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I watched the Tottenham v Manchester City draw, mostly with my mouth wide open in the second half as an abject Spurs, from nowhere, dominated City. My chin was on the floor for Dominic Solanke's genius equalising scorpion kick. However, my shock had also yet to recede following Spurs' opener.

It initially looked a good goal. Then the replay showed clearly from one angle, that Solanke had not kicked the ball, he had kicked Marc Guehi's foot onto the ball, which then put the ball in the net.

There is this rule in football which you might be aware of, you are not allowed to kick an opponent, you are supposed to kick the ball. Somehow the VAR thought it perfectly acceptable - what?!

Then an array of pundits, well the ones who spotted it, started to agree it was a perfectly good goal. I must admit I began to wonder if I was missing something, but I looked again and no.

Yes, strikers put their foot in between a defender and the ball to take a hit to win a penalty sometimes, but that is totally different.

On those occasions the forward initiates the contact deliberately. Guehi was going for the ball and got to it ball first. Allowing the goal may well be my least favourite VAR moment of the season, and that is saying something.

Man Utd are winless in their last six league games against Tottenham Hotspur (D3 L3), their joint-longest ever run without a win against them (also 6 between 1914 and 1921).

Tottenham won this exact fixture 3-0 last season – only once have they won consecutive away games against Man Utd in the Premier League, doing so in January 2014.

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Manchester United in all competitions (W5 D3). It’s their longest ever run without defeat against them, while in the 21st century only Chelsea have gone longer against the Red Devils (12 between 2012 and 2017).

Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games (W4 D3) and have won all three since Michael Carrick returned as manager. The Red Devils last won four in a row in February 2024 under Erik ten Hag, while they last had a longer run without defeat in February 2022 (8 under Ralf Rangnick).

Tottenham are winless in their last six Premier League games (D4 L2), their longest run since their last seven in 2024-25. However, five of Spurs’ seven league wins this season have come away from home.

Manchester United are unbeaten in all nine of their Premier League games this season when they have less possession than their opponents (W7 D2), winning all seven when having less than 45%. They’ve won just four of their 15 league games when having over 50% of the ball (D6 L5).

Only bottom two sides Burnley (23) and Wolves (21) have conceded more first half goals than Tottenham (18) in the Premier League this season. Spurs are winless in all 10 of their league games when behind at the break this term (D3 L7) and are unbeaten in all six when leading at half-time (W5 D1).

Bruno Fernandes has more assists than any other Premier League player this season, with his 12 also his joint-best tally in a single campaign (level with 2020-21). The last Manchester United player to provide more was Antonio Valencia in 2011-12 (13).

Dominic Solanke – who scored twice against Man City last time out – has scored five goals in his last five appearances against Manchester United in all competitions. He’s averaging a goal every 88 minutes in all competitions this season, the best rate of any Spurs player.

Matheus Cunha has been involved in four goals in his last five Premier League games (3 goals, 1 assist), as many as in his first 16 appearances for Manchester United (3 goals, 1 assist).

Tottenham have signed teenage striker James Wilson on loan from Hearts in a deal that includes an option to buy at the end of the season.

Arsenal were in talks with the Scottish Premiership leaders over a move for the 18-year-old - in a deal that was effectively a six-month trial.

Wilson has been around Hearts for a number of years and there was considerable interest from Leeds, before he signed his first professional contract just after his 16th birthday.

Although he played a number of matches for Hearts 'B', he has been training with the first team for the vast majority of his professional career.

Wilson scored six goals in 33 appearances last season, but has struggled to force his way into the line-up in this campaign thanks to the excellent form of Hearts' strikers.

He already has one Scotland cap to his name having been introduced to the squad by Steve Clarke last year.

James has twin brothers, Alfie and Stanley, who are also youth players at Tynecastle.

Captain Cristian Romero says it was "disgraceful" Tottenham had just 11 senior players available for Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Manchester City.

Spurs have lost nine players to injury in 2026, sold last season's top scorer Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace and only brought in two senior signings in the January window.

It is the second time in recent weeks Romero has spoken out on social media, writing in a now-altered post in January that members of the club's hierarchy "only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies".

"Great effort from all my team-mates yesterday, they were incredible," Romero, who had to withdraw with an illness during the 2-2 stalemate, wrote in a post on Instagram on Monday.

"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.

"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."

Spurs signed Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid and 19-year-old Brazilian defender Souza from Santos in the January window.

They added 18-year-old Hearts forward James Wilson on loan on transfer deadline day, but he will be part of their under-21s squad.

In response to Romero's post last month, manager Thomas Frank said the 27-year-old Argentina centre-back should keep some things "internal".

Tottenham wanted to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in January but he joined Manchester City instead, with Frank saying on Friday the club "did everything" they could.

"The fans just want the best for the club, just like I, the owners, the staff, the players. Everyone wants the best for the club," added the Dane.

"But the transfer window is not Football Manager, unfortunately. It is not. It would be a lot easier, but also a little bit more boring."

Spurs, who won the Europa League last term, are currently 14th in the Premier League and sit closer to the drop zone than the European qualification places, although they have made it to the last 16 of the Champions League.

People might not agree with me, but I think Conor Gallagher to Tottenham will be seen as a success. I think they needed leaders in that squad and he's certainly one of those.

I think it's unfortunate for them that they couldn't get the Andy Robertson deal over the line. They've been crying out for a player like that for a while.

But I think the Gallagher deal will be a successful deal because I think he's an excellent player.

Cardiff City Under-21s have completed the permanent signings of forward Herbie James from Tottenham Hotspur and midfielder Isaac Davies from Nottingham Forest.

James, 19, is formerly of the Manchester City academy, while 18-year-old Davies is a Wales youth international.

"I'm so excited by this opportunity," said James. "More than anything I'm hungry to make an impact, to represent the city and meet the fans. Sometimes you get that gut feeling and it feels right.

"The goal is to get momentum between now and the end of the season. There's so much that I can learn. Once I'm in the environment it's game mode and being fully focused, with the aim to get involved with the first team squad.

"I always look to excite and get people watching on their feet. The game is about scoring goals, and I live for those moments."

Davies said: "I'm buzzing to be here. I know how big this club is and this city, being a one-club city is massive. I know a few of the boys here already so as soon as the offer came in, I knew I couldn't wait to get started.

"My strengths are playing on the ball, passing and breaking lines and, when I've spoken to staff here, they've said that's what they want to do, so I feel like I can add some value to the side.

"I've walked around Cardiff City Stadium and it's an amazing stadium. I can't wait to have the chance to play here. You've got loads of young players coming through so it's a good time to be joining the club."

Tottenham have signed teenage striker James Wilson on loan from Hearts in a deal that includes an option to buy at the end of the season.

Arsenal were in talks with the Scottish Premiership leaders over a move for the 18-year-old - in a deal that was effectively a six-month trial.

Wilson, who became the youngest man to represent Scotland when he came on in their Nations League play-off tie against Greece in March, has joined Spurs' Under-21s side.

The Gunners later confirmed they had signed Scottish forward Evan Mooney, 18, from St Mirren for their academy.

Wilson has scored eight goals in 45 appearances for the Edinburgh club and has earned a spot in Scotland's senior side.

Earlier this week, Hearts manager Derek McInnes admitted the Premier League clubs' interest in Wilson had taken him by surprise.

"He's been restricted with minutes this season. It's tough to get into the first team at this age," McInnes told Sky Sports Scotland.

"Would we see the benefit of a loan? Yes, to get some minutes. But this one was a wee bit left-field."

Mooney has made 23 appearances in all competitions for Scottish Premiership St Mirren since making his senior debut in October 2024.

He came on in the Scottish League Cup final as St Mirren beat Celtic 3-1in December 2025.

He can play as am attacking midfield or as a centre-forward and is capped at Under-19 level for Scotland.

Wilson has been around Hearts for a number of years and there was considerable interest from Leeds United, before he signed his first professional contract just after his 16th birthday.

Although he played a number of matches for Hearts 'B', he has been training with the first team for the vast majority of his professional career.

Wilson scored six goals in 33 appearances last season, but has struggled to force his way into the line-up in this campaign thanks to the excellent form of Hearts' strikers.

He already has one Scotland cap to his name having been introduced to the squad by Steve Clarke last year.

James has twin brothers, Alfie and Stanley, who are also youth players at Tynecastle.

Salford City have loaned centre-back Alfie Dorrington from Tottenham Hotspur for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season and the first half of this season at Aberdeen, playing 16 games and scoring a goal for the Scottish Premiership side, as well as helping them to the Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic.

A former under-21 captain at Spurs, Dorrington made his senior debut for them last season as a substitute in a Premier League match at Southampton, and has six first-team games under his belt for the North London club.

Scotland forward James Wilson, 18, has joined Tottenham from Hearts on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy for an undisclosed fee.

Midfielder George Abbott, who has one senior appearance for Spurs, has completed a loan move to League One club Mansfield Town for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.

Centre-back Alfie Dorrington makes the move to Salford City on loan. The 20-year-old has been on loan at Aberdeen for the first half of the season.

Mansfield Town have signed Tyler Roberts on a contract until the end of the season and signed Tottenham midfielder George Abbott on loan.

Roberts, 27, was originally signed on a season-long loan from Birmingham City during the summer and has now left the Championship club.

Wales international forward Roberts has scored three goals in nine appearances during what has been an injury-disrupted spell at the One Call Stadium so far.

He has not featured since November because of a calf problem.

Roberts joined Birmingham in the summer of 2023 from Leeds United and featured 21 times for Blues.

Former England Under-18 international Abbott has been with Spurs since the age of seven and has joined the Stags on loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old made his senior Tottenham debut in the Premier League against Leeds in 2023, and spent the first half of this season on loan at League One side Wycombe following a season-long loan at Notts County.