BBC.com

Dominic Solanke's England call-up is a classic case of being in the right place at the right time – and the same applied to interim manager Lee Carsley when he conducted a scouting mission on Tottenham's striker at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Solanke's late development, which kicked into full gear at Bournemouth last season and led to a £65m summer move to Spurs, has seen him called into England's squad for the first time since winning his only full cap as a 15-minute substitute in a goalless draw against Brazil at Wembley in November 2017.

It is also deserved reward for the sheer persistence of a player tipped for great things from when he was part of the England Under-17 team that won the European Championship in 2014, scoring in the final against the Netherlands in a game eventually won 4-1 on penalties.

Solanke only played one game for Chelsea and a move to Liverpool in July 2017 did not work out as he scored only once 27 games, his opportunities limited by being behind the world-class trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in then manager Jurgen Klopp's pecking order.

He moved to Bournemouth for £19m in January 2019 and it was there that Solanke finally started to fulfil his potential, scoring 77 goals in 216 games, including 21 in 42 appearances last season.

Former Liverpool manager Klopp remained an admirer, however, saying before his side travelled to Bournemouth in January: "I'm so happy for Dom because when we signed him we were all so excited about the talent he had.

"He had so much potential, but it is Liverpool and we had other good strikers as well.

"Dom was probably not the most clinical yet, but the talent was obvious."

The switch to Spurs has given the 27-year-old a bigger stage to showcase his qualities, but it was his display under the watchful gaze of Carsley in the 3-0 win at Manchester United that sealed his England inclusion.

Solanke did not just score Spurs' third goal. He also gave a complete all-round display of the main striker's art at a time when Carsley needs someone in that position.

Ivan Toney, who played at Euro 2024, has since decided to pursue his career in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli and is out of the England squad for now.

The statistics show how Solanke combined tireless running and work with potency against United, the central figure around which players such as Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski revolved to such great effect.

Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke has been named in Lee Carsley's England squad for this month's Nations League matches against Greece and Finland.

It is the striker's first call-up since he earned his only cap, a substitute appearance against Brazil in 2017 during his time at Liverpool.

"Dom's a player I'm fully aware of having worked with him in the past," said Carsley.

"He was really close to being in the last squad but got injured just before selection.

"He did so well at Bournemouth and now he's taken that form into Spurs. He's got a lot of really good attributes that I really like, as well as being a really nice person. He's extremely talented and it's good that we've got him."

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers is absent despite his fine start to the season, while Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, Tottenham playmaker James Maddison and Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze also miss out.

Kyle Walker, who was left out of Carsley's first squad, has earned a recall while Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has been selected after missing September's fixtures through injury.

Carsley made a strong start to his time as England interim manager with victories against Finland and the Republic of Ireland in September in the Nations League.

The Three Lions host Greece at Wembley on 10 October before playing Finland in Helsinki on 13 October.

I always think the easiest thing a manager can do in football is to pick and organise a team that is tenacious and will give you everything - but that is not proving easy for Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag at the moment.

United were very poor when they were on the ball during the first half of their 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham on Sunday, but they were even worse without it - and that should be a much bigger concern.

I was surprised when Ten Hag came out after Wednesday's Europa League draw with Twente and agreed that the Dutch side "wanted it more" but I assumed that we would see a reaction to that against Spurs.

Ten Hag was basically telling his players that lack of hunger was unacceptable, and things had to change at the weekend... but clearly the penny has not dropped.

The least I expected against Tottenham was a really fired up United side but that mindset was missing at the start of the game, and things quickly got worse for them from there.

When I watch United, I can at least see what Ten Hag is trying to do when his team have possession, but what they do without the ball is just as important.

People sometimes confuse that effort and application with pressing, but a team can set up in all sorts of ways and still have the determination and fighting spirit they need.

So it is not as simple as saying United struggled defensively against Spurs because they were not pressing or running all over the place. They were not set up to do that, but that in itself should not have been a problem if that's the way they wanted to play.

They started with Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee as two false nines, or two number 10s if you prefer, and asked them to fill the space in front of midfield so they were not dominated in there.

Being switched on and physically ready for the opposition is not necessarily about going after the ball and putting the Spurs defenders under pressure.

Instead, it is about winning duels, tracking runners, not letting men get across you and spotting danger - even if it is inside your own half.

United's set-up meant they could still press on occasions, such as in the wide areas when Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was on the ball, but the idea was that in general play they made themselves harder to play through.

That lasted less than three minutes, because the first goal they conceded was a ridiculous one.

It was a brilliant run by Micky van de Ven, but there was no way he should have got that far up the pitch without being challenged or even manhandled.

It was phenomenal pace and power, not amazing skill, and Van de Ven ran through some huge holes before Diogo Dalot just switched off to allow Brennan Johnson to run off the back of him to get on the end of the cross.

After going 1-0 down, United were losing the ball, losing challenges, being beaten in duels and finding it hard to play out. They were not tracking runners and did not know who to mark.

In short, they were a total mess.

Tottenham could have been 3-0 up by the time Bruno Fernandes was sent off before half-time – which was a harsh decision by the way – and the game should have been done.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has been criticised for being too bold in some games, but his team try to win games by playing adventurous football high up the pitch and, against United they were rewarded for their bravery.

That started with the progressive passing we saw from their centre-halves, and one of the reasons Spurs dominated the first half was because they were really confident in what they were trying to do.

United had a plan too, but they have had to adapt without the injured Rasmus Hojlund, who is the only out-and-out striker they have got. He came on late in the game against Spurs but is not fully fit after a hamstring injury.

They have used two number 10s like they did on Sunday before and done OK, playing on the counter-attack and using their rapid wingers.

It got them a couple of chances against Spurs too, even though they were not playing well, so it would harsh to say they don't have ideas or look like they work on anything when they have the ball.

Instead, in contrast to Spurs, I think a lack of confidence in their patterns of play is their main issue when they play out from the back.

Part of that is down to the fact United have been constantly changing their team - their centre-halves Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez had only partnered each other three times before Sunday, for example.

I actually think that side of things will improve as their players get used to each other, because we know they are good enough.

It is the team's mindset which is more of a worry for me.

You can’t have the confidence you need to play through the lines and bring the ball out from the back if you are always so worried about conceding.

The bits they have to do without the ball are the foundation for what they do when they get it and, unless they improve out of possession, then they won’t get that right either.

Ten Hag actually fixed it in the second half against Spurs, with United trailing 2-0 and down to 10 men, when he brought on Casemiro and Mason Mount.

There was a spell where United centre-halves were coming up to the halfway line and putting Dominic Solanke and James Maddison under pressure, and it gave United a platform to create more chances themselves.

Everyone was fighting hard because they had nothing to lose, so it can be done - but where was that when it was 11 versus 11? That is the question Ten Hag should be asking his players this week.

Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wore the haunted, hunted expression of someone reaching the end of the road after Tottenham Hotspur inflicted abject embarrassment at Old Trafford.

Since United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the club's restructured hierarchy eventually chose to keep faith with Ten Hag in the summer, he has been placed in a position where he is only one bad defeat away from a crisis and unforgiving scrutiny.

Winning the EFL Cup 18 months ago and last season's dramatic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, which effectively kept Ten Hag in a job, have been the highs among many lows – but it does not get much lower than this.

Ten Hag's Spurs counterpart Ange Postecoglou has been under the microscope himself after an indifferent start to the season, but Sunday's 3-0 rout was another outstanding step on the road to rehabilitation, a fourth straight win since losing the north London derby at home to Arsenal.

United, in the sharpest of contrasts, were a shambles – a rabble.

The big question looming over Old Trafford as the rain lashed down on thousands of red seats vacated by supporters who had stuck admirably by their side was this: can Ten Hag survive? And if so for how long?

This is a manager who is looking increasingly out of his depth. He has pulled back from the precipice before, most notably in the summer, but is back there again.

If there had been small signs of improvement defensively this campaign, that felt a distance away at Old Trafford on Sunday. This felt very much like the end - if not now, then very soon.

From the first whistle, Spurs were all over United like a rash, the tone set in the third minute when the magnificent Micky van de Ven raced like a white flash from inside his own half, leaving a succession of United players in his slipstream before setting up Brennan Johnson's simple finish.

United started dreadfully and went into a rapid decline, somehow surviving until half-time as Spurs carved them open on countless occasions but could not add a second.

Ten Hag claimed the red card shown to captain Bruno Fernandes three minutes before half-time "changed the game". It did not. United's manager is deluding only himself if he believes this. It made United's task even harder, but Spurs were threatening to run riot even before Fernandes' dismissal.

If it was decided to stage a world straw-clutching championship, Ten Hag would have a good chance of winning with that one.

And let's not forget this was a Spurs side stripped of their injured talisman Son Heung-min. Son's replacement Timo Werner actually spared United further punishment, confirming he remains a willing trier but a thoroughly unreliable finisher, twice shooting lamely at United keeper Andre Onana when clean through.

It was a tough day for Ten Hag's latest signing, Manuel Ugarte, who got nowhere near the Spurs midfield, while Joshua Zirkzee, hooked at half-time, as yet shows no sign of adding any of the cutting edge he was bought for at a cost of £36.54m.

United now lie in 12th in the Premier League having lost three of their first six games, the figures adding to the growing belief that the end game is looming into view for Ten Hag. They are ominous.

With memories of the 3-0 loss to Liverpool still fresh, United have now lost consecutive home league games without scoring a goal.

The last time this happened the manager, in that instance Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was sacked soon after losing 5-0 to Liverpool and 2-0 to Manchester City in November 2021.

United were wide open on Sunday, failing to press Spurs to any effect. Dejan Kulusevski alone created nine chances, the most by a visiting player in a Premier League game at Old Trafford since records started in 2003-04.

And the general decline - not only in Ten Hag's reign - can be underscored by the fact United have now lost 23 Premier League matches by three or more goals in the last 424 games. This is more than they did in 1,035 league games under Sir Alex Ferguson, when it happened on 22 occasions.

United's current total of seven points is their joint fewest after six games of a Premier League season and they have only scored fewer goals once at this stage - four in 2007-08 - than they have so far this term.

These statistics lie like wreckage around Ten Hag's feet.

One old manager once stated that you can smell a club in trouble when you walk into the stadium. There is certainly a very worrying stench around Old Trafford.

The brutal reality, or so it has seemed, is that Ten Hag is effectively manager by default after Ratcliffe and his sidekick Sir Dave Brailsford could not find a suitable successor in the summer. There are no signs of any discernible improvement, or evidence to make a case for further faith in Ten Hag.

It was not simply the fact Spurs were in a different class with quality, pace, intent and organisation. It was more troubling than that.

There was no shape to United. They lacked direction and leadership. There is no identity, nothing to clarify what strategy Ten Hag has and, as telling as everything else, there was a desperate lack of discipline within the team. At times they looked out of control.

Fernandes had just been sent off when Mason Mount emerged as a substitute just before half-time. His first contribution was a senseless challenge that flattened Rodrigo Bentancur, earning him a yellow card that put him under immediate pressure.

Lisandro Martinez was no better when he cynically scythed down the excellent James Maddison as United unravelled.

If Ten Hag emerges unscathed from this humiliation, one that will test the patience of United's leadership, the task does not get any easier with a trip to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before a visit to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Spurs fans taunted Ten Hag with the time-honoured "You’re getting sacked in the morning" chant. This remains to be seen.

This was a dark, desperate day for Erik ten Hag, one that had all the feeling that the credits might soon be rolling on his time in charge at Manchester United.

Beth England's stoppage-time header helped Tottenham snatch a point in the Women's Super League after a battling draw at Aston Villa.

The visitors had led for much of the game through Eveliina Summanen's first-half penalty, only for substitute Adriana Leon to level with 12 minutes left at Villa Park.

Villa captain Rachel Daly thought she had won three points for Robert de Pauw's side when heading in Lucy Parker's cross in the 88th minute.

But in the sixth minute of added time, England scored a late header of her own, turning in Amanda Nilden's cross to level in dramatic fashion.

Tottenham remain unbeaten in the league, having beaten Crystal Palace 4-0 a week ago.

A draw for Villa gives them their first point of the season under new boss de Pauw.

Villa took early control and thought they had taken the lead after seven minutes when Daly fired a volley past Spurs goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside.

Despite the dominance of the hosts, Spurs made the most of the one chance they had. Drew Spence was brought down in the area by Paula Tomas and Summanen converted from 12 yards for her first league goal since last October.

Substitute Leon made it 1-1 when finishing past Spencer with a curled effort after being teed up by Daly.

The former England international turned from provider to scorer 10 minutes later, looping a header over Spencer, with the Spurs keeper opting to play on despite going down injured after Leon's goal.

Tottenham, who had just four shots in the entire match, rallied late as substitute England's dart at the near post was found by the delivery of full-back Nilden.

Manchester United have won 24 Premier League home games against Tottenham – only Arsenal have beaten an opponent more often at home in the competition’s history (25 vs Everton).

After a run of four straight Premier League defeats against Manchester United between 2021 and 2022, Tottenham are now unbeaten in their last three against them in the league (W1 D2).

Manchester United have lost seven of their last 19 Premier League home games (W9 D3), including a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in their last such match. They had been unbeaten in 20 at Old Trafford before this current run (W17 D3).

Since picking up 14 points from their first six Premier League away games under Ange Postecoglou (W4 D2 L0), Tottenham have picked up just a further 14 points from their last 15 on the road (W3 D5 L7). Indeed, among ever present sides over the last two seasons, no side has won fewer Premier League away games since the start of November than Spurs (3).

Since the start of last season, only Manchester City (31) have gained more points from losing positions in the Premier League than Tottenham (28), with Spurs coming from behind to beat Brentford 3-1 last time out.

Manchester United have kept four clean sheets in their last six Premier League games, which is more than they had in their previous 24 combined (3). However, they’ve lost both games in which they’ve conceded during this run (W3 D1).

Manchester United have the third highest xG in the Premier League this season (9.6) but have scored just five goals – only Southampton have a bigger negative difference between their goals (2) and expected goals (7.1) so far this term.

As a team, only Liverpool players (282) have made more off the ball runs into the opposition’s box than Tottenham’s (263) in the Premier League this season. For individual players, Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min (54) and Dejan Kulusevski (43) rank joint first and joint third for this respectively.

Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes has had more shots without scoring than any other Premier League player this season (17). Meanwhile, only Cameron Archer (2.3) and Evanilson (2) have amassed a higher xG without finding the net so far than Fernandes (1.9).

Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min has created more chances from open play than any other player in the Premier League this season (13). He’s also had a hand in five goals in his last seven league appearances against Manchester United, scoring four and assisting one.

Ten Hag - We need to score more

Man Utd v Tottenham (Sun, 16:30 GMT)

Simon Stone

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

We had a bit of a quick turnaround with Manchester United yesterday.

Just 18 hours after he last spoke to the media after the Europa League draw with FC Twente, United manager Erik ten Hag was doing it again as he looked ahead to Sunday's game against Tottenham.

I wasn't sure whether to look back at the game just gone, or forward to what lies ahead.

In the end, I went for his explanation why United had played well against Twente and Crystal Palace before that, but won neither match.

His explanation was simple.

"Not scoring enough goals, that is the problem," he said. "It’s the key area. We have to score more goals as a team.

"We have players across the team who have the ability to score, that is clear, you see all the opportunities we are creating, but we are not scoring enough."

United have only scored more than once in two games this season - at Southampton and against League One Barnsley. They have scored once in the last two games.

How did Qarabag not score?

Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag

There are probably a few fans, players and staff alike that are wondering how Qarabag did not score against Tottenham during last night's 3-0 Europa League defeat.

Spurs played the final 82 minutes of the tie with 10 men and in both halves, came close to scoring.

In the first half, Juninho missed from close range to level the match before Toral Bayramov failed to convert his second half spot kick.

Qarabag had 14 shots in the game, four more than Tottenham.

According to the xG Philosophy on X (formerly known as Twitter), Tottenham had an expected goals of 1.56. Qarabag's was significantly higher at 2.43.

'Not happy with the start'

Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said he was not happy with how his side started their 3-0 win over Qarabag on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Spurs were forced to play the majority of the match with 10 men after defender Radu Dragusin was sent off in the eighth minute.

"Not ideal. I wasn't happy as I felt we started really sloppy," said Postecoglou.

"We talked about starting with a high-tempo and it was almost like the delay got to us.

"We were passive in our passing and when that happens someone switches off.

"The reaction after that was good, but I'm not happy with the start."

Arsenal, Celtic, Chelsea & Man City await Women's Champions League draw

The draw for the Women's Champions League group stage takes place from around 12:00 BST today - and Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Celtic will all find out their opponents.

The women's tournament still uses the traditional format until it adopts the 'league phase' system of the men's edition next season.

Teams are split into four pots of four teams, with four groups being drawn with one team from each pot.

Chelsea are in pot one with Barcelona, Lyon and Bayern Munich.

Wolfsburg and Real Madrid are alongside Arsenal and Manchester City in pot two.

Celtic are in pot four with Valeranga, Hammarby and Galatasaray.

Pot three contains Juventus, St Polten, Roma and Twente.

Group stage games then take place from 8-9 October until 17-18 December.

Celtic reach Women's Champions League group stage for first time

Celtic 2-0 Vorskla Poltava (Celtic win 3-0 on aggregate)

Celtic are the first Scottish side to qualify for the Women’s Champions League group stage since it was introduced in 2020-21.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg, headers from Emma Lawton and Shannon McGregor completed the job against Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava.

Neither side roused the Albert Bartlett Stadium crowd in the first half, though wing-back Lawton stood out following her introduction to Elena Sadiku's starting XI.

A wayward shot on the rebound from Lucy Ashworth-Clifford squandered the home side's finest chance before the interval.

Amy Gallacher spun her marker with ease before curling wide as Celtic piled on the pressure immediately after the restart.

Then Lawton marked a memorable first European start with her first Celtic goal on 52 minutes, the wing-back meeting a cross from Ashworth-Clifford with a towering finish.

You can read Cam Wanstall's report in full here.

'We can go a long way in the Champions League'

Man City 3-0 Paris FC (Man City won 8-0 on aggregate)

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor feels his side "can go a long way" in the Women's Champions League after securing their place in the group stage with an 8-0 aggregate win against Paris FC.

After a resounding 5-0 first-leg victory in the French capital last week, City added three more and kept another clean sheet at Joie Stadium on Thursday.

It was the first time Taylor's side have reached the group stage since the 2020-21 season when they fell to Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

"I feel we can go a long way," said the City manager. "I never would say we are going to win it. Getting out of the group stage is going to be our next objective. As long as we get out of the group, anything can happen.

"We want a crack at it, we just want to have a go at it, enjoy the ride, enjoy the experience, but we want to actually do something in this competition and I think we can."

Read Emily Salley's report in full here from the Joie Stadium.

Arsenal season 'starts now' after Champions League qualification

Arsenal 4-0 Hacken (Arsenal won 4-1 on aggregate)

Jonas Eidevall said Arsenal's season "starts now" after they secured qualification for the Women's Champions League group stage.

Eidevall's side scored four to overturn a first-leg deficit in their qualifying tie with BK Hacken.

They were trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Sweden but strolled to victory at Meadow Park.

A brilliant goal from England international Beth Mead and a late strike from substitute Frida Maanum capped a comfortable evening for Arsenal.

Midfielder Lia Walti and summer signing Mariona Caldentey had given them the lead in the first half as BK Hacken struggled to make an impact.

"One part of the season starts now. That I'm really happy for," manager Eidevall said.

"I think we've grown with our performances. We've got the results we wanted. We can't relax, the season starts for us now here. We are in all four competitions we want to be in and need to make the most out of it.

"We built the squad for competing, we need the squad to compete. We're ready to play these games."

Read Emma Sanders' report in full here.

'Perfect' start in Malmo, but can Rangers kick on?

Malmo 0-2 Rangers

Rangers secured an invaluable victory in their Europa League opener in Malmo as they earned a first-ever win on Swedish soil.

It was a dream and decisive start. Inside 60 seconds, Cyriel Dessers broke in behind, rounded Johan Dahlin in goal, and struck the base of the post from an angle.

Nedim Bajrami was alert and, as the ball rolled perfectly into his path, he gleefully stroked home his first Rangers goal.

Malmo looked rattled, though Isaac Kiese Thelin thought he had levelled when he volleyed an angled free-kick back across Jack Butland. His celebrations were short as the offside flag was raised.

Still, Rangers maintained their grip on the game.

Dessers flicked to Bajrami who, in turn, brilliantly sent Vaclav Cerny clear in on goal in acres of space. He had to score. He didn’t, as the ball flashed just past the post.

That became a theme, glaring missed chances, until late on.

Read more analysis from Martin Dowden's here.

Rangers start Europa League with fine win in Malmo

Malmo 0-2 Rangers

Rangers secured an invaluable victory in their Europa League opener in Malmo as they earned a first-ever win on Swedish soil.

It was a dream and decisive start. Inside 60 seconds, Cyriel Dessers broke in behind, rounded Johan Dahlin in goal, and struck the base of the post from an angle.

Nedim Bajrami was alert and, as the ball rolled perfectly into his path, he gleefully stroked home his first Rangers goal.

Malmo looked rattled, though Isaac Kiese Thelin thought he had levelled when he volleyed an angled free-kick back across Jack Butland. His celebrations were short as the offside flag was raised.

Still, Rangers maintained their grip on the game.

Dessers flicked to Bajrami who, in turn, brilliantly sent Vaclav Cerny clear in on goal in acres of space. He had to score. He didn’t, as the ball flashed just past the post.

That became a theme, glaring missed chances, until late on.

Read Martin Dowden's match report in full here.

'Stuck for two and a half hours' - Qarabag's Tottenham nightmare

Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag

As European nights go, Qarabag's could not have turned out much worse.

The team from Azerbaijan suffered traffic chaos, a shocking penalty miss and a host of spurned chances as 10-man Tottenham survived countless scares to open their Europa League campaign with victory.

Despite staying a short distance away in Stratford, Qarabag were affected by rail and road closures, and arrived at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 19:45 - just 15 minutes before the planned kick-off - forcing a delayed start until 20:35.

Uefa regulations ask for teams to arrive at least 75 minutes prior to kick-off, with offenders facing possible punishment.

The London Overground, which is the primary route to the stadium from other parts of London, was also down, forcing thousands of supporters to walk from as far as Liverpool Street station, two hours away.

They weren't the only ones caught out, with TNT pundits Peter Crouch and Glenn Hoddle having to walk the final bit of the journey.

Read more on a night to forget for Qarabag in London here.

Ten-man Spurs beat Qarabag in Europa League opener

Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag

Tottenham began their Europa League campaign with an impressive victory over Qarabag despite going down to 10 men from the seventh minute.

After a 35-minute delay to kick-off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because of travel disruptions, the home side were dealt an early blow when defender Radu Dragusin was shown a straight red card for bringing down Juninho in a one-on-one as the Brazilian raced through on goal.

Despite that, Brennan Johnson had the ball in the back of the net five minutes later when Qarabag were caught playing out from the back and Dominic Solanke placed it into the path of the 23-year-old to slot into the bottom corner.

It was Johnson's third goal in as many games.

Pape Sarr doubled Spurs' lead in the 52nd minute, controlling the loose ball at the far post before smashing home.

Qarabag were awarded a penalty three minutes later when Yves Bissouma brought Elvin Cafarquliyev down, but Toral Bayramov’s spot-kick was poor and pinged off the crossbar.

The Azerbaijan Premier League champions created an abundance of chances, with Guglielmo Vicario making some fine saves, but ultimately Qarabag lacked the cutting edge that Ange Postecoglou's side showed at the other end.

Solanke wrapped up victory in the 68th minute after goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski pushed Son Heung-min's strike from distance into the striker's path and he produced a confident finish.

Read Nizaar Kinsella's match report from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in full here.

As European nights go, Qarabag's could not have turned out much worse.

The team from Azerbaijan suffered traffic chaos, a shocking penalty miss and a host of spurned chances as 10-man Tottenham survived countless scares to open their Europa League campaign with victory.

Despite staying a short distance away in Stratford, Qarabag were affected by rail and road closures, and arrived at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 19:45 - just 15 minutes before the planned kick-off - forcing a delayed start until 20:35.

Uefa regulations ask for teams to arrive at least 75 minutes prior to kick-off, with offenders facing possible punishment.

The London Overground, which is the primary route to the stadium from other parts of London, was also down, forcing thousands of supporters to walk from as far as Liverpool Street station, two hours away.

They weren't the only ones caught out, with TNT pundits Peter Crouch and Glenn Hoddle having to walk the final bit of the journey.

Gurban Gurbanov, who manages the visiting Azeri side, complained "these things shouldn't happen" after struggling to reach the stadium from their hotel in Stratford.

When asked why his side arrived so late, Gurbanov said: "Imagine being caught in traffic for more than two and a half hours. I cannot just make excuses for this; it shouldn’t have happened and there were no police to escort us.

"It had a big impact on our footballers, but it doesn't take away from our opponent. They are a good team and we don't turn a blind eye to that.

"As soon as we arrived, we were told to start in 40 minutes and we were not as ready or prepared as we should have been. These things shouldn’t happen."

The evening could have been very different, though, after Spurs defender Radu Dragusin received a red card just eight minutes in.

Still, Spurs ultimately rallied to earn a win with 10 men as Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr and Dominic Solanke secured victory - but the visitors will be wondering how they didn't score on a chaotic night on the pitch.

Their 14 shots - compared to Tottenham's 10 - included missed sitters and a horribly skied penalty as they were unable to take advantage of some sloppy Tottenham defending.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou blamed his side's sloppy start on the delayed kick-off.

"It was just not a great start for us," he said. "We were really passive with our passing. Whether it was the delay to the game or whatever, but it's no excuse.

"So having a 35-minute delay, delays warm-ups, delays all sorts of things but you've just got to deal with it and we've got to deal with it better than what we did tonight.

"We kind of shot ourselves in the foot and unfortunately Radu [Dragusin] paid the ultimate price for it. But as a team, we just didn't start the game in the way we wanted to and the way we needed to and made the game challenging for us.

"The response was great, absolutely, but disappointed we had to be in that position."

Spurs boss Postecoglou was left with some late concerns after Son Heung-min limped off in the 71st minute, and Archie Gray appeared to be in pain late on.

Johnson was also withdrawn at half-time after he continued his rich vein of form, but the Australian played down concerns about the Wales international's fitness.

"I haven't spoke to him. He said he felt a bit tired, but I haven't spoken to him or the medical team yet," Postecoglou said of Son.

"Yeah Brennan's fine. It was just tactical. I thought we would need Deki Kulusevski because the way the game is going, Deki is a like a hybrid midfielder and can also break out on that right wing. It was just a tactical switch, but Brennan is fine."

Goodbye

Right, shall we all clock off and enjoy the rest of this Thursday? Which is actually looking like a complete washout to be honest.

To follow Tottenham's opening Europa League game against Qarabag, you'll need to click the link here

For Rangers' away tie at Malmo, you'll need to click this link here

Here are some of today's top stories to have a read over, and we'll see you again bright and early tomorrow for reaction from tonight's fixtures, build-up to the weekend's games and an avalanche of manager news conferences.

See you tomorrow!

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Team news: No new injuries for Postecoglou

Tottenham v Qarabag (20:00 BST)

Tottenham Hotspur

As for team news, Ange Postecoglou said Tottenham are "looking good" with no new injuries from the weekend's win against Brentford. There are just the "obvious absences" of Cristian Romero, Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon, who trained yesterday but are ineligible for Spurs' Europa League opener different reasons.

As to who the Australian will choose in his starting XI against Qarabag, the likes of 18-year-old Archie Gray - who made his first appearance in the Carabao Cup victory against Coventry - could feature in the squad if the Australian is looking to rotate ahead of the weekend fixture with Manchester United. Another teenager, 17-year-old winger Mikey Moore, could also be handed his first start.

Get the latest news and analysis on our dedicated Tottenham page

Spurs start Europa League quest

Tottenham v Qarabag (20:00 BST)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham host Qarabag of Azerbaijan tonight in the first of eight games in the league phase of the newly expanded Europa League.

The road to Bilbao is a long one - teams could have to play up to 16 matches to reach the final on 21 May 2025.

Spurs will also travel to Hungary to face Ferencvaros (3 October), then host AZ Alkmaar (24 October) and play Galatasaray away (7 November).

Tottenham are back in the Europa League competition for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Their quest for a trophy that year was ended in the last 16 by Dinamo Zagreb, who completed a remarkable second-leg turnaround after Spurs were two-nil up from the first leg.

Former Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho apologised to the fans after the defeat, saying his players had failed "at the basics of life". Ouch.

The Europa League new format

The Europa League now follows the same format as the Champions League with 36 teams starting in the league phase.

Teams which fail to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League will not have access to the Europa League.

In the league phase all teams will play matches against eight different opponents.

After these eight games the top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition.

Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated from the Europa League.

Football calendar 'is crazy'

Ajax v Besiktas (20:00 BST)

Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson spoke to the media ahead of his team's opening Europa League clash with Besiktas tonight.

The Ajax midfielder was asked about player welfare, due to an increase in fixtures across the footballing calendar: "I know has been a big topic across Europe, especially for international players. Players who play Europe, the league, cups, international games. It's crazy really when you think about it,

"I think something will have to come to a head at some point because it gets too much, injuries to players, the welfare of players."

Malmo v Rangers: Key stats

Malmö FF V Rangers (17:45 BST)

Rangers face "a fight with history" as they bid to overturn a poor record against Malmo in their Europa League opener, says manager Philippe Clement.

The Ibrox side are in Sweden for their first match of the revamped Europa League, having lost twice to Malmo in Champions League qualifiers in the past 13 years.

As we look ahead to tonight's Europa League showdown, let's take a loom at some of the stats between these two sides:

Rangers have not won any of their six games against Swedish opposition in Europe (Two draws, four defeats)

Malmo have played Rangers four times in major European competition with all four meetings coming in Champions League qualification. In that time, the Swedish side remain unbeaten (W2 D2).

Rangers have lost four of their last seven away Europa League games (W1 D2), just one fewer than they suffered across their prior 19 such matches in the competition (five).

Malmo have lost nine of their last 12 games in all European competitions (W2 D1), a run which has seen the Swedish side fail to score on six separate occasions.

James Tavernier has netted 11 goals across major European competition for Rangers, with only Alfredo Morelos (15), Ralph Brand (13) and Ally McCoist (12) ever managing more for the Scottish side.

'Familiar foes Malmo are ultimate Scottish bogey team'

Malmo FF v Rangers (17:45 BST)

Liam McLeod

BBC Sport Scotland commentator

You would not think the eclectic Swedish city of Malmo would bring Scottish football fans out in a cold sweat.

However, the cosmopolitan conurbation in the country’s southern Skane province has been a graveyard for plenty of European dreams in recent years before Rangers begin their Europa League campaign there on Thursday.

Indeed, it is perhaps the Ibrox club that has the most reason to be fearful having come a cropper there twice in the past 12 years.

But it is not just they who have suffered at Malmo’s hands. Celtic and Hibernian have also been beaten on the Swedish side of the Oresund Bridge, which links Malmo with the Danish capital Copenhagen.

They are Scotland’s ultimate European bogey team.

Click here to read the rest of Liam's article ahead of tonight's match

Barron has sights on Europa League progression

Malmo FF v Rangers (17:45 BST)

Martin Dowden

BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Malmo

Connor Barron insists Rangers are fully focussed on advancing to the knockout stages of the Europa League as they begin their campaign in Sweden against Malmo.

The Ibrox side face a tough challenge after being drawn with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham in what, on paper, looks a formidable task.

However, Barron says the mentality is always the same within the club and qualification remains their realistic goal.

"One hundred percent, that's what we are at Rangers," he said.

"We want to win every game we play and that doesn't change no matter what competition it is.

"We're here to win."

Here is where you'll find the rest of Martin's chat with Connor Barron

'You always have to demand more from yourself'

Nottingham Forest v Fulham (Sat, 15:00 BST)

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva on a shift in culture and mentality: "For me it's important that the players feel that enough is not good for us. We don't like that word. Of course, Premier League is so tough, the best and most difficult in the world. And you always have to demand more from yourself. Myself as a manager, the players know, the way we work every single day, the way I push them, the way I demand from them, the same way I guide and support them.

"In football you can't just win if you're on your limit. If we have to push for the next 17, we will push. But the reality, we have to look for the next game as the most important one, It's there that we have to show our quality, not here in the press conference, we have to show it on match day. We want to do better than last season. Now is the moment for us to rebuild again."

'He's a talented player'

Nottingham Forest v Fulham (Sat, 15:00 BST)

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva on midfielder Emile Smith Rowe: "Top, top lad, that's the first thing I want to say about him. I pushed our football board and club to sign him.

"We started in that moment to be strong and have that target and to be honest, for the position he was, the only one we wanted. Fantastic for me when I heard for the first time that he wanted to join us.

"I felt from the first moment, the desire was there to come and join the club and be part of the process. He's a really talented player, different to what he had in that position in the last few years.

"There's much more to come from him."

'We have been growing as a team'

Nottingham Forest v Fulham (Sat, 15:00 BST)

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva on his side's recent performance: "Performance wise we have been growing as a team, definitely. Game by game you are seeing the team getting better. I think the time plays in our favour if I can say that when you change so many players. Some important players have left our football club. We signed some good players too and of course all the teams need time to challenge everything, to have connections between players and for the to understand our identity and philosophy as well.

"Even those who have enough experience and knowledge of the Premier League, it's always different club to club. We should have achieved better, more points in some games. That's football, that's the Premier League. It's a good start. The main thing is that our performing, getting better, the last two Premier League games were very good."

Loptegui happy with summer business

Brentford v West Ham (Sat 15:00 BST)

West Ham United

West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui says he's happy with the nine signings the club made over the summer: "Yesterday, three players were in the starting line-up for the first time. I'm happy with their commitment and performance.

"Step by step they are going to increase the level and our competitiveness.

"I am happy with the new signings and they need time for adaptation. But in the mean time we have to be able to compete and be ready for the big challenge to face [Brentford]."

Nuno will be in the Forest dugout to face Fulham

Nottingham Forest v Fulham (Sat, 15:00 BST)

Nick Mashiter

BBC Sport football news reporter

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo will be on the touchline when Nottingham Forest host Fulham.

The manager was expected to be banned after he was sent off in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Brighton on Sunday.

But Forest have been given more time to submit their observations after Nuno and Morgan Gibbs-White were charged by the Football Association.

They initially had until Friday but requested an extension and now have until Wednesday, 2 October.

Nuno was dismissed and was charged by the FA with acting in an improper manner, with the Portuguese also alleged to have used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official.

It came after Gibbs-White was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a strong tackle on Joao Pedro with seven minutes left.

The Key Match Incidents Panel, which reviews the main decisions in the Premier League each week, was split 3-2 with the majority believing official Robert Jones was wrong to dismiss the midfielder.

The midfielder has been charged by the Football Association with acting in an improper manner and/or using abusive and/or insulting words towards fourth official Anthony Taylor.

Nuno already has a suspended one-game touchline ban - handed out in August - following his comments after Forest's controversial 2-0 defeat at Everton in April which saw the club question the integrity of VAR Stuart Attwell on social media.

'We'll treat it the same as any other game'

Bournemouth v Southampton (Mon, 20:00 BST)

Southampton

Southampton manager Russell Martin on the rivalry with neighbours Bournemouth, who Saints face on Monday: "The fans will be desperate for us to put in a performance, not just because of the locality of the team we're playing against, because we want to win and we need to win.

"I haven't been given any extra motivation by anyone here and I haven't placed any extra onus on the game because of that.

"We'll go there and treat it in the same way we would any other game."

Teenager Dibling 'suits the way Southampton play a lot'

Bournemouth v Southampton (Mon, 20:00 BST)

Southampton

Southampton manager Russell Martin on teenager Tyler Dibling's first goal for the club against Ipswich and his impact on the team: "He was unfortunate not to play earlier because he had an amazing pre-season.

"He has an incredible belief in himself, in a humble, modest way. He has to just keep giving 100% and understanding what has got him this far.

"At this moment he couldn't play for every team - he suits the way we play a lot, he's getting so much better at the things he needs to improve on, but he needs to continue to grow and develop and stay so hungry.

"That's always the challenge with young players when they have a quick rise. With Tyler, I don't see that being a problem."

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