BBC

I usually groan at the thought of another international break interrupting the excitement of the Premier League, but this one is well timed for Tottenham.

After a promising start to the campaign, with a convincing win at home to - albeit newly promoted - Burnley and our traditional victory at Etihad Stadium, it looked as though Thomas Frank had fixed our defence.

However, now the errors have crept back in and we look particularly vulnerable defending our box. When added to a frustratingly limited attacking threat and an increasingly embarrassing home record, it is no surprise there is growing unrest among fans in N17, who pay a lot of money in the hope of actually enjoying the product.

So, this pause in league fixtures provides the ideal opportunity for Frank and his team - players and staff - to reflect, recharge and reset.

It also gives supporters a chance to take a step back and appreciate that this project, which is still in its infancy under a new manager, needs more time to realise its true potential.

Although some performances have been far from ideal, we are fifth in the Premier League and remain undefeated in the Champions League so far this season.

It is worth noting that has been achieved with a number of key players missing because of injury, and others having their minutes carefully managed as they return to the unrelenting and unforgiving pace of the Premier League.

Many fans have been confused and irritated by some of Frank's starting line-up choices and decisions around substitutions, as evidenced by the audible boos around the stadium when Xavi Simons was taken off against Manchester United on Saturday.

However, as Frank prepares us for battle against 'you know who', I'm inclined to trust his rationale - at least until the end of his first season.

Spurs fan Sam Gilley will be ready for anything when he tries to win the vacant British super-welterweight title at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Gilley already holds the Commonwealth belt and hopes to 'double up' against Ishmael Davis on Saturday.

He will be on the undercard of the rematch between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, in his first bout since a draw with Gideon Onyenani at Ipswich Town's Portman Road ground in June.

"I'm boxing at a stadium again and it's in November, so it's probably going to rain, but I can't let things like that interrupt what I've got to focus on. I've been preparing myself, and even if it snows, I'll be alright that night," he told BBC Essex.

Gilley, from Ongar, Essex, has won 18 of his 20 professional bouts, losing only once - and that was over four-and-a-half years ago.

Yorkshireman Davis, by contrast, lost three in a row before winning a points decision in a six-rounder against Elliot Eboigbe in his most recent contest last month, which took his record to 14-3.

Gilley said he has been dreaming of becoming a British champion since he took up boxing at the age of 11, and the chance to do so at the home of his beloved Tottenham is an opportunity he does not intend to waste.

"I went to the first Benn-Eubank fight as a fan and I thought, 'Imagine fighting here, it'd be quite daunting,' but since the fight's been made, it's not daunting at all. It's just filling me with excitement," he said.

"I went back to Portman Road to watch Ipswich in the Norwich game because I've become quite pally with [Ipswich forward] Sammie Szmodics, and going back to the stadium was horrible [after drawing there].

"I don't want that feeling going to Tottenham every week. But that's not really come into my head because I am so confident for this fight. It is just going to be one magical evening for me.

"I've known Conor for a long time. We've been sparring for a long time, so to be on a show of that magnitude [is great]. This is so beyond a dream for me, even when I was there as a fan, I didn't think I could box here one day.

"Until I got the phone call saying you're on that show, I couldn't imagine me boxing at Tottenham. I have to pinch myself every day with this opportunity I've got."

Sam Gilley was speaking to BBC Essex's Sonia Watson

Tottenham have been boosted by the news that forward Randal Kolo Muani does not require surgery for a facial injury suffered in the draw versus Manchester United.

The France international was involved in a heavy collision with United defender Harry Maguire in the first half of the 2-2 draw and was replaced by Wilson Odobert.

Muani is understood to have suffered damage to his jaw in the incident and was sent to see a specialist on Monday to discover the extent of the injury.

Initial reports have suggested he could miss up to eight weeks - a period that would run into months if it was deemed surgery was required.

However, it is understood Muani has been told he does not need an operation and while club medics do not want to put a definitive timescale on his return, there is optimism the 26-year-old can return to action well in advance of the feared six to eight-week period.

Kolo Muani joined on transfer deadline day from Juventus on an initial season-long loan deal.

The start of his Spurs career was hampered by a dead leg but he has made eight appearances for Thomas Frank's side since his arrival, though is yet to score.

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will miss Slovenia's crucial World Cup qualifiers but club officials do not think he suffered a major problem in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

United have also opted to let defender Lisandro Martinez link up with Argentina at their European base before their friendly with Angola, but the 27-year-old will not feature in the match.

Sesko lasted just 30 minutes before limping out of the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after jarring his knee when he was tackled by Micky van de Ven.

The £73.7m forward was pictured leaving the ground without crutches, but was not moving freely.

When asked whether the issue was serious, head coach Ruben Amorim said because it was a knee issue "you never know" and said Sesko would need to be checked as it might affect his January transfer plans.

This sparked fears of an extended absence, which could coincide with the departure of fellow forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo - plus defender Noussair Mazraoui - for the Africa Cup of Nations next month.

However, while the full extent of Sesko's injury and the length of his absence will not be confirmed until further tests have taken place at United's Carrington training ground, the club are privately distancing themselves from concerns the 22-year-old could be sidelined for months.

He will miss Slovenia's pivotal matches against Kosovo and Sweden, which they need to win to stand any chance of securing a World Cup play-off berth.

Martinez, meanwhile, has returned to training with Amorim's squad and is closing in on a return after having major knee surgery in February.

Amorim has not called the defender into his matchday squad just yet, and is determined to take it easy on a player who has endured a number of long-term injuries since his arrival from Ajax in 2022.

United feel Martinez will benefit from linking up with his international colleagues, especially as it does not involve extensive travel. It is understood a member of United's performance team will travel with Martinez during his time away.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Tottenham and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Tottenham fans

Herman: The first half was awful, the second half a bit better. Destiny Udogie, Tel and Wilson Odobert were much better than the players they came in for. Some substitutions could have come earlier. We've got no-one in front to hold the ball. Why doesn't Dane Scarlett get a chance?

James: Frustrating first-half display. We got into some decent positions and just lacked quality in the final third. Then for the goal it was reminiscent of so many goals we conceded last season where we'd just try to play out no matter the context. I feel like sometimes our players don't read the game well. Glad we managed to get back into it and take the lead, only to then not close the game out. Again, a similar theme to last season. At least we scored from open play.

Andrew: Poor first half and poor goals - but good second-half display. Xavi Simons is getting better and more influential. Two point-blank saves kept Manchester United in it but we sat way too deep after taking the lead.

David: Mediocre performance overall but relieved by a fine goal from Tel. This squad has more to offer than we're seeing at the moment.

Man Utd fans

Andrew: Happy with the draw but United lacked any urgency to win the game. I was hoping that the first goal it would spark some quality football to be played but it didn't. When we had possession, United did not find the spaces that were there to attack the goal. There was no proactive play. Luckily for United, the opposition were just as bad.

Noel: Another inconsistent performance by United. They lack the physicality as a team to play a full 90 minutes, particularly in midfield and defence. Desperate for a holding midfielder with legs to complement Casemiro. More positively, we came back well and the keeper looks like a big improvement on the previous two.

Matt: That result sums up perfectly where we are right now. We're not strong enough to get over the line in a close match, but we are more resilient than last season, so therefore we're drawing matches we would have otherwise lost.

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When the final whistle finally blew at Hayes Lane on Sunday, there was a sense that something had shifted in the perception of London City Lionesses.

Their thrilling 4-2 win over Tottenham felt like not merely three points but a watershed moment in London City's debut Women's Super League campaign.

It meant they climbed to the top half of the table with four wins in eight matches.

They had already beaten Everton, Liverpool and West Ham - the bottom three - this season, but this was different.

Tottenham came into the match flying high - with 15 points collected from a possible 21 making for their best ever start to a WSL campaign.

But the promoted side matched them with poise, pace and purpose of a team that showed they belong in the big league, impressing not just with the result but also the manner in which it was achieved.

So when an excruciatingly long period of stoppage time was brought to an end, the Lionesses knew they had achieved something significant.

Manager Jocelyn Precheur spoke of "a good performance that will give us the confidence and the energy to keep improving even more".

Freya Godfrey opened the scoring early, while Nikita Parris struck in her 200th WSL appearance, but Spurs clawed their way back on both occasions through a Cathinka Tandberg penalty and an Eveliina Summanen free-kick.

A late own goal from Amanda Nilden helped the hosts reclaim the lead before a second strike from Godfrey sealed the win.

"It was an important game for us to decide which part of the table we can stay [in]," said former Paris St-Germain boss Precheur.

"I prefer to go game after game. I don't like to talk about vision and where we can be in the table at the end of the season. It's really important to keep this dynamic.

"Despite the fact that we're improving, I think we're yet to achieve our full potential. It's about how we can keep improving again. This will give the players the energy to keep developing."

Precheur may steer clear of precise predictions, but his is a clear message that London City can carry on moving up in their world.

After splitting from Millwall in 2019, London City were a fixture in the second tier, but the arrival of American businesswoman Michele Kang, who bought the club when they were on the brink of liquidation in late 2023, has seen their fortunes change.

Money has changed their world, a rush of star players creating a team with elite aspirations. Promoted in May, what can the big-spending, clear-thinking Lionesses go on to achieve in their debut top-flight season?

"We said from the start, we're not here to fight relegation, we're here to prove we're in this league now, we're not here to go back down," said their two-goal hero Godfrey.

"We're here and we're here to compete."

Precheur added: "What are our limits this season? It's up to the players to answer this question."

The only top-tier WSL side not to have an affiliated professional men's team, London City were promoted as winners of last season's Championship.

For now they sit sixth with 12 points - nine points behind leaders Manchester City and eight behind reigning champions Chelsea after eight rounds of games.

Manchester United are third with 17 points, while rival capital outfits Arsenal and Tottenham are only three points better off that London City at this stage.

Victory against Tottenham was their third straight win on home soil, with all four of their wins coming against sides that finished in the bottom half of the table last season.

All four of their defeats have come against last season's top four of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.

They could hardly be trending any more mid-table if they tried, but London City have higher aspirations.

Promoted sides have dropped straight back to the second tier in the past two seasons, with Bristol City and Crystal Palace finishing bottom in 2023-24 and 2024-25 respectively.

Not only are London City on course to avoid following suit, their 12-point haul at this stage of the season has only been bettered by one other promoted side in WSL history.

That was Sunderland, who, with a young Beth Mead scoring goals for fun, collected 15 points after eight games during the eight-team 2015 season. They finished fourth - only collecting five more points in their remaining six games.

Only three other promoted sides have collected 12 points at this stage: Manchester United and Tottenham in 2019-20 and Manchester City - who were given a top-flight place after a reshuffle of the leagues - in 2014.

Godfrey said of the ambitious Lionesses: "We've showed that we're not another team that's going to get promoted and relegated the next year.

"The direction this club is looking to go is up. We want to show this club is going to be a mainstay in English football for the foreseeable future."

The star of their latest triumph was undoubtedly Godfrey, who grabbed two goals and an assist.

They were the 20-year-old's first goals for the club since her loan move from Arsenal in January which was made permanent in July.

Godfrey managed three assists in eight Championship appearances following her switch, but it has taken her until November to announce herself in the top flight after missing the first weeks of the season with injury.

She is part of a star-studded London City squad which boasts players like Grace Geyoro, Parris, Danielle van de Donk, Katie Zelem and Kosovare Asllani.

Precheur never had doubts about Godfrey, who is already an England Under-23 international and surely destined for the senior national team Lionesses before too long.

"When she arrived in January, I saw her potential but she really lacked the confidence," the London City manager said.

"As I told her many times, it's normal to have a lack of confidence when you're a young player. I am happy for her but I just told her it's just the beginning for her."

Freya Godfrey scored twice as London City Lionesses defeated high-flying Tottenham in an entertaining contest at Hayes Lane to secure their fourth win of the Women's Super League season.

Spurs twice fought back to draw level with the promoted side but Amanda Nilden's own goal in the 81st minute and Godfrey's second three minutes later - to add to her opener and an assist - sealed the win for Jocelyn Precheur's side.

The result sent London City into the top half of the table with 12 points from eight games while Spurs are three points ahead in fifth place.

The hosts had made a dream start as captain Kosovare Asllani's corner towards the near post was kept in play by Wassa Sangare and crossed back into the middle for Godfrey to score her first goal for the club only eights minutes in.

Spurs probed for an equaliser but did not register a shot on target before London City midfielder Saki Kumagai recklessly slid in to bring down Drew Spence inside the box.

Cathinka Tandberg stepped up to take the resulting penalty and smashed her effort down the middle for her fourth goal of the WSL season.

However, London City regained their lead through Nikita Parris in the 50th minute as they broke forward at pace through Asllani and Godfrey before the latter's cross was met with a well-timed run and finish from the 31-year-old England forward on her 200th WSL appearance.

Asllani's foul on Matilda Vinberg at the edge of the box then gave Spurs another lifeline as Eveliina Summanen, wearing the captain's armband for the day, curled her free-kick past diving London City goalkeeper Elene Lete to restore parity.

However, Nilden then put the ball in her own net before her day went from bad to worse as Godfrey breezed past the Swedish defender to score her second from the edge of the box.

Tottenham emerged as 5-0 winners when these sides last met in a competitive fixture, in the fourth round of the FA Cup in January 2023.

But two years on London City are an altogether different outfit and have already shown they can compete with the big names in their debut WSL season.

They produced a rugged display against Chelsea last weekend and matched the reigning champions with three shots on target - albeit they lost 2-0.

And they built on that performance here, stunning in-form Tottenham with an early opener from 20-year-old Arsenal academy graduate Godfrey and showing plenty of character after Spurs levelled twice.

Their counter-attacking style proved dangerous without the end product at Stamford Bridge but it worked to a tee on Sunday as Parris finished off a quick break that also involved Asllani and Godfrey to make it 2-1.

It was a special occasion for former Manchester City and Manchester United forward Parris, who had also scored in her 50th and 100th WSL appearances, but Spurs threatened to spoil the party with Summanen's equaliser.

However, Sangare headed Asllani's free-kick into the path of Spurs defender Nilden to force an own goal before Godfrey, part of the England Under-23 set-up, grabbed the headlines with her second moments later.

With their four defeats so far coming against last season's top four of Chelsea, Arsenal, United and City, London City boss Precheur will be confident his side can keep their good run going against Aston Villa in their next game.

'Vital goal for Spurs'

London City 1-1 Tottenham

Kerys Harrop

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender on Sky Sports

It's a vital goal and great finish to get Spurs back in the game.

Cathinka Tandberg just drills it in.

Tottenham need to capitalise on this momentum while London City are shocked and disappointed.

GREAT SAVE!

Liverpool 1-0 Brighton

Faye Kirby keeps her side in it.

She has to react quickly after Fuka Nagano nearly gifts Brighton an equaliser, making a quick first save before getting back up to get her hands to the rebound.

Post

West Ham 0-0 Leicester

Ffion Morgan has a shot blocked on the line before Shekiera Martinez strikes just wide of the post.

West Ham are looking more likely to score now.

CLOSE!

West Ham 0-0 Leicester

Anouk Denton does everything right until the finish which she just strikes over the crossbar.

The cut inside was sublime as she evaded the Leicester defence.

That was the best chance of the game so far.

GOAL - Liverpool 1-0 Brighton

Beata Olsson (26 mins)

Liverpool lead!

It is a great move from the hosts to open the scoring, with a neat passing move before Lily Woodham whips an excellent low delivery into the area.

Beata Olsson is there to meet it in the middle. Her effort – which should really be dealt with by the goalkeeper – trickles past Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Post

London City 1-0 Tottenham

Spurs have spent much of this half on the back foot but finally trouble London City.

Olivia Holdt drives into the area and looks to create an opportunity, but she can't get a shot away.

Post

Liverpool 0-0 Brighton

Close! Brighton's Jelena Cankovic has the ball on the edge of the area and shapes an excellent strike towards the far corner, but Faye Kirby manages to tip it around for a corner.

Fran Kirby has a chance form the resulting set piece but can't trouble the goalkeeper.

Post

West Ham 0-0 Leicester

There is not much to report at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.

So far, it is as cagey as you would expect.

However if it stays like this West Ham will have their first WSL point of the season so that is a silver lining.

Post

London City 1-0 Tottenham

That wasn't what Grace Geyoro wanted.

London City overturn possession and Geyoro looks to curl an effort into the top corner from the edge of the box.

It goes high and over the stand.

Matthijs De Ligt scores an equaliser deep in to stoppage time, cancelling out Richarlison's 91st minute goal as Tottenham and Manchester United play out a 2-2 draw.

MATCH REPORT: Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Manchester United