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Tottenham were held to a dire 1-1 draw by West Ham at the London Stadium

Wilson Odobert made an early breakthrough before Jarrod Bowen equalised

LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Chris Sutton explains the harsh reality of being a manager: 'I wasted a year of my life!'

Even against a Tottenham second string with their minds on Europe, Graham Potter needed Jarrod Bowen to come to his rescue again.

Hammers captain Bowen slotted home his 10th league goal of the season to level after Wilson Odobert gave Ange Postecoglou's side an early lead at the London Stadium.

James Ward-Prowse almost provided a dramatic finish, though, inches away from scoring a stoppage free-kick that would have drawn him level with David Beckham.

There was also a bizarre situation when West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta appeared to burst into tears after he received a yellow card in the second half for a foul on Spurs substitute Mikey Moore.

Paqueta remains the subject an FA spot-fixing investigation into four previous bookings for the club with the result of his hearing pushed back until the summer.

Postecoglou has long cast any Premier League ambitions to the scrapheap. Six defeats in their last eight before this, conceding five to Liverpool, two to Nottingham Forest and another four to Wolves in their last three with their only victory in that run against relegated Southampton.

All eyes, all hearts, are on Thursday night and their two-goal advantage heading into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt and the potential of a first European final in six years.

If that means a possibility of a lowest top-flight finish since 1977 when they were relegated then so be it.

Postecoglou made eight changes to the side that beat Bodo/Glimt in the first leg with only goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison keeping their place.

And even then West Ham couldn't beat them as their winless run extended to eight games.

If the mood wasn't already bad enough inside the London Stadium, it took the Tottenham stiffs just 15 minutes to go in front – and from a situation that appeared to hold no danger at all.

A hopeful long ball forward into the channel looked routine for Max Kilman to sweep up but the £40million summer signing made a hash of clearing his lines, booted the ball twice against Mathys Tel and eventually gifting possession to the Spurs winger.

Tel squared the ball into the box past Aaron Cresswell to an unmarked Wilson Odobert who had the time to take a touch, pick his spot and finish past Alphonse Areola to score his first Premier League goal for the club.

Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski are the only two who started here expected to do so again in Norway on Thursday night but if there was anyone in Postecoglou's jumbled pack who staked a claim it was Tel.

The French forward, on loan from Bayern Munich, looked sharp every time he got the ball. He bamboozled Jean-Clair Todibo to earn a dangerous free-kick in the first half, breezed past him again to force a save in the second, and split the West Ham defence with a fine pass to Richarlison after Paqueta gave the ball away but the Spurs striker had no one waiting when he pulled the ball back in front of goal.

The opening goal summed up the often calamitous defending that's blighted much of West Ham's season and the throes of empty seats around the London Stadium for a derby encapsulated the apathy among a fanbase who cannot wait for the season to end and the summer overhaul to begin.

Potter refused to talk of any positives after the Brighton capitulation when the usually calm and collected coach let his frustrations boil over in his post-match press conference – he was so angry that he almost swore! – but there have been a few if you choose to look hard enough.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, another summer arrival, has exceeded expectations, especially in attack. A defender renowned for being solid in the tackle but with little beyond the halfway line, Wan-Bissaka has thrived as a key threat in Potter's wing-back system.

Whenever West Ham had possession, they looked to find Wan-Bissaka down the right and it was the former Manchester United full back who was key to the hosts levelling on 28 minutes.

Wan-Bissaka slipped in Bowen, making a run beyond the defensive line, and the captain slotted the ball neatly between Guglielmo Vicario's legs from a narrow angle. Something to cheer about at last and, for once, meant the half-time whistle could blow without boos to greet it.

Bowen has long been the man to save the day for West Ham and the club will entertain no offers for their captain in the summer, whose contract runs until 2030. Where would they be without the top scorer.

He had chances to win it in the second half, too, as he lashed an effort wide from a Mohammed Kudus cross at the back post before seeing his header from Ward-Prowse's free-kick clawed away from the line by Vicario.

MATCH FACTS

West Ham (3-4-2-1): Areola, Todibo (Coufal, 80), Kilman, Cresswell (Mavropanos, 88), Wan-Bissaka, Soucek (Soler, 80), Paqueta (Ward-Prowse, 80), Emerson, Bowen, Kudus, Fullkrug (Ferguson, 80)

Subs not used: Fabianski, Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez

Goals: Bowen 28

Booked: Kudus, Paqueta

Manager: Graham Potter

Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario, Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence, Kulusevski, Sarr, Bissouma, Odobert, Richarlison (Moore, 68), Tel

Subs not used: Udogie, Romero, Johnson, Porro, Bentancur, Kinsky, van de Ven, Ajayi

Goals: Odobert 15

Booked: Davies, Tel

Manager: Ange Postecoglou

It's likely to be the Ghanaian winger who funds Potter's summer overhaul with the club ready to accept offers in the region of £85million and he created another good chance when he wriggled his way past three Spurs defenders before dinking the ball into the box where Fullkrug headed over.

West Ham should really have won it – and they so nearly did with Ward-Prowse inches away from ruining Beckham's 50th birthday weekend.

Ryan Mason has been working with the Tottenham's first team since 2021

West Brom are on the market for a new manager after dismissing Tony Mowbray

LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Chris Sutton explains the harsh reality of being a manager: 'I wasted a year of my life!'

Tottenham assistant coach Ryan Mason has reportedly emerged as a leading candidate for the vacant managerial position at West Bromwich Albion - but the Baggies

Mason is an integral part of Ange Postecoglou's coaching team as they seek to end Spurs' long trophy drought this season.

The north London club secured a 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the semi-finals on Thursday, positioning them favorably for a potential final against Manchester United or Athletic Club in Bilbao on May 21.

West Brom sacked Tony Mowbray are just three months in charge after missing out on the play-offs and begun the search of a new manager.

While Mason is on their radar, his current responsibilities with Tottenham complicate immediate negotiations as reported by The Sun.

The 33-year-old is eager to take his first steps into full-time management, but remains committed to doing right by Tottenham and honouring his current role at the club.

Mason has been working with the Tottenham first team since 2021 and has served two stints as the club's interim head coach following the sackings of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

He could now be ready to end his long association with Tottenham as he looks to take his first steps into management.

Mason held talks to become Belgian side Anderlecht's new manager last October but talks fell through.

As the Europa League progresses, West Brom may need to consider alternative options or wait until Tottenham's European commitments conclude to pursue Mason further.

The former midfielder had to cut his playing career short owing to a gruesome head injury suffered in clash of heads with then Chelsea defender Gary Cahill.

Mason required skull surgery following the incident in January 2017 and after having moved to Hull, he retired from professional football 13 months later.

West Ham supporters have turned on Graham Potter after he made a controversial statement about their London rivals Tottenham ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting between the two clubs.

Potter has been feeling the pressure in recent weeks, with West Ham 17th in the table amid a dire run of results, and he failed to keep his composure in his post-match press conference last week when his side threw away a lead to suffer an agonising loss at Brighton.

He told reporters 'if you want me to swear, I can swear,' as he insisted he was deeply frustrated by West Ham's plight.

The 49-year-old Englishman was in a much better mood at his press conference on Friday, but may have put his foot in his mouth when speaking about Spurs.

Asked for his thoughts on Ange Postecoglou's side after they won the first leg of their Europa League semi-final 3-1 against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, Potter replied: 'They've had a tough season. I'm pretty sure if you speak to Ange - injuries, young players, the double competition etc.

'And this league, nothing is for given. They've done well in Europe, and hopefully they can finish the job and get into the final.'

Potter's desire to see a rival reach a European final did not go down well with a number of West Ham fans who took to social media to call for the club to take drastic action.

'Sack him immediately,' one supporter posted on X.

Another added: 'Get him out'.

'Potter out based purely upon this,' another fan agreed.

One incredulous fan was in disbelief at Potter's comment, as they asked: 'What an odd thing to say? Why would he want Tottenham to succeed?'

Potter has struggled to win some of the Irons' fanbase over since replacing Julen Lopetegui in January, and one X user admitted the ex-Chelsea boss was doing little to endear himself to supporters with his latest comments.

'He’s in desperate need for a PR manager,' they claimed.

Potter has won just three of his 15 games in charge of West Ham, losing eight.

Last weekend's results confirmed another season in the Premier League for the east London outfit, but it has been a bitterly disappointing campaign after they spent big last summer.

West Ham have not recorded a win since February, but victory on Sunday would lift them above Tottenham in the table.

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Lucas Bergvall will miss the rest of the season and admitted James Maddison's knee injury is a cause for concern.

Maddison will undergo scans after limping out of Tottenham's 3-1 win in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt of Norway on Thursday.

Bergvall, 19, who signed a new Spurs contract earlier in the week tying him to the club until 2031, damaged ankle ligaments in an innocuous incident training ahead of the same game.

'The injury is probably significant enough to keep him out for the remainder of the season,' said Postecoglou.

'It wasn't a tackle, he was on his own, he just went to turn and just his ankle gave away, so it's just one of those things. I've no doubt he'll come back stronger.'

The Spurs boss was more positive about Dominic Solanke, who also came off against Bodo feeling a tweak in a thigh muscle.

'Dom is not too bad, still sore from last night but we don't think it's anything too serious,' said Postecoglou, who promised changes to the team at West Ham on Sunday, with the second leg of the semi-final coming just four days later.

'We'll make changes,' he said. 'We want to put in a strong performance, also give some players a rest and also get some players up to speed because who knows who we're going to need for next Thursday night.

'There's no doubt when you're making seven, eight or nine changes that I make, that has an effect on the team in the Premier League because you're usually playing against teams that are rested and settled, and it's a massive ask, but I think it's been necessary.

'It's painful, unfortunately, but hopefully we get to reap the rewards of that.'

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates from Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League plus action from Djurgarden vs Chelsea in the Conference League.

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final on Thursday night

Spurs boss Postecoglou insists he will not underestimate the Norwegian side

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Ange Postecoglou was quick to dismiss the notion Tottenham might kill off the threat of Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night in London, with the Norwegians depleted, and removing their artificial pitch from the equation.

'You try and do that anyway,' said the Spurs boss. 'Playing at home in Europe for every club has its advantages, and you want to try to take that advantage.

'Bodo away is a difficult challenge. But we played really well against Frankfurt at home and should have won by three or four. We ended up drawing. Frankfurt away wasn't easy. Their record is just as compelling as Bodo's.

'I don't think you just go in thinking you're going to kill off the tie then. Semi-finals for the most part tend to be pretty tight. And I expect that.'

Postecoglou required no introduction to this Norwegian team from the Arctic Circle who have made an artform out of embarrassing prestigious opponents from all corners of Europe.

Bodo/Glimt dumped his Celtic team out in a Conference League play-off round in 2021-22, a season when the Scottish champions managed to complete an ignominious full house by exiting of all three UEFA competitions at the stage they entered.

'You'd love us to think you're a small club we don't rate,' he told a Norwegian reporter at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, where he spoke pointedly of Bodo's 'stability' and 'clear style'.

The Spurs boss knows they are dangerous opponents and not only in next week's second leg when they return to the synthetic grass of home.

Bodo/Glimt have won nine of their 10 home games in this European campaign which started in July, in the Champions League qualifiers, with Red Star, Porto, Besiktas, Twente, OlympiaCos and Lazio among those humbled at various stages in the Aspmyra Stadium.

OlympiaCos, winners of the Conference League last season, were furious with the state of the pitch and made their feelings known to UEFA after losing 3-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie in freezing Arctic conditions in March.

'It is an advantage,' agreed Lazio boss Marco Baroni after losing 2-0 at Bodo in the first leg of their quarter-final. 'There was a lot of speed on the pitch in the close and short exchanges due to the synthetic pitch.'

The Italians have been wary of the Aspmyra plastic ever since Jose Mourinho's Roma were beaten 6-1 by Bodo in the Conference League in October 2021.

It was the result that made European football sit up and take notice of a new force rising from a remote fishing town with its population of 55,000, less than the capacity of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

'That's the beauty of football,' said Postecoglou, savouring similarities in his own journey from the footballing backwater of Australia.

'Irrespective of where you come from, or the size of the place that you come from, if you're ambitious and if you have a clear plan, especially in our sport, you can create unique opportunities and create fantastic moments.'

Formed in 1916, Bodo/Glimt have a long and colourful history of ups and downs but nothing to compare with their success since promotion in 2018, harnessing data-led recruitment to win three Norwegian titles in five years under Kjetil Knutsen, the 56-year-old head coach linked in the past with the Brighton job and currently reported to be on the Leeds radar.

'I know he enjoys being in Bodo, enjoys working at this club,' said the technical director Havard Sakariassen of interest in Knutsen. 'He's probably had some really good offers along the way and should he for some reason decide to do something else I think we should applaud him to the airport and say thank you.

'I'm not afraid of that at all. I think that we will work here for more years to come – but who knows.'

There is more to the Norwegians than the dodgy pitch and yet they arrive at Spurs without some key men.

Three are suspended, captain Patrick Berg, his central midfield partner Hakon Evjen, and forward Andreas Helmersen.

Ole Didrik Blomberg, another forward, and centre-half Odin Bjortuft are doubtful after suffering injuries against KFUM Oslo on Sunday.

All of which seems to intensify the sense of opportunity for Postecoglou's team and the importance of seizing some sort of initiative in this first leg as the failed to do against Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter final, when they drew the first leg at home and produced a fine display to win 1-0 in Germany.

Both he and James Maddison spoke on the eve of the tie about the 'parallel worlds' of an atrocious Premier League campaign and the chance to win a European trophy for the first time in more than 40 years.

With Postecoglou, rotating his team, suffering more defeats. 'Embarrassing,' as Maddison called the 5-1 beating at Liverpool on Sunday. Suffering even more damage to depleted reserves of self-esteem in exchange for a extra freshness in the legs of the players, some of whom are still on the way back from injuries and other who were overplayed in midseason.

All while trying to maintain the belief that this atrocious season can still end in glory in Bilbao. 'How often will you be in this position?' said Postecoglou. 'History tells you not that often, irrespective of how strong you are as a club, even the strongest clubs in terms of Europe.

'Ask any Tottenham supporter what's furthermost in their mind right now, what's going to happen next year or us hopefully trying to get to a final in Europe and the opportunity to win some silverware, I think the answer would be just concentrate on the now and that's what I'm doing.'

Ange Postecoglou has claimed Tottenham winning the Europa League would be bigger than Manchester United winning the FA Cup.

The Spurs boss hit out at critics he said wanted to belittle his club's bid to lift a first trophy since 2008 and a first European title since the UEFA Cup in 1984.

'People are always trying to diminish it,' said Postecoglou, ahead of tonight's semi-final first leg at home to Bodo/Glimt of Norway. I've heard people say, "well, it's the equivalent of Man United winning the FA Cup". No, it ain't. I'm sorry, not on any planet is it the equivalent.

'Others, suggesting maybe we're not worthy of Champions League. I mean, again, they're things designed to diminish what's ahead of us, which is an unbelievable opportunity.'

With Postecoglou under pressure after an awful Premier League campaign, comparisons have been drawn to Erik ten Hag last year, keeping his job as Manchester United boss after winning the FA Cup, only to be fired and replaced by Ruben Amorim five months later.

'Irrespective of how this season's gone we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else,' said Postecoglou. 'To share again with the people that they love, a special moment, supporting their football club.

'So, this season could have gone a lot differently and we could be flying in the league, but it wouldn't make this opportunity any different, the opportunity is the same.

'I've made that clear to the players. We're disappointed obviously with Sunday at Liverpool. We were nowhere near the level needed, but that's something we need to deal with separately.

'What we have before us is a semi-final of a European competition with an opportunity to get to a final, win a trophy, Champions League football. For the players and everyone involved at the football club, it's a brilliant opportunity.'

Son Heung-min was absent for a fourth game in a row on Sunday as Tottenham fell to a 5-1 defeat at Liverpool.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou made eight changes to his starting XI, with his focus seemingly fixed on Thursday's Europa League semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

There was no place in the squad for captain Son, who has been missing since the first leg of Tottenham's Europa League quarter-final victory over Frankfurt.

Postecoglou revealed last week that Son, who has been hampered by a longstanding foot injury, had returned to training.

However, speaking after Sunday's thrashing at Anfield, Postecoglou suggested that the 32-year-old could still be unavailable for Tottenham's next European mission.

Postecoglou told BBC Sport: 'It'll be touch and go for Thursday.'

Postecoglou added: 'He'll try hard. If [he's not ready] for the first game we think he'll be ready for the second game.'

The second leg will take place on a plastic pitch in Norway on May 8.

In between the two games against Bodo/Glimt, Spurs travel to West Ham in the Premier League next Sunday.

A loss against the Hammers would leave Spurs 17th in the table.

Sunday's defeat at Liverpool, which secured a 20th league title for the Anfield outfit, was Postecoglou's heaviest loss as Spurs boss.

His side took a shock lead in the 12th minute when Dominic Solanke headed home from a James Maddison corner kick.

But Liverpool were 3-1 up by half-time thanks to strikes from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.

Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool's fourth before a Destiny Udogie own goal completed the rout.

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Liverpool welcome Tottenham to Anfield in the Premier League, knowing a win or a draw seals them the 2024-25 league title.

© Associated Newspapers Ltd

Virgil van Dijk has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates and supporters on the day Liverpool could win their 20th league title.

The Reds captain will be crowned a Premier League champion should his side avoid defeat against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

And Van Dijk has asked his team to give one final push after a historic season in which new manager Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp and led Liverpool to the title against the odds. ‘One more push,’ said the Dutchman. ‘One more job to be done. One more big effort needed, from each and every one of us. One more.

‘All season long I have been speaking about the need to focus only on the next game, the next challenge. That mindset has been so important for us as we have chased our goals. We deal with what’s there in front of us rather than getting carried away with the bigger picture, with the outside noise.

‘Sunday, of course, is going to be a little more difficult in that respect. Because while we are still going to be concentrating on the task in front of us, which is a tough game against Tottenham Hotspur, we also know what the day means for everyone associated with the club.

‘And, well, it means everything. To win the Premier League is special, however and wherever you do it. But to do it at Anfield, in front of the most incredible supporters in the world? That’s something else entirely. It’s our dream, it’s your dream, and our aim on Sunday is to make sure that dream comes true.

‘We can only do that, however, by doing the things that have put us in this position in the first place.’

Meanwhile, tickets to watch Liverpool attempt to win the Premier League title on Sunday afternoon are selling on the black market for up to £3,250 with the club adamant touts will receive serious punishment.

Fans are scrambling for the chance to be there to witness one of most momentous days in the club’s history — with some paying extortionate fees.

Resale website LiveFootballTickets is listing seats around the ground with the most expensive one being a staggering £3,248.70 in the Main Stand bottom tier, where face value for an adult ticket is £61. That is 53 times higher than the original price.

Liverpool have invested money and human resources into anti-touting measures over the past 12 months, with 75 lifetime bans and 136 suspensions handed out last season for those breaching ticketing rules.

The vast majority of those bans were handed down for unauthorised selling of season tickets, memberships or hospitality tickets, in breach of terms and conditions.

Plenty of fans have been stung by fake tickets, too, with digital tickets being cloned or faked. Liverpool employ three full-time staffers who oversee touting issues.

The matchday operations team are also on red alert for Liverpool fans buying tickets in the away end — on LiveFootballTickets these are on sale for prices between £447.20 and £1,290.90. Being caught doing so will be treated as an offence and could lead to ejection.

There will be an added police presence on the streets before and after the match with parties expected to go on long into the night if the Reds are confirmed as champions.

Police horses and sniffer dogs will be patrolling. Flares, smoke bombs and pyrotechnics are illegal and taking these into the ground could result in prosecution and banning orders.