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Ange Postecoglou booed as Tottenham snatch last-gasp win away to Coventry

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Late goals by Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson helped Tottenham avoid an almighty upset at Coventry in the Carabao Cup.

Spurs were set to follow up Sunday's painful derby defeat to Arsenal with a 1-0 loss in the third round after Brandon Thomas-Asante fired the Championship side into a deserved lead after 63 minutes.

Moments earlier, Ange Postecoglou's decision to substitute Lucas Bergvall had been met with boos from the away end.

However, with time running out and Postecoglou's bold prediction last weekend of always winning silverware in his second season being set to come back to bite him, Djed Spence found an equaliser with three minutes left.

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Tottenham injury blow as new signing limps off after 17 minutes in Carabao Cup

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Tottenham new boy Wilson Odobert was forced off with an injury in the early stages of their Carabao Cup game at Coventry City. The 19-year-old winger only joined Spurs from Burnley over the summer but already looks to be facing a spell on the sidelines.

Odobert was named in the starting line-up against Coventry but only lasted 17 minutes before picking up an injury. He tried to play through the pain but it quickly became apparent that he could not continue, with Brennan Johnson coming on to replace him.

It remains to be seen if Odobert will be ruled out for any length of time after seeing his latest appearance for Spurs cut short. The Frenchman had a worried look on his face as he was helped off the pitch by a member of Tottenham's medical team.

Odobert joined Tottenham on a five-year deal in August, with the north Londoners paying around £25million for his signature. In his only season at Burnley, he made 34 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring five goals.

It will be a blow for Ange Postecoglou if Odobert's injury turns out to be a bad one, with the Aussie singling him out for special praise after Tottenham's big win over Everton last month.

"I was excited by the way he went about things," said Postecoglou. "He's different from our other wingers. He always wants to take his opponent on. Even if he hasn't been successful, he goes at him again.

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"[He was] playing for his new club in front of 60,000 people and he just played football the way he wants to play it and I love that about him. He got tired in the second half but it’s really exciting for us that another young player comes in that is going to make us a better team."

Tottenham have already been forced to deal with a few injury problems in the first few weeks of the new campaign. Richarlison is currently sidelined with an injury he picked up in training before their defeat at Newcastle earlier this month.

Yves Bissouma is also unavailable due to a groin issue and was forced to miss the game against Arsenal over the weekend. He is said to be closing in on a return to action and could be involved in some capacity when Spurs host Brentford on Saturday.

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Ange Postecoglou responds to Cristian Romero blasting Tottenham after Arsenal loss

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Ange Postecoglou has responded after Cristian Romero reshared a social media post criticising Tottenham in the wake of their defeat to Arsenal. Gabriel Magalhaes scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham slumped to a third straight home defeat at the hands of their greatest rivals.

After the final whistle, Romero reshared a post on social media which suggested he was forced to organise his own travel back from international duty before quickly deleting it. The post, written by Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, read: "Tottenham lost to Arsenal again.

"Tottenham has not yet consolidated its position to fight because it is not in the details. It was the only club in the Premier League which sent players back from international duty on their own and without their own logistics by decisions of its leaders.

"It gave an advantage [to Arsenal] because its players arrived with less rest than others. Cuti Romero played with a fever."

Postecoglou was quizzed on Romero's social media conduct on Tuesday and said that no concerns about travel were raised by any of his players before the match.

"It was mentioned to me [after the game] but it wasn't mentioned to me before the game," said the Aussie. "All the players were back by Thursday for a Sunday game. Prior to the game there was nothing mentioned."

Postecoglou also spoke about the comments he made in his post-match interview, which raised a few eyebrows. He doubled down on his belief that he will end Tottenham's trophy drought, insisting that he always wins in his second season managing a club.

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Asked to expand on those comments, the 59-year-old replied: "It's amazing. I just stated a fact. Should I lie? I am not sure how I am supposed to answer something which is true and it seems like I upset some people for some reason.

"Is it me boasting? How am I supposed to answer something? You could say they are those competitions, or are easy or something, but it is true and I am not sure why people think I am boasting about it.

"It is true and my plan is for it to happen this year. If it doesn’t happen, then I will say it is mostly, but not always."

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Vicario breaks silence on Arsenal defeat and vows Tottenham will 'fix' issue

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Guglielmo Vicario has called for Tottenham to stick together and promised to improve their set-piece defending after a painful home defeat to Arsenal.

The Gunners secured bragging rights on Sunday after defender Gabriel headed in the only goal from Bukayo Saka's 64th-minute corner.

Set-piece woe was a recurring theme during the second half of Ange Postecoglou's debut campaign and while Tottenham have been more solid from them this season, Vicario promised they would fix the issue.

Vicario said: "It is tough to find a solution. It's a good delivery. Maybe Gabriel is a little bit just free to head the ball and put it down in the net. We will look, we will look."

"Of course in our meeting we will analyse, try to fix it and try to do better. It is tough because in this case small details can change the result and the outcome of the games."

"We have a brilliant coach, brilliant staff that can help us so we just need to stay together and believe in our football because we played such good games until now."

"(This) is a big defeat, we take the responsibility for that and now we have to prepare our best level for the next two games."

Spurs will have little time to lick their wounds with a Carabao Cup clash at Coventry on Wednesday before Brentford visit on Saturday.

Sunday's narrow loss to Arsenal proved to be a familiar tale with Tottenham able to dominate possession, but unable to fashion enough clear-cut chances as they dropped points for a third time this term.

"It hurts a lot," Vicario told SpursPlay.

"This (derby) is special for our crowd and we know this. Now we have to take the pain and disappointment, but football gives you every time another opportunity."

"Sometimes the performances doesn't reflect your effort and how you play. For that we just have to stick together because our moment will come because our football is good."

"Maybe we lost a bit, after they scored, of composure and mindset to stay who we are on the pitch, but we will fix it and take the rewards in the future."

"If we stick together, play this football with our focus, I think we will have a lot of victories this season."

Those sentiments were echoed by Postecoglou, who added: "We are a team that is progressing in many areas. With all that progress, there are always new challenges and things you need to overcome."

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"When I look at the four games in isolation this year, the football is probably more consistent and compelling than our first four games last year but obviously our results don't reflect that."

"There are other areas we need to improve on and that's my job to fill those gaps as quickly as possible."

Arsenal claimed victory without captain Martin Odegaard, but Mikel Arteta remained coy over his fitness before Thursday's Champions League trip to Atalanta.

"Regarding Martin, we still have to wait and see. The news is that he wasn't available today," said Arteta.

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I played with Salah and Drogba - but I've seen a better finisher

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Dominic Solanke has had plenty of world-class teammates but has revealed that the best finisher he has seen is a no-brainer. The striker became a club-record signing for Tottenham Hotspur this summer but is used to high-profile pressure, having previously played for Chelsea and Liverpool.

The 27-year-old was a wonderkid during his time in Chelsea’s academy and was tipped for superstardom by Jose Mourinho a decade ago. Solanke made just one appearance for the Blues before joining Liverpool at the end of his contract in 2017, featuring 27 times for Jurgen Klopp’s side but scoring only once in his sole season at Anfield.

It took Solanke a while to truly showcase his talent at Bournemouth but he had an ideal grounding, being on the fringes at Premier League champions Chelsea and learning from Champions League finalists Liverpool. The England international has trained with plenty of elite stars - but believes Harry Kane is better than all of his former teammates.

Asked about the best finisher he had seen, Solanke told Sky Sports: “Obviously Harry Kane. His finishing is just one of the best-ever. We see that all the time and his finishing is just incredible.”

That is a huge compliment to the England captain, given that Solanke was teammates with Mohmed Salah and the rest of Liverpool’s formidable forward line. During his time with Chelsea, Solanke also regularly watched Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, and Diego Costa put through their paces at Cobham.

Solanke will hope to be the striker that can inspire Ange Postecoglou’s side to win an elusive trophy, as well as replicating a degree of the success that Kane achieved in a Spurs shirt, with the England captain scoring 280 goals in 435 games. While one-time England international Solanke will hope to link up with the Three Lions skipper in the future, the forward has been bowled over by Son Heung-min’s levels in training.

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“It’s something so rare to be that good on right foot and left foot, not many players in the world can do that,” Solanke explained. “To be that two-footed and be great at finishing with both of them is incredible. He’s a great leader, one of the nicest guys I’ve met, to be honest. On the pitch, you see what he does on the weekends and it’s exactly the same in training.”

At the other end of the pitch, Solanke named his former Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk as the toughest defender he has faced in his career. The forward was prolific for Bournemouth last term, netting 19 league goals, and daily battles with the Liverpool skipper would have helped a young Solanke hone his skills.

“He’s just got everything, big, strong, good on the ball, agressive,” Solanke added. “I think he’s definitely one of the best defenders in our time and I’d say he’s probably the most difficult.”

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Ex-Premier League ref spots penalty Arsenal could have been given against Tottenham

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Ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has suggested Arsenal could’ve been given a penalty during their feisty north London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Mikel Arteta became the first Arsenal manager ever to win three consecutive derbies away to Spurs in the Premier League - something legendary boss Arsene Wenger didn’t even manage.

But the match wasn’t without its drama. Arsenal might’ve been reduced to 10 men during the first half, after Jurrien Timber was involved in an altercation with Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

He was spotted grabbing Vicario’s shirt after the Argentine had sprinted from his goal to confront the Arsenal man which earned the Spurs shot-stopper a yellow card.

Timber, according to some, was lucky not to have been given a second yellow, having been booked for a crunching tackle on Pedro Porro just moments before.

The contentious talking points continued into the second half, specifically surrounding Arsenal’s opening goal, with claims Cristian Romero had been fouled for Gabriel’s header.

However, speaking to Sky Sport News’ Referee Watch, former official Gallagher rubbished such claims, instead pointing out Arsenal could’ve been given a penalty of their own.

When asked if the goal should’ve stood, he said: “I think yes, I think it’s a physical game and the referee lets a little bit go – interesting, if you think that’s a foul then there’s certainly a foul by the defender on the line.

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“I think it’s Romero who grabs someone round the waist which is more of a foul. So I think the referee has got that right.”

Fellow pundit Sue Smith was next to chime in, adding: “No I don’t think there’s enough in it [to rule it out], I think when you look at Romero, his body position, it has to be better.

“He’s facing the other way to Gabriel, there’s always going to be a slight physical contact in the area, I don’t think there’s enough of a push. I don’t think that should have been ruled out.”

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Manager Ange Postecoglou was inclined to agree with Smith’s sentiment, commenting on his side’s set-piece frailties by saying: "You know that they're a threat. As I said, for the most part we handled them really well today, but we switched off in one and we paid a price. You learn from that and you move on.

"It is what it is. It's my burden to carry and I'm happy to do that. Like I've always said, for me there's a bigger picture that's at play here that's much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to.”

It’s a swift return to action for Spurs, who are involved in League Cup action against Coventry City on Wednesday night, while Arsenal are in Champions League action against Atalanta on Thursday.

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Tottenham star deactivates Instagram account after fans turn on him over Arsenal loss

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Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson has deactivated his Instagram profile after receiving a barrage of abuse following the north London derby. Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory to claim the early bragging rights despite being without Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

Gabriel Magalhaes scored the only goal of the game, powering a header into the back of the net in the second half. The result marked Tottenham's third straight home defeat at the hands of their greatest rivals, prompting anger from supporters.

Johnson was selected to start on the right flank but was substituted in the 68th minute. After the match, he was subjected to abuse from Tottenham fans on social media and has responded by deactivating his Instagram account.

The Welshman is seemingly looking to shield himself from the outside noise after Tottenham's second defeat in four games. He scored five goals in his debut season with the club but is yet to open his account for the new campaign.

Jamie O'Hara was left unimpressed with Johnson's display against Arsenal and posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Brennan Johnson is even more frustrating to watch in the flesh than he is on TV."

The former Tottenham midfielder previously criticised Johnson's decision-making ability during an appearance on talkSPORT, saying: "I just feel like sometimes his feet work quicker than his brain, do you know what I mean?

"I am looking at him, like going: 'Go and sort out your feet out and you will score. Sort your feet out and you will go past him'."

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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou put the result down to a lack of bite in attack when quizzed on what went wrong after the final whistle.

"I thought it was a tight game all the way along," he said. "We controlled it for the most part and got off to a good start. We didn't capitalise on the opportunities and we were unable to get on top of them.

"We had some good opportunities but we created so many more. We just wasted some of our good play, similar to our other games where we haven't really had that conviction in the front third to take advantage of, whether it's us winning the ball back or getting into that front third and nothing coming of it."

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Declan Rice makes four-word statement after missing Arsenal win over Tottenham

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Declan Rice sang praises for the Arsenal squad following their narrow 1-0 triumph over Spurs in the north London derby.

In a game where resilience paid off, Gabriel's header from a Bukayo Saka corner past the hour mark sealed the deal.

Despite being forced to sit out the heated encounter due to a suspension from his Brighton dismissal and the absence of Martin Odegaard with an ankle injury sustained playing for Norway, Rice couldn't resist expressing his admiration for the team after the game concluded, taking to his story to share the score along with the enthusiastic words: "I love this team!!!!!"

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Cristian Romero shares social media post slamming Tottenham chiefs after Arsenal defeat

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Cristian Romero has caused a stir on social media by briefly reposting a report suggesting Tottenham chiefs forced him to organise his own travel back from international duty.

Romero suffered through a miserable Sunday as the player he was meant to be marking for a second-half corner, Gabriel Magalhaes, headed home Arsenal's winner in the north London derby.

And Romero seemingly took out his anger by reposting a report from Argentinian journalist Gaston Edul, which translates to: "Tottenham lost to Arsenal again.

"Tottenham has not yet consolidated its position to fight because it is not in the details: It was the only club in the Premier League which sent players back from international duty on their own and without their own logistics by decisions of its leaders.

"It gave an advantage because its players arrived with less rest than others. Cuti Romero played with a fever."

Romero promptly removed it from his X page, but not before screenshot proof began circulating. The defender then posted his own message to supporters, who were still down in the dumps after suffering a third consecutive defeat at home to the Gunners.

It read: "It hurts to lose a derby, but I have no doubt that we will turn this bad start to the season around. Let's all be together, also at this moment. Thanks to all the fans for always supporting us."

Romero had a tougher international break than most, jetting all the way to South America and playing the full 90 minutes in both of Argentina's matches, the latter of which being a 2-1 defeat to Colombia on Tuesday night.

His taxing two weeks translated to problems on the pitch as, by and large, Spurs fans were left dissatisfied with his performance. In the crucial moments leading up to the goal, Arsenal legend Paul Merson felt Romero was unlucky not to be awarded a foul for a nudge in the back, but he also insisted the defending deserved to be punished.

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"He is in the wrong position, everything is wrong about his defending," Merson told Sky Sports. "He's an international centre-half. Even I know, and I don't play at the back, that you've got to be side-on, seeing the ball and your player.

"To start off with you've got to be a hand-length away (from him), and he was standing with him. But I do think... I'd expect a foul. I would expect a foul."

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Arsenal news: Goal 'should have been disallowed' as Paul Merson singles out Tottenham star

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Paul Merson believes that Arsenal's winning goal in the north London derby should have been disallowed for a foul on Tottenham defender Cristian Romero. The Gunners beat their bitter rivals 1-0 on Sunday to bank three vital points for Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal had fewer shots, shots on target and less of the ball but Gabriel Magalhaes' 64th-minute header proved decisive in a tense affair at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Brazilian powered in from the edge of the six-yard box, but only after a shove in the back of his opposite number, Romero. Merson, who played over 400 games for Arsenal, slammed the Argentine's defending but believes the Spurs man was unlucky not to be awarded a foul, which would have seen the goal chalked off.

"I would be disappointed if I didn't get a foul," Merson said on Sky Sports. "(Romero) is in the wrong position, everything is wrong about his defending. He's an international centre-half.

"Even I know, and I don't play at the back, that you've got to be side-on, seeing the ball and your player. To start off with you've got to be a hand-length away (from him), and he was standing with him. I do think... I'd expect a foul. I would expect a foul."

Arsenal have now won three consecutive matches on their sworn enemy's turf, and the victory was made even sweeter by the fact Arteta was forced to reshuffle his midfield due to Declan Rice's suspension and Martin Odegaard's injury.

Jorginho and Thomas Partey anchored the middle of the park, but it was in defence where Arsenal shone brightest, restricting Spurs to speculative crosses and shots from distance.

"We were missing key players but we have a total team, the whole squad," Jorginho told Sky Sports after the game. "We know whoever comes on is going to be ready to help the team. Everyone was ready today and we’re really proud.

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"We had to work really hard but we knew it would be difficult. We know we can count on each other and that’s what we do. We stick together. At the end it paid off, and I’m so happy for this guy (Gabriel) who scored the winning goal."

Arsenal are now second in the Premier League table and only two points behind title rivals Manchester City ahead of their hotly-anticipated showdown at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.

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