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The sound of the referee’s whistle indicates the end of the first forty-five minutes in Manchester, and it’s time for the Spurs vs Man City player ratings, with Spurs leading 2-0 at the break thanks to a Maddison double.

Tottenham have injury problems

The two sides are now in their respective dressing rooms, preparing to go toe-to-toe again in the second period. A win is imperative for both sides, as City look to end a run of four defeats, while Spurs are desperate to bounce back from a loss to Ipswich and regulate their position in the table.

Postecoglou is without both centre-backs Romero and van de Ven for the second visit to the Etihad in a row. Last time out in this fixture, Spurs held City to a 3-3 draw in what was an enthralling contest, with a late Kulusevski header salvaging a point. It was a loss away at Spurs that began their losing streak, so Guardiola and City will be eager to end it against the North London outfit upon the Premier League‘s return.

Over the duration of the first-half, we’ve examined each player’s individual performance, rating them on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a look at how they fared.

Spurs player ratings vs Man City

Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian goalkeeper was tested a lot by City’s forward line in the opening forty-five, but he dealt with a lot of shots and crosses well. 8.

Pedro Porro: It was a heart-in-mouth moment for the Spaniard as his headed back-pass looped awkwardly for Vicario with Savinho pressing. Fortunately, the Spurs keeper dealt with it. Porro bombed forward on a number of occasions but failed to create much. 6.

Radu Dragusin: Dragusin wasn’t too impressive in the first-half but he wasn’t bad either. He did what was asked of him, which can’t be frowned upon by any means. 6.

Ben Davies: Davies makes his first domestic start of the season, and was reliable as always filling in that left centre-back role. 6.

Destiny Udogie: Spurs’ left-back found himself in advanced areas very often in the first forty-five, linking up with Son really well. 7.

Yves Bissouma: The Mali international fills in for Bentancur, who begins to serve his seven-match ban. He lost possession, fouled Foden, and picked up a booking after 13 seconds. Biss cleaned up his act after that, and oversaw a lot of Spurs’ midfield dominance in the first-half. 7.

Pape Sarr: Sarr reacted rapidly to the second ball, sweeping up effortlessly and acting as a general in the midfield. Another impressive display from the Senegalese. 8.

James Maddison: Maddison returned to the starting XI on his 28th birthday – it’s his first start in the PL since the 27th of October. He made an incredible run through the City defence before beautifully volleying home the opening goal, and minutes later he added a second with a delightful chip over the keeper. The birthday boy has undoubtedly justified his manager’s decision to start him so far! 10.

Dejan Kulusevski: Despite his instrumental performances in the midfield in recent weeks, Deki was moved wide to accommodate the return of Maddison, and it certainly paid off as it was his whipped cross that found Madders who volleyed home! The Swede was certainly in his element in the first-half, causing an abundance of problems for City’s backline. 9.

Dominic Solanke: When dropping deeper, Solanke was superb. But the Englishman will be hoping to make more of an impact in the attacking third in the second-half. 7.

The suggestion that Tottenham Hotspur may take a punt on a former Manchester United star has been dismissed out of hand by both Ally McCoist and Alan Brazil.

Former PL star is now a free agent

Paul Pogba has not played a competitive minute of first-team football since August 2023 after failing a doping test.

He was initially handed a four-year ban but after an appeal, the ban was reduced to 18 months, which means that he can return to competitive action in March of 2025 (MEN).

The Frenchman is now a free agent after Juventus decided to terminate his contract last week (ESPN).

Is a move to Spurs on the cards for Paul Pogba?

It was suggested by talkSPORT host Shebahn Aherne that Pogba might be an option for Tottenham to consider in January.

However, the claim was rejected by both McCoist and Brazil, who insisted that the 31-year-old was the farthest thing away from the typical Postecoglou player.

Here is the transcript of the conversation that followed after the suggestion was made by Aherne (via talkSPORT):

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Alan Brazil: “Oh dear.”

Ally McCoist: “Oh, no chance. There has never been a player [that has] existed that is more ‘non-Ange’ than Pogba.”

Shebahn Aherne: “I think he’s [such an Ange player]. Handbrake off, attacking football, that’s when you saw the best side of him at Manchester United when he was able to do that.”

Ally McCoist: “No chance.”

Alan Brazil: “Pogba is a busted flush.”

Ally McCoist: “Big Ange, there’s no chance he’s taking Pogba.”

Alan Brazil: “He can’t. That’ll be the end…”

Ally McCoist: “…..of civilisation as we know it!”

Alan Brazil: “Daniel [Levy, the Spurs chairman] will be like, ‘No, no, no, I don’t think so.’ He’s a massive question mark, you look what he’s done, you look at what he can do, and yet, can you trust him? No.”

Pogba is a bad fit for many reasons

Pogba’s age does not make him a good fit for Postecoglou‘s project while there would also be question marks over whether the Frenchman would be able to provide what Ange demands off the ball.

Besides, Postecoglou has spoken a lot about wanting the bring the right sort of personalities to the club in order to maintain a family atmosphere at Hotspur Way.

Pogba is no stranger to attitude problems and run-ins with his former teammates and managers, which is why it would be surprising if Spurs considered a move for the midfielder.

A remarkable debut season brought hope to Spurs fans, but as the club faces early struggles in Postecoglou’s second campaign, one of their most iconic figures, Steve Perryman, offers an unfiltered perspective on what may have gone awry.

The foundation of optimism at Spurs

When Ange Postecoglou was appointed as Spurs manager, expectations were cautious at best. He was inheriting a club that had grown accustomed to pragmatism under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, both of whom prioritised results over flamboyance. Yet, Postecoglou quickly won admirers with his refreshing approach—high-pressing, possession-based football that exuded intensity and purpose.

In his first season, the results spoke volumes. Spurs finished fifth, a respectable achievement for a campaign that many had written off as transitional.

More than the position, it was the identity Postecoglou instilled that caught the eye: a style built on high intensity, quick passing, and relentless energy. It felt as though Spurs were no longer just competing; they were entertaining.

But optimism is a fragile thing in football. This season, the team has faltered, slipping to 10th in the Premier League after 11 games. Five wins, five losses, and one draw have painted a picture of inconsistency.

Steve Perryman’s verdict on Ange Postecoglou

As questions over Spurs’ struggles dominate the conversation, Steve Perryman, one of the club’s most celebrated former players, shares what he thinks might be the problem with Spurs play this season.

Speaking to TalkSport on a podcast he said: “I like him very much, but I have gone slightly off the boil. One of the comments I really liked was, ‘We will not stop. We don’t stop.‘ However, I don’t think that’s quite happening now. For instance, being 2-0 up at Brighton and then losing 3-2—people are trying to find reasons for that, and I think they’ve all missed it.

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“We became a “pass it and stand still” team. We weren’t like that at first. We passed it and moved, passed it and moved—push and run. Talking about building it, movement creates movement. When someone doesn’t move, we now have a problem. You’re going to get closed down, whether you call it high press or whatever the term is these days.”

Steve Perryman on whether it’s complacency or a mentality issue: “I’m not sure. I’ve never been in the dressing room. I look at leadership in such situations and don’t really see a leader.”

Leadership must improve at Tottenham

I agree with Perryman’s take on leadership. Some of the more senior players really need to step up when the team faces pressure in games. Calm heads are needed in those moments; so far this season, that has been lacking.

It was evident in the defeats against Brighton, Ipswich and Palace—when we concede, it sometimes feels like we allow our emotions to get the better of us. Ange will need to encourage calmer heads in such situations.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a Real Madrid playmaker, but they face competition from North London rivals Arsenal, who are also closely watching the player.

Brahim Diaz linked with Spurs

Brahim Diaz has not had the easiest of times at Real Madrid since his move from Manchester City, with the Moroccan international spending three seasons on loan at Serie A side, AC Milan, where two years ago he scored the winning goal against Tottenham in the Champions League last 16 first leg.

The 25-year-old has spent most of this season warming the bench, starting only two matches, and he is reportedly unhappy with his lack of minutes.

If things fail to change, Diaz could bid Los Blancos farewell and Spurs are amongst a number of clubs keeping an eye on his situation.

The race to sign Diaz

According to TBR Football, Tottenham have been joined by Arsenal and Newcastle United in expressing their interest in Diaz, while Manchester City and AC Milan may also be interested in being reunited with him if he becomes available.

Real Madrid are reluctant to let Diaz leave, and Carlo Ancelotti has insisted he is important to the club, but with Diaz concerned about his lack of minutes, the champions of Europe could change their minds, particularly if they are able to agree a loan deal rather than selling him.

This comes after Diaz’s teammate Arda Guler has also been linked with Tottenham, along with a number of Premier League teams, in a similar situation where he has been unable to regularly start for Real Madrid.

Is Diaz good enough for Spurs?

Diaz is a decent player, but he is unable to start for a Real Madrid side who have not been at their best this season, while his most impressive season for league goal contributions is nothing special, with eight goals and seven assists.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a substantial ban by the FA for racially insensitive comments made in an interview. However, his club, Tottenham Hotspur, have decided against imposing their own punishment—a decision that has sparked debate about accountability in football.

The incident: Understanding what happened

In a week filled with scrutiny and discussion, Rodrigo Bentancur found himself at the centre of a controversy that has raised questions about cultural sensitivity and football’s approach to discrimination.

The Uruguay international was handed a seven-match ban and fined £100,000 by the FA for remarks made during a televised interview in June while he was in his native Uruguay.

During the interview, Bentancur was asked to provide a shirt belonging to a Spurs player. In his response, he referred to teammate Heung-min Son in a way that was deemed offensive, stating, “It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.” The comment, viewed by the FA as “aggravated misconduct,” sparked backlash almost immediately after it aired.

The aftermath saw Bentancur issue a public apology the day after the interview was broadcast, where he expressed regret for any offence caused. He later apologised directly to Son, who accepted the gesture.

Despite the midfielder’s remorse, the FA’s disciplinary process resulted in a significant punishment, reflecting the seriousness with which such issues are treated in the sport.

Tottenham’s stance and the FA’s verdict

While the FA’s punishment was swift and stern, Tottenham’s reaction to the incident has been markedly different. The Guardian reported that the club opted not to fine Bentancur, basing their decision on the belief that his comment, while inappropriate, was not intended to offend. Spurs concluded that Bentancur had been responding sarcastically to an interviewer’s remark about Son, referring to him as “the Korean.”

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Instead of imposing their own penalty, the club prioritised educational measures. Over the summer, Tottenham introduced additional diversity and equality training for players, reinforcing their commitment to fostering a more inclusive environment. Furthermore, Bentancur will attend a face-to-face education programme mandated by the FA as part of his disciplinary outcome.

Bentancur’s ban starts with Tottenham’s visit to Manchester City on Saturday, sidelining him for six further Premier League matches and a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United.

The club has appealed the length of the ban, seeking a reduction from seven matches to six, which would allow the midfielder to return in time for a high-profile encounter against Liverpool on 22 December.

Insights into football’s fight against discrimination

The handling of the Bentancur incident highlights the contrasting approaches between football authorities and clubs when it comes to discriminatory behaviour.

While the FA has set a precedent for firm action, Tottenham’s emphasis on education over punishment has raised questions about whether the response sufficiently addresses the gravity of such incidents.

Kick It Out, a leading anti-discrimination group, underscored the importance of accountability. A spokesperson stated, “It’s important that clubs demonstrate accountability and action when discrimination occurs, including further education. That should apply to all participants in football, whether they are fans, players, staff or those in senior leadership roles. It’s vital that learning takes place so we can make football more welcoming for all.”

The debate surrounding Tottenham’s response reflects a broader challenge for football: balancing education with accountability. While some see Spurs’ approach as progressive, others argue it risks undermining the seriousness of the issue, particularly when clubs are perceived to be lenient.

As the sport continues its fight against discrimination, ensuring consistent and impactful responses will remain a priority for organisations striving to create a more inclusive environment.

Tottenham fans will love what Dejan Kulusevski said to his Sweden teammates in the dressing room before going out onto the field to deliver a masterclass Azerbaijan.

Dejan Kulusevski leads from the front

Kulusevski once again donned the armband for Sweden and he delivered a real captain’s display as the home side dismantled Azerbaijan 6-0 in Stockholm on Tuesday.

The Tottenham man scored two, assisted one and had an important hand in another goal as the Azerbaijani defence could not cope with his movement and creativity.

The win ensured that Sweden finished top of League C, Group 1 of the Nations League, thus sealing promotion to League B for the next edition of the competition.

Dejan Kulusevski’s cold line before kick-off

Being the leader of this young Sweden side, the Tottenham man was tasked with saying the final words in the huddle inside the dressing room before the side went out onto the pitch.

Kulusevski delivered a line that will be remembered for a long time, ending the huddle by stating “I’m hungry, let’s eat.”

Here’s the video that the Swedish national team shared of their captain’s words, followed by his heroics on the pitch:

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Is Kulusevski a contender to be the future Spurs captain?

Kulusevski is a natural leader and has demonstrated time and again that he has a winning mentality, always stepping up and delivering on the big stage.

The former Juventus man is undoubtedly one of the contenders to take over the armband at Tottenham when Heung-min Son eventually leaves. Perhaps there is a case for Ange Postecoglou to include Kulusevski in the leadership group.

Ange Postecoglou will be encouraged by how well his players have performed in the past week while representing their countries – as well as a few added bonuses in there too.

The international break

The international break is often criticised for taking players away from their clubs to play glorified friendlies. With three pauses to the club season so far for players to represent their national teams, despite it only being November, there have been calls to decrease the number of times these breaks occur.

But the international break can be useful for getting struggling players in form and giving minutes to those who have had limited match time for their club.

And Tottenham look set to benefit from what has been a largely positive international break for their players.

Spurs players thrive on international duty

Heung-Min-Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma all contributed with goals or assists for their national sides, while Dane Scarlett, who is on loan at Oxford United, scored for England’s under-21s team (Spurs Global).

With Son only recently returning from injury, his two goals are an encouragement, while Johnson’s goal and assist are a huge positive, with the 23-year-old scoring just once for Tottenham since the previous international break last month.

The break also saw Archie Gray and Ben Davies play two full matches for England under-21s and Wales respectively, both of whom have had limited Premier League match time this season, while Radu Dragusin, who has been disappointing for Spurs, started both matches for Romania.

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And another positive of the break is that Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie were both rested, with neither starting a match for their countries, while Pedro Porro, who recently has looked in need of a day off, did not play in Spain’s most recent match against Switzerland.

Spurs need to come back firing

Although there are some negatives from the break, such as Cristian Romero going off injured for Argentina, it should have boosted the confidence levels of players in need of a lift.

The break came at a good time, with Spurs losing their two most recent matches against teams they ought to have been beating, but now they will be able to regroup and attempt to find some form again.

Tottenham Hotspur take on the reigning Premier League champions this weekend, but Man City are staring down the barrel of a potential five defeats in a row.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Man City

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario had a troubling international break with Italy, although he received some unfair blame for the goals he conceded against France.

Right-back: Pedro Porro starts at right-back as usual, but he will need to improve his back-post defending against Man City’s star attackers – especially Erling Haaland.

Centre-back: Radu Dragusin moves over to the right side of defence against Man City, with Cristian Romero joining Micky Van de Ven on the treatment table.

Centre-back: Ben Davies comes in to deputise for the injured Dutchman but will face a tough evening up against the likes of Haaland, Foden, and Silva.

Left-back: Destiny Udogie starts at left-back despite some up-and-down form this season. He will need to do much better at tracking his man on Saturday evening.

Pivot midfielder: Yves Bissouma replaces Rodrigo Bentancur as he starts his seven-match suspension. This leaves Postecoglou with far less flexibility and quality on the bench though.

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Central-midfield: Pape Matar Sarr is preferred over James Maddison once again. If Postecoglou is going to throw Madders back in at some point, I can’t imagine it would be Man City away.

Central-midfield: Dejan Kulusevski has a chance to live up to his Dekihad status after two goals and an assist for Sweden last week on international duty.

Right-wing: Brennan Johnson scored for Wales this week and will be looking to kickstart another goalscoring run in a Lilywhite shirt.

Striker: Dominic Solanke had a nice rest on international duty with only 18 minutes of action so he should be fresh and raring to go.

Former Tottenham Hotspur scout, David Pleat, has revealed that a young defender left the club, despite being promised by Jose Mourinho that he would get a chance in the first team.

Tottenham’s development of young players

Tottenham have had limited success in recent years at bringing academy players into their main squad, with even Harry Kane having to wait patiently and endure multiple loan spells before getting his first real chance.

Much excitement has been expressed by supporters over the likes of Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear recently making first-team appearances and this has likely been enhanced by the fact that in the last decade, products of Tottenham’s academy have rarely become successful in the club’s senior side.

And some of the players to leave Spurs before getting a proper opportunity will have no regrets including Noni Madueke, who has impressed for England during the international break, Marcus Edwards and Kyle Walker-Peters, and Troy Parrott, who has taken the Eredivisie by storm since joining AZ Alkmaar.

Luis Binks left Spurs despite being promised a chance to play

While some players have made the right choice to move forward with their careers by leaving Spurs, that decision has not worked out for everyone.

David Pleat has revealed, while speaking on The Joy of Football podcast, that former Spurs defender, Luis Binks, left the club, despite being promised by then manager, Jose Mourinho, that he would be given a chance to play for the first team.

He said: “Binks went from Tottenham, and I remember this clearly. Went to Montreal, to be managed by Thierry Henry.

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“Now, Binks, I can tell you this. He was England’s left centre-half. Mourinho himself made a big point of saying there’s a pathway for him.

“Now, the boy said there wasn’t a pathway. Whether there was or wasn’t, he would have developed, maybe, into a first-team player. But he was enticed away to Montreal, who loaned him to Bologna, and then he’s come back to Coventry and he’s at Coventry now. That’s happening all the time because of financial sustainability.”

Tottenham must give their young players a chance

In this instance, it is Binks, rather than Spurs, who suffered as a result of becoming impatient and leaving the club, but this has not always been the case.

With Spurs gearing up for a daunting Premier League clash against Manchester City this weekend, the latest injury updates from manager Ange Postecoglou have revealed when Micky Van de Ven could return to the starting XI.

Tottenham’s Defensive Crisis

Ange Postecoglou has had a busy week ahead of Tottenham’s crucial away fixture at the Etihad Stadium, where his side will go head-to-head against a wounded Manchester City team.

Alongside their inconsistent start to the season, Spurs have found themselves navigating a series of injury concerns, particularly in defence. With both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero currently sidelined for Spurs, Postecoglou’s options are limited as he looks to solidify his backline this weekend.

Romero, who is a key part of Tottenham’s defence, suffered a foot injury in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa. Although he was able to make a swift return for the home defeat to Ipswich Town, his international duty with Argentina has proven to be a more testing affair.

In their recent 2-1 defeat to Paraguay, Romero played just 45 minutes before being substituted, reportedly due to discomfort in the same foot that had already caused him issues at Spurs. This has left many wondering if the 26-year-old will be ready in time to face City.

Meanwhile, the absence of Micky van de Ven looms large, with the Dutchman suffering a hamstring injury in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester City last month.

Despite initial hopes that he might recover in time for the weekend, Postecoglou has shed more light on the current situation of his injury.

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Postecoglou Injury Update: Micky Van de Ven

In his most recent interview with Sky Sports as relayed by football.london, Postecoglou spoke on the injury situation surrounding his key players.

He said: “Happy for Cristian and his wife on the birth of their baby girl. He is still not 100 per cent so he is a doubt definitely for the weekend. Everyone else from the internationals got through well.

“Micky is still a couple of weeks away. He is on the grass training but he is still a couple of weeks away. We’re hoping by the middle of December he is back and available to play.”

The impact of these absences

With the absence of these two key players, Postecoglou will have to rely on alternatives in defence. Ben Davies and Romanian defender Radu Dragusin, who has struggled in recent games in the Premier League, are the next in line to step up. However, their experience and cohesion in such a high-pressure match will undoubtedly be tested against City’s relentless forward line.

The absence of these key players, combined with the defensive fragility Spurs might face, makes this fixture one of their toughest tests yet. If Spurs are to stand any chance of upsetting Man City, Davies and Dragusin will need to rise to the occasion and prove they have the quality to withstand the pressure from one of the Premier League’s most potent attacking forces.