Daily Mail

There is an account on X called ‘Jason Tindall desperate to be centre of attention’ and it has more than 50,000 followers. It does what it suggests it does, which is poke fun at the Newcastle United assistant manager for never being far away from a camera lens on match day.

It is pretty gentle stuff. Jason Tindall hugging Jurgen Klopp while Eddie Howe – the Newcastle manager – waits patiently for a pre-match handshake. Tindall at the front of a dressing room celebration squad lineup while Howe is hard to see right at the back. And on it goes.

It plays to what we think we know about Tindall. He looks after himself. He dresses sharply. He always seems to have a suntan. He has perfect hair. It's easy to have a bit of a laugh about it. Howe has even been asked about it and admits he finds it funny.

But the truth is that without Tindall, Howe believes he would not be the same manager. They have been together for most of the last 15 years. At Bournemouth (twice), Burnley and now Newcastle. If Howe were ever to become England's head coach, Tindall would undoubtedly go there too. So when people are laughing at Tindall, Howe is not. Not on the inside.

'It's crazy how the internet and social media can create these things,' said Howe of his friend's viral fame. 'But to understand these things is to go back to where we started. That gives you a little bit of context to the reason he's in those situations.

'We started at Bournemouth with no money, no facilities, working with a group of players, and it was just the two of us and we did everything together. You name it, we did it.

'We travelled to watch the opposition five hours away in the car together. Just us. And we've never changed that approach throughout our journey together.'

That, to a degree, is the perfect summation of how so many manager-assistant relationships work. The guy front of house and the one standing nearby watching his back. A relationship based on trust, mutual understanding but also honesty. If the guy picking the team and doing the tactics is getting it wrong then somebody needs to be able to tell him.

Which brings us to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday where Newcastle – five wins on the spin, with one goal conceded – will play Spurs – two wins out of 10.

Tottenham – as we know – are a must-watch under Ange Postecoglou. Open, exciting and vibrant. But we also know that Postecoglou is under pressure and in need of results. At times it's hard not to think that he maybe needs a little help and it's interesting that he chooses to eschew the manager-coach relationship so prevalent across the Premier League.

Postecoglou never takes staff from club to club with him. He never has done. For example, he won five trophies in two seasons in Scotland with Celtic but chose to leave his winning formula behind when he came to England.

'If I am going to have longevity I have to make sure my message stays relevant and I need to evolve my ideas and beliefs,' is how Postecoglou explains it. 'Bringing in new coaches forces me to make sure the message is still relevant. I look for people who are brave and willing to go into the unknown.'

Few would doubt Postecoglou's courage or his individuality. Both are admirable. But this is not some kind of social experiment platform, it's the Premier League.

The more you look at the Tottenham manager looking stressed agitated and a little lonely on the touchline and in post-match interviews, the more you wonder whether he would benefit from someone standing next to him who really knows him, can judge his moods and choose which of his buttons to press and when.

None of this is to denigrate Tottenham's coaching staff, a group of young men with different backgrounds. Postecoglou chose them when he arrived at the club and he may point out that we would not be having this conversation if his team was winning. But Spurs are not winning anywhere near enough, so it's fair that every little piece of what he does is under scrutiny.

Football's past is littered with great managerial partnerships and we know who they are. And though things have changed since the days of the Liverpool boot room, certain principles have endured. That Postecoglou chooses to stand almost alone does make him different.

His is a model that has worked for him wherever he has been. He is a serial winner. But the Premier League is a uniquely challenging environment and it's hard not to look at him at times and wonder if he would not benefit from a tried and trusted ally standing right behind him.

Or – in the case of Howe and Tindall – right in front of him in the glare of the flashlights.

Macari omission is scandalous

If everyone who has ever struck a cricket ball in anger now has letters after their name then nobody should be surprised that Gareth Southgate has a knighthood.

But still there is nothing for Lou Macari despite his years of selflessness and time given to helping Stoke-on-Trent's homeless community.

Macari – once of Manchester United and Scotland – does not ask for thanks or recognition. That's not what the Macari Centre is about.

But the fact his devotion and work towards easing one of his adopted town's greatest ills continues to go unheralded is scandalous.

Rooney unlikely to manage in England again

Wayne Rooney's sacking at Plymouth has several layers to it and my colleague Simon Jordan put it pretty well when he suggested that there really was scant justification for the Championship club appointing him in the first place.

Rooney's record since returning from America where he coached in the MLS to join Birmingham City in October 2023 is a pretty miserable six wins from 38 Championship games.

There are always mitigating circumstances and Rooney's half season at Devon was beset by injury issues.

But the sad truth is that over time the 39-year-old has shown himself to be short of the mark and the pertinent question now revolves around what happens next.

It is unlikely Rooney will manage in this country again. He would be an excellent TV pundit and will not be short of offers.

But there must be a way for the game in this country to ensure that all those years of accrued knowledge, experience and football wisdom are not lost.

Currently the options for the many great players who reach the end of their playing road seem to be management or bust and surely it should not be that way.

Still English football dallies and prevaricates

The VAR check for Liverpool's second goal against Leicester seemed to last forever and that's because it did. Three minutes and more.

We were supposed to be using the semi-automated system favoured by the Champions League and the big summer tournaments by now. That's the technology that really works.

But we aren't using. Not yet. Still we dally and prevaricate. English football continues to view itself as different to the rest. And it is. Just not in a good way.

HOW TO PLAY

The aim of the game is to score as few points as possible!

If you guess a player at the first attempt you score one point - so the lowest score for guessing every player at the first attempt is 11.

Guess a correct letter in the right position, and it'll turn green. Guess a correct letter but in the wrong position, and it'll turn yellow.

You have six guesses for each player - and if you fail, we'll reveal their identity for 11 points! You can also ask for a free letter, but it costs you a point.

So play on to see if you'll score the best possible total of 11 - or fail on every player and score 121.

Interest in wantaway Paris Saint-Germain star Randal Kolo Muani is ramping up with a third Premier League team reportedly entering the race for the striker.

The Frenchman joined the Champions League side from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for £79million having scored 26 goals and assisted 17 in 50 matches.

He had also starred for his national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coming off the bench to score in the semi-final against Morocco before starting in the final versus Argentina.

Things have not clicked for him at PSG, however, with the forward enduring a disappointing maiden campaign at the Parc des Princes, finding the net just nine times in 40 games.

This season Kolo Muani's stock has dropped even further, with boss Luis Enrique limiting the 26-year-old to just two league starts so far.

Now the striker is on the radar of a shock Premier League side after Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur showed interest last month, L'Equipe reports.

Aston Villa already have England international Ollie Watkins and emerging star Jhon Duran as forward options but are exploring the idea of a move for Kolo Muani.

Unai Emery's men have suffered a dip in form after an exhilarating start to the season which peaked with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

They currently sit in ninth place with 29 points from 19 matches and Duran is facing a three-game suspension after his angry reaction to being sent off against Newcastle.

Asked about Muani's future at PSG last month Enrique insisted: 'I could speak about it but I won't because my decisions say it all, even if as I have said, all of my decisions can be changed.'

Muani has three-and-a-half years left on his contract with Les Parisiens, with the deal reportedly worth upwards of £200,000-per-week.

Arsenal are reportedly set to be offered the chance to sign the PSG forward on loan to serve as cover for Bukayo Saka, who went off injured against Crystal Palace.

The Premier League sides in for Kolo Muani face competition from AC Milan and Juventus in Italy, and Red Bull Leipzig and Bayern in Germany. It has previously been reported that Germany is the most likely destination for the talent.

In the 2022 World Cup final the forward had the chance to win the tournament for France but was denied by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's 'save of the century'.

France have been able to get more out of Kolo Muani than PSG, with the striker scoring three goals in his last five outings for Les Bleus.

However, he has managed just three starts all season for PSG and has failed to make the squad for their last two league games.

The French giants have reportedly spoken with Kolo Muani's delegation and are willing to let him start afresh elsewhere in the new year.

The 26-year-old, who rose from the French third tier to the World Cup final in three years, is commended for his electric pace and strength.

Constantine Hatzidakis, who appeared to elbow Andy Robertson in the jaw in April 2023, has been given his first Liverpool match since the controversial incident.

The official was suspended while his encounter with the Reds defender was investigated by chiefs.

However, the he was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Football Association after television footage appeared to show him apparently elbow the player at half-time of a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield.

Hatzidakis was understood to have apologised to Robertson on a Zoom call, with the Scotland captain accepting his explanation for what happened, and the FA choosing to take no further action.

Manchester United's clash with Aston Villa two weeks later marked Hatzidakis's return to the pitch for a Premier League fixture. He had officiated a Championship fixture between Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers shortly before.

In the 21 months that followed, the Englishman's encounters with Liverpool were limited to three matches in the VAR seat, but now he is set to meet Robertson once again in his first on-field Reds game since the incident.

Arne Slot's men face Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on January 8 and Hatzidakis will be running the line on that night.

James Mainwaring will join the official as an assistant referee, while Stuart Attwell is set to be the referee for the cup tie. Tim Robinson will be the fourth official.

Robertson claimed Hatzidakis elbowed him in the face after he approached the official as he walked off during Liverpool's Premier league match against Arsenal at Anfield earlier this month.

The clash was caught on camera – with Robertson and his team mates protesting furiously to the match referee over the incident. However, the FA conducted an investigation of their own, drawing the conclusion that no further action was required.

'We have thoroughly reviewed all of the evidence in relation to the recent incident at Anfield involving the Liverpool defender and match official, and we will be taking no further action,' read an FA statement.

'Our comprehensive process involved reviewing detailed statements from Liverpool and PGMOL, as well as multiple angles of video footage, in relation to both the incident and its surrounding circumstances.'

Meanwhile, Hatzidakis released a statement after his conversation with Robertson, stating his excitement at the prospect of returning to action, as well as highlighting that it was not his 'intention' to make contact with the player.

'I have discussed the matter directly with Andy Robertson during an open and positive conversation,' his statement read.

'It was not my intention to make any contact with Andy as I pulled my arm away from him and for that I have apologised.'

The return of Hatzidakis is unlikely to faze Slot, who has unflappably led Liverpool to a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.

The Reds also find themselves at the summit of the Champions League and in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, having lost just one match all season.

Slot arrived at Anfield in the summer and was not in the dugout for the incident in April 2023. Jurgen Klopp was Reds boss that day but announced his departure nine months later.

Footage has emerged of Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan playing a decisive role in stopping his international team-mate Son Heung-min during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

Hwang and Son have 200 international caps between them and have come together to produce some big moments for South Korea over the years.

But they were on opposite sides this weekend, and that worked against Son just before half time when he stepped up to take a penalty for Spurs.

Brennan Johnson had been brought down in the area, and Son had the chance to put Tottenham 2-1 up after Rodrigo Bentancur earlier cancelled out Hwang's opener.

But as the Spurs captain waited to take his spot-kick, Hwang could be seen frantically waving his arms to get Jose Sa's attention and tell him to dive to his right.

Radu Dragusin tried to stop Hwang, but to no avail as the Wolves star managed to get his message across. Sure enough, when Son did step up, he went to the side that Hwang predicted, but so did Sa, and he parried the effort to safety.

It was a huge moment in the game, and further dampened the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the home fans grew more restless amid their team's struggles in the first half of the season.

Spurs did still manage to go into the break in front when Johnson netted deep into added time, but Sa's save ensured that Wolves remained within touching distance.

They refused to give in throughout the second half, and finally got their reward with three minutes remaining when Jorgen Strand Larsen fired home an equaliser.

His late goal stretched Wolves' unbeaten start to life under new manager Vitor Pereira to three matches, and moved the Midlands club two points clear of the bottom three.

And it was all possible thanks to Hwang's intervention to deny his fellow countryman Son.

Meanwhile, Tottenham were made to rue Son's miss, and will now enter 2025 in the bottom half of the table.

Spurs agreed purchase option worth almost £10million in Timo Werner's loan

But RB Leipzig fear Tottenham will send Werner back at the end of the season

LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! New formation, some new faces, but the optimism has gone at Old Trafford

RB Leipzig fear Tottenham will send Timo Werner back to the Bundesliga after his dismal loan spell in north London is complete, according to reports in Germany.

Spurs signed the German forward on loan in January before deciding to extend his stay until the end of the 2024-25 season, agreeing a purchase option worth almost £10million in his deal.

Werner was once viewed as one of the hottest strikers in European football during his first spell with RB Leipzig, but his form has knack for scoring goals has fallen off a cliff in recent seasons — beginning with his ill-fated £47.5m move to Chelsea in 2020.

The 28-year-old star has yet to score a single goal in the Premier League so far this campaign, despite playing 19 matches in the competition.

Of those appearances, only three have been starts — with Ange Postecoglou not naming him in a Premier League starting lineup since March, despite Spurs' ongoing injury problems.

Now, according to German outlet Bild, RB Leipzig are concerned that Tottenham will reject the £10m buy option at the end of June and place him on the first plane back to Saxony.

Werner has fallen further down Postecoglou's pecking order this season with Dominic Solanke, Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson all clearly favoured in attacking areas.

Meanwhile, Brazil international Richarlison and exciting 20-year-old prospect Wilson Odobert, who are both currently injured, will also be options in attack when available.

The German newspaper claims, however, that Tottenham will not send Werner back to Leipzig before the end of his loan spell in June, describing that eventuality as 'out of the question'.

It is understood Leipzig do not want to pay Werner's annual salary of almost £10m anymore and would consider his return a 'painful' reunion.

Postecoglou savaged Werner after hauling the Germany international off at half-time against Rangers earlier this month.

'He wasn't playing anywhere near the level he should,' said Postecoglou when asked if the substitution, which saw Werner come off for Kulusevski, was tactical.

'When you've got 18-year-olds out there, it's not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo.

'He's a senior international, he's a German international. In the moment we're in right now, it's not like we've got many options.

'I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable.'

When asked how Werner had taken the criticism, the manager said: 'It's not really of great concern. We need everybody including him to be contributing. Because we don't have the depth to leave people out if they're performing poorly.'

Tottenham's poor December continued on Sunday with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Wolves in north London.

Spurs slipped to 11th in the Premier League and will finish 2024 in the bottom half if Brentford win or draw against Arsenal on Monday.

It could be worse. The last time Manchester City saw in the new year outside the top four was only four years ago, when they were all the way down in eighth, with Liverpool riding high at the top - and they still came back to win the title by 12 points.

Of course, the gap to Liverpool then was only seven points, where it is now 14. And City were nowhere near as lost as they look this season, even after snapping their winless run with a 2-0 win at Leicester on Sunday.

Very few would bet on them turning this around to claim a fifth-consecutive league title, but if anyone was going to do it...

What do City need?

City were due for a squad refresh over the coming windows but the need for that has accelerated after the form of the past two months.

Pep Guardiola intimated in recent weeks that any fresh faces would have a short-term benefit to an ailing team at the moment but has since stressed that potential signings must be made with a view to being successful over a number of years rather than just in the here and now.

It's obvious that City require new blood in central midfield and, given the carousel of injuries in the back line, some defensive reinforcement. The onus on Erling Haaland is greater than ever before and they are also on the lookout for a forward. There is also talk within the industry of a search for a goalkeeper.

Do they have money to spend?

The short answer is yes. City's latest annual report, published earlier this month, revealed a £73.8million profit from last year - and that doesn't include the £64m initial fee received from Atletico Madrid for Julian Alvarez in August.

City's net spend on transfers over the last five years is significantly lower than their rivals and, given a rebuild was already on the cards, there is money set aside for business.

Figures within the game are eagerly awaiting to see how much is spent given the backdrop of a hearing with the Premier League over alleged financial breaches and believe it will offer some indication on City's confidence regarding the case - something the club themselves would understandably deny.

Which players are they interested in?

January is not a market City usually shop in, with Aymeric Laporte the last big winter addition back in 2018. And the reason for that is it's a tricky window from a value point of view.

That said, they know work has to be done. Versatile midfielder Joshua Kimmich, out of contract at Bayern Munich in the summer, has long fancied a move to the Premier League. Mail Sport has reported that Atalanta's Brazilian Ederson has been watched by City. Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace has admirers.

While both Martin Zubimendi and Bruno Guimaraes have also been discussed, City last week moved to rule out their possible January arrivals. City also knocked down the idea of a deal for Atletico Madrid's Pablo Barrios, although they are thought to have previously debated moving for the Spain international.

There is a buyback clause in Liam Delap's contract at Ipswich Town, with Lille striker Jonathan David also linked having scored 19 goals in 28 games for club and country this term. Omar Marmoush, 25, at Eintracht Frankfurt is possibly one to watch after the Egyptian netted 18 goals in 24 appearances for the Bundesliga side so far.

Wharton's Palace team-mate Marc Guehi is well liked at centre half but is likely to be out of any Premier League club's reach in January.

Claudio Echeverri is linking up with Guardiola's squad at the end of the month after playing in the Under 20s Copa America with Argentina, having sealed a switch from River Plate. He's seen as a talent to be coached rather than immediately impacting the team.

Who might leave?

Guardiola is on record as saying he doesn't expect anybody to depart next month. City's squad is thin by design and any flaws in that are exacerbated by the never-ending injury list.

Tottenham and Newcastle United are believed to be monitoring Jack Grealish's situation, however, while Ederson had a huge offer from Saudi Arabia on the table last summer that has not disappeared entirely.

Kyle Walker is thought to be assessing his options moving forward as well as Matheus Nunes. Academy graduate James McAtee may think his future is best served elsewhere after a lack of games but any departures ought to be contingent on incomings.

Any unexpected moves to keep an eye on?

Teenage centre half Juma Bah, currently on loan at Real Valladolid from AIK Freetong in Sierra Leone, is a name from left field.

He's 6ft 4in and has impressed in LaLiga. He'd be seen in a similar vein to Echeverri.

A Spurs fan claimed James Maddison was 'taking the p***' by going to the darts

Maddison came on as a substitute during Spurs' draw with Wolves on Sunday

SOCCER A-Z: Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. New episodes every Wednesday

James Maddison has hit back at a Tottenham fan who criticised him for watching the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, just hours after Spurs' disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves on Sunday.

The midfielder, who started on the bench at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before coming on as a substitute, was spotted at the Ally Pally with Spurs team-mate Brennan Johnson during Gerwyn Price's last-16 clash against Jonny Clayton.

The 2-2 draw, which saw Ange Postecoglou's side drop to 11th in the Premier League table, capped off a dismal December for Tottenham as they endured a third match without a win.

Maddison's appearance at the Ally Pally irritated some Spurs fans given the disappointing run of form, with one supporter labelling the decision to watch the darts with Johnson as 'unacceptable'.

'You taking the p***? The form we're in and you go the darts? Unacceptable,' one angry Tottenham fan posted to Instagram on Sunday.

Biting back with a swift response 12 minutes later, Maddison said: 'Shut up you wally'. The England star signed off his reply with a laughing emoji.

Price's win at the Alexandra Palace took place just 12 minutes away from Spurs' home stadium in north London.

Tottenham came back from 1-0 down to lead the clash against Wolves 2-1 until the 87th minute, before Jorgen Strand Larsen equalised for the visitors to climb them two points above the relegation zone.

Johnson put Ange Postecoglou's side ahead on the stroke of half-time, scoring from close range in the third minute of additional time.

With the draw, Spurs remain 11 points behind London rivals Chelsea in fourth, who occupy the final guaranteed Champions League qualification spot.

After Sunday's result, Tottenham are now closer to Leicester in the relegation zone (10 points) than they are Chelsea.

The Australian boss rued his side's performance, admitting that the result 'hurts immensely'.

'It hurts me because I'm responsible ultimately. I'm the person in charge. So of course it hurts,' he said.

'When I see how hard they are trying, it hurts even more because you want them to get a reward and I think they deserved a reward for their efforts even though they were dipping into their reserves of energy.

'I wanted them to get a reward for their efforts. So of course it hurts. It hurts immensely.

'At the same time it's my responsibility for where we're at right now and it's my responsibility to try to get us out of it.'

Spurs take on in-form Newcastle in their next Premier League outing on January 4, before a huge two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

Despite his side's poor form of late, Postecoglou will still be hoping to guide Tottenham to their first trophy since 2008 by lifting the Carabao Cup in March's final.

James Maddison and Brennan Johnson were spotted at Ally Pally for Gerwyn Price's quarter-final clash against Jonny Clayton.

The duo left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after their 2-2 draw with Wolves and were seen at the darts just hours later.

The event took place just 12 minutes away from Spurs' home ground in north London.

In the game, Spurs came back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1 until the 87th minute, when Jorgen Strand Larsen equalised for the visitors.

Johnson put Ange Postecoglou's side ahead on the stroke of half-time, scoring from close range in the third minute of additional time.

The Welsh international was brought off in the 64th minute for his mate Maddison, who failed to make a meaningful impression on the game.

With the draw, Spurs remain in 11th place, 11 points behind London rivals Chelsea in fourth, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot.

After Sunday's result, Postecoglou's strugglers are closer to Leicester in the relegation zone (10 points) than they are Chelsea.

The Australian boss rued his side's performance, admitting that the result 'hurts immensely'.

'It hurts me because I'm responsible ultimately. I'm the person in charge. So of course it hurts,' he said.

'When I see how hard they are trying, it hurts even more because you want them to get a reward and I think they deserved a reward for their efforts even though they were dipping into their reserves of energy.

'I wanted them to get a reward for their efforts. So of course it hurts. It hurts immensely. At the same time it's my responsibility for where we're at right now and it's my responsibility to try to get us out of it.'

Postecoglou will give his players two days off to recharge and reset while he works towards finding reinforcements in the transfer market which opens on Wednesday.

Sometimes all that matters is that you find a way to win. Just hold what you have, protect it and somehow stagger over the line. Tottenham failed despite coming close and so relieved none of the pressure building on Ange Postecoglou.

They looked exhausted at the end. Out of juice and bereft of confidence, missing chances to make it safe before Jorgen Strand Larsen tore through a patched-up defence to rescue a point for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Those in the away end celebrated the fighting spirit of their rejuvenated team and the seven points from three games under new boss Vitor Pereira.

Spurs fans booed noisily at the final whistle. Their team has won just once in seven Premier League games since the victory at Manchester City and will start the New Year in the bottom half for the first time since 2008/09.

That was the season when Harry Redknapp was summoned from Portsmouth to replace Juande Ramos. Postecoglou will soldier on, still well placed in two cup competitions and with chairman Daniel Levy the board conscious injuries are conspiring against him.

There was a fresh one, a hamstring injury for Destiny Udogie deepening the defensive crisis.

And a needless yellow card for a tired and reckless midfield challenge in stoppage time by Rodrigo Bentancur, his fifth caution of the season to spark a suspension just three days after returning from a seven-match ban for offensive remarks in the media. Bentancur will miss Saturday's game against Newcastle.

'It comes down to players so desperate to turn things around,' said Postecoglou. 'It was an unfortunate moment. It didn't need to happen. I'd much rather he didn't make that tackle and was available for next game.

'The players are obviously hurting. They want to turn this around and it's not for want of trying.

'It's fair to say we're dealing with a fair bit and it doesn't feel we're getting any smooth run at anything in terms of getting players back and allowing us to freshen up the team. As soon as we get one back, we lose one.

'We've got to get through it. There's still a hell of a lot for us to play for with what's on the horizon and we have to give the players all the support we can to perform at their best.'

Beyond the frustrations of the defensive injury crisis and congested schedule, Tottenham ran into a Wolves team in a purple kit and a purple patch since Pereira replaced Gary O'Neil, and before a looming ban for Matheus Cunha, their most creative player.

Cunha is awaiting the outcome of a charge of violent conduct brought for his part in a post-match skirmish following defeat at home to Ipswich in O'Neil's final game, and he won the free kick from which Wolves took the lead inside seven minutes.

Spurs were deceived the visitors shaped up as if to shoot before Ait-Nouri rolled a pass square to Hee-chan Hwang who wriggled free as Santiago Bueno blocked Brennan Johnson's attempt to stay with his man, and finished expertly, low inside the post, on his first start since August.

Wolves had made the better start but did not hold the lead for long. Bentancur equalised with a header at the near post from a corner by Pedro Porro. Spurs were vulnerable but started creating some chances.

Radu Dragusin headed wide and Yves Bissouma fired over from the edge of the penalty area.

Then came the penalty awarded for a foul by Andre on Johnson. It was harsh in the sense that Johnson was more intent on engineering contact than bringing the ball under control and Wolves disputed the decision.

Once it had been made by referee Chris Kavanagh, however, there was no reversal ever coming from the VAR. Son took responsibility, but his penalty was that of a striker short of goals and saved by Jose Sa diving to his right.

Johnson made the breakthrough in first half stoppage time, linking up with Dejan Kulusevski and firing in 11th of the season and his first for eight games.

Cunha, having decorated the first half with delightful touches, did not return for the second. He was later spotted on the bench with an ice pack behind his left knee. The visitors also lost Andre to injury in the second half by which time Udogie had limped off.

With back-in-favour Djed Spence banned after a red card at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day it meant Sergio Reguilon's first Tottenham appearance in the Premier League since April 2022.

Ultimately, though it was Strand Larsen who collected a pass from Ait-Nouri and made the most decisive contribution from the bench, slamming a powerful shot high past Forster at his near post, to the delight of Pereira.

'I want more, especially with the ball,' said the Wolves boss. 'But the spirit is good. We need to fight to compete and this is what they are showing me. I'm happy and proud with their work.'