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QPR starlet watched by Chelsea and Tottenham stuns on loan debut

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QPR starlet watched by Chelsea and Tottenham stuns on loan debut - LondonWorld
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The young QPR winger is highly thought of and enjoyed a triumphant start to life on loan this season.

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QPR prodigy Emmerson Sutton got his loan spell at National League side Morecambe FC off to a euphoric start on Saturday afternoon as he netted a late winner in the 4-3 victory over Wealdstone.

The 18-year-old has been sent away from Loftus Road to gain experience in a lower league having made his debut for the QPR first team last season. The winger first saw minutes off the bench against Swansea City in April with another cameo coming against Burnley. He featured under Julien Stephan in the Carabao Cup once this season.

There is a lot of hype surrounding the youngster’s future. TBR Football reported earlier this year that Sutton is being watched by Premier League giants Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur amid thoughts that he could follow in the footsteps of Eberechi Eze in rising from the academy at Loftus Road.

QPR starlet scores on loan debut

There were even claims that the Blues or Spurs could move to sign the teenager but he then put pen to paper on his first professional contract with QPR in January. Sutton bagged a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup against Arsenal last year, taking the match to penalties, which QPR lost 4-2 in the shoot-out. Last October, the player joined local Southern League Premier South side Hanwell Town on a month long work experience loan.

That move came after the player impressed against Hanwell Town in pre-season friendly action for the Development Squad - he was praised for his ‘spirited pressing’, which led to the first goal in a 3-1 R’s win, by the club website. The midfielder has been in the Loftus Road youth set-up since under-12 level and can play both as a number 10 and a winger.

Emmerson Sutton promised Morecambe goals

Sutton’s move to Morecambe was confirmed last week and the player went straight into the matchday squad against Wealdstone. He came off the bench with 68 minutes on the clock and it took him just 18 minutes to hit the back of the net with the winner.

Reacting to the goal online, QPR fans wrote ‘Get in Sutton, my boy’ and ‘young Hoop doing bits on his debut’. Another added: “Take it from a QPR fan, that kid is going to be great for you.”

Sutton follows through on a promise made to Morecambe fans when signing for the club. In his first interview, he described his style of play as: “I would describe myself as playing with freedom, try to excite and get goals and assists. That’s how I’d describe myself.”

In other news, 'Something Wrong': Stoke City boss criticises Loftus Road after QPR defeat.

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Tottenham Hotspur player urged to leave in January

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'Best option' - Tottenham Hotspur player urged to leave in January transfer window - LondonWorld
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Tottenham Hotspur have the opportunity to bring in some new faces in January

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Tottenham Hotspur fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend. Richarlison bagged their first goal at the AMEX Stadium just before half-time. Jan Paul van Hecke then scored an own goal near the end.

Thomas Frank was appointed as the head coach at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the summer. Prior to his move, he caught the eye at Brentford. The London outfit are sat in 2nd place in the table behind Liverpool.

Tottenham Hotspur latest regarding Wilson Odobert

As per Tottenham Hotspur News, Tottenham winger Wilson Odobert could leave on loan in January. The 20-year-old, who is a former France youth international, joined them back in 2024. He has since made 26 appearances in all competitions and has scored three goals.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King has shared this update regarding his situation: “I would imagine they’ll be talking about a loan move. Certainly Odobert and his agent will be wanting to know how he’s going to get games under his belt. For me, I don’t think he’s ever going to be first choice at Spurs, and definitely not at this stage of his career.

“He’s going to be wanting to play games, and that isn’t going to happen at Tottenham at the moment. A loan would be the best option for him really.”

Odobert provides Spurs with more competition and depth at the top end of the pitch. His pace can cause problems to opposition defenders. However, as King alluded to, he isn’t guaranteed regular minutes.

The Frenchman was on the books at PSG as a youngster. He then switched to Troyes and broke into their first-team before Burnley lured him over to England. The attacker went on to play 34 games for the Clarets during his time at Turf Moor and found the net on five occasions.

What now for Tottenham Hotspur?

Spurs have a decision to make about Odobert’s situation. Loaning him out would give him the chance to play regularly. It remains to be seen at this stage what lies in store for him.

Speaking after their fightback against Brighton, Frank said: “I think the headline from me is ‘mentality’. I said it to the players beforehand, a game like this is pure mentality. Of course, we need all the tactics, structure, details, all that, but to really want to achieve something, you need to be so strong here.

“When you go away after a Champions League game, that demands everything from you - and then we decided to really test ourselves by getting down 2-0! The way we started the game - wow. Coming away from home against Brighton, a good team, we were just completely dominating them, then out of nowhere, ‘boom’, they score a goal where we can also do better, but it's also a marginal offside.

“I actually think we keep going and a little bit out of nowhere again they score the second, of course, Vic (Vicario) needs to do better, but he’s been so good for us, it can happen, we know that. The way we kept going and controlled the game more or less from the start to the end, getting the two goals, that I think is very impressive. So, the mentality and the physicality of this team looks strong, intense. I thought that was us today.”

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Frank names Spurs player who was 'so dangerous' in Brighton comeback

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Frank names Spurs player who was 'so dangerous' in Brighton comeback - LondonWorld
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Tottenham has praised his side, and one player in particular, after a comeback draw at Brighton.

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Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been speaking after Tottenham’s comeback draw with Brighton on Saturday. Spurs fell two behind on the South Coast after Yankuba Minteh raced away and rounded Vicario, then Yasiri Ayari scored a superb long-range strike.

Both of those goals came in the first half, as did Richarlison’s goal, with the Brazilian pulling one back after a scrappy piece of play in the area. Tottenham went on to equalise in the second half with Jan Paul van Hecke turned a well-delivered cross into his own net, making it two own goals Spurs have benefited from this week.

Speaking after the game, Frank praised his side, particularly for their start, and he singled out his most dangerous player. “Our start to the game was fantastic,” he told the BBC. “We are coming away from home against a very good team and we are completely dominating it. And then out of nothing, without even a first sniff of danger, they are one on one with our keeper.

"So fair play to Brighton. We could have done better in that situation. And then the second goal we concede Vic has to do better, he knows and agrees. But the mentality that we showed today, I was so impressed with. The mentality to stay in the game, to keep going, to keep pushing and come back and get a well deserved 2-2.

"I actually think that overall if there should have been a winner, it should have been us. So many crosses into the box, near chances, missed opportunities. We were physically strong and mentally strong, and that is so important if you want to achieve something."

"Kudus was probably our man of the match. He was so dangerous. He owned that right hand side. The own goal he got an assist for, he made the run across to put them in doubt. I think this is our best performance of the season. Overall it was very good in many phases. Yes we gave the two goals away but one was good by Brighton and the other was a mistake, apart from that we controlled it and were very good in every phase of the game."

Udogie has his say

Spurs defender Destiny Udogie, who certainly could have done better for the first goal, also had his say on the comeback draw. He told SpursPlay: “I think we were a bit unlucky with the result but, at the same time, we take a good point away, so we have to look at the positives and keep building.

“To be 2-0 down in an away game against a good team is never easy, so it is a good point today and we showed a good character. From the first minute, we had a good start. We conceded two maybe poor goals, and the game turned away from us. We showed a good character to comeback."

Tottenham are next in action on Wednesday night when they face Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

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Arsenal ready to offload Merino to win £70m transfer battle with Tottenham

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Arsenal ready to offload Merino to win £70m transfer battle with Tottenham and Man Utd - LondonWorld
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Mikel Arteta could green light the sale of a key first team star to land a top target next summer

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Arsenal could look to sell a regular first team player in order to fund a £70 million swoop for in-demand Athletic Club star Oihan Sancet next summer.

The 25-year-old is under contract with the La Liga giants until 2032 but is believed to have a release clause of £70 million in his deal. The midfielder played 68 minutes in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal last week and appears to have turned heads in that showing.

Spanish outlet Fichajes claims that the Gunners have ‘set their sights’ on signing Sancet but accept that the transfer will have to wait until next summer. Arsenal are not the only club courting the player with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United also named as potential suitors. Sancet bagged 17 goals and picked up three assists last season.

Arsenal rival Tottenham Hotspur and Man Utd in transfer battle

Arsenal aren’t short of midfield options with Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi arriving this summer, while Max Dowman progresses fast, but the feeling is that Sancet could bring something different to the Gunners’ line-up. He is labelled as the ‘missing piece’ in that Spanish report.

An intriguing part of the report claims that Arsenal could fund that move for Sancet by selling Mikel Merino, despite the player only having arrived from Real Sociedad in 2024. Merino is not one of the first names on the teamsheet but his versatility and ability to play up front has been vital for Arteta - however, that is a capability that Sancet also boasts.

Gunners could sell Mikel Merino

Arsenal paid a reported £32 million to buy Merino from Real Sociedad last year. The Spanish midfielder has started in the league against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest this season, as well as against Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League. He made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring nine goals and picking up five assists.

Speaking about the importance of Merino in March, Arteta said: “We know that it is the emergency situation that we’re in at the moment. But the way he’s approaching it is incredible. He wants to understand everything, he wants to learn from it, he’s vey critical of himself all the time.

“The reality is that he’s winning football matches for us which is incredible because he’s never played in that position before in his life. It’s the value of it. It’s a big match and at the end of it you win the game because of that goal. He had another big chance that he almost put in the net. We’re very happy with his contribution.”

In other news, Tottenham told what it will take to sign summer transfer 'target' this January.

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Agent explains why Spurs won transfer race over Premier League rivals

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'It became clear' - Agent explains why Tottenham won transfer race over Premier League rivals - LondonWorld
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The agent of a Tottenham summer signing has explained why his client chose the North London side.

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Tottenham enjoyed a pretty solid summer transfer window, snapping up a number of key weapons for Thomas Frank, including Xavi Simons. Spurs missed out on the signing of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal and they decided to go and hijack Chelsea’s deal for Simons.

Chelsea had an agreement with Simons but made it clear that they couldn’t actually pull off the transfer until they made a number of player sales. That money was eventually freed up, but not before Tottenham approached Simons to strike a deal, agreeing to pay RB Leipzig for £52million.

Tottenham were quicker to wrap things up, but that wasn’t the only reason Simons agreed to make the move to North London instead of West.

“Tottenham and Chelsea are both fantastic clubs with solid projects, and there was real interest from both sides,” the player’s agent, Ali Barat, told RMC Sport. “Chelsea were always clear with us. They had certain constraints that made it difficult to move forward with discussions.”

“When talks with Tottenham started, it became clear that this would be a project that would be a perfect fit for Xavi.”

Asked about Simons’ frustrating move to PSG that saw him fail to register a single league appearance, Barat added: “PSG weren’t in their current phase of developing young players, even if he did play a few matches. In football, there is no place for regrets. You always have to look ahead of you.”

Frank on Simons’ best position

Simons put in a solid performance against Villarreal during the week, although he was much more effective in the first half than the second. Simons played out wide, which he can do well, but he has traditionally done his best work in the number 10 role.

Asked ahead that this week, Spurs boss Frank said: “No I also think it's how we let the team grow and develop. Where we came from in the summer. I was thinking the other day, I don't think I said it, that last year and the last two seasons, but definitely the last year, it was like [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Heung-min] Son, [James] Maddison, [Dominic] Solanke. None of them is available.

“So it's a completely new front four. Xavi came in late to the picture. Mo [Kudus] came in in pre-season. Dom hasn't been fully fit. We played with Pape and Lucas as the No10. So we're trying to add those layers, you know, game for game.

“And right now, our strongest bit in the team is the structure and I think the way we defend, which is also a very offensive way of defending with the high pressure because we win the ball high, we keep initiative, we can be aggressive and intense.

“And then we are building more into how we can add maybe more offensive players in the future, depending on how players are developing. I also need to say that Lucas is doing quite well in the No10 position. Different profile than Xavi, but offers something different. We're going to play a lot of games this season."

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Spurs told what it will take to sign transfer 'target' this January

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Spurs told what it will take to sign transfer 'target' this January - LondonWorld
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Tottenham have reportedly been told the conditions of a January transfer.

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Tottenham have been told what it would take to sign one of their reported summer transfer targets during the January transfer window. Spurs were pretty busy during the summer window, adding a number of new players to Thomas Frank’s ranks.

Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani were the standout additions, while Heung-min Son was the key departure.

As always, there were targets, or at least reported targets, that were not signed, and one of those was former Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, who has been with Atletico Madrid since 2024. Gallagher has been linked with Spurs in the past, and after James Maddison was ruled out for much of the season, there was - and perhaps still is - a need for a forward-thinking midfielder.

Simons has certainly helped fill that role, albeit he is also being used out wide, but Frank may feel as though more depth will be needed in the second half of the season.

Gallagher continues to be linked, with the England international not currently a regular starter with Atletico Madrid. Gallagher may have the World Cup on his mind, and regular football will be needed for him to make the squad, but Diego Simeone seems to have other ideas, and a January transfer does not appear to be on the cards.

Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast: “It would be a hard deal to do. It’s no surprise that there were some clubs sniffing around Gallagher in the summer. He’s been in and out of the Atletico Madrid side, not played as many minutes as he would like in La Liga, but he did start in the Champions League against Liverpool.

“He’s still got a role to play for Simeone’s side and he’s under contract until 2029, so if they were to even consider selling him, it would take a huge sum of money. That makes it a difficult deal to do in January due to the fee involved and obviously Atletico would need to bring in a replacement for him as well. If they progress into the latter stages of the Champions League, they won’t be wanting to lose anybody in the January window, so that’s another obstacle in the way for Spurs.”

Tottenham are unlikely to spend big money in January, and while they are likely to look for more depth in midfield, a signing worth £50million or more, which is likely what it will take to get a deal done, is not likely to be on the table for Frank.

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Opta predicts Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur results this weekend

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Opta predicts Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur results this weekend in the Premier League - LondonWorld
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Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this weekend

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Arsenal take on Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have won three of their first four league fixtures so far this season. Mikel Arteta’s side are aiming to win the title in this campaign after missing out over the past few years.

As for Chelsea, they head to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon to lock horns with Manchester United. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur face Brighton and Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium. Thomas Frank’s side are 3rd in the table.

Opta predicts Arsenal vs Manchester City

As per Opta, Arsenal have a 52.2% chance of beating Manchester City on Saturday. A draw has been given a probability of 24.4%, whilst a visitors victory is ranked at 23.4%. The Gunners have lost only once this term so far against Liverpool at Anfield.

Arteta delved into the transfer market over the summer to bring in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi to bolster his ranks. They are proving to be a tough nut to crack at the moment and will be itching to return to league action this weekend. The London outfit won 2-0 away at Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

The Gunners are looking strong at the moment and apart from their defeat to Liverpool, they have been pretty flawless so far. They are solid defensively and have a real threat up top in the form of Gyokeres. He was snapped up in the last window after catching the eye at Sporting Lisbon.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur predictions dropped

Opta have given Spurs a 26.4% chance of winning at Brighton, with their opponents scored 47.4%. A draw is 26.2% against the Seagulls. The hosts have already beaten Manchester City on their own patch recently.

Thomas Frank was picked as their head coach after impressing at Brentford. The Dane was appointed after their decision to sack Ange Postecoglou, who has since linked up with Nottingham Forest. Frank has won three out of his first four outings.

Chelsea have a 44.8% chance to win against Manchester United. It has been a tough start for Ruben Amorim’s side, who are 30.2% to secure three points against Enzo Maresca’s men. That leaves a draw at 25%.

The Blues were beaten 3-1 by Bayern Munich last time out in the Champions League. Speaking afterwards, Maresca said: “ I think the players were already aware of how difficult this competition is. You cannot make mistakes in the way we did, but it is a game that I think we can learn a lot from and build something special from this defeat.

“In terms of experience, between them and us, I think there was a huge difference. Whether it is because of the games they have played in the Champions League or because of the age, it does not matter. But in Munich no doubt we showed that we can compete right away.

“I played in this stadium in this competition when I was assistant coach with Sevilla and Man City, so I know how difficult it is to come here and compete. You cannot expect to come to this stadium against this team and try to dominate and control the game for 95 minutes.”

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Frank takes sarcastic swipe at Spurs attackers after Villarreal win

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'That's a fun thing' - Thomas Frank takes sarcastic swipe at Tottenham attackers after narrow Villarreal win - LondonWorld
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Thomas Frank has been speaking after Tottenham’s Champions League win over Villarreal.

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Spurs claimed an opening night 1-0 win over Villarreal in their first Champions League group phase clash, and it was a pretty fortunate win, Yellows goalkeeper Luiz Junior fumbled one into his own net after four minutes, and that was that for the scoring, with neither side managing to carve open their opponents.

It was a very evenly-contested clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it will feel like a huge three points for Spurs given they were not at their best, albeit the same can probably be said of Villarreal who have shown even against the best La Liga clubs that they can be more dangerous up going forward than they were on Tuesday night.

Speaking after the game, Spurs boss Thomas Frank took a sarcastic swipe at his offensive players despite being pleased with the win. he told Amazon Prime: “It is (a special win). And of course I'm very happy with that. I definitely learned you have to be happy with your wins and appreciate them. I think there was many good things. We defended really well and gave little away throughout the game against a really good Villarreal side. I think offensively we didn't hit the highest level. There was definitely a spell second half where we decided let's give it to the Villareal guys and then we'll sprint back, that's a very good fun thing. It was a very even game that we just edged."

Asked what he learned from his team, he added: "I learned that they are working very hard and we have a very good foundation to stand on in terms of our defensive organisation. I think it's good and we gave little away. This is the Champions League against a good team. Also, I knew it we took a step forward against West Ham, offensively is the area we need to get better."

Bergvall’s review

Lucas Bergvall, who provided the cross that led to the own goal early in the game, also spoke after the game. He admitted: “It was really tough. Villarreal did a great performance but a 1-0 win at home is amazing. We managed to get three points today and we talk a lot about 'clean sheet mentality' and they did not have a shot on target, so we did a really good job."

On the influence of Frank, he added: “New, fresh air. We talked a lot about 'clean sheet mentality' this year because we conceded a lot last year. My relationship with him is really good. I just want to get back to the form I had at the end of last year, and I feel like I am. I have help from him and the video analysts to get better every day."

Bergvall also spoke about how he has been working on forward runs of late. "Yes definitely [been working on it], especially when Mo [Kudus] gets the ball, to run in behind,” continued the creative spark. “The goal I scored last game against West Ham, to make the run in behind when the centre half can ping it. There is space there [to run into] and we can score goals. Of course I always want the ball but when I play as a 10, as I do now, we need those runs forward. Last year I played as a six and an eight but this year I'm in the 10 and need to do those runs."

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Spurs star who was 'immense' against Villarreal explains Frank change

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'I think we are' - Tottenham star who was 'immense' against Villarreal explains what has changed under Thomas Frank - LondonWorld
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Tottenham star Micky van de Ven has spoken after Tuesday night’s narrow Champions League win over Villarreal.

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Tottenham star Micky van de Ven has pointed out the big change under Thomas Frank after Tuesday night’s opening night Champions League win over Villarreal in North London. It was a somewhat fortunate win for Spurs, who were gifted a goal after just four minutes when Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior made a huge error, fumbling a relatively harmless cross into his own net.

Spurs did well to limit their visitors to no shots on goal, but Thomas Frank’s men only managed nine shots in total, on or off target, and no Champions League side managed less on the competition’s opening night.

On the balance of play, a draw might have been a fairer result, but that’s what will make these three points taste so sweet to Spurs, and after the game, Van de Ven told Amazon Prime Video: “I think we are a difficult team to play against, for sure. Structure-wise we are standing really good and we all know what to do, so we're a difficult team to beat."

He added: “I think it was a tough one, not an easy one. We didn't play well today but it was an important one. We had a really good start and of course you want to build on that but Villarreal are a really difficult team to play against. Also, every time on the counter-attack they keep the strikers forward, they're really dangerous. Of course you want to build on the 1-0 at the start of the game but at the end we got the three points and that's the most important."

Van de Ven was very fortunate not to get sent off late int he game when he bashed over Georges Mikautadze just outside the box. Asked whether he was lucky to avoid the sending off, he added: “Of course you never know what the referee is going to do in that moment. I think because I go for the ball it's not a red card. I haven't seen it back properly, so I cant say what I think at the moment."

Van de Ven was actually one of the standout Spurs performers on Tuesday night, and BBC 5Live commentator Conor McNamara said on coverage after the game: “There was a control that Tottenham were able to exert here, where they just shut down their opponent. So much to be admired, particularly Micky van de Ven. He was immense.”

On the Spurs win, BBC pundit Chris Sutton said: “Tottenham didn't really find too much rhythm in the game, and part of that that was down to Villarreal and how they were set up, they frustrated them. But was tonight not just about finding a way to win? They did that and they saw it through. In terms of this competition, that is a massive win. Three points and sitting in a pretty good position ahead of the home games against Copenhagen and Slavia Prague to come.”

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Sutton and Shearer can't believe what happened during Spurs v Villarreal

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'That's staggering' - Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer can't believe what happened during Tottenham vs Villarreal - LondonWorld
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Pundits were left stunned by a decision during Tottenham’s Champions League win over Villarreal.

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Pundits can’t believe one of the refereeing decisions that was made in Tottenham’s nervy Champions League win over Villarreal. Spurs won the game thanks to a huge goalkeeping error from Yellow Submarine goalkeeper Luiz Junior in the fourth minute that led to an own goal.

Both teams had a chance or two, but the game was otherwise a very even and well-contested one that, had it been a draw, both sides would have felt fairly done by. But Tottenham found a way to come away with three points in their first Champions League outing of the season, and the nature of the win will make those points feel that much more valuable.

Though, Spurs can count themselves lucky that Micky van de Ven was not send off for bashing over Georges Mikautadze. The Georgian striker got behind the Tottenham back line and looked to be through on goal only for Van de Ven to bundle him over from behind right outside the box.

With the foul being committed outside the box and with the striker clearly the last man, it was a red card by the letter of the law, but a yellow card was awarded on the pitch, and the VAR did not overturn it upon review.

BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton couldn’t believe his eyes, commenting: “The foul is outside the penalty area and if so, surely that is a red card for Van de Ven? That is very odd that it's been awarded as a yellow That's a staggering call. It's a denial of a goal scoring opportunity.”

Alan Shearer also believed Tottenham got away with one, adding: “Tottenham have gotten away with it, for now. That summed up their second half. Very sloppy.” Nicolas Pepe missed the resulting free-kick and Tottenham narrowly held on to the three points. Thomas Frank won’t care about the decision, and nor should he.

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