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'A very bad night' - Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario apologises to Spurs fans after north London derby thumping as he rips into 'passive' tactics

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'A very bad night' - Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario apologises to Spurs fans after north London derby thumping as he rips into 'passive' tactics - Goal.com
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The Spurs keeper began by apologising to the thousands of Tottenham fans who attended the game after a horror night in enemy territory. He also said that the game plan they prepared was very different to the one they executed at Arsenal.

He told Sky Sports: "A very bad night for us. First of all we have to apologise to the people that support us every day. They expected us to fight and today we didn't fight. That's not negotiable to do in football in this level. It's a tough night, a very bad defeat, but we have to stick together. We have a big night on Wednesday but we need to stick together. Tonight we didn't show the things we are normally capable of. The emotions are high, but we need cool heads and apologise to the people that support us and have travelled today. I think we waited too much to get into the game. We were too passive. The game plan we prepared was different. Today we didn't fight. We have to apologise first of all for this. But we have to stick together and move on because on Wednesday we have a big night."

Vicario did appeal that Eze's first goal should have been ruled out as a couple of Arsenal players were in his eyeline and were offside. But he later said that it would not have mattered to the scoreline.

The 29-year-old added: "I think the way the game went it wouldn't have changed anything. There were three people in front of me so of course they impacted me. But we didn't lose the game for that."

Tottenham boss Frank said he felt confident going into the north London derby but what he got was an "extremely bad" performance. He said he tried to replicate the tactics they deployed in their narrow UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain in August but these two displays were like night and day.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's extremely painful to stand here after an extremely bad performance. Against the worst team we could put a bad performance in against. It was the perfect storm. I think especially first half we lacked the ability to have pressure and get close to them and be aggressive enough in the duels. We had to absorb to much pressure throughout the first half. In the second half we got a little bit better but nowhere near the level we want.

"That's an extremely hard defeat to take. We are all emotional and frustrated and need to look at it with calm heads. I was very confident going into the game that we could be competitive and we weren't, which was disappointing. We tried to do something different that was very successful against PSG. Today it wasn't and I always take responsibility for my decisions and then when it doesn't go the way we want it to go, that's on me. We changed it at half-time but I am 1000% sure that no matter what formation you play if you don't win enough duels or are aggressive enough, it doesn't matter what formation you play."

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Arsenal player ratings vs Tottenham: Eberechi Eze paints north London red! Hat-trick hero shows sorry Spurs what they could have won on dream derby debut

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Arsenal player ratings vs Tottenham: Eberechi Eze paints north London red! Hat-trick hero shows sorry Spurs what they could have won on dream derby debut - Goal.com
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David Raya (6/10):

The former Brentford 'keeper was beaten by a wonderful bit of improvisation from Richarlison. Some of his distribution wasn't the best but, he wasn't tested much.

Jurrien Timber (8/10):

Was commanding and powerful in defence and attack in the first half and continued that after the break with an assist for Eze's second.

William Saliba (7/10):

The France international was relatively untroubled against Tottenham's uninspiring attack. Tougher tests will lie ahead, and he won't have the injured Gabriel Magalhaes alongside him, but so far, so good.

Piero Hincapie (7/10):

Came in for Gabriel and acquitted himself well at the back, albeit he wasn't tested a great deal. Likes to get forward, too.

Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

Continues to keep Lewis-Skelly out of the starting XI and for good reason. The Italian is just a brick wall at times.

Eberechi Eze (10/10):

Popped up with a moment of magic for his opener and Arsenal's second. Quick feet and some terrific finishing earned him a dream-like north London derby debut. This is a game he will never forget, and he could be the difference-maker this season.

Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

After a competent first half, he lost possession a bit too easily, and seconds later, Richarlison reduced Tottenham's arrears with a goal of the season contender. Still passes through the lines very well.

Declan Rice (7/10):

Bagged an assist for Eze's first goal with a neat one-touch pass, which summed up his attitude for the game. Ergo, get the ball forward quickly and in a direct manner.

Bukayo Saka (8/10):

When Spurs were standing firm, he was the one who showed signs of breaking their resistance. Nearly scored with an excellent free-kick and was involved in the build-up for both first-half goals.

Mikel Merino (8/10):

Led Arsenal's attack in place of the injured Gyokeres, but his most telling contribution was outside the box when he lofted a brilliant pass into Trossard's path for the opening goal. He's a good option for Arsenal to have.

Leandro Trossard (8/10):

Timed his run to perfection for Arsenal's first of the game and just about did enough to squirm his shot past Vicario. His movement and decision-making were top-notch and nabbed an assist, too.

Noni Madueke (7/10):

Was sharp and direct when he came on.

Ethan Nwaneri (7/10):

The teenager was lively and alert off the bench.

Cristhian Mosquera (N/A):

Too little time to make an impact.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (N/A):

Came on at the death.

Mikel Arteta (9/10):

While Frank fielded a very conservative starting XI, Arteta played a strong hand, and it worked for him. His team repeatedly managed to break open Spurs' deep-lying defence with a mixture of skill, vision, and tenacity. Performances like these will do his team the world of good, as the Spaniard got this spot on.

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Thierry Henry questions Xavi Simons' suitability to Premier League after slow Tottenham start as Arsenal legend admits he has anti-Bundesliga bias

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Thierry Henry questions Xavi Simons' suitability to Premier League after slow Tottenham start as Arsenal legend admits he has anti-Bundesliga bias - Goal.com
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Simons came to Tottenham with a big reputation and a sizeable fee of £52m ($70m) in late August after impressing at Leipzig, with the 22-year-old scoring 22 goals and notching 24 assists in 78 appearances.

Upon his arrival, head coach Thomas Frank said: "He’s a player who has proved his ability over the years to provide goals and assists from both the 10 position and the left wing, Xavi can play in both positions. He’s a very good finisher inside and outside the box. His dribbling ability, and his acceleration in bursts, give him that opportunity to go past players in one-on-ones, also to drive past players in more open spaces. His eye for his team-mates is key, in terms of unlocking defences, and I’m convinced he will come in and help the team and be part of a team that is working very hard together. Xavi is young, 22, he has plenty of room to develop and get better, but even though he’s young, he’s played a lot of matches over the last four, five years, which means I’m fully convinced with his qualities he can step straight in and help us. Of course, like any player coming into the Premier League, and a new team, there will always be a bit of adaptation time. He has great experience from the Holland national team, playing in the Champions League last two seasons… great experience he can bring to the team."

However, he is yet to score in 14 appearances, despite contributing two assists. That, and more, has led Henry to raise concerns about the former Paris Saint-Germain man.

The former Arsenal forward did stress that it is not easy to hit the ground running when swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League, while using former Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz as an example following his big-money move to Liverpool. However, he also suggested the German league is not a reliable indicator of success for the English top-flight when asked about Simons.

He said on Sky Sports: "It's not easy to arrive in a team and perform straight away. We can see Florian Wirtz at Liverpool, but I always have a question mark on people that perform in Germany. That's only me. I'm not saying that they won't perform in another league. I'm just saying, because of the way the league is, they're really stretched. So if you can run well, you're going to have a lot of opportunity, goals, assists. People can run with you in this league. So it's very difficult. Do you think the managers right now are letting their players dribble or do they want to control everything to make sure they're not going to get countered? Playing a low block all the time is not always easy to create. Look at Arsenal. We don't create a lot of opportunities. We score a lot on set pieces. I'm not going to go back to the old story and everything, but you need to find a way to score goals. So you're going to create way less than what we used to be able to do in our time because teams are playing low. They don't try to bite or come out. So the spaces are tight. And if you don't allow people to dribble and make mistakes, like I always say, the reward is in the risk. Where are you going? You're not going to have the stats of creating. And if you don't take your chances when you have one, well, you're in trouble."

While Simons has chalked up a good number of minutes, he has not completed a full 90 in the Premier League this season. Boos echoed around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when the attacking midfielder was taken off against Manchester United earlier this month but the Dane is not worried about his confidence levels dropping off.

He said: "No, I think it’s part of it. There’s a reason why we didn’t start him, of course. I think he’s played two starts, short turnaround. Also, that energy and freshness I talked about played 90 minutes on Wednesday night.

"I think when players make mistakes on the pitch, if they lose a ball or they miss a pass, of course, I can get irritated. In general, I’m not talking about a specific situation. That’s part of football. How many times have you seen a player miss a pass or do something? That happens. And that can be flow, that can be confidence, that can be everything, whatever it is. Mistakes are part of football."

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Arsenal vs Tottenham Predictions, Lineups Odds & Tips: Gunners score early and win

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Arsenal vs Tottenham Predictions, Lineups Odds & Tips: Gunners score early and win - Goal.com
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Arsenal will aim to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League, while Spurs know that victory would bring them within five points of Arsenal.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Betting Predictions

All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.

Arsenal – Arsenal (Half Time – Full Time) @ 21/20 with bet365

Both Teams to Score (Yes) @ 1/1 with bet365

Declan Rice to Score or Assist @ 21/10 with bet365

Gunners to lead at halftime

Almost 70% of the goals Tottenham have conceded away this season came in the first half. Arsenal have also scored first in five of the last seven North London derbies.

Despite this, the betting markets indicated a probability of just 48.78% that Arsenal lead at half time and maintain that lead to win the game. Tottenham’s away form has been much better than their results at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

They have an average of 2.60 points per away game, which is the same average points return as Arsenal’s home record. However, Spurs have won at the Emirates Stadium only once in the league and aren’t expected to stop the Gunners in this match.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Prediction 1: Arsenal – Arsenal (Half Time – Full Time) @ 21/20 with bet365

Value on goals scored at both ends

To describe Arsenal’s defence as impenetrable is likely an understatement, especially on home soil. They’ve conceded just 0.20 goals per home game this season, which is significantly below the 1.10 league average.

Additionally, Tottenham have conceded just 0.60 goals per away game, comfortably below the league average of 1.64. However, both teams have averaged 2.40 goals scored per game. This shows they have a strong attacking ability.

Both Teams to Score (Yes) is currently at a probability of 50%, but there is likely more than a coin-flip chance that both sides score at least once. Especially since both teams have scored more than two goals per home or away game on average. It’s the value play from this trio of Arsenal vs Tottenham predictions.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Prediction 2: Both Teams to Score (Yes) @ 1/1 with bet365

Backing Rice to get on the scoresheet or assist

Declan Rice has been a crucial player for Arsenal for the last two seasons. The former West Ham icon is now starting to contribute in the attack as well. He has recorded four goal contributions in 11 appearances in the Premier League this season.

This equates to a strike rate of 36.30% to score or assist in any game so far in 2025/26. Yet, the betting markets suggest Rice has only a 32.26% chance of making a goal contribution in this North London derby.

With Mikel Arteta’s side likely to have fewer strikers, Rice must aim to step up and take charge of Sunday’s game. He is likely to do so with a goal contribution of any kind against their North London rivals.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Prediction 3: Declan Rice to Score or Assist @ 21/10 with bet365

Our analysis: Form of both teams

The first North London derby of the 2025/26 Premier League season is almost here. Arsenal host Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, with the Gunners aiming to maintain their four-point lead over Manchester City.

The Gunners’ first 11 league games have been almost perfect. They have recorded a 73% win rate, scoring almost two goals per game and conceding less than 0.5 goals per game. It’s the joint-best goal difference in the division alongside second-placed Manchester City.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is facing selection issues ahead of this clash with Spurs. In the final third, there are concerns regarding Viktor Gyokeres’ fitness. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz will not play due to injury. Martin Odegaard is working hard to return, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli are unlikely to play.

Despite Tottenham’s fifth-place position in the table, it’s likely that some fans haven’t yet fully embraced the new boss, Thomas Frank. So far, Frank’s biggest issue has been the Spurs’ home form, as they’ve lost 50% of their home fixtures this season. This has made it difficult for the Danish coach to build a relationship with the home supporters.

However, Tottenham have been in great form on the road, as they've won 80% of away games and remain unbeaten. They’ve also kept clean sheets in 60% of their away fixtures. Injuries are a major concern for both Frank and Arteta. The likes of Solanke, Kolo Muani, Gray, Dragusin, Bissouma, and Kulusevski are sidelined. Meanwhile, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr are unlikely to be fit for Sunday’s game.

Predicted lineups for Arsenal vs Tottenham

Arsenal expected lineup: Raya; Timber, Calafiori, Saliba, Mosquera, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Eze, Merino

Tottenham expected lineup: Vicario; Porro, Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Palhinha, Bentancur, Simons, Johnson, Kudus, Richarlison

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Joao Palhinha uses Cristiano Ronaldo point to hit back at Jamie Carragher after pundit's ruthless criticism of Tottenham midfielder

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Joao Palhinha uses Cristiano Ronaldo point to hit back at Jamie Carragher after pundit's ruthless criticism of Tottenham midfielder - Goal.com
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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."

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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.

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Joao Palhinha uses Cristiano Ronaldo point to hit back at Jamie Carragher after pundit's ruthless criticism of Tottenham midfielder

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Joao Palhinha uses Cristiano Ronaldo point to hit back at Jamie Carragher after pundit's ruthless criticism of Tottenham midfielder - Goal.com
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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."

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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.

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Thomas Frank sends out strong message on talk of potential blockbuster £100m Tottenham transfer

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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."

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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."

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Tottenham strike partnership with Turkish company to become official hair transplant sponsor as wait for stadium deal continues

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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."

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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."

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Randal Kolo Muani to wear a mask?! Spurs striker trains in special equipment ahead of north London derby against Arsenal after breaking jaw

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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.

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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.

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Roma open talks to sign Mathys Tel in January amid Tottenham struggles as Evan Ferguson disappoints at Serie A title hopefuls

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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.

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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.

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