The Mirror

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood says Liverpool could still sign Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven this summer despite agreeing a £60m deal for Jeremy Jacquet

Liverpool have been given hope that they could still sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven, despite securing a deal for Jeremy Jacquet. The Reds had a relatively subdued transfer deadline day, but did manage to confirm an agreement with Rennes for the signing of Jacquet.

It's been confirmed that Jacquet will officially join Liverpool next summer after seeing out the remainder of the current campaign with Rennes.

The Merseyside club have struck a £60million agreement with Rennes for the 20-year-old centre-back, comprising a £55m upfront payment plus an additional £5m in performance-related bonuses.

Liverpool saw off reported interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal to secure Jacquet's signature, with the youngster set to link up with the Anfield squad ahead of the new season.

Prior to confirming the Jacquet deal, Liverpool had been linked with a potential swoop for Van de Ven from Tottenham, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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Recent weeks have seen Liverpool strongly linked with bolstering their backline, with Lutsharel Geertruida emerging as a potential target before the deadline, although no deal ultimately came to fruition.

Van de Ven is another name reportedly on Liverpool's radar, and ex-Premier League boss Tim Sherwood believes that, despite the Jacquet agreement, a move for the Spurs defender could still be a possibility.

"Is Micky van de Ven to Liverpool off? All Micky has got to do is to prove his fitness between now and the end of the season but that will make it very difficult for Tottenham," Sherwood said in an interview with CasinoStugan.

"Van de Ven is what I call a hierarchy player, players who when they are fit, they will play. They are the players that fans crave, and Tottenham fans want those top players like Harry Kane.

"When he was fit, you knew he was playing, and they've only got one of those players at the moment and that's Micky van de Ven. If he's fit, he plays. Other than him, Tottenham's players are all a much of a muchness.

"I think Tottenham have got more chance of keeping Micky van de Ven than they have of bringing in another one of these players. That is the issue."

Sherwood also believes that Van de Ven will feature on the transfer wish list for numerous clubs, including Liverpool, this summer, with Man United also suggested as a possible destination.

The former Spurs manager went on to outline why the north London outfit still have hopes of retaining Van de Ven at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the persistent speculation.

"If he proves his fitness, I think there will be a queue around the block for him," Sherwood said. "Hopefully Tottenham can keep hold of him but you know what it's like when a player decides he wants to leave. Unfortunately, if you don't let him go, you're left without the money and the player in the end.

"People may be shocked by that but it all depends on who they have as manager in the summer because they've got it wrong so many times before and it looks like they have got it right at the moment.

"United are a club that can go from where they have been to the top quicker than most because they've got the brand power, the money to do it. They can pay the big wages for the big players.

"They missed the boat before. They could have signed Declan Rice and Harry Kane. Instead, they ended up with seven or eight signings who were alright but mostly very poor.

"They won't want to miss the boat this time on Van de Ven. He will certainly be at the top of a lot of lists at any number of clubs and Tottenham will have to fight tooth and nail to keep hold of him.

"I think the only real way they keep hold of him is if Micky [Van de Ven] decides that there might be a bright future ahead at Tottenham, and right now they're down in 14th in the Premier League and out of the running for the two domestic cups. They're flying high in the Champions League but there are stiffer tests to come in that competition."

Despite the transfer window being firmly shut, Liverpool are still being linked with Tottenham's Micky van de Ven

Liverpool will play the rest of the season without a new defensive addition - despite signing one. The Reds agreed a £55million, plus a potential £5m in add-ons, to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet.

However, the 20-year-old won't officially become a Red until the end of the season, leaving Arne Slot's side light at the back due to injuries to Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez.

Even with the shortages in defence, Liverpool played some of their best football this season when defeating Newcastle United 4-1 last Saturday to end their five-match winless streak in the Premier League.

As is the norm in football, transfer rumours don't just come to an end as soon as the window closes, as the Reds continue to be linked with Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky van de Ven.

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Ahead of an important home clash against Manchester City on Sunday, Mirror Football takes a look at the biggest stories coming out of Anfield, including public worries about one of the club's most important stars.

Micky van de Ven rumours

The January transfer window may be closed, but that hasn't stopped rumours of Van de Ven making the move to Anfield.

Questions remain over Ibrahima Konate's contract situation, the injury past of Joe Gomez and teenage star Giovanni Leoni, who is currently sidelined after ACL surgery.

The questionable makeup of Slot's backline has led former Netherlands international Eljero Elia to give his seal of approval for Van de Ven to make the step up and leave Spurs for Liverpool.

He said: "I think van de Ven has to finish the season at Tottenham (by playing) consistently and show everybody he can go to the next level. He's strong and has good posture. He can score, he can dribble, and he can defend.

"If he continues like this, I think after the World Cup, he can make a good step to the bigger clubs. Not that Tottenham isn't a big club, but clubs that are a step above, like Real Madrid and Liverpool. I think it fits his career to move from Tottenham to the big teams."

Mohamed Salah problem

It's been a disappointing season for the Egyptian, who has scored just six goals and assisted another six in 24 games in all competitions. While he hasn't looked like the player who spearheaded the Reds to the Premier League title last year, he did earn an assist for Florian Wirtz in their comprehensive win over Newcastle.

However, it wasn't enough to quell the concern of ex-Liverpool defender Steve Nicol, who admitted his worry that Salah was unable to take advantage of a counterattack that saw him quietened by Kieran Trippier, 35.

The 33-year-old also struggled greatly in his one-on-one battles with Lewis Hall, as Nicol expressed his surprise at how quickly Salah has declined after arguably the greatest individual season in Premier League history.

The Scotsman said on ESPN FC: "We've all been asking the same question. How can you go from there to there just so quickly? Generally, it takes a bit of time when you start losing a bit of pace and your balance. Newcastle's right-back Trippier doesn't play every week because his legs have gone. Trippier is on the other side of his career.

"A ball was played through from Szoboszlai, it could have been played a little firmer, but Trippier caught him comfortably and Salah, during that little passage, at no stage looked comfortable on the ball. He's got a guy whose legs we do know have gone catching him, having been given a three-yard start.

"That's got to be alarm bells. When he was making mistakes previously and still scoring important goals, he knew... he has always been the same." Nicol claimed that Salah's awareness of his drop in pace has affected his confidence in front of goal.

He added: "When he used to give the ball away, it didn't affect his confidence because he knew he could still pick the top corners out, he could still run past people and score goals and make these assists. But now, there is nothing worse for a footballer when you realise you're losing things and not sure why, but it affects everything you do.

"Now it's chipping away at his confidence. That confidence looks like it's shot because any time he gets in a position where he used to pick the top corner out, he can't get anywhere close anymore."

Cristian Romero has spoken out to point fingers at the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy above following the situation against Manchester City on Sunday and a lack of final day transfer activity

Once again it feels like Cristian Romero will have some explaining to do. The Tottenham captain took to social media to claim it was “disgraceful” that Spurs only had 11 fit players to choose from against Manchester City on Sunday.

At worst, it is a clear dig at Tottenham’s lack of transfer activity. At best, it shows a lack of thought and respect towards the club. And even the best case scenario - which he may try to explain away - is really damaging.

This, after all, was on the back of a heroic fight back against Manchester City on Sunday when Spurs came from 2-0 down at half time to draw 2-2. And they did it without Romero who went off ill at half time after, quite frankly, putting in a dreadful performance.

Romero wrote on social media: “Great effort from all my team-mates yesterday. They were incredible. I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available - unbelievable but true and disgraceful,” he continued, accompanying the paragraph with a facepalm emoji.

“We’ll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”

Now, this is far from the first time that Romero has used social media to get his message across and also not the first time people have suspected that he may be agitating for a move. Only last month, Romero’s social media post had to be edited to take out the word “lies” when talking about a lack of support from the club’s hierarchy.

It originally read: “At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.”

Do not forget that Romero is a World Cup winner, the club captain and, on his day, a world class defender. On his off days he is a liability who loses his head and costs his team.

Romero’s comments cut to the very heart of the club’s problem. Leaders. There is a real lack of leadership on the pitch which they are trying to address in the transfer market. Romero is supposed to be a leader, wears the armband but it almost feels like default because he has been given it among a lack of other obvious candidates. There must be a few now after this last outburst.

Tottenham clearly need to improve their squad. They tried to do it in January but were determined not to panic buy just for effect. That would be a disaster.

Instead, they signed Conor Gallagher for £34m as he became available. Top player, top pro, great attitude. And one for the future in Brazilian Souza. They also got James Wilson from Hearts but he is for the under-21s.

They tried - and failed - for more and Thomas Frank even went public on the fact they tried for Antoine Semenyo. They want Premier League players, good characters and have a strategy. They will go again in the summer. They are determined to stick with and back Frank. Yes, they have been hit by injuries which has left them short.

But this is a club struggling and in need of leadership to get them through some dark days which have been lightened by European results and a march into the Champions League knockouts.

The last thing they need is Romero pressing the self destruct button. Maybe he is a player they could actually well and truly do without because his messaging and his performances are so wrong.

Cristian Romero was forced to come off at half-time during Tottenham's 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, with Thomas Frank's side already down to the bare bones

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has brandished his side's lack of squad depth a 'disgrace' after becoming their latest absentee. Romero, 27, was subbed off at half-time as Spurs dramatically came from behind to draw 2-2 at home to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Argentine defender had been suffering from illness for a few days and couldn't continue. Instead of subbing him for a like-for-like replacement, manager Thomas Frank brought on midfielder Pape Matar Sarr for the second half and rejigged his setup.

Frank only had one recognised centre-back on the bench, 17-year-old Junai Byfield. Although Spurs earned a valuable point, Romero was left unhappy with their lack of options and has taken aim at the club's hierarchy for the second time in the space of a month.

In a fiery social media post, which he shared just 43 minutes after the transfer window closed on Monday, the centre-back wrote: "Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were incredible. I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn't feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available - unbelievable but true and disgraceful.

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"We'll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that's left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans."

Tottenham only signed one player on deadline day, welcoming Hearts striker James Wilson on loan. Spurs have a lengthy injury list which includes Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison.

Romero's outburst comes less than four weeks after he controversially hit out at his bosses in the wake of Tottenham's 3-2 loss away to Bournemouth. Taking to Instagram once more, the Argentina international claimed that 'other people' should be coming out to speak publicly, and added that they 'only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies'.

Should Crisitian Romero be punished? Have your say in the comments section.

Romero, who later edited his post, went on to say: "At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well.

"We'll stay here, working, sticking together and giving our all to turn things around. Especially at times like this, keeping quiet, working harder and moving forward all together, is part of football."

Frank and Tottenham's co-sporting director, Johan Lange, spoke with Romero about the post. The Spurs boss went on to confirm that Romero wouldn't be stripped of the captaincy nor would he be fined. "He is our captain, he's not been fined," Frank stated.

"That's an internal thing, but we haven't done that. I think there's a lot of ways to deal with different situations. We've chose to have a good conversation with him, understand where he stands, handle it internally and that's everything I have to say."

Mateta to STAY at Crystal Palace

i think it's fair to say Jean-Philippe Mateta has had a day to forget...

He started it with hopes of completing a move to AC Milan, he ends it by probably losing his starting place at Crystal Palace.

Reports have claimed the Frenchman failed his medical at the San Siro, with another deal unable to be completed before the deadline.

It now means he will have to battle with new teammate Jorgen Strand Larsen. But first, his fitness will need to be assessed. There have been suggestions he could be out for a period of time with that pesky knee that blocked his move to Milan.

FULL STORY: Man Utd announce last-minute exit

Manchester United left it late but announced a loan move for youngster James Scanlon to Swindon Town on loan.

The confirmation arrived at 18.59 on the club's website, seconds before the 7pm transfer deadline.

Read the full story here.

DONE DEAL: Sheffield United announce Kalvin Phillips loan

Kalvin Phillips will attempt to ressurect his stuttering career in the Championship with Sheffield United. The Blades have confirmed the signing of the former England international. City spent £42m to land the ex-Leeds skipper in 2022 but he has failed to ever make an impact under Pep Guardiola.

He now returns to Yorkshire on a straight loan deal for the remainder of the season in what can only be seen as a huge coup for the Blades.

Exclusive: Millwall reject record Azeez bid

Millwall knocked backed multiple bids from promotion rivals Ipswich Town for star winger Femi Azeez on deadline day, Mirror Football can reveal.

Azeez, 24, has been the Lions' talisman this term and is their joint top-scorer with seven goals and two assists from 19 league games.

That form has not gone unnoticed and Ipswich tabled multiple offers for the former Reading man, including one which would have equated to a club record sale.

But the Lions hierarchy, who are one point and one place behind Ipswich in the Championship table and harbour promotion aspirations of their own, were unwilling to sell one of their best players mid-season.

Arsenal agree last-minute deal

A late one at the Emirates!

Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Stoke City centre-back Jaden Dixon for around £500,000, our colleagues at Football London report.

Dixon, 18, is highly regarded and has won five caps for England's under-19 side.

The defender can also play as a right-back, illustrating the kind of versaility that Mikel Arteta loves.

Wolves close on double deal

Wolves are closing on two deals as they bid to lead a remarkable recovery from the bottom of the Premier League.

They're looking to land Angel Gomes from Marseille and Adam Armstrong from Southampton.

Both men have now completed and passed their medicals.

Disasi's loan deal in the balance

Sky Sports claim that Axel Disasi's loan move from Chelsea to West Ham is hanging in the balance.

The defender was part of the well known 'bomb squad' but looked to be heading to the London Stadium.

But now player demands are apparently leaving the deal on a knife edge.

Brighton confirm O'Riley return

Brighton have announced the return of Matt O'Riley after his season-long loan at French giants Marseille was cut short.

Denmark international O'Riley played 25 times for Marseille but the midfielder is now back on the south coast.

Commenting on the news, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said: "We're pleased to welcome Matt back to the club. We know all about his qualities, and I have no doubt he will settle back into the group very quickly.

"He's had a good spell with Marseille, playing regular domestic football and in the Champions League, and we believe he can positively impact the team in the second half of the season."

Who'll sign Sterling?

Thanks to being a free agent, Raheem Sterling doesn't need to put pen to paper by 7pm like normal signings.

But the ex-Chelsea star's future has still been one of the biggest talking points on deadline day.

With the news that German side Union Berlin turned down the chance to sign Sterling, 31, it appears that he isn't restricting himself to English clubs.

So could Napoli's interest materialise in the coming days?

Or will their Champions League exit put him off?

Rennes 'respected Jacquet's wish'

Rennes boss Habib Beye has spoken out on Jeremy Jacquet, who is bound for Liverpool after they beat Chelsea to his signature.

He said: "We negotiated the transfer, obtained the amount the club looked for, we respected the player’s wish and we have him for the remainder of the season. The club he joins will offer him Champions League football."

Coventry land Brentford star

Coventry City have confirmed the signing of midfielder Frank Onyeka on a loan deal from Premier League side Brentford.

He will help the clubs attempts to claim promotion to the top flight with Frank Lampard's side sat top, but faltering in recent months as the chasing pack close in.

The deal also includes an obligation to buy should Coventry achieve promotion. Onyeka had been at Brentford since the summer of 2021 and made 75 Premier League appearances for the Bees.

Exclusive: Oxford pushing for Emakhu deal

Oxford United are working on a deal for Millwall forward Aidomo Emakhu.

The Lions are willing to allow Emakhu to leave The Den before this evening's transfer deadline with the Lions bolstering their own attacking options with the Brighton winger, Tommy Watson, who joined them on loan on Sunday.

And Mirror Football understands that Oxford are trying to beat the deadline with a deal for the Irishman.

Emakhu has scored twice for Millwall this season in 27 Championship appearances.

Sterling was offered to German side

Union Berlin's managing director, Horst Heldt, has revealed that the Bundesliga club were offered the chance to sign Raheem Sterling following his release from Chelsea.

Speaking to Sky Germany, Heldt said: "Sometimes you have to rub your eyes (…) In this case, it didn't really seem serious. We didn't pursue it any further."

Palace lodge late Everton bid

Crystal Palace have tabled a late bid of £20m for Everton winger Dwight McNeil as they look to get more players through the door.

Everton are closing in on a deal for Tyrique George on loan from Chelsea with an option to buy. That could see them willing to sanction McNeil's departure, reports Sky Sports, but they have yet to respond to the offer.

The Eagles do face a race against time to get the necessary paperwork and medical tests done before the 7pm deadline, but if the initial work is done they could get until 9pm.

A win for Tottenham over Arsenal

James Wilson now looks likely join Tottenham rather than Arsenal as they close in on a the deal for the 18-year-old striker.

He would join the Spurs U21 squad in what is a boost for the club after it was reported that the Gunners were holding talks to sign Wilson on an initial loan deal.

Spurs have entered the race to sign the Scotland international and their offer looks to have got them the win - that being an initial loan deal with an option to buy, reports Sky Sports.

Tonali's agent denies Arsenal talks

Sandro Tonali's agent has denied a report claiming that his camp contacted Arsenal to discuss a move.

Tonali, 25, was briefly linked with Arsenal earlier today but he won't be leaving Newcastle.

Giuseppe Riso told Sky Italia: "We never had any conversation with Arsenal. Newcastle were never gonna let Tonali leave in January.

"There's absolutely nothing into it. We didn't even talk about it."

Leicester land Aribo from Champ rivals

Leicester City have confirmed the loan signing Joe Aribo from Southampton until the end of the season.

He said: “For me, it’s amazing to have got it done and I just can’t wait to get going. I’ve always known the squad is good. I’m so certain [about] where we can get to and what we can do together. It’s just good to be a part of it.”

The Nigeria international, who once scored for Rangers in the Europa League final, arrives at King Power Stadium having made 111 appearances for the Saints across four seasons in the Premier League and Championship.

Neymar hit out in the media after Tottenham managed to secure a deal for a Paris Saint-Germain star on transfer deadline day

Neymar once described Lucas Moura's January deadline day transfer to Tottenham as "very unfair". Lucas joined Paris Saint-Germain from Sao Paulo in 2013 for £33.5million, establishing himself as one of Brazil's brightest talents in world football.

However, by January 2018, the winger had fallen out of favour under then-boss Unai Emery. Tottenham expressed strong interest in acquiring the pacey attacker that month and managed to secure the then-25-year-old on deadline day for £25m.

He signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with Spurs, becoming their record January signing at the time. Yet, his sudden departure from PSG didn't sit well with his compatriot and close friend, Neymar, who was then among the world's biggest stars and had moved to PSG for a world-record sum the previous summer.

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Neymar felt Lucas, who had enjoyed his best campaign the season before with 12 goals, was unfairly sidelined by Emery. Despite the Brazilian superstar's objections, his own arrival had played a significant role in Lucas' reduced playing time.

"I'm sad because he's a good friend, a quality player who has been used very little," the former Barcelona man said following PSG's Coupe de la Ligue semi-final win at Rennes.

"I think it's very unfair. He's my brother in football. I wish him all the best. Regardless of the destination, I hope he'll score a lot of goals and that he'll return to the Brazil team."

Neymar continued: "He's not just a friend, he's someone who has a lot of quality. He could have been used a lot more here, I'm sure of that, but I'm not the team's owner. For me, he should never have left Paris."

Despite those comments, Lucas was thrilled about his move to the Premier League. The club announced his arrival with a clip in which he shook hands with former PSG team-mate Serge Aurier.

Lucas said: "I’m so, so happy. It’s a new chapter in my life, a new challenge for me. I’ve joined a big club with big players and I look forward to playing and helping the team.

"I can play in the Champions League, which is a big objective for me and to make new friends is always a pleasure. I will give my best for this club. I think we have a lot of quality and I think we can win big things."

He came close to achieving exactly that when he netted a stunning second-half hat-trick against Ajax in 2019, securing a memorable Champions League semi-final victory on aggregate. Sadly for Spurs, they fell short against Liverpool in the final, although Lucas' contribution etched his place into club folklore.

Lucas later helped Spurs reach the EFL Cup final in 2020/21, where they were also beaten by Manchester City. In January 2023, five years after joining, it was confirmed that his contract wouldn't be renewed in north London.

He signed for his boyhood club, Sao Paulo, in August that year. The 33-year-old continues to be an important player for the Brazilian giants and extended his contract until the end of 2026 last December.

Rodri let rip after Manchester City's 2-2 draw away at Tottenham on Sunday after Dominic Solanke's controversial first goal was allowed by the match officials and VAR

Manchester City midfielder Rodri could be slapped with an FA charge and a ban after saying referees 'have to be neutral' as he criticised the decision to allow Tottenham's first goal in Sunday's 2-2 draw.

City were left aggrieved after the first of Dominic Solanke's two goals was allowed to stand by the match officials and VAR even though the Spurs striker appeared to kick through the back of Marc Guehi's leg to put the ball into the back of the net.

City had VAR decisions go against them in matches with Newcastle, Manchester United and Wolves in January, and Rodri appeared to question whether officials were being fair.

The Star have since reported that the FA are likely to take a dim view of Rodri's comments and could charge him with 'questioning the integrity of match officials'.

The Spain midfielder told Australian broadcaster Stan Sport: "I know we won too much and the people don't want us to win but the referee has to be neutral and for me honestly, it's not fair.

"It's not fair because we work so hard in these situations and now to make these decisions, we have to move on.

"Of course you need to come back but at the end, when everything is finished, we are frustrated because it's so clear the foul. He kicked the leg and of course with the push of the action on the ball, the ball goes in.

"We have to pay attention to these little things otherwise it's going to be difficult for everyone because this league is like this - it's about small details and everything counts, so I think today is a very tough day for us in this sense."

City were denied a goal by VAR in their 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Newcastle and then Diogo Dalot avoided a red card for a challenge on Jeremy Doku as Guardiola's side lost the Manchester derby.

And Rodri - a week on from referee Farai Hallam declining to award City a penalty against Wolves despite being told to review the incident on the pitchside monitor - fumed at this latest decision.

He said: "I don't know how to feel. Now I see the images. On the pitch you don't see. It's a clear foul in the first action of the goal.

"It's a clear foul and VAR is (there) for a reason. These small details make the difference. We're trying to do our best, it's the first goal they scored and maybe if they don't score the goal, we win the game.

"It's one game and another game and it's not possible. And honestly I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively, but they have to pay attention to these things. He's kicked the leg. It's so clear, it's so clear.

"He anticipated the leg of Marc and it's a clear foul, but it's not today, it's two or three games in a row and I don't know why, honestly."

A statement by Premier League Match Centre on Sunday read: "The referee's call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR - with the challenge by Solanke on Guehi deemed not to be a foul as Solanke played the ball.

"The goal accreditation panel has adjudged the goal to be a Solanke goal."

TOTTENHAM 2-2 MAN CITY: Dominic Solanke scores twice as Spurs put miserable first half behind them to clinch a point and derail Pep Guardiola's stuttering title ambitions

Twenty one months on from the game Tottenham wanted to lose they produced an incredible fightback. And by the end, the Tottenham fans were giving their players a standing ovation while the Manchester City players trudged off in utter despair.

To say this was one of the most bizarre games you are likely to see just does not begin to do it justice. Tottenham were so bad in the first half. Embarrassingly so. Then they were warriors in the second half.

You might remember it was two seasons ago when swathes of Spurs fans wanted to lose to City in this fixture in the penultimate game of the season to stop Arsenal winning the title. This time they ended up doing their bitter rivals Arsenal a huge favour because it meant City dropped two points to leave Mikel Arteta’s men six clear at the top.

But this was about Tottenham. And maybe, just maybe, it can be the turning point Thomas Frank needed because they were on their knees and depleted by injuries.

Yet two-goal Dominic Solanke was sensational in front of England boss Thomas Tuchel. And Xavi Simons produced an incredible performance of super human proportions. For someone so small, he played like a giant.

And the losers were City. They were so comfortable in the first half that Sky pundit Gary Neville described it like a Soccer Aid charity match. Tottenham were not even in the contest. But, by the end, it was more points dropped for City. Incredibly, they have now dropped seven points from goals conceded in the second half from January 1.

It was a decade to the day that Pep Guardiola was named as City boss. And, as good as they are at times going forward, they have vulnerability not just in defence but in the way they drop points.

This is a million miles away from a classic City side. They have got sensational players and may still end up winning the title. But they never used to give opponents a chance. They handed a point to Spurs - and gave Arsenal even a huge helping hand.

Let’s not forget that Tottenham were so depleted that they were missing 11 players through injury and Radu Dragusin was making his first start in 371 days. And it showed. They were woeful in the first half. Patched-up and not even competitive.

City were ahead after just 11 minutes and the goal was littered by Spurs mistakes. Yves Bissouma’s clearance went straight to Bernardo Silva. Erling Haaland fed Rayan Cherki and Dragusin stood off and gave the City playmaker way too much space to pick his spot and the shot was deflected past Guglielmo Vicario who maybe should have done better.

Cherki could have got another before Antoine Semenyo put them two-up before half time. Dragusin’s poor ball out of defence went straight to Rodri. Bernardo Silva set up Semenyo who fired home. The boos started.

It looked over. But Frank hooked Cristian Romero, brought on Pape Matar Sarr and went to a back four and they matched City’s shape - and their fight. Destiny Udogie saw a thunderous shot brilliantly saved by City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. But it gave Spurs hope.

Solanke battled for the ball, stayed just onside and then threw himself into a tussle in the City box. Solanke actually kicked through the back of Marc Guehi. It was eventually given as Solanke’s goal.

More was to follow. Conor Gallagher drove forward down the right, his cross found Solanke who improvised brilliantly and, with the ball behind him, somehow performed a spectacular scorpion kick to get the ball past Donnarumma. It was an incredible goal.

Tottenham could have scored again. Simons and Wilson Odobert were both denied by brilliant Donnarumma saves. City stormed forward, laid siege and but did not manage a shot on target in the second half. What a result for Tottenham and all of North London.

Tottenham dent Man City's title hopes and give Arsenal helping hand - 5 talking points

TOTTENHAM 2-2 MAN CITY: Dominic Solanke was the comeback king for Spurs, as they earned a valuable draw while doing rivals Arsenal a huge favour in this season's Premier League title race

A spectacular goal from Dominic Solanke earned Jekyll-and-Hyde Tottenham a 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Solanke's scorpion kick was the sting in the tail for City, whose title hopes suffered another blow after throwing away three points.

Pep Guardiola's side were on course for victory when Rayan Cherki broke the deadlock with only 11 minutes on the clock. Antoine Semenyo then doubled the visitors' lead before half-time.

Thomas Frank must've given his players quite the team talk, as they looked a different outfit after the interval. Solanke gave Tottenham hope with a scrappy goal before he produced an acrobatic finish to equalise with 20 minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finish.

City regained their composure and pushed for a winner, but they couldn't find one. The result, coupled with Aston Villa's loss, means that Arsenal are six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Here are five talking points from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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It's been a productive 2026 for Cherki. In his last seven games, the winger has directly contributed to six goals, the latest of which came after just 11 minutes.

Finding space on the right after Erling Haaland offloaded the ball to him, Cherki waited patiently as Radu Dragusin backed off. The ex-Lyon star then unleashed a strike with his right foot which beat the sprawling Guglielmo Vicario to open the scoring.

City's early goal did little to change the subdued atmosphere in North London. But after Haaland almost made it 2-0 a few minutes later, the home crowd began to make their voices heard in anger.

Cherki looked set to come off injured in the 25th minute, with Tijjani Reijnders stripped and ready. However, the France international was fine to continue - but it didn't stop him from receiving a few stern words from a bemused Guardiola.

Given how open Tottenham remained as the half wore on, City's second goal felt a matter of when not if. Semenyo was the man to double their lead, scoring against Spurs for the second time this calendar year.

His final touch for Bournemouth, ahead of his big-money move to Manchester, proved to be the winning goal against Frank's team on January 7. Semenyo hurt them again here, netting a simple finish just before half-time after Bernardo Silva played him in.

The £62.5million man became the first player to score against Tottenham for two different clubs in the same Premier League season. Spurs better hope they don't come up against City in the Champions League.

As the second half began, 10 of the same Tottenham players who'd trudged into the dressing room 15 minutes earlier came back out. But Cristian Romero wasn't one of them, having been replaced by Pape Matar Sarr at the break.

Bizarrely, the Spurs captain hadn't shown any sign of an injury. Although his primary job is defending, the Argentine's goals have been equally as vital for Tottenham in recent weeks. If his absence was fitness-related, Frank will be worried.

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Having been sidelined for much of Frank's reign, Solanke has quickly become an important player for the Spurs boss and inspired their comeback. Latching onto a ball from Xavi Simons in the 53rd minute, the striker shrugged off Abdukodir Khusanov before Marc Guehi got a foot in with a sliding tackle.

Solanke didn't give up, though, as he and Guehi went for the ball. Both of them appeared to get a touch and it went Spurs' way to land in the back of the net.

With 20 minutes to go, Solanke - who was awarded the first goal - took matters into his own hands and equalised in style. After Conor Gallagher drove down the right and whipped in a cross, the 28-year-old flicked his right leg behind him and scored a scorpion kick which looped over Donnarumma.

Arsenal win, Villa lose and City draw - sounds like a dream weekend for Spurs' bitter rivals. After this game of two halves, it came true.

City looked the more likely side to score a winner but Guardiola's men were denied, even with nine minutes of stoppage time added on. Tottenham lost Solanke to a late injury - another downside to their day - but dug in for a draw.

After wrapping up the Champions League group stages on Wednesday, Tottenham and Man City go head-to-head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming for their 10th Premier League double over Manchester City as they welcome the Sky Blues to North London for Sunday’s headline fixture. Both teams return to domestic action buoyed by 2-0 victories in the Champions League—Spurs overcame Eintracht Frankfurt, while City comfortably dispatched Galatasaray at home.

Despite their European exploits, Tottenham continue to struggle in the Premier League. Under Thomas Frank, who is still searching for his first league win of the year, Spurs have managed just three draws and two defeats in their five top-flight matches in 2026. Their most recent outing saw them held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by newly-promoted Burnley, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero rescuing a point to avoid a third straight league loss. The team currently sits 14th in the table, and growing fan discontent was evident at Turf Moor.

Although there are murmurs of doubt behind the scenes, the Tottenham board is still backing Frank to turn things around. However, his record at home leaves much to be desired—he holds the lowest points-per-game ratio for a Spurs manager in Premier League home matches (0.82), with just two league wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

On the positive side, Spurs have a Champions League last-16 tie to look forward to after their morale-boosting win over Frankfurt, which extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to three matches and provided Frank with some temporary respite.

Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola brings his Manchester City side to North London looking for revenge against a team that has often been a thorn in his side. City’s struggles against Spurs continued earlier this season with a 2-0 defeat at the Etihad, but the reigning champions have won their last two Premier League visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and are aiming for a third consecutive away league win over Spurs for the first time.

City are also chasing a third straight victory in all competitions, following back-to-back 2-0 wins over Wolves and Galatasaray. Their triumph over Wolves ended a four-game winless streak in the league and allowed them to close the gap on Arsenal to four points after United’s impressive win at the Emirates.

As Arsenal prepare to face Leeds United on Saturday, the Gunners could temporarily extend their lead to seven points. Afterward, Arsenal fans may find themselves rooting for Spurs, hoping to see Guardiola suffer his ninth Premier League defeat to Tottenham.

Tottenham vs Man City Team News

Spurs supporters could finally receive some positive news on the injury front, as Thomas Frank is hopeful that Micky van de Ven will be available after missing the Frankfurt game with a minor issue. Conor Gallagher, Yves Bissouma, Mathys Tel, Radu Dragusin, and Souza are all set to return to the squad after being ineligible for midweek European action. However, Tottenham remain without James Maddison (knee), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Ben Davies (ankle), Pedro Porro (hamstring), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Richarlison (hamstring), and Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring).

Randal Kolo Muani, who found the net in midweek and has been the subject of late January transfer speculation linking him with a return to Juventus, is expected to stay at Spurs and could partner Dominic Solanke up front.

On the Manchester City side, their victory over Galatasaray came at a price, with Jeremy Doku—who provided both assists—suffering a calf injury that will rule him out of Sunday’s clash at the very least. The Belgian joins Ruben Dias (hamstring), Josko Gvardiol (leg), John Stones (thigh), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), and Savinho (thigh) on the sidelines. However, City will be boosted by the returns of Rodri, who is available again after serving a Champions League suspension, as well as Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, both of whom were ineligible for European competition.

Off the pitch, Pep Guardiola missed his pre-match press conference on Friday due to a personal matter, but he is still expected to be on the touchline for Sunday’s match at Tottenham.

Tottenham vs Man City Prediction

Both teams to score - 8/13 (Betfred)

Tottenham/Draw - 11/10 (Betfred)

Phil Foden to score anytime - 15/8 (Betfred)

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