his quality on set-pieces for Spurs in his cameos, and he did that again by taking the corner that led to Solanke's late goal

Pape Matar Sarr - 6/10

Sarr calmed down the midfield well in the final 10 minutes.

He also provided the assist for the third, as he flicked it on from the ball in from Bergvall.

Radu Dragusin - 6/10

Dragusin may have been sent off in midweek against Qarabag, but in his short cameo on the pitch, he helped Spurs seal the clean sheet.

Both Manchester United and Tottenham will be eager to get their Premier League campaigns back on track, with both teams finding themselves adrift of the European spots after disappointing starts to the season.

Erik Ten Hag's side were ridiculed for their lacklustre performance against Dutch side FC Twente on Thursday, with Ten Hag criticising United's work ethic, "They [Twente] fought for every yard and we didn't."

Tottenham, meanwhile, will have increased in confidence, having won three consecutive games after their demoralising home defeat in the North London derby a fortnight ago.

At the forefront of this revitalised form is Dominic Solanke, who has now netted in consecutive matches after picking up an injury on his Spurs debut.

The last outing between the two sides in January saw the visitors come from behind twice to earn a point. Since then, Ange Postecoglou's side have picked up just two league wins on the road.

The consensus between both sets of fans is that a draw this time around would not be adequate enough, given the ambitions to secure Champions League qualification.

Despite this only being the sixth match so far this campaign, there is no doubt that defeat for either side would see intense increase in pressure from fan bases who are growing ever more impatient and frustrated with their team's lack of consistency.

Team News

Manchester United

Erik Ten Hag has no new injury concerns, but Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Leny Yoro remain sidelined for the Red Devils.

United are expected to make numerous changes after multiple fringe players failed to capitalise on their Europa League opportunity, given the underwhelming performances displayed in midweek.

Matthijs de Ligt, Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro may all be recalled to the starting lineup.

Tottenham

Postecoglou suffered an injury scare involving captain Son Heung-Min, after the South Korean was forced off in the 71st minute, with what looked like muscular cramp caused by fatigue.

Tottenham fans will be hoping that this was just a precautionary measure and that Son won't be joining the absentee list that features Richarlison and summer signing Wilson Odobert.

The visitors will also be able to recall the services of Cristian Romero, who was unavailable against Qarabag due to suspension.

Likely lineups

Manchester United

Andre Onana; Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui; Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo; Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo; Rasmus Hojlund.

Tottenham

Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison; Son Heung-Min, Dominic Solanke, Brennen Johnson.

Key Players

Manchester United - Matthijs de Ligt

A player that made a name for himself and thrived under Ten Hag has recently been asserting his dominance in the central defensive position for his new side.

When United signed Raphael Varane in 2021 it appeared to be the signing that answered the prayers of so many fans, as United had struggled to form a resolute defensive pairing since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, Varane's three-year spell was somewhat underwhelming after failing to live up to expectation, but now the recruitment of de Ligt, who has so far played alongside Lisandro Martinez, seems to have sparked hope into a revitalised United defence.

The Dutchman has helped United keep consecutive clean sheets in their last two games and also registered his first goal, away at Southampton with a clinical, cross-goal header.

United's defence seems notably reassured with the presence and composure of de Ligt and this will be vital if they are to keep the high-pressing attack of Tottenham at bay.

Tottenham - James Maddison

The attacking midfielder, who was "devastated" to be dropped by Gareth Southgate from England's recent European Championship squad, has so far shown glimpses of the scintillating form he produced prior to picking up a long term injury in the early stages of last season.

Maddison's relentless energy has injected hope into the Spurs fans, with positive performances which have been far contrary to the lack of points so far picked up by his team.

Maddison picked up his first goal of the season in Spurs' last league outing against Brentford, with a sublime, left-footed chip to round off a fantastic performance, in which he seemed to be involved with every attack Tottenham constructed.

Match Details

Where is the game being played?

The match will take place at Old Trafford.

What time is kick off?

Kick-off is at 16:30 BST.

How can I watch?

The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports from 4pm BST.

Tottenham excelled in the face of adversity as they beat Qarabag 3-0 in North London despite having 10 men for almost the entire match.

Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke scored again to extend their respective goalscoring runs, whilst Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr recorded his first goal of the campaign to make a potentially dire situation look fairly comfortable for the Lilywhites.

Spurs went a player down early on, as Radu Dragusin was given his marching orders in just the eighth minute for fouling Qarabag striker Juninho whilst being the last man.

But Ange Postecoglou’s men defended valiantly and rode their luck at times to start their Europa League campaign with a triumph.

Qarabag were extremely wasteful as they missed a number of golden opportunites, including Azerbaijan international Tural Bayramov skying a penalty off the crossbar.

The resilience Tottenham players displayed will please Postecoglou and here’s how we rated each individual performance.

Tottenham Player Ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – 9

The Italian stopper had a virtuoso performance guarding Spurs’ net as he made several smart stops to preserve the clean sheet.

The 27-year-old was called into action early on as Ben Davies was dispossessed just inside Tottenham's half and the keeper showed a surprising turn of pace to block the ball 35 yards away from his goal-line.

With Spurs legs tiring, Qarabag had the large portion of the possession in the second period and they peppered their opposition's goal, but their efforts were thwarted by the body of Vicario, who deservedly received the Player of the Match award.

His splendid day at the office was made even better when he was given the captain’s armband for the final stages of the contest after captain Heung-min Son had been substituted.

Archie Gray – 7

The teenager really grew into the game after a shaky opening half hour.

In the first period, the former Leeds United man showed flashes of brilliance going forward but looked fragile defensively.

It also seemed as if the full-back was carrying a knock which hampered his ability to track back and deal with the demands of playing attacking football with one less player.

But after the interval, the Englishman shook off the injury concern and played with maturity beyond his years to help his team keep a clean sheet with a numerical disadvantage.

Gray, who is equally adept in midfield, operated at right full-back and due to Djed Spence’s omission from Spurs’ 25-player Europa League squad, the £40 million summer signing could prove to be a regular fixture in these European contests.

Radu Dragusin – 0

The Romanian jeopardised his team’s chances of getting anything from the game as he got sent off extremely early.

A lapse of concentration saw a simple pass from his centre-half partner Micky Van de Ven roll under his foot which allowed the lively Juninho to pounce and pick up the loose ball.

With the Brazilian bearing down on goal, Dragusin instinctively pulled on the attacker’s jersey to hinder his progress, but the forward went down and referee Willy Delajod had no choice but to send him off.

A moment of madness from the defender, which earns him a suspension for their next European game away at Ferencvaros next week.

A zero is the best we can offer him.

Micky Van de Ven – 8

The Dutchman stepped up for his side when they needed him the most to command the backline and cover acres of space with their defence stretched.

Van de Ven never looked fazed and utilised the bursts of acceleration he has in his locker to stop several potential Qarabag attacks from materialising.

Furthermore, he didn’t just win the ball back but also showed composure to retain possession on what was his first European appearance in Lilywhite.

Ben Davies – 7

An ever-reliable member of the squad, Davies once again put in a solid shift.

However, the Welshman was bailed out by his goalkeeper during the first half after being caught dawdling on the ball as his blushes were spared by heroics from Vicario.

Ignoring that slight mistake, the defender maintained a high level throughout the rest of proceedings and helped organise a makeshift backline under pressure.

Yves Bissouma - 6

Bissouma was introduced back into the fold from the start after being unavailable for sizeable minutes since the international break due to injury.

On the whole, the Malian controlled the tempo effectively and his ability to protect the ball in dangerous areas was key to keeping his team in front.

But his performance wasn't perfect as his mistimed tackle on Elvin Jafarquliyev gifted Qarabag a penalty and a chance to get back into the match.

Fortunately for Bissouma, the spot kick was missed.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7

Sarr capped off an accomplished performance with his first goal of the season to double the Lilywhites’ advantage.

The Senegalese international peeled off from a Dejan Kulusevski corner shortly after the break and after Qarabag keeper Mateusz Kochalski’s flimsy punch fell to the midfielder, he sorted his feet out well to stroke in Spurs’ second to afford his side a little bit of breathing room.

It has been an unconvincing beginning to the campaign for Sarr after his breakthrough season last year, but the 21-year-old showed glimpses that the highly-regarded form of old is making it's return.

Lucas Bergvall – N/A

It would be completely unfair to give the Swede a rating, due to the fact he was the unfortunate player to be sacrificed after Dragusin’s early red card.

Bergvall visibly looked emotional after seeing his number flash up on the fourth official’s board on the tenth minute and it’s a big blow for the 18-year-old in what was a fantastic opportunity to showcase his talents.

Brennan Johnson – 8

The Welshman is in scintillating form as he netted for the third consecutive game in a third different competition.

After being teed up by Solanke, the winger coolly slotted the ball into the far corner to give his side the lead. Most importantly, it was great to see a smile return to the face of a man who has been unfairly treated in recent times.

Johnson was then taken off at halftime - a wise decision from the manager to protect the forward’s fitness ahead of a busy schedule.

Dominic Solanke – 8

Solanke displayed the attributes that made Postecoglou want him so badly this summer and Spurs' new striker looks to have rediscovered his prolific form.

After recording his first goal for his new club on the weekend against Brentford, the striker finished in a very similar manner to wrap up the three points.

But his defensive contribution particularly stood out, with the Englishman consistently tracking back to help his teammates in defence.

Heung-min Son – 7

Spurs' captain also put in a admirable defensive shift and the South Korean's leadership skills helped to iron out his team's sloppiness.

It was Son's curling effort that was parried by Kochalski into the path of Solanke for Tottenham's third and the winger also helped dictate the flow of the game by slowing it down when necessary.

The South Korean's first ever goal for Tottenham Hotspur was scored against Qarabag and he would have been gutted to miss out on scoring his 165th under the lights on Thursday night.

Substitutes

Destiny Udogie – 8

Despite not starting the match, Udogie ended up playing almost the full game as Postecoglou opted to bring the Italian into the fold following Dragusin's dismissal to restore balance to the backline.

It was an all-encompassing display from the full-back, as he used his athleticism to cover every blade of grass whilst providing a creative outlet when necessary.

Dejan Kulusevski – 8

Kulusevski is a vital part of this Tottenham squad and situations like tonight are exactly why he is a necessity for Postecoglou.

The Swede offers the unique ability to wriggle out of tight spaces and keep hold of the ball in precarious spaces, which is always a huge asset, especially when his team are numerically disadvantaged.

He was substituted on at halftime and his lung-busting runs, neat footwork and exemplar work ethic was crucial in controlling the game.

Credit should also be given to Kulusevski for Spurs' second, as he whipped in a dangerous corner into the six-yard box which forced Qarabag's goalkeeper into an error which subsequently lead to Sarr netting.

Timo Werner – 5

The German's 15-minute cameo was a quiet one as the hosts looked to conserve energy.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6

With Bissouma still returning to full fitness, Bentancur came on to sure up the midfield and the Uruguayan provided an injection of energy.

Mikey Moore – N/A

Came on with roughly ten minutes to go to gain some experience in senior football. The 17-year-old needs to be nurtured appropriately if he is to flourish and reach his full potential and small cameos such as these will be perfect for his development.

Tottenham returned to winning ways in the Premier League this weekend with an accomplished 3-1 home victory over Thomas Frank’s Brentford.

Ange Postecoglou’s players came back from behind to claim three points in North London after falling to consecutive league defeats.

It was a shaky start for Spurs as a chorus of groans reverberated around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring inside 22 seconds with an instinctive volley into the top corner.

But, they did not take long to respond as record signing Dominic Solanke netted his first goal in Lilywhite with a classic poacher’s finish on the rebound after James Maddison’s effort was saved.

Tottenham’s press was too much for the Brentford defence to cope with as they were consistently wasteful in possession and gifted their opponents with multiple opportunities.

After his late winning goal in the Carabao Cup against Coventry City on Wednesday, Brennan Johnson got himself on the scoresheet again with a low arrowed finish which sailed past Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

After the break, the game was played at a frenetic pace with both sides exchanging blows trying to find

Guglielmo Vicario was forced into a couple of smart stops to deny Brentford from restoring parity as that equalising goal proved to be elusive for the West Londoners.

With five minutes to go, James Maddison wrapped up the victory for his side with a delicate chip over the onrushing Flekken to ensure there would not be any late drama.

As Tottenham picked up their second win of the season, here is some of the talking points after that victory.

Son thrives in a more central area

Saturday’s game saw Ange Postecoglou make a slight tactical adjustment to the positions of his players in possession and it paid dividends for Spurs.

Typically, we have seen the Australian manager demand that his wingers keep their width and hug the flanks, but the slight tweak meant attacking midfielder Maddison drifted over to the touchline whilst Son, who usually plays on the left-wing, moved into a more central position.

Not only did this allow Son to get more involved in the play, it also gave him the license to make darting runs in behind the Brentford defence, a movement the South Korean has thrived on during his career.

Despite not converting any of his chances, on another day Tottenham’s captain easily could have bagged a brace and still contributed with an assist for Johnson and Maddison’s goals.

Kulusevski and Maddison is the perfect midfield pairing

Brentford are renowned for making life difficult for any team they face, by setting up with a low block which stifles the creativity of their opponents and prevents players from finding pockets of space.

Recently we have seen Postecoglou choose to play with one natural holding midfielder and two more attack-minded midfielders in Maddison and Kulusevski.

The Swede and the Englishman complement each other so well, with the former able to use his strength and athleticism to contribute with the defensive work as well as covering every blade of grass.

Whilst the latter profits off Kulusevski occupying the attention of defenders as it unlocks more space from him to exploit and it halves the burden of the creative responsibility.

Cristian Romero is an 'attacking' defender

The phrase above might come across as confusing as it is a clear oxymoron, but it can be explained.

In the early stages of this campaign Romero has rightfully been scolded for being at fault for several goals they have conceded due to the vice-captain switching off.

His lack of concentration has been exposed on numerous occasions as he lost his marker Gabriel in the North London derby last weekend with the Brazilian thumping in the winner and Jamie Vardy ghosted in behind him to score Leicester City’s equaliser on opening day.

However, offensively the Argentine offers a lot. He’s always a threat from set-pieces having already scored against Everton this term and he constantly is looking for a forward pass, as he did for Spurs’ third goal.

After Yves Bissouma’s crunching tackle sparked a counter attack for the home side, Romero picked up the ball and played an incisive through ball to Son who set up Maddison for his first goal of the campaign.

There has been murmurs around the Tottenham fanbase that Romero should play in that holding midfield position due to the aforementioned qualities and his defensive frailties.

Also, when you consider that an accomplished and highly sought-after defender in Radu Dragusin is warming the bench most weeks in does make sense to at least experiment in shifting Romero’s role.

Brennan Johnson continues to prove people wrong

The Welshman’s confidence has ameliorated over this past week as he has found the net in consecutive games.

Johnson opted to delete his Instagram account last week after people inappropriately voiced their displeasure over the winger’s performance in the North London derby.

The 23-year-old has used the abhorrent abuse he received on social media as fuel for self-improvement and he has taken the criticism in his stride and proved the doubters wrong.

Johnson looked lively right from the first whistle and threatened to ripple the net earlier than he did but his shot drifted just wide of the post.

His goal was taken with conviction and the Spurs faithful broke into song praising Johnson because the character he has shown is admirable.

Consistency is the key now for the winger and if he can continue this form in front of goal Spurs could have a game changer on their hands.

Spurs progressed into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in three years. Two late goals courtesy of Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson saw the Lilywhites scrape through against Championship outfit Coventry City.

It was a Tottenham performance that resembled a group of players low on confidence as they were dominated by the Sky Blues who ran their opposition ragged.

After bombarding Fraser Forster’s net, Brandon Thomas-Asante finished a flowing counter-attack midway through the second period to give Coventry a deserved lead.

James Maddison, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski were introduced into the fold with their team in dire need of an injection of quality. The trio certainly provided that in an abundance.

Cute and clever interplay from Maddison and Kulusevski saw the latter slip through the advanced Spence, who crucially got to the ball first to poke in Spurs’ equaliser with less than sixty seconds of the ninety to go.

That goal knocked the wind out of Coventry's sails and their misery was compounded when Rodrigo Bentancur played through Johnson, who showed a tremendous amount of composure to delicately dink the ball over the onrushing Ben Wilson to complete a late comeback.

But there will be a lot to analyse for Ange Postecoglou after his side looked the inferior team for the large majority of the tie, here are four things we learnt.

A potential turning point for Brennan Johnson?

The Welshman’s relationship with the Tottenham fanbase reached an all-time low last weekend after social media abuse directed to the winger after his North London derby showing made him resort to deleting his Instagram account.

Johnson didn’t start the game but was a very early substitute for the injured Wilson Odobert and he came on with a point to prove.

The 23-year-old silenced a lot of doubters as he proved to be Tottenham’s saviour with a cool, calm and collected chip in the dying embers which prevented the Lilywhites from yet another untimely exit in a domestic competition.

Despite the fantastic finish, it was evident that Johnson’s affinity with the fans is fractured and it was a damning indictment that the former Nottingham Forest man not only didn’t celebrate in that jubilant moment, but showed little joy at full time and his applause to the travelling fans was brief.

That 93rd minute winner to save Spurs from a dreaded penalty shootout showed Johnson has resolve and the minerals to be a heroic player for the North Londoners, and everyone involved with the club will be hoping he can use that decisive goal as a platform to revive his confidence.

Djed Spence deserves more minutes

Spence was a surprise non-inclusion in the starting lineup but came on at the interval for Destiny Udogie and operated on his less natural left side.

The defender gave Spurs a lifeline in the last minute of allotted time when he burst into the box and showed desire to latch onto Kulusevski’s intricate pass before the onrushing Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson to restore parity.

The most stirring aspect of Spence’s goal was how he dictated the play leading up to the equaliser, as he commanded his captain Heung-min Son to make a run down the left flank to draw the defender away and create space before darting through and pointing to Kulusevski to show exactly where he wanted the ball.

You would have been forgiven for mistaking Spence as an established member of the squad, but that was only his second competitive appearance in almost two years for Tottenham.

Not only was Spence not included in the starting eleven, but he has also been omitted from Spurs’ 25-man squad for the Europa League group phase, a competition many were expecting him to get a chance to impress in.

The 24-year-old demonstrated he can be a valuable asset amongst the players Postecoglou has at his disposal, and it will certainly give the Australian food for thought over the coming weeks.

Was Dominic Solanke the right man for Tottenham?

The Lilywhites splashed roughly £65 million on securing Solanke’s services this summer, a fee which made the Englishman the most expensive acquisition in Spurs history.

However, the 27-year-old’s displays have been underwhelming thus far and the striker has really struggled to impose himself on any of the games.

Against Coventry he was kept very quiet by Mark Robins’ defence and did not prove to be an outlet for Postecoglou and was subsequently axed on the hour mark for the skipper Heung-Min Son.

In fairness to Solanke, the service by his teammates has been virtually non-existent and an ankle injury on his debut against Leicester City has understandably halted his progress and fitness.

This midweek game was an opportunity to announce himself to the Spurs faithful and build some belief that he is the man to build the team around.

But the sharpness and potency appear to be lacking at the moment and if the former Bournemouth man does not show any flashes of potential in the near future, the pressure could start to mount.

Ange needs to hold a more serious approach towards the domestic cups

Spurs’ lack of trophy success in the last two decades is one of the most well-documented narratives in English football and the domestic cups seem to be the most viable avenue of lifting some silverware.

Postecoglou made eight changes to the starting eleven and as much as squad rotation is necessary, Tottenham simply couldn’t afford to crash out of a domestic competition at an early stage again and they were very close to.

As soon as some more senior players entered the pitch, the momentum completely shifted and they did end up looking like a Premier League team against Championship opposition.

The performance from his players poses a lot more questions than it answers and the 59-year-old will have a lot to digest in a short space of time as the visit of Brentford to N17 is less than 72 hours after their Carabao Cup game.

It will be interesting to see how much the manager rotates for their first Europa League game at home to Qarabag next week after Wednesday's game being worryingly close to a debacle.

The Australian manager has stated that he always wins things in his second year, but for that statement to remain true, he may have to sort out his priorities.