The Sun

RADU DRAGUSIN was sent off after just SEVEN minutes in Tottenham's Europa League opener against Qarabag.

The Romanian was brought into central defence to play alongside Micky van de Ven at the heart of defence.

However, just seven minutes into Spurs' Europa League, Dragusin was sent for an early shower.

It came as he was caught sleeping on the ball by live-wire forward Juninho.

After poking the ball away from Dragusin, Juninho managed to get his body across Dragusin before tumbling to the floor after a trip and the pulling of his shirt.

The foul left French official Willy Delajod with no choice but to send him off for a last-man foul.

It made Dragusin the first player ever to be sent off on their Europa League debut for Tottenham.

Youngster Lucas Bergvall was sacrificed in favour of Destiny Udogie by manager Ange Postecoglou as part of a tactical switch in putting Ben Davies to centre-back to ensure Spurs kept a steady defence.

But a moment later, the North London side showed their fangs by pouncing on some sloppy play by Qarabag.

Dominic Solanke stole the ball high up the pitch before slipping in Brennan Johnson to his right, who then side-footed a shot into the far left bottom corner to make it 1-0 to the home side.

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

The match had been delayed by 35 minutes after Qarabag were caught in traffic on their way to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

TNT SPORTS pundits revealed they abandoned their car and legged it down the road to make Tottenham's delayed Europa League tie.

Peter Crouch gave viewers a "run" down of how he and fellow ex-Spurs star Glenn Hoddle beat the travel chaos that faced opponents Qarabag and fans.

The kick-off was put back from 8pm to to 8.35pm due to severe rail AND road problems.

And the Azerbaijan side's squad only arrived at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium close to the original planned start time.

As TNT Sports showed the visiting players walking around the pitch, Crouchie told of his own drama in getting there.

Looking at the surprisingly-relaxed Qarabag squad, the former England striker said: "Hopefully they ran down the High Road like me and Glenn!"

TNT's presenter chipped in: "You had to abandon the car, didn't you?"

A laughing Crouch replied: "Ah, we did. We gave up with the car."

Former Three Lions' midfielder Hoddle joked: "Peter ran and I limped."

An incredible whammy caused the travel nightmare.

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London Overground train services from Cheshunt and Enfield Town to White Hart Lane were suspended - a huge headache in itself.

But then add in the closure in both directions of the A10 - a major route in to the area - and it's no wonder supporters were left in a frenzy.

It comes as Spurs prepare to launch their campaign in the newly-expanded, 36-team competition.

Each team initially plays eight different sides to see who qualifies for the latter stages.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou reckons the format will at least increase excitement.

He said: "In the group stage, after about the second or third game, you kind of knew who were going through so there were maybe some dead-rubbers, but all games will be meaningful because all teams will have something to play for.

"It's not that standard home and away, you will play eight different teams, eight different styles of football, so it's an interesting challenge.

"I guess at the end we'll see if it's had the effect everyone wanted it to have by being more exciting all the way through rather than the knock-out phase, but the most important thing is we're in it and because we're in it, we've got a chance."

Qarabag's players looked remarkably relaxed - some smiling - as they strolled to the dressing rooms.

But with the traffic difficulties known well before kick-off, they had probably resigned themselves to a late start from well before 8pm.

TOTTENHAM’S Europa League opener against Qarabag was severely delayed due to travel chaos.

The Azerbaijani side were staying in Stratford but did not turn up to Spurs’ stadium until 7.45pm due to serious traffic.

That was only 15 minutes before the planned kick-off - which was then pushed back to 8.35pm.

Qarabag’s coach ended up having a police escort for the last mile of their 12-mile journey.

While their late arrival could land them in hot water with Uefa, whose regulations state that both teams must be at the stadium at least 75 minutes before kick-off, as per article 54.01.

But because this is their first offence this season, the club and their coach Gurban Gurbanov will likely only get a warning from European football’s governing body.

Travel to Spurs was a nightmare due to a multitude of reasons.

Part of the A10, the major road in the area, was closed, while for supporters coming from the south there were major delays on the M25.

A person hit by train at Tottenham Hale train station meant many Greater Anglia trains were cancelled between there and Broxbourne.

And there were severely limited trains coming in from the Hertfordshire direction.

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Gurbanov’s reigning Azerbaijani champions were not the only ones to get caught out by the issues.

TNT Sports pundits Peter Crouch and Glenn Hoddle abandoned their car and legged it down the street to make it in time for the start of their coverage.

Ex-Spurs striker Crouch, 43, said: “Hopefully (the Qarabag team) ran down the High Road like me and Glenn! We gave up wit the car.”

Tottenham legend Hoddle, 66, added: “Peter and I limped.”

Qarabag are not the first to be caught out by the congested roads in N17.

Spurs’ last European fixture - the last-16 Champions League tie against AC Milan in March 2022 - kicked off ten minutes later than planned due to both sides being held up in traffic.

It made Spurs’ fans wait an extra 35 minutes for their first European game in 18 months, who named a strong line-up.

Captain Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson all started up top, the latter two having netted in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Brentford.

There were still six changes though, which saw 18-year-old pair Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall make their first European starts of their respective careers.

Boss Ange Postecoglou, managing his first Spurs game in Europe, said: "It is going to be a great experience for our young players. It is different to domestic competition and they will learn a lot.

"Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have shown great energy. They want to make a career for themselves and my responsibility is to give them opportunity.

"For a club like us, all these competitions are important. We have not had success for a very long time.

“For a club our size, not winning becomes a millstone around your neck and you have to win something to release that.”

HARRY REDKNAPP has been told "Football needs you back" - at 77.

The former Tottenham, Portsmouth and West Ham chief was sacked from his last job, as Birmingham boss, in October 2017.

But ex-Spurs and Pompey midfielder Pedro Mendes believes Redknapp offers "something different" from other managers.

The former Southampton and QPR boss, who never got the England job he craved, has found fame away from the sport in the past seven years.

Redknapp won I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here - sparking a string of TV appearances.

But Mendes reckons the 2018 King of the Jungle deserves to come out of the wilderness and reign at another top club.

The former Portugal star told Gambling.com: "I think there should always be a place for a guy like Harry Redknapp in the game.

"Everything around Harry is different. The way he trains, the way he speaks, the way his relationship is with the players.

"Harry has been out of the game for a while now, and I think he should be back.

"The game needs him, you know. He just brings something different."

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Redknapp mainly played for West Ham and Bournemouth in his 17-year career on the pitch.

He then launched 34 years in management with long spells at both those teams.

Redknapp bossed the Cherries from 1983-1992, winning the Associate Members Cup.

He then took charge of the Hammers until 2001, guiding them to Intertoto Cup success in 1991.

But his main claim to silverware was at his next job.

He took Portsmouth into the top flight as second-tier champions in 2003 and FA Cup glory followed five years later.

That aside, Redknapp's peak managerial achievement was notching successive finishes of fourth, fifth and fourth at Spurs from 2008-2012.

Mendes said: "When Harry’s not upset, and he's not looking for the players to run kilometres and build stamina, he just loves when a player does a trick and scores a fantastic goal, or does something different."

The 45-year-old singled out ex-Portsmouth playmakers Niko Kranjcar and Andres) D'Alessandro as stylists who Redknapp got the best out of.

Now Mendes reckons it's time his old gaffer got a chance to help a new generation of exciting players reach their Pomp.

Fans fume Carabao Cup draw is ‘RIGGED’

Fans have fumed that the Carabao Cup draw is "RIGGED" after Tottenham were handed a brutal tie.

The third round came to an end with Spurs joining the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in the next round.

However, the North London side could not have been handed a trickier tie to navigate in the fourth-round.

Spurs were drawn against Manchester City with the one boost that it will be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And fans reacted on social media to complain about the tough fixture.

One posted: "I'm shocked, draw is rigged as hell lol."

A second wrote: "That Carabao draw is so rigged, every time we get a hard draw."

A third commented: "Man City at home, I hate this rigged competition."

When will Chelsea learn their fourth-round opponents?

The Blues progressed to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 5-0 win over League Two Barrow on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, Chelsea's fourth-round opponents were revealed to be either Newcastle or AFC Wimbledon.

The third-round clash between the Toon and the London club was forced to be postponed after the League Two side's pitch was destroyed by flooding.

Due to sufficient damage to the pitch, the Carabao Cup match will now take place at Newcastle's St James' Park on Tuesday, October 1, at 7.45pm, with the winner hosting Chelsea in the next round.

How Liverpool reached the fourth round

Mo Salah got the job done for Arne Slot in yet another Liverpool display that will have left the new boss thinking that his glass was only half full.

The scoreline may suggest that West Ham was overpowered by the ten–time winners.

But until Salah popped up to claim his fourth goal of the campaign in the 74th minute Slot will have felt far from comfortable.

Edson Alvarez was then red – carded and from that point on it all turned into a cakewalk with Cody Gakpo bagging a double.

The Hammers took a 21st-minute lead before Diogo Jota’s brace put his side ahead, but for quite a while, there were plenty of anxious faces on the Kop.

Arsenal ratings

Ethan Nwaneri will remember this night for the rest of his life after scoring twice on his full Arsenal debut.

Still a teenager, he proved why is so highly-rated with a well-taken double to sink League One Bolton.

Nwaneri made history two years ago when he became the youngest debutant in Arsenal's history aged just 15-years-old.

Now 17, he proved why Mikel Arteta thinks so highly of him by pouncing to tap in Raheem Sterling's low cross and put Arsenal 2-0 up.

FANS have fumed that the Carabao Cup draw is "RIGGED" after Tottenham were handed a brutal tie.

The third round came to an end with Spurs joining the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in the next round.

However, the North London side could not have been handed a trickier tie to navigate in the fourth-round.

Spurs were drawn against Manchester City with the one boost that it will be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And fans reacted on social media to complain about the tough fixture.

One posted: "I'm shocked, draw is rigged as hell lol."

A second wrote: "That Carabao draw is so rigged, every time we get a hard draw."

A third commented: "Man City at home, I hate this rigged competition."

A fourth fumed: "It's rigged, they don't want Ange Postecoglou to win anything. Watch us get Man City in the FA Cup too."

Another added: "Last year we got them in the FA Cup last season 4th round now this year we got them in the league cup 4th round please don’t tell me that’s a coincidence, rigged."

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Despite the claims of the fans, there is no actual evidence that the draw was rigged.

Spurs have reached the stage in the tournament after beating Coventry City 2-1 last week.

Man City, however, played on Tuesday evening and dispatched Watford 2-1 at the Etihad.

Postecoglou earlier this season proclaimed that he always wins silverware in his second season at clubs.

However, if he is to continue that run he will have to guide his side past Pep Guardiola's outfit.

Elsewhere, Arsenal hammered Bolton 5-1 and Liverpool matched the scoreline against West Ham at Anfield to progress.

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RICHARLISON was left raging after his rating on EA FC 25 was revealed.

The game was released last week and is EA's second instalment of their annual football game since the split from Fifa.

Many footballers spend their free time relaxing and play the video game and they also make sure to keep an eye on their ratings.

The new copy saw Lionel Messi given his lowest rating in 16 years and Erling Haaland tied with Rodri and Kylian Mbappe as the best in the game.

Richarlison, 27, however, was left unimpressed with his stats in the newest version.

The Brazilian has been given an overall rating of 81, which is the same as the previous game.

The Tottenham star posted a video on his Instagram account in which he complained.

He said: "Hey Fifa, what is this f***ing s*** card?

"F***ing s***."

His reaction to the card has been shared and gone viral on social media.

One fan posted: "What does Richalison want? FIFA were very generous rating him 81."

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A second wrote: "Coming from a player who hasn’t scored 15 goals in a season in his career."

A third commented: "Bro’s literally lucky to even get one in the 1st place."

A fourth said: "The fact that they send this to all players is funny."

Another added: "Well, if these ratings motivate you, get fit and get going and next years number will look better."

Richarlison's rating was unlikely to have been increased following his underwhelming 2023/24 campaign, in which he scored just 12 times.

The former Watford striker's form was inconsistent enough to see manager Ange Postecoglou sign a new attacker in the summer.

GENOA star Ruslan Malinovskyi was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation after suffering a horror ankle break.

Malinovskyi, 31, started for Alberto Gilardino's side in the 2-0 loss to Venezia at the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium.

And the playmaker went down with a shocking leg break in the 50th minute.

The Ukraine international's team-mates and the Venezia players were left in a state of shock while the Genoa physios rushed on to the pitch.

The Genoa star received a warm applause from both sets of fans as he was stretchered off on Saturday.

Malinovskyi was rushed to hospital as he dislocated the joint and fractured the fibula of his right ankle.

Thankfully the operation went very well and the attacking midfielder shared a picture of himself giving the thumbs up from his hospital bed.

Genoa tweeted on Sunday: "Player Ruslan Malinovskyi underwent surgery on his right ankle this morning.

"The operation, performed by Prof. Federico Santolini and his team, was a complete success.

"The player is doing well and will begin rehabilitation at the Club's facilities in the coming days."

Malinovskyi used to be a top target for Tottenham as former manager Antonio Conte was keen to sign him in 2022.

Spurs were said to have made contact with Atalanta, when he used to play in Bergamo.

Nottingham Forest and West Ham were also keeping tabs on the Ukrainian.

However, a Premier League move never materialised and Malinovskyi instead went to Marseille on loan in 2023.

The versatile midfielder's move to L'OM became permanent a few months later but ultimately joined Genoa.

MEHRDAD GHODOUSSI went to see Tottenham vs Arsenal last week as investment talks continue.

Ghodoussi, the husband and business partner of Amanda Staveley, was a VIP guest while a potential cash injection into Spurs was discussed in the background.

Staveley has put a team together to buy a percentage of the club with Middle Eastern cash and other backers.

The Yorkshire businesswoman and Ghodoussi were co-owners at Newcastle after taking a 10 per-cent stake in 2021.

That was when they helped set up a £305million Saudi takeover of the Magpies.

But they departed in July this year amid a shake-up at St James' Park.

Staveley said at the time: "I am devastated. It’s such a wonderful club, so it feels very bittersweet.

"It has become part of my DNA, something you love so much and don’t want to let go. It’s very painful."

However, since then Staveley has been looking at a quick route back into the Premier League.

Now it appears that opportunity is close to fruition, albeit with Ghodoussi far from a lucky charm as he saw the Gunners win 1-0 at fierce rivals Spurs.

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SunSport exclusively revealed last month that Staveley was stepping up her bid to buy into Tottenham.

Staveley found the backing of "serious money" from the Middle East and wealthy individuals.

It's understood Staveley would aim to purchase an initial stake in the club - then look to invest further.

Tottenham's majority shareholders ENIC are mainly owned by 87-year-old Joe Lewis’ family trust, with club chairman Daniel Levy also involved.

It's reckoned ENIC might be willing to consider selling some - possibly even a large part - of their 86.58 per cent stake in Spurs.