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Harvey Elliott finds himself in something of a quandary.

The talented young midfielder was a bit-part player for Liverpool and it was understandable that he would look for a move elsewhere in the summer transfer window.

Elliott was the star of the show at the UEFA U21 European Championships, scoring five goals as England lifted the trophy.

It seemed as if the footballing world was his oyster, but he had no desire, really, to leave Liverpool.

“Look, if I had it my way, I'd be here for the rest of my career, it's as simple as that, I love everything about the club,” he said in the summer. "But at the same time I kind of need to be selfish with myself and see what's best for me. I have big ambitions. I want to go to the World Cup. I want to keep being successful as a player.

So when Aston Villa came calling, he somewhat reluctantly made the move on loan for the season.

That loan move included an obligation to buy at the end of the season for around £30million, on the condition that he played ten matches. There is no guarantee of that, though, with the midfielder on five appearances so far, having not even made the matchday squad in any of the last three Premier League games.

Good decision?

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Did he make the wrong choice, or will his time come?

Villa boss Unai Emery wanted Lucas Paqueta or Marco Asensio permanently in the summer, but got neither, with Elliott the option instead.

A hugely talented player, a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup 2026 squad looks way out of reach right now, with the former Liverpool player watching his U21 teammate Alex Scott move ahead of him in the pecking order, after some impressive displays for Bournemouth.

Elliott already had plenty of competition for a coveted spot in the squad, and his time at Villa will only have made things even harder.

There is no way out this season. The 22-year-old played for Liverpool, getting the last six minutes of injury-time in the 3-2 win over Newcastle before securing that transfer to Villa.

Premier League rules state that no player can play for more than three clubs in the competition in any one season, so if he wants to go and play elsewhere it will have to be abroad, and would rely on Liverpool and Villa coming up with some kind of deal to break the loan and obligation to buy.

There were other options for Elliott in the summer, although perhaps nothing concrete enough to change his mind. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though and Tottenham might well have been a better move for the midfielder.

​​​​​​​Spurs move

Spurs were linked with a number of attacking players in the summer, with well-publicised moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze falling through, before Thomas Frank finally got an attacking midfield signing through the door in the shape of Xavi Simons.

Simons’ signing was seen as something of a coup for Spurs, with Chelsea heavily linked with a move for the RB Leipzig star, and there is plenty of expectation that he will be a fine signing. He has yet to pull up trees, however, with the diminutive star needing time to adapt to the pressures and physicality of the Premier League.

With long-term injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, creative signings were required, but ignoring Mohammed Kudus’ deal as a wide forward, Simons was the only central attacking signing that Tottenham made.

And that, in hindsight - and at the time - looks to have been a mistake, given Simons’ early struggles.

Elliott, with strong experience in the Premier League already, would have been a ready-made replacement and was fleetingly linked with a move to N17 as one of the options to fill the No.10 void. His ability to slot in as a ten, or even as an eight, would have been a real asset to Frank and Spurs. He would almost certainly have got more game-time in north London than he has in Birmingham and would have added to Tottenham’s homegrown roster, albeit not their club-trained quota for the Champions League.

​​​​​​​Klopp regret

In 2024, just departed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp opened up on "regretting" not using Elliott more. He said: "If I regret one thing a little bit, it's that Harvey didn't play often enough, maybe. Because in a very important, intense period - January, with a lot of injuries – he played really well.

"He was probably our best player - right wing, right midfield, all these kinds of things. Then everybody came back, and he had minutes here, minutes there, and he didn't start anymore."

That versatility would certainly have come in handy for Frank at Spurs and he would have been the type of signing - alongside Simons - that the supporters could have taken to. Signing Elliott and only Elliott may have tipped some over the edge.

Spurs have already shown - this season and last - that they do not have the squad depth to cope with injuries that the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal do. A player of Elliott's calibre would certainly have come in handy and his performances for the U21s in the summer suggest he deserves better.

Tottenham certainly need better. Frank's side are second bottom in the Premier League for shot-creating actions this season, with just 16.82 per 90 minutes. Only Burnley produce fewer. The Lilywhites also have fewer shots per game than all but two of the other teams in the top flight - Wolves and Burnley - with 9.73 per game as per fbref.com. Elliott would surely have helped with that, given his position in the team and ability to break the lines.

Elliott must now wait until the summer to reboot his career, though, or hope that he can impress upon Emery in the second half of the campaign and kickstart his Villa career.

For Tottenham Hotspur, finding ways to keep growing revenues to keep pace with the other five members of the so-called ‘big six’ has been an ongoing challenge.

The move from White Hart Lane to the world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 was transformational to the club’s revenue streams once the impact of the pandemic and empty stadiums was navigated.

Matchday revenues grew from £45m for the last season at White Hart Lane in 2016/17, to £106m for the most recent set of accounts for 2023/24. For the previous campaign, with additional home games, a high watermark of £118m was seen. Commercial revenue also grew significantly, rising from £76m in 2017 to £255m for 2024, an increase of 236 per cent over the seven years.

Much of that growth was seen from moving into their 62,850-seater home. The club, then under the stewardship of former executive chairman Daniel Levy, struck major contracts with the NFL to host two regular season games per year, as well as leveraging the location and transport links for the venue to deliver major music artists for concerts, such as multiple nights performed across two tours by Beyonce, as well as showpiece sporting events away from football.

Through the entire journey from White Hart Lane to their new home, Tottenham have had a consistent and prominent front-of-shirt partner in global insurance giant AIA, who first partnered with the club for the start of the 2014/15 season when they took over from computer firm HP.

This past week it was announced that AIA, while packaged as the firm ‘extending’ their deal as a partner of the football club, would actually be exiting as the club’s main front-of-shirt partner from the end of the 2026/27 season, instead downgrading the level of the deal, which had been worth around £40m per season, to become the club’s official training kit partner. AIA will continue to have visibility around the stadium via LED advertising boards.

For Spurs, the work has already started with regards to what comes next, with sources telling GIVEMESPORT that the club’s commercial team have already started receiving expressions of interest and sounding out multiple potential interested parties across a variety of sectors to ensure that they have a rounded view of what they can reasonably expect to receive for the next deal, which will undoubtedly be a club-record sum for the most valuable piece of sponsorship inventory that the football club has away from stadium naming rights, something which has been an unresolved issue for Tottenham for the past six years.

Having had plenty of interest from big business when it came to the naming rights, Levy opted against entering into an agreement, and with some good reason. No brand had been willing to match what Spurs had wanted for the rights, and given that these deals are often struck on a long-term basis of 10 years or more, by using the American market as an example, there wasn’t the appetite to be tied for something long-term if the valuation hadn’t been met.

The first set of naming rights for new stadiums are the most important. It is where familiarisation starts and where fans become connected with the brand and the name, something that can often last beyond the deal itself.

Levy also saw value in the stadium being known as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially given that it had international exposure via the NFL games being played at the arena. The view was that in having the name above the door for concerts and other non-football events, it gave the club significant brand exposure.

But what might this have to do with the front-of-shirt naming rights for Spurs from 2027, and how might it allow them to maximise the opportunity that they have to further close the revenue gap that exists between themselves and the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City?

Spurs Have Chance to Reshape Commercial Landscape

The departure of AIA presents Tottenham with a rare strategic opportunity to reshape their commercial landscape from 2027 onwards. For prospective partners, the club can offer a powerful dual proposition: alignment across both the front-of-shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights.

This convergence unlocks exceptional brand visibility and long-term value, allowing sponsors to embed themselves into the very identity of the club. It’s a model that has delivered outsized impact for Etihad Airways at Manchester City and Spotify at FC Barcelona - where unified deals have elevated brand presence far beyond traditional sponsorship. Spurs now stand poised to offer something similarly transformative.

Manchester City’s deal with Etihad Airways is reportedly worth up to £1bn over its full term, with annual values estimated around £60m to £65m. Barcelona’s Spotify partnership, signed in 2022, includes shirt sponsorship for both the men’s and women’s teams, training kit, and stadium naming rights, and is valued at €280m over four years—roughly €70m per season.

The Barca deal was struck during a period of economic turmoil for the club coming out of the pandemic, one that meant the leverage that they should have had just wasn’t there. The value was also impacted by the fact that Barca didn’t have strong data on their own fans, something that is now extraordinarily valuable to would-be partners, especially those selling a subscription service like Spotify do.

For Tottenham, conservative benchmarking would suggest £45m to £50m per year based on the value of the last AIA deal, which was last extended back in 2019, the same year the north Londoners moved into their current home.

According to industry publication ‘The Sponsor’, who assessed fair market value of front-of-shirt deals earlier this year, Spurs’ deal was undervalued to the tune of £9.1m, meaning that they felt it could have been closer to the £50m mark, which is where Liverpool’s deal with Standard Chartered sat after their 2022 renewal. According to the same analysis, only Tottenham and Liverpool had deals that were undervalued for 2025, with the rest overvalued, in the case of Manchester United by as much as £9m.

Given what has been achieved in the market by Manchester United and Liverpool over the last five years, there is a likelihood that even just a front-of-shirt deal could be worth £60m to £70m and achieved if the right partner was found for the long-term, and that could rise still if stadium rights were also part of the package.

Spurs’ London location, world-class stadium, and growing international profile offer strong leverage going to market, but they will also need to improve from a competitive aspect, with major brands wanting to have Champions League exposure on a regular basis.

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Thanks to Matthijs de Ligt's last-gasp equaliser, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium played host to a 2-2 draw between Thomas Frank's side and Ruben Amorim-managed Manchester United on the weekend. And Gary Lineker, after the two teams shared the spoils in the capital, believes it's high time for a 'stupid' Premier League rule to be changed.

Bryan Mbeumo, the Premier League's Player of the Month in October, drew first blood in the 32nd minute as he nodded in Amad's teasing cross; and it then took until the 84th minute for the next goal to go in. Brilliantly, Mathys Tel turned on a sixpence in the United box and shot past Senne Lammens before Richarlison flicked on Wilson Odobert's late on.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Manchester United are the first team to score first, go behind, but then avoid defeat in consecutive Premier League matches since Manchester City in May-to-August 2012.

As the clock ticked towards its conclusion, those associated with the home side assumed that three points were on the cards – but that was until ex-Ajax captain De Ligt stepped up to the plate. At the back post, the towering Dutch defender turned in Bruno Fernandes' cross in the concluding seconds of the affair, thus saving a point on the road.

Lineker Laments 'Stupid' Premier League Rule, Calls For it to be Changed

Before De Ligt rose highest at the back stick to collective cheers from the travelling contigent, former Everton and Watford forward Richarlison thought he had grabbed all three points for the north Londoners – who are now sitting fifth in the 2025/26 Premier League table – as he wheeled off in celebration by removing his shirt.

United's Manuel Ugarte was the only player keeping the Brazilian onside as he flicked on – internationally or not – Odobert's outside-of-the-box shot towards Lammens' goal. Those in white were sent into pandemonium and Richarlison whipped off his shirt and threw it in the air before knee-sliding towards a section of home supporters.

Despite being on the brink of picking up their fourth home Premier League win of 2025, Richarlison's name went into the book of referee Samuel Barrott. And although striker-turned-pundit Lineker believes the ex-Watford man's post-goal antics were a 'bit daft', he also added that it's probably time for Premier League chiefs to revise the rules.

"Richarlison thought he'd won the game for Tottenham, didn't he? Ripping off his shirt, and then obviously they get extra time for that, and then they're scoring that extra time," Lineker – who famously never got booked across his entire football career – said before suggesting that goalscorers should rethink their celebrations.

"I think it's a stupid law to get a yellow card, and obviously, if it happens in injury time, you get extended injury time. But also, even though it's a silly law, you know what it is, and I just don't understand why. I know you can get overexcited, but you can get overexcited by doing something else other than rip your bloody shirt off. It's a bit daft, but I get it. It's a big goal for him, and he thought at the time he'd won the game. But I mean, honestly, footballers, Micah."

Micah Richards, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, chimed in to suggest that he understands why Richarlison let his emotions get the better of him. "You know what? I can't even grumble at the fact that he's taking off his shirt, because he's playing it in real life," the ex-defender said. "I feel that way on Fantasy Football, so I understand you."

Tottenham Hotspur loan striker Randal Kolo Muani has fractured his jaw with the injury being 'more serious than expected', leading to his withdrawal from the France national team, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins.

The French forward was withdrawn at half-time of Tottenham's 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Saturday having been called up for his nation to face Ukraine and Azerbaijan in their final World Cup qualifiers during the upcoming international break.

Randal Kolo Muani's Injury 'More Serious Than Expected'

Kolo Muani was given his third successive Premier League start by Thomas Frank on Saturday, but his afternoon lasted for just 45 minutes before he was withdrawn - with the reason now clear.

Reports on Saturday suggested that the 26-year-old was due for tests on Sunday to see if the injury was serious, with those fears now being confirmed by Hawkins on X on Sunday afternoon.

The setback isn't good news for Kolo Muani in terms of both club and country, as he looks to secure a permanent move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

The Juventus striker is yet to find the net for Spurs in eight appearances after joining them on a temporary basis towards the end of the summer transfer window, with his only goal contribution so far coming in the 4-0 win against Copenhagen in the Champions League this week.

Kolo Muani's replacement against the Red Devils - Wilson Odobert - picked up the assist for what looked like being a winning goal for Richarlison in injury time, before Matthijs de Ligt's last-gasp equaliser for the visitors.

Tottenham's other goalscorer - Richarlison - and Mathys Tel will be in contention for the centre-forward spot under Frank should their French teammate face an extended spell on the sidelines.

The 31-capped striker has been replaced in the France squad by former Newcastle United attacker Florian Thauvin, and will hope the latest withdrawal doesn't harm his 2026 World Cup chances.

An injury expert has given their verdict on the extent of Benjamin Sesko's injury, after the Manchester United striker was forced off in their 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

The Slovenian international was only introduced to the game as a second-half substitute, but only managed a disappointing 30-minute cameo before he was then forced off with a knock. The Red Devils were forced to finish the game with 10 men, but they didn't let that stop them from scoring a late equaliser to salvage a precious Premier League point.

The focus was squarely on Sesko after the final whistle, as fans awaited a prognosis of how bad the 22-year-old's injury was. Manager Ruben Amorim confirmed after the game that he had picked up a knee injury, but said that he couldn't give more information on the matter at that point.

"We have to check. He had something in his knee, let's see," he said. When asked about Sesko's poor form, he added: "That is not the biggest concern now. That happens, especially with a striker. I am more concerned with the injury, because it's in the knee. We don't know, we need Ben to be a better team. I have no idea. Because it is the knee we never know.”

Injury Expert: Sesko Injury 'Nothing Big'

Following the match, GIVEMESPORT exclusively revealed that Sesko's camp were positive about the injury. Although the pain forced him to come off, early signs suggested that the injury might not be anything too serious, with further scans scheduled.

Since then, injury expert 'Physio Scout' has provided more context on the injury on social media, stating that the striker's movement suggested that he had irritated or overloaded his knee, rather than damaged the ligaments. Consequently, he might only be facing less than two weeks out and potentially only one week.

"Pretty innocuous injury — no clear mechanism which points towards any specific injury straight away," they wrote on X. "Hard deceleration + his global palpation area, points more toward an irritative/overload knee problem than any ligament injury.

"Early reports suggest that the first checks were encouraging, with an MRI scheduled for today to confirm details."

United will await further information from an MRI. Should everything appear to be fine, then Sesko may well be able to return to the team following the upcoming international break, with the Red Devils set to face Everton on the 24th November.

Thomas Frank saw his Tottenham Hotspur side rescue victory from the jaws of defeat against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, only to throw it all away again as they drew 2-2 in north London.

Bryan Mbeumo put the visitors 1-0 up in the first half before late goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison saw Spurs take a lead in stoppage time. But Matthijs De Ligt netted a 96th minute equaliser for Ruben Amorim's side as the teams shared the points, leaving home fans frustrated once again with the team's home form.

While two attackers found the back of the net, there was another who once again struggled under Frank's leadership, and now it's surely time for the Dane to take a leaf out of his predecessor's book to get him firing.

Brennan Johnson Struggling for Tottenham Under Frank

Wales international Johnson was handed a starting spot on the right-hand side of the attack, just six months removed from his winning goal against the same opposition in the Europa League final.

But after scoring in the midweek win over FC Copenhagen, Johnson reverted to type as far as his performances this season have been concerned. The former Nottingham Forest star four times in 17 appearances across all competitions this season, but his overall performances have been cause for concern for the north London giants.

His performance on Saturday afternoon showed why too. According to Sofascore, the 24-year-old failed to register a single shot in the game, although he did have a goal ruled out for offside, and generally failed to be threatening throughout despite completing 90 minutes.

Johnson completed 16 of 23 pass attempts in the game, completed just two of his four dribble attempts and only one of his five crosses successfully found a teammate. Overall, it was a poor performance.

The winger clearly has talent though, as shown by the fact that he was the club's top goalscorer last season under Ange Postecoglou with 17 goals, and now it's time for Frank to take a look into how he was used to get the best out of him and cure their attacking issues.

So far this season Spurs' home form has been horrendous, with just one home win in the Premier League all season, and unless he can get their forwards firing on all cylinders it's hard to see how that will change any time soon.

Johnson's overall game may not be the greatest, but he has goals in him and if used properly he can be effective. Against Manchester United, Tottenham found out how not to use him. Now it's down to Frank to figure out how to change that, and he should start by taking a leaf out of Postecoglou's book to get the electric forward back to his best.

Alan Shearer has lambasted Manchester United's Benjamin Sesko for his performance during their 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Saturday afternoon. The Red Devils, having taken the lead on the day, needed a goal in added time to salvage a point from the Premier League tie.

Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring against Spurs after a cross from the excellent Amad Diallo. But the hosts, despite struggling in the first half, put their opponents under sustained pressure after the interval, as goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison put them in front with minutes to go.

United, who were reduced to 10 men following an injury to striker Sesko, levelled proceedings through Matthijs de Ligt, who rose highest to head home from a corner. But the ending was far from comfortable for Ruben Amorim's side.

Shearer Unhappy With Sesko's Cameo

Although he might only have been on the pitch for a short while due to his injury, former Newcastle striker Shearer was far from happy with what he saw from Sesko. The Slovenian international squandered an excellent chance to put United back in front following Tel's equaliser, only for Micky Van de Ven to make a last-ditch sliding tackle.

It summed up the number nine's luck in front of goal presently, with him scoring just twice in 12 appearances since his £74m move from RB Leipzig in the summer. And speaking on Match of the Day, the Premier League's record goalscorer said that Sesko "must do better" in front of goal, with him waiting too long to take his shot.

He said: "They worked it really well for him to get in. He’s either got to get his shot away early or he’s got to push that ball forward quicker. He’s not going to get that amount of time in the Premier League to work it back on his right foot.

"This one [Sesko’s second chance] is the bigger puzzle for me. I know he’s struggling for confidence but any centre-forward knows you cannot allow the centre-half to come back at you, you’ve got to get across Van de Ven.

"By that time he should have a picture in his head of where the keeper is and what he wants to do. I don’t think he has a clue he wants to do because I don’t even think he even knows Van de Ven is there and chasing him.

"I know he’s struggling with confidence but it’s a big ‘must do better’. No one likes to see him coming off injured and we hope his knee is okay but they are two chances you’d expect at that level that someone has to put away."

Amorim Not Sure About Sesko Injury

Sesko will also now face a spell on the sidelines following the game. The 22-year-old suffered an injury during the draw against Spurs and was forced off in the 88th minute, having only come on half-an-hour earlier.

Amorim, who admitted that his forward was struggling before the game, clarified after the match that he wasn't sure about the severity of Sesko's injury. Stating it was a problem with his knee, the Portuguese coach went on to say that United needed their striker to be a better team.

"We have to check. He had something in his knee, let's see," he said. And when asked about Sesko's form, he added: "That is not the biggest concern now. That happens, especially with a striker. I am more concerned with the injury, because it's in the knee. We don't know, we need Ben to be a better team. I have no idea. Because it is the knee we never know.”

Manchester United settled on a 2-2 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur in a thriller in the English capital, but Ruben Amorim will rue a decision that cost his side all three points.

Matthijs de Ligt headed home a last-gasp 90+6th-minute equaliser to spare Amorim's blushes as the visitors looked set to suffer defeat to Spurs. They had taken the lead in the 32nd minute through Bryan Mbeumo, but the hosts turned things around through Mathys Tel's 84th-minute strike and Richarlison's clever header in the 90+1st minute.

United were in control for the most part and were just 12 minutes away from a vital victory against Thomas Frank's North Londoners. But the Red Devils were a completely different side after the 72nd minute and that was down to Amorim.

Man Utd's Standards Drop After Amorim's Ugarte Sub

Amorim turned to his bench at that stage of the game and brought on Manuel Ugarte for Casemiro, a decision that had many scratching their heads. The Brazilian, who has been a standout performer for United this season, was the glue and a key reason his side looked to be heading towards a win and a clean sheet.

Casemiro put in a dominant performance in the middle of the park, winning five of nine ground duels and even managed to prevent the pacey Micky van de Ven from surging towards Senne Lammens' goal. But at 33, he is no longer seeing out the full 90 minutes, which makes sense given the work he puts in.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Manchester United have conceded just five goals with Casemiro on the pitch this season.

The problem is that his replacement, Ugarte, has stuttered at Old Trafford and doesn't possess Casemiro's defensive solidity. That was on display today in North London as Amorim's men faltered and conceded two after the Uruguayan entered the fray.

The 24-year-old is a liability who his manager should know can't be relied on by now, as the team collapses once he is tasked with trying to keep the momentum going. He was partly to blame for both of Spurs' goals, and the capitulation when the substitution is made is becoming a recurring theme.

Wilson Odobert too easily beat Ugarte in the build-up to Tel's goal, and he then kept Richarlison on side for his header. One has to wonder how long Amorim persists with the former Paris Saint-Germain man who has come nowhere close to living up to his £42.2m price tag.

Man Utd Fans 'Fully Done' With Ugarte

Ugarte is ahead of Kobbie Mainoo, who was absent due to injury, in Amorim's pecking order, and that is, for many fans, mind-boggling. It's why many are still ruing the decision not to sign a new holding midfielder in the summer despite the acceptance that not spending over £100m on Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba was the right call.

The Uruguay international hasn't got going at United and continues to feel the wrath of supporters who have run out of patience. Many on X pointed out how much of a downgrade he is on Casemiro and that Mainoo should be deputising for the Brazilian.

One fan channel wrote:

"What exactly does Ugarte do for us? He shouldn't even be coming on as a sub when Mainoo is fit, I don't even want to hear that "Mainoo isn't a DM" argument. I'm fully done with Ugarte."

A supporter gave a grim verdict by questioning Amorim:

"Serious conversation needs to be had about Amorim and his f**king substitutions. Shocking week after week. UGARTE is comfortably and I mean COMFORTABLY the worst player to ever play for Manchester United."

Another fan thinks Ugarte should be put up for sale:

"On a serious note Ugarte has absolutely nothing to offer Manchester United, even as a squad player. Nowhere near good enough to contribute currently, let alone for the level United want to get to. You just need sell as quickly as you can, and take the financial hit."

One supporter has also had enough of Amorim's former Sporting CP man but is willing to give Benjamin Sesko time:

"No one deserved to win that tbh. I just never wanna see Ugarte again personally. Sesko, we’ll talk in the car."

Ugarte arrived at United in August 2024, with fans ironically celebrating his deadline day acquisition from PSG. But they have watched the Parisians swoop for the incredible Joao Neves, who was linked with the club that summer, as his replacement, and he's taken Luis Enrique's side to the next level.

Amorim wasn't in charge when the midfielder joined the Reds as the transfer occurred in the latter stages of Erik ten Hag's reign. But the Dutchman seemed hesitant to play him during this period, which perhaps highlights the lack of trust in him.

North London outfit Tottenham Hotspur took on Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend and it turned out to be a thriller. A pair of late goals saw the game end 2-2, but one Spurs star stood out amidst all the chaos.

The game was fairly dull in the opening stages, but a mix-up at the back saw Man United win possession in a dangerous area. Amad Diallo, who had a great game, eventually crossed to Bryan Mbeumo, who headed home against former manager Thomas Frank just after the half-hour mark.

Tottenham eventually got themselves level through Mathys Tel in the 84th minute, before Richarlison then gave the home team a lead. Somehow, though, Man Utd fought back to claim a point with Matthijs de Ligt heading home in the 96th minute.

Micky van de Ven Stars Against United

Although Tottenham looked blunt in attack for the majority of the first half, they turned things up a notch after the interval. And while praise will be reserved for the goalscorers, supporters were equally indebted to centre-back Micky van de Ven for his efforts.

The highlight from his game came with the score still at 1-1. Although Tottenham had been the much better team in the second half, they came very close to conceding when substitute Benjamin Sesko was played through on goal. But the Dutchman charged back, making a crucial sliding tackle which caused the ball to ricochet off the attacker and into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Watch the tackle below:

That was far from his only contribution to the day though, with Van de Ven winning a number of his duels and making five recoveries to help keep United from adding to their lead in normal time. But this was just the latest performance in a special season for the 24-year-old, who also scored what could potentially end up being the goal of the season against Copenhagen in the Champions League.

With speed, goals and, most importantly, defensive intelligence in abundance, he is proving that he is up there with the best defenders in world football presently. He's been crucial to Thomas Frank's success so far this term and will likely have a big say on how high the Lilywhites end up finishing in the table.

Fans Praise 'World Class' Micky van de Ven

Fans were very impressed by what they saw from Van de Ven on Saturday afternoon, with many lauding him as "world class" on social media. Following his last-ditch tackle on Sesko, one wrote:

"Micky Van De Ven.. that is world class..."

Another added: "Van de Ven is world class. What a tackle." Along the same theme, others added, "Van De Ven is genuinely world class," while football.london's Tottenham correspondent, Alisdair Gold, wrote: "Brilliant tackle from Van de Ven to deny Sesko at the last moment."

Although Tottenham's squad is stacked with talent, many believe that their Dutch centre-back stands out as one of their best players. One fan said, "Micky Van De Ven is special," while a separate fan tweeted, "Spurs have a lot of potential players, especially Van de Ven... he is so amazing."

A final selection of fans believe that the Dutchman is without equal in English football, with one supporter writing: "Van de Ven elite. One of the best in the league." That sentiment was echoed by another fan, who said: "VAN. DE VEN. BEST IN THE LEAGUE."

Alongside his centre-back partner, Cristian Romero, Van de Ven forms the bedrock of Tottenham's performances under Frank. If he can stay fit, there is every reason to think that Spurs can achieve something special this year.