Goal.com

Following Spurs' 1-0 loss to Chelsea at home earlier this month, where Thomas Frank's men had a nightmare outing, former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Carragher savaged Palhinha for a poor showing, as he said: "Palhinha hasn't got the quality. For a player playing for Tottenham in central midfield, for me, that's a pass you have to be able to make. He can't make it.

"Palhinha is on the ball, five touches because he hasn't got the confidence or the ability. What you've got is you've got a lack of courage and confidence from certain players, but you've also got a lack of ability of certain players."

Palhinha has now hit back at Carragher. "I saw it because some people sent it to me, I can't say I didn't see it," the midfielder said of the analysis. "I don't care what the people say. If he speaks bad things about Ronaldo, he can speak about everyone. Some people need to speak about another to be on the screens on the TV. My life is not about that, definitely.

"It makes it a bit embarrassing seeing sometimes the ex-players speaking that way. They speak and they look sometimes like superstars on their past, I don't have problems to say. I think he should have seen probably more games of me at Tottenham. I think I am having a top season."

He added: "I don't care too much because we have a lot of birds speaking all the time about us and trying to drop us. It is about how we react. And the way I reacted was scoring a goal after he said this to me, against Copenhagen. I just want to keep doing my job and show what I am capable to do because I am really proud what I have been doing until now. We are really motivated and have everything to reach a good result."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

The Portugal international, who joined Bayern from Fulham in the summer of 2024 for around £47 million (€56m/$61m), was initially seen as an ideal partner for Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in the centre of the park. However, he struggled to establish himself and failed to meet expectations.

Palhinha made just 25 appearances in all competitions in the last campaign, with only 10 starts, and his transfer is now regarded as one of Bayern’s more disappointing investments in recent years. After just one season, he was loaned to Tottenham as Bayern sought to cut their losses.

This season, Palhinha has featured in 18 matches across all competitions under Thomas Frank and has rediscovered himself as he has scored four goals, including a strike in a 2-0 win at Manchester City, and has provided two assists.

The financial boost from the Lewis family came at a time when Tottenham are fighting for a top five finish this season, and have suffered only three Premier League defeats in 11 matches under new boss Thomas Frank, a considerable improvement from where they were under Ange Postecoglou last season. While £100m might not stretch far in today’s highly inflated football economy, many are calling it "the beginning, not the end" of a new financial drive at Spurs. Behind the money is a new face of Tottenham power, Vivienne Lewis, daughter of the late billionaire patriarch Joe Lewis. Alongside her brother Charles and son-in-law Nick Beucher, Vivienne has taken personal charge of the family’s football jewel, regularly attending matches and meetings to steer the club’s new direction.

Since ousting long-serving chairman Daniel Levy in September, the Lewis family has tightened its grip, rebuffing three separate consortium offers from Saudi, Chinese, and American investors. A source close to the family had earlier told The Daily Mail, "This is initial additional funding. As the club's management decides what's needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful."

Speaking on the new club owners, Frank told reporters: "They [the Lewis family] definitely said they are all in for the club, that they want to be here for the long term and they want to have success. That’s, of course, a little bit big headlines. We’ll see what happens in the future, but I’m confident they will back us to do everything we can to build a successful club.

"I’m very good at talking up here [to the media], but it’s about showing it out there on the pitch consistently and after setbacks. The same with them. In the best positive way, that’s what we need to do together."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Addressing the club's plan for the January transfer window and whether they would spend the entire £100m on one player, Frank added: "In the next 50 years? Then yes! It’s very evident that every successful club, not for one year. Over five, six, seven years, to build, you need a combination of time and processes. Then, of course, investment. If you want success in football, you need to invest in players. Hopefully, do it cleverly and we want to do it smart, so we don’t invest too much on the wrong players. But you need to invest... £100m? I don’t know. Let’s see. I don’t think we are close to spending £100m, put it that way. But I don’t know, let’s see what happens in the future.

"So you need to be good at developing the players, which I believe we are and we will be very good at. But then you also need to invest in the right potential of a player. He could be 22, or 26. Declan Rice is a good example. How old was he when he joined Arsenal? 24? That’s important. Nobody achieves the top without investing."

Ryan Norys, Tottenham’s chief revenue officer, hailed the new commercial tie-in.

"We are proud to partner with Elithair, a brand that has demonstrated undisputed global leadership in its field," he said. "As the world’s largest hair transplant clinic, we could not have chosen a better partner than Elithair to engage our fanbase through a mission to inspire self-confidence and offer globally recognised clinical treatment practices."

Whereas, Dr. Abdulaziz Balwi, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Elithair, said: "Partnering with an iconic Premier League club like Tottenham Hotspur is a monumental step for Elithair. It demonstrates the trust and authority we have built through our world-class expertise and international facilities in Istanbul, the United Kingdom, Germany and Dubai. This collaboration allows us to bring the same level of commitment and excellence seen at a Premier League level to every patient in the UK."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

While Spurs were unveiling new commercial ventures off the pitch, Thomas Frank delivered a wave of positive injury news ahead of Sunday’s north London derby at the Emirates against Arsenal. The manager confirmed that Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Randal Kolo Muani have all returned to training and are available to face Arsenal. All three endured disrupted international breaks as Sarr limped off for Senegal against Brazil, Bergvall withdrew from Sweden duty due to concussion symptoms, and Kolo Muani missed France’s qualifiers after a jaw issue picked up against Manchester United.

"Pape trained today,” Frank said. "He's ready, available. Lucas trained today. Ready, available. Kolo Muani, yes. Trained today. Available, of course, has a mask [he] needs to play with."

Frank confirmed that Dominic Solanke remains unavailable as he continues to recover from a lingering ankle injury sustained in August.

On Solanke, Frank said: "Dom is not ready yet. I think he also had an article recently where he spoke about it. So we are very, as I said, the same. Very aware that when we put him out there, we want to be absolutely sure, as sure as we can be, that no setback going forward. So I'm comfortable he will soon be ready, but I will not put a timeframe on it."

Meanwhile, speaking about his injury struggles, Solanke told The Athletic: "It’s been very difficult. At first, I didn’t think I would be out for too long but we didn’t really understand the extent of the injury. I was trying to get back as quickly as I could but it didn’t happen, so I had to have surgery. Since then, I have been working to get back.

"I’m not putting a timeline on it because I’ve been telling everyone ‘I’m going to be back soon’ for the last few months. I’m taking it day by day but hopefully I won’t be much longer."

Kolo Muani was withdrawn at half time following the coming together with Maguire, with head coach Thomas Frank later saying: "He actually struggled a little bit but nothing big." Initial suggestions were that the France international could miss up to eight weeks with this injury but last week, news emerged that he did not require surgery. The Telegraph is now reporting that he has trained in a mask he had fitted to help protect his jaw. It is not yet known if he will be okay to face Arsenal at The Emirates on Sunday afternoon. If the forward does return to the field soon, he could take after ex-Spurs striker Harry Kane when he wore a mask after breaking his nose, before scoring a truly world-class goal in a 2-2 draw with the Gunners.

On September 1, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan for the 2025/26 season, sparking a great deal of excitement among Spurs fans. He has featured eight times in all competitions for the north London team but is yet to get off the mark. Tottenham supporters will be hoping he can recapture the form he showed at Juventus last season, where he notched 10 goals in 22 games.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

In the final day of the summer transfer window, Tottenham snapped up the Frenchman for the season as they sought to add more firepower to their attack. With Dominic Solanke and Richarlison often struggling with injuries and being somewhat goal-shy, the loan move seemed a savvy deal. Following the move, Frank said the 26-year-old gave their frontline something a bit different.

"Randal is a quality player who has proven himself over a number of years, playing for big teams in the Champions League and also with good experience for the France national team," Frank said of his latest addition in early September. "He's a good age, in the prime of his career, has good qualities that will suit both us and the Premier League, and gives us a different option in the final third being able to play out wide and through the middle."

Tottenham sit fifth in the Premier League with 18 points from 11 matches. Next up, they travel to bitter rivals Arsenal on Sunday, who sit four points clear at the top of the table. A win will boost their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League, but a loss could leave them languishing behind their neighbours.

Tel joined Tottenham permanently in the summer of 2025 for €35 million (£31m/$40m) after a promising six-month loan spell from Bayern Munich during the 2024-25 season. He made an immediate impact, scoring three goals and providing an assist while playing an important role in Spurs’ Europa League triumph. However, this season Tel has struggled for regular game time, attracting interest from Roma, who Gazzetta dello Sport reports are closely monitoring his situation. Tottenham are unwilling to let the young striker leave on a permanent transfer but are open to a short-term arrangement. Roma are ready to propose a six-month loan in January, viewing Tel as a valuable reinforcement who can strengthen their attack without a long-term financial commitment.

Roma find themselves in a strong position this season, sitting second in Serie A and boasting the best defensive record in the league, having conceded just five goals. However, their attacking output remains a major concern. Among the top six teams, Roma have scored the fewest goals, highlighting the urgent need for a reliable number nine. The club parted ways with Tammy Abraham, who joined Besiktas, and Eldor Shomurodov, who moved to Istanbul Basaksehir, leaving a noticeable void in the frontline. Roma had shown interest in Rasmus Hojlund, but he opted to join Napoli instead. Their loan signing of Ferguson from Brighton has not worked out so far, with the forward registering only one assist in seven games before suffering an injury in late October. Meanwhile, Dovbyk has struggled as well, managing just two goals and one assist. The search for a dependable striker continues.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Tel’s rise began in August 2021 when, at just 16 years and 110 days, he made his debut for Rennes, becoming the youngest player to appear for the club and breaking Eduardo Camavinga’s record. His potential quickly drew attention across Europe, and in 2022 he secured a major move to Bayern. During his time in Germany, Tel scored 16 goals in 83 appearances and won two Bundesliga titles, establishing himself as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents.

A versatile forward, Tel is naturally a centre striker but is equally capable of playing across the entire frontline, including as a winger in a three-man attack. His pace, movement and ability to attack space make him a valuable option in multiple systems.

However, after joining Tottenham permanently following a positive loan spell, Tel has found minutes difficult to come by this season. He has featured for only 359 minutes under new manager Thomas Frank, who has consistently preferred Richarlison as his first-choice striker. This lack of playing time has raised questions about Tel’s short-term future, with interest emerging from other clubs eager to offer him more regular opportunities.

Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to push for a new striker in the upcoming transfer window, with Roma’s attack proving inconsistent this season. In the past, forwards like Duvan Zapata and Mateo Retegui have been crucial in bringing Gasperini’s dynamic, high-intensity tactics to life. A signing such as Tel could provide the mobility, pace and finishing that Roma currently lack, potentially transforming them into genuine Scudetto contenders.

For Tel, a loan move to Roma would offer valuable playing time after limited opportunities at Tottenham. Working under Gasperini could significantly accelerate his development and help him unlock the next stage of his career.

Two sides desperate to shake off midweek misery square up at Brisbane Road on Sunday, as Tottenham Hotspur Women welcome Arsenal Women for a London Derby loaded with extra edge.

Spurs are licking their wounds after a frustrating 4-2 setback against London City last weekend, while Arsenal arrive still stung by their dramatic 3-2 Champions League loss to Bayern on Wednesday night. Both camps will view this clash as the perfect stage to steady the ship.

Tottenham sit fifth in the WSL on 15 points, having picked up five wins and three defeats from their opening eight matches. Remarkably, it's their strongest start to a top-flight campaign, already just five points shy of the total they scraped together across the entire 2024-25 season.

Arsenal, meanwhile, hold fourth place, also on 15 points, with a record of four wins, three draws, and a single defeat. Recent history heavily favours the Gunners: they claimed a 3-0 victory in this matchup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season and followed it up with a commanding 5-0 win in the reverse fixture at the Emirates.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur Women vs Arsenal Women online - TV channels & live streams

Sky Sports Premier LeagueWatch hereSky Sports Ultra HDRWatch here

In the United Kingdom (UK), the WSL match between Tottenham and Arsenal will be available to watch and stream online live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.

Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.

Tottenham Hotspur Women vs Arsenal Women kick-off time

The WSL match between Tottenham and Arsenal will be played at Gaughan Group Stadium at Brisbane Road in London, England.

It will kick off at 2:30 PM GMT on Sunday 16 November 2025.

Team news & squads

Tottenham Hotspur Women team news

On the Spurs side of the ledger, long-term injuries to Ella Morris, Luana Buhler, and Maite Oroz continue to limit squad depth. Tottenham have netted 11 times but shipped 12 at the other end, highlighting a team still searching for balance.

Their main spark in the final third has been Cathinka Tandberg, who has notched four goals in eight matches and remains their most reliable threat in front of goal.

Arsenal Women team news

Kim Little is set to make her comeback after the upcoming international window, giving Arsenal a timely boost for the run-in.

Up front, Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius have been carrying the scoring load for the Gunners. Both have four goals to their names, with Russo hitting her tally across eight outings while Blackstenius needed only seven. Each has also chipped in with a pair of assists, underscoring their importance to Arsenal's attacking blueprint.

Form

Head-to-Head Record

Standings

Useful links

The staff member reported the incident to the police, resulting in the fan's arrest on suspicion of "intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress", according to a statement shared by the Metropolitan Police to The Athletic. The suspect has been bailed pending further enquiries, with the investigation ongoing.

Mount was not aware of the abuse. The midfielder played 19 minutes of the 2-2 draw, replacing Matheus Cunha.

In a statement made to The Athletic, Tottenham said they were supporting the police investigation, and they would take the "strongest possible action" against any supporter found to be using discriminatory language.

Spurs' statement read: “The club is aware of a supporter being arrested for alleged verbal abuse of an opposition player during Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Manchester United.

“Prior to the game, all ticket holders received guidance regarding discriminatory chanting and, specifically, homophobic chanting.

“We will now support Met Police in their investigation and, once concluded, any supporter found to have used discriminatory language will be a subject to the strongest possible action in accordance with our Sanctions and Banning Policy. We will also ensure they take part in a fan education programme.

“We work tirelessly with all our supporters’ associations to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans on matchdays, and have a zero tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

While it is unclear what the 19-year-old suspect said to Mount, it is clear that homophobic chanting directed at former Chelsea players remains a persistent problem. While on loan at Crystal Palace, ex-Blues left back Ben Chilwell was also targeted by Millwall fans in an FA Cup tie.

The Red Devils have previously addressed this trend, issuing a statement that outlined their zero-tolerance policy towards "rent boy" chants. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed in 2022 that the term is considered a homophobic slur.

The hope is the application of the law and the handing out of fines by the Premier League will result in a reduction of this style of abuse on the terraces going forward.

The last time Tottenham faced Manchester United in the Premier League, both sides were firmly rooted in the bottom half. But after a regime change in North London and a mini resurgent spell at Old Trafford, they now sit 6th and 8th, respectively. With 17 points each to their name, they are separated only by goal difference. A victory for either side on Saturday will take them to second spot, at least temporarily.

Tottenham Hotspur's win-away, lose at home policy was on show yet again in the league. They were atrocious in all three thirds of the pitch as London rivals Chelsea beat them 1-0 at home. Thomas Frank's honeymoon period has ended, and he will be under immense scrutiny if similar results follow. His side tried to play out from the back naively, only to be dispossessed and punished. In attack, they were clueless as new loan signing Randal Kolo Muani failed to impress. Boos rang out when the full-time whistle blew, as the fans jeered their team's lack of urgency. Another failure at home against a United side that they beat four times last season will have some major repercussions. Spurs took out their frustration by beating Copenhagen 4-0 at home in the Champions League with the help of an outrageous solo goal from centre-back Micky van de Ven.

When Casemiro scored from a corner against Nottingham, United fans were dreaming of a fourth successive victory. But Ruben Amorim's men had to become comeback kings to rescue a point. Amad Diallo scored a cracking equaliser as the win meter was reset to zero. The much-awaited haircut will have to wait a little longer. The Red Devils, however, are playing more like a team with a clear tactical identity. It's a matter of finding consistency for them now. Amorim lost three games against Spurs after taking over in November last season. The Europa League final would've hurt him the most. He has a chance to make moves up the table by picking up a first victory against the Lilywhites.

Tottenham vs Manchester United last-minute tickets: How to buy

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a must-visit ground in London for your football pilgrimage. StubHub offers tickets even at the last-minute to catch all the experience live from the ground.

How to watch Tottenham vs Manchester United online - TV channels & live streams

The game is aired on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate in the UK. It can be livestreamed on Discovery+. Fans in the US can livestream the game on Peacock.

How to watch Tottenham vs Manchester United worldwide

Here is how you can watch Tottenham vs Manchester United worldwide

Country/RegionBroadcasterCanadaFuboUKDiscovery+AustraliaStan SportIndiaStar SportsMENAbeIN SportsSouth AmericaESPN / Disney+AfricaSuperSport

How to watch anywhere with a VPN

If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.

Tottenham vs Manchester United Key Matchups

Micky Van de Ven vs Benjamin Sesko: Van de Ven scored a sensational brace against Everton not so long ago. But the Dutch defender was at the centre of a storm against Chelsea. First, he was dispossessed by Moises Caicedo, leading to a goal. Later, he was one of the two players who ignored Frank's embrace after the game. Van de Ven took it upon himself to score goals as he dribbled the length of the pitch and finished ruthlessly. It is good enough to win the Puskas award. Sesko was ripped apart by Gary Neville after a dull outing against Nottingham. The Slovenian striker will be up against one of the fastest centre-backs in the league as he tries to get fans and pundits on his side again.

Djed Spence vs Amad Diallo: Spence was Van de Ven's partner in crime in ignoring Frank after the Chelsea game. The makeshift left back is enjoying a fine season personally so far. But the frustrations of his team not backing him up are creeping into his game. His battle with Amad will be entertaining to say the least. Amad, playing as a wingback now, has his defensive deficiencies. He was outclassed by Morgan Gibbs White for Forest's first goal. But he made amends by scoring a fantastic equaliser late on. Expect many such moments on Saturday.

Mohammed Kudus vs Diogo Dalot: The mercurial winger is unable to stitch a run of sublime performances for Tottenham. He has shown brilliance in patches but can not deliver consistently for his side. He will be eager to hurt Dalot playing on United's left. Dalot has managed to keep Patrick Dorgu out of the lineup, but isn't lighting up the world either. The Portuguese wingback needs to contribute more to his side going forward if they hope to win more games.

Tottenham vs Manchester United Prediction

Manchester United haven't won a game against Tottenham since 2022. The Red Devils, with a spring in their step, will be eager to turn the tables now. United have won only once away from home, and Tottenham have won only once at home. When two records clash, something will give this Saturday. Heading into the international break, this result will be dissected for a fortnight. So neither side wants to lose this game. Manchester United will be keen to protect their four-game unbeaten run, while Tottenham look to improve the mood and morale before the key North London Derby on the other side of the break.

GOAL's Prediction: Tottenham 2-2 Manchester United

Tottenham vs Manchester United kick-off time

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host the game at 12:30 GMT / 13:30 CET / 07:30 ET on Saturday, 8th November 2025.

Tottenham vs Manchester United Team news & squads

Tottenham team news

Getty Images

Kudus, Spence, and Lucas Bergvall picked up knocks from their loss against Chelsea. The manager also has to contend with various injuries to Dominic Solanke and Yves Bissouma. The other long-term injuries are nowhere near making a return. Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero will be making a return to the lineup as Richarlison eyes the number 9 spot ahead of Kolo Muani. Tough calls need to be made in attack if Frank hopes to shake things up.

Predicted Lineup: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Simons, Johnson; Richarlison

Manchester United team news

Getty Images

Lisandro Martinez returned to training for the Red Devils. The Argentine centre-back is hopeful of making a cameo before the international break as he aims to get some match fitness. Amorim's lineup will remain constant as he has found his perfect balance. Senne Lammens made the number one spot his own as Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Luke Shaw form the back three. Harry Maguire will replace Yoro if he is passed fit. The new front three need more game time together to build more chemistry and score more.

Predicted Lineup: Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dalot; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko

Form

Head-to-Head Record

The Last Meeting

After having tragic league seasons, it all boiled down to one game for these two sides. A silverware at the end of the turbulent season would've salvaged it. The all-English Europa League final was watched by nearly every football enthusiast around the world. After a nervy start, Brennan Johnson made the difference when he bundled home a cross past Andre Onana. The Red Devils desperately struggled to equalise. They were inches away from finding an equaliser as Van de Ven heroically cleared a loose ball off the line midair. It motivated the Lilywhites to defend for their lives as they lifted a first piece of silverware after years of hurt. Ange Postecoglou, who promised to win things in his second season, did deliver. However, it didn't buy him more time as he was sacked for a poor league season.

Standings

Useful links

Van de Ven near enough covered the entire length of the pitch with the ball at his feet. The Dutch centre-back picked it up on the edge of his own penalty area and, aided by his well-known searing pace, proceeded to surge up the field. He initially burst through a gap between two Copenhagen players, and then sidestepped two more by the time he reached the halfway line. After that, it was a straight foot race towards goal, but no one was catching him.

Crucially, after the lung-busting run, Van de Ven still had the composure to fire off a clinical finish past visiting goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski.

In 2019, Son had collected the ball in the same area of the pitch. It wasn't quite the explosive start that Van de Ven managed and the finish was more measured and slightly closer to goal, but the run was extraordinarily similar and covered pretty much the same path.

Van de Ven's strike put Spurs 3-0 ahead against their Danish opponent, eventually going on to win 4-0. After the final whistle, he was immediately asked for his take on what had happened by TNT Sports: "To be honest, I saw the gap in front of me and started dribbling, and I will see if they can catch up. I saw the space more and more. At that moment, I thought, 'I'm through now, I'll go for goal now'. Then I scored."

Interviewer Becky Ives joked that the Tottenham medical department would have been worried about the condition of Van de Ven's hamstrings watching him run in full flight like that - in seriousness, he missed 30 games for club and country last season because of hamstring and thigh injuries.

He saw the funny side of that, but then replied: "I'm feeling good and I felt amazing in the sprint as well. I felt I could keep going and going, and I did."

Speaking after the game, head coach Thomas Frank joked: "It felt like we had Lionel Messi turned into Micky van de Ven, running down from his own goal and all the way to the other end to score a fantastic goal. I think he’s our top scorer in all competitions. He can keep going. He can keep, by the way, walking past me if he’s angry after a game if he delivers like this."

Son won the 2020 FIFA Puskas Award for an almost carbon copy of the goal, so Van de Ven has to be in contention for a prize of his own. But patience is going to be required.

Although the 2025 nominations have not yet been revealed ahead of FIFA's annual gala, likely to be in January 2026, the cutoff point tends to be August each yer and stretches back the previous 12 months. It means that goals scored so far in the 2025-26 season won't be considered until the time comes for the 2026 award to be handed out, which is expected to be at around 12 months or more away.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Son did not get to attend a glitzy celebration to collect his Puskas Award, instead giving an acceptance speech via video in a virtual ceremony.

Tottenham pulled ahead just before the 20-minute mark. Copenhagen clumsily gave the ball away in the Spurs half, allowing Rodrigo Bentancur to win possession back and hand the reins over to Xavi Simons, who quickly saw Johnson darting in behind the high defensive line and fed him down the right-hand channel. Goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski came a long way out of his box to challenge Johnson and missed, with the Welshman cooly rolling the ball in from a tight angle.

Spurs ought to have doubled their lead before the break when a lovely, flowing team move saw Simons square the final pass for Randal Kolo Muani, who somehow fumbled the chance to score his first goal for his new club by firing wide from close range.

Shortly after the restart, the hosts found that second goal. Pedro Porro's long ball over the top was chased all the way by Kolo Muani, who blocked Kotarski's clearance and retrieved the high clearance with an immaculate first touch before selflessly passing to Wilson Odobert to finish.

But the game threatened to turn when Johnson was shown a red card on 57 minutes. The winger caught Marcos Lopez on his heel with his studs, and after consulting with VAR, the referee gave him his marching orders.

However, that only seemed to galvanise Tottenham, who scored their third of the evening soon after. Joao Palhinha nicked the ball back on the edge of the Spurs penalty area, and Micky van de Ven proceeded to sprint almost the entire length of the pitch before firing beyond a helpless Kotarski. Seconds later, it was four as another quick breakaway saw Odobert slip in centre-back Cristian Romero, who managed to reverse the ball back for Palhinha to smash in at the back stick.

Richarlison rattled the underside of the crossbar with a powerful header from a Porro cross before Spurs were awarded a penalty when Dane Scarlett was tripped by Junnosuke Suzuki. Brazil's No.9 stepped up and, would you believe it, hit the exact same spot on the bar again. However, that mattered little in the grand scheme of things as Tottenham ran out convincing winners.

GOAL rates Spurs' players from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium...

Guglielmo Vicario (6/10):

Once roundly criticised for his inability to catch a cross, the Italian goalkeeper guarded his six-yard box superbly to hoover up Copenhagen crosses. Only really tested by way of shot-stopping from distance.

Pedro Porro (7/10):

Gave the ball away a couple of times in his own half early doors but was much better defensively here than he has been all season. Came up with the daring long ball which led to Odobert's goal.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Swept up for Van de Ven whenever the Dutchman went marauding into midfield in a role-reversal of their usual tasks. Found himself playing up front for a brief few seconds before teeing up Palhinha for Spurs' fourth goal. Subbed for Danso.

Micky van de Ven (8/10):

Wow. Came into the game with a point to prove after walking off without clapping the fans against Chelsea on Saturday, left as the name on everyone's lips for the right reasons. Hardly troubled at the back and then ran Copenhagen ragged with one hell of a sprint right through their entire team to score Spurs' third.

Destiny Udogie (7/10):

Spurs have missed natural width down the left despite the emergence of Spence as an outstanding one-v-one defender. Combined well with Odobert throughout. Taken off for the England full-back eventually.