London Evening Standard

Conor Gallagher is expected to fly to England on Tuesday to undergo a medical at Tottenham and complete his £34.6million move from Atletico Madrid.

The former Chelsea midfielder is thought to have agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract and Spurs want to sign him in time to face West Ham on Saturday.

Spurs have swooped to sign Gallagher ahead of Aston Villa after Rodrigo Bentancur was ruled out for three months with a hamstring injury.

Gallagher is set to finalise a return to the Premier League 18 months after leaving Chelsea and his arrival is set to kickstart what could be a busy January of incomings for Spurs, who are also closing in on the £13m signing of Brazilian left-back Souza and want to sign a new forward.

Gallagher left Chelsea in a £38m deal 2024 and was a regular for Atletico Madrid in his first season under Diego Simeone, making 50 appearances.

But he has made only eight starts this season and wants more regular football in a bid to force his way back into the England squad ahead of the World Cup next summer.

Gallagher was in the England squad at the last three major international tournaments but has not been called up by Thomas Tuchel this season.

Spurs have been left in short in midfield after losing Bentancur to injury and they hope Gallagher will boost a team struggling under Thomas Frank.

Pape Sarr will be back from the Africa Cup of Nations soon but Spurs desperately need some quality in midfield.

Spurs have a long-standing interest in Gallagher and he is a statement signing at a time when the club needs a lift.

Radu Dragusin is waiting for Tottenham to give him the green light to complete a move to Roma.

Standard Sport understands that Spurs do not want Dragusin to leave on loan, and rejected Roma’s proposal to sign the Romanian defender until the end of the season.

Dragusin, who recently returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, is keen to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham, but is also assessing his options given that he is currently Thomas Frank’s fourth-choice centre-back behind Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso.

The former Juventus and Genoa defender was an unused substitute during Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Saturday, and has played just five minutes of first-team football since returning to fitness at the end of December.

Dragusin does not appear to be in Frank’s plans this season and his agent, Florin Manea, has said they are waiting on Spurs to approve his return to Serie A, with AC Milan and Fiorentina also linked with a move.

“I’m waiting for Tottenham to say yes to Roma so things can really get going,” Manea told Rai Sport in Italy. “There are a couple of offers for him, but Italy is a special place for Radu, and he’s done well in Serie A.

Meanwhile, reports in France have also claimed that Mathys Tel is looking to leave Spurs on loan ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Tel has been used sparingly by Frank this term after completing a permanent £30million move in the summer that followed a half-season on loan from Bayern Munich, but has started Spurs’ last three games across all competitions, scoring in last week’s 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth.

With Mohammed Kudus ruled out until April through injury, and Brennan Johnson already departing for Crystal Palace, Spurs are short of options in attack.

Frank says he expects Tel to stay at the club in January, also reiterating that they will be active in the transfer market as they look to add depth across the squad.

Reports in Brazil recently claimed that Richarlison will look to leave Tottenham after the World Cup, with a switch to Flamengo mooted as a possible option along with clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

However, the former Everton and Watford forward has now dismissed those rumours, replying to the story on Instagram with the comment: “Who said that? F*** of (sic).”

Unhappy Spurs fans to protest as frustration builds over way club is being run

Spurs fans are set to protest ahead of Saturday’s game against West Ham

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Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham fans are planning another protest ahead of their home game against West Ham on Saturday.

Supporters’ group Change For Tottenham are taking action amid frustrations over the way the club is being run.

Spurs are on the brink of civil war, with Thomas Frank under pressure to save his job and several instances of players clashing with unhappy fans this season. Captain Cristian Romero also last week accusesd the Spurs hierarchy of “lies” in a social media outburst

Change For Tottenham say they are protesting because of frustration over transfer strategy, injury problems, recent results and high ticket prices. They have also called for clarity over the future of sporting director Fabio Paratici.

Thomas Frank is under pressure with Spurs 14th in the Premier League

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Spurs are 14th in the Premier League, were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa on Saturday and pressure in building on Frank.

Their injury problems are piling up after Richarlison sustained a hamstring injury against Villa and Spurs are yet to sign anyone in the January transfer window, despite the Lewis family launching a new era seeking “more wins, more often”.

The protest comes after the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) released a statement to hit out at the direction of the club and a “dramatic fall in ambition”.

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“We have decided to take action on Saturday 17th January, starting at 2pm before the West Ham game,” said Change For Tottenham in a statement.

“There is growing frustration within the fan base surrounding the board's transfer strategy, clarity on the Director of Football role, our continuous injury crises season after season, recent results/performances on the pitch, and extortionate ticket prices.

“We believe acting now will hopefully mean our voices are heard at such a pivotal time during the January transfer window.

Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa on Saturday

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“Our first team and squad needs serious investment, and after The Lewis Family Trust, Vinai Venkatesham and Fabio Paratici told supporters that they were ready to be ambitious and prioritise trophies after Daniel Levy stood down, all we ask as fans is that these promises are kept.”

Supporters are being asked to wear yellow as part of the protest, which will start at 2pm on the corner of Park Lane and the High Road.

Change For Tottenham continued: “We are meeting at, outside the Corner Pin pub. Please bring (preferably yellow) banners, flags, scarves, and your voices to make sure we are seen and heard.

“We will then head into the stadium at approx 2:25pm for a 2:30pm concourse meet and an in-stadium protest. We are meeting between entrances 20 and 21 by the balcony in front of block 254 to create as much atmosphere as possible.

“Yellow is our colour for change, so please wear, wave, or hold as much yellow as possible before and during the game.

“Make sure you join us to ensure your voice is heard and play your part in Change for Tottenham.”

Tottenham have been contacted for comment.

THST last week highlighted poor results, Frank’s pessimistic attitude in press conferences and the club’s lack of action in the January transfer window as particular points of concern.

They also called for improved communication between the club and supporters.

“The THST Board has been engaged with the senior leadership of the football club throughout recent weeks and months and has repeatedly raised supporters’ concerns with them,” THST said in a statement.

“Whilst we acknowledge the changes in personnel behind the scenes at the Club, this has regrettably not been matched with improvements on the pitch.

“There also appears to be a dramatic fall in ambition for the football club, as evidenced by the transfer window to date and repeated statements by Thomas Frank, reminding supporters that the Club finished 17th in the Premier League last season, that the Club is only participating in the Champions League through winning the Europa League, and that Bournemouth (a side without a win in 11 games) are “always a difficult team” and that’s he is “not enjoying the job”.

“We stressed that fans need to hear directly from the Club leadership the ambition for the football club for this season, for next season, and for the foreseeable future.

“That begins, but is certainly not restricted to, the coming transfer window, in which all the stops need to be pulled out in order to demonstrate that Tottenham Hotspur are a serious football club and that we really do want to ‘win more, more often’.”

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Spurs hit by fresh injury blows as pressure builds on Thomas Frank

Latest: Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison

Standard Sport

Oli Gent

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Problems are piling up for Tottenham and their injury crisis has deepened ahead of a big week for Thomas Frank.

Saturday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Aston Villa has added to the pressure on Frank and Spurs have been hit by two new injury blows.

Richarlison went off against Villa holding his hamstring and Rodrigo Bentancur looks set for a long spell on the sidelines with the hamstring injury he suffered at Bournemouth.

Dominic Solanke did return against Villa but Spurs are sweating on the fitness of Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie ahead of what is a huge game against West Ham on Saturday.

Here is the latest tottenham-injury-news">Tottenham injury news and return dates…

Rodrigo Bentancur

Bentancur sustained a hamstring injury at Bournemouth on January 7.

The midfielder was replaced by Archie Gray late on and Spurs immediately feared the worst.

“Rodri has a hamstring injury - looks like a bigger one, unfortunately,” said Frank. “We don’t know the time frame. That we will know later.”

Bentancur has since been for scans and reports in his native Uruguay claim the midfielder is expected to be out for at least three months.

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Potential return date: April/May

Rodrigo Bentancur faces a long spell out

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Richarlison

Richarlison Spurs’ latest injury worry after he hobbled off against Villa holding his hamstring.

The Brazilian has missed chunks of the last few seasons with hamstring issues, and Frank called on the footballing authorities to “look into” mounting injury lists after Richarlison’s withdrawal.

“I think we have done a lot of things right to get him where he is now; I think he has done a lot of things right,” Frank said.

“It's not only about us, it's about every club. I think there are a few injuries across the Premier League.

“I think it's something for the football authorities to look into as well. We played five games in 13 days, four in 10, that's one of the few clubs that did that, and this is our third time this season.

“That's the most tricky thing with two days in between. We are dealing with it, we are doing everything we can to compete in it, but that's a tough schedule.”

Richarlison is being assessed as Spurs wait to learn how long he will be out.

Potential return date: Unknown

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Mohammed Kudus

Kudus suffered a thigh injury early in the draw with Sunderland, in the same week Spurs sold Brennan Johnson.

It was revealed last week that Kudus’ injury is worse than first feared and Frank has said he will not return to action until the March international break.

“Mohammed, unfortunately, is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” Frank said. “That is one where we expect him back after the March international break.”

Without Kudus, Spurs do not have a natural right winger fit in their current first-team squad.

Potential return date: April 2026

Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out until April

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Destiny Udogie

Udogie is in closing in on a return from a hamstring injury, but he did not feature in the Villa defeat.

The left-back suffered a soft tissue problem back in December, with Frank assuring that the Italian would not be out for “too long”.

But he has now been out for eight games, despite the Spurs boss saying that he was ahead of Solanke on the comeback trail.

Solanke returned off the bench against Villa, while Udogie did not make the matchday squad.

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)

Destiny Udogie is closing in on a return

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Lucas Bergvall

Bergvall sustained a knock in the 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth.

Frank said that the midfielder would be assessed ahead of Villa game but he did not make the squad.

“Lucas is being assessed today,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference last Thursday. “We will know more later today with him.”

Spurs will hope Bergvall is fit to face West Ham

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)

Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski has been out since April with a patella problem.

Frank has said that the club will not rush him back as he issued an update on him recovery last week: “We know it is a complicated injury.

“If there is one person who can accelerate that [recovery], it is Dejan. The most important thing is to remove the pain in the knee. He had an injection to help that ten days ago.

“We will know in 3-4 weeks if that has settled. And when it has settled, hopefully, he will be on the grass and from there, we will see what is happening.”

Potential return date: Unknown

James Maddison

Maddison will likely miss the remainder of the season after he sustained an ACL injury during pre-season.

The attacking midfielder suffered the problem in Korea in a friendly against Newcastle, and has not played at all this term.

Potential return date: Summer 2026

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North Londoners suffered a huge injury blow at the weekend

Sidelined: Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus

London Standard

Oli Gent

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Tottenham are at a crunch time in their season having suffered their latest blow with FA Cup defeat by Aston Villa at the weekend.

Thomas Frank’s side were beaten 2-1 at home by Unai Emery’s high-flyers, and tempers frayed at full-time on and off the pitch, with fans furious at the team’s poor form.

It was their fourth game without a victory, and it leaves the north Londoners winless in the new year.

Their injury crisis was deepened earlier in the week with yet another setback, but there was more positive news with Dominic Solanke returning after a long spell out against Villa.

They suffered another worry at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, as Frank lost yet another attacker to the treatment table.

Here is the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates…

Mohammed Kudus

Kudus was withdrawn early in the draw with Sunderland to give Frank even more headaches about his options in the final third.

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The Ghanaian went down off the ball holding his left thigh, with Randal Kolo Muani coming on in his place.

It was revealed last week that Kudus’ injury is in fact worse than first feared, and Frank believes that he won’t return to action until the March international break.

“Mohammed, unfortunately, is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” Frank said.

“That is one where we expect him back after the March international break.”

Without Kudus, Spurs do not have a single natural right winger fit in their current first-team squad.

Potential return date: April 2026

Worse than feared: Mohammed Kudus

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Destiny Udogie

Udogie is in contention to return this month from a hamstring injury, but he did not feature in the Villa defeat at the weekend.

The left-back suffered a soft tissue problem back in December, with Frank assuring that the Italian would not be out for “too long”.

However, he has now been out for eight games, despite the Spurs boss saying that he was ahead of Solanke on the comeback trail.

Solanke returned off the bench against Villa, while Udogie did not make the matchday squad.

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)

Out: Destiny Udogie

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Richarlison

The Brazilian is Spurs’ latest injury worry after he hobbled off against Villa holding his hamstring.

The forward has missed chunks of the last few seasons with hamstring issues, and Frank called on the footballing authorities to “look into” mounting injury lists after Richarlison’s withdrawal.

“I think we have done a lot of things right to get him where he is now; I think he has done a lot of things right,” Frank said.

“It's not only about us, it's about every club. I think there are a few injuries across the Premier League.

“I think it's something for the football authorities to look into as well. We played five games in 13 days, four in 10, that's one of the few clubs that did that, and this is our third time this season.

“That's the most tricky thing with two days in between. We are dealing with it, we are doing everything we can to compete in it, but that's a tough schedule.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Latest blow: Richarlison

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Lucas Bergvall

The Swede is another currently on the sidelines after he picked up a knock in the 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth.

He missed the Villa game, with Frank saying that the midfielder would be assessed ahead of the FA Cup tie.

“Lucas is being assessed today,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference.

“We will know more later today with him.'

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)

Rodrigo Bentancur

The Uruguayan Bentancur also picked up an injury at the Vitality Stadium.

The midfielder was replaced by Archie Gray four minutes from time to further deepen Spurs’ injury crisis.

The former Juventus man sustained a hamstring problem, which Frank admitted was a “bigger” isue.

“Rodri has a hamstring injury - looks like a bigger one, unfortunately,” the Dane said.

“We don’t know the time frame. That we will know later.'

Potential return date: Unknown

Treatment table: Rodrigo Bentancur

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Dejan Kulusevski

Star wide man Kulusevski is himself moving closer to a return that would see him play his first game of the campaign.

The Swede has been out since April with a patella problem, but returned to the grass during the November international break.

Frank has said that the club will not rush him back, insisting: “We know it is a complicated injury.

“If there is one person who can accelerate that [recovery], it is Dejan. The most important thing is to remove the pain in the knee. He had an injection to help that ten days ago.

“We will know in 3-4 weeks if that has settled. And when it has settled, hopefully, he will be on the grass and from there, we will see what is happening.”

Potential return date: February 2026

James Maddison

Maddison will likely miss the remainder of the season after he sustained an ACL injury during pre-season.

The attacking midfielder suffered the problem in Korea in a friendly against Newcastle, and has not played at all this term.

The midfielder offered an update when he appeared on Monday Night Football back in December.

“I'm doing really well for the stage that I'm at, it’s obviously a long injury I have got, I had a big knee surgery,” he said.

“More than anything right now it’s just about staying in the right mindset. I’ve had to accept and get over the fact that I’m going to be out for a long time.”

“It's very early stages,” Frank said of Maddison.

“It's still a long-term injury, so it's good to see him out there, but very early stages. There's no specific time frame. It will be a long time, unfortunately, before he's available.'

Potential return date: Summer 2026

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Thomas Frank has accused Ollie Watkins of provoking Joao Palhinha after a mass brawl ensued at the end of Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

Joao Palhinha pushed Watkins after he celebrated in front of the travelling Villa fans when the full-time whistle blew at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The push sparked a reaction from Villa midfielders Morgan Rogers and Lamare Bogarde, with both benches streaming across the pitch to try and break things up.

Asked about the situation, Frank said that while his players had to keep their cool, he accused Watkins of walking into Palhinha.

“I don’t think so. I guess you have seen the situation through? I just saw it to be sure I saw what I saw. Of course, it’s all about keeping a cool head,” Frank said in his post-match press conference.

“The players gave everything, everything out there, (but) losing a tight game, season not going perfect and I think Ollie is very provoking.

“The way he is going down to celebrate in front of the Villa fans, and he is walking into Joao, he can just easily walk around. I think everyone that has been in a competitive nature, that is difficult and can trigger things.”

Spurs have been guilty of letting their emotions spill over this season, with Cristian Romero receiving a further one-game suspension from the FA on Friday following his sending off against Liverpool last month.

Frank, though, was not prepared to admit that his side have a discipline problem and insisted that he wanted his players to show passion amidst a difficult run of results.

“I think it's like you need to play with passion. And when you play with passion, then sometimes you play to the line. And sometimes a little bit borderline.

“So, I see players with big passion that want to do very well for the club. And I think that's very important. And of course, you also need cool heads.”

Is time running out, or already up for Thomas Frank?

Under pressure: Thomas Frank

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Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

First-half goals from Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers were enough to see Aston Villa beat Tottenham and progress through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Spurs mustered a fightback in the second half, with Wilson Odobert reducing the arrears, but Villa held on in a feisty encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Here are three things we learned from Spurs’ latest defeat...

Spurs’ season is at breaking point after crashing out of the FA Cup

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) released a statement on Friday, detailing their embarrassment at the actions of the club, players, and coach in a scathing attack not only on the fallout from Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth, but also on the lack of “care” the club continues to exhibit.

Supporters are at their wits' end, and they were given little cause for encouragement as Villa took the lead inside 22 minutes through Buendia.

Emi Buendia opens the scoring for Aston Villa

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It was a well-worked goal from the visitors, with the ball being played neatly through the lines before Buendia rifled home, but it was all too easy.

Villa were allowed to play at their own pace, picking their way past Spurs’ midfield, with Donyell Malen bouncing off the challenge of Pedro Porro to set up Buendia. Unai Emery’s side continued to flood forward after the goal.

There was nothing in the form of a reaction from Spurs in the first half, who had taken an age to adjust to going behind away at Bournemouth in the week.

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THST cited a 'dramatic fall in ambition' in their statement, and as Buendia’s strike crashed into the back of the net, what optimism remained quickly drained from the stadium.

Villa doubled their lead as Rogers finished coolly inside the area, and while Odobert’s second half strike instilled some belief, it was all too little too late again.

Spurs go strong, but still lose out

Determined to take the FA Cup seriously and inject some impetus back into their season, Thomas Frank said he would name a full-strength side against Villa.

Spurs have not made it past the fifth round since the 2017/18 season, and in truth, Frank had little choice but to prioritise the FA Cup. 14th in the Premier League, and with the Champions League nothing but a pipe dream for even the most optimistic of fans, the FA Cup felt like the Dane’s last shot at saving Spurs’ season and saving his job.

There were five changes from the defeat to Bournemouth, but with the now-injured Richarlison, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert coming back into the team, Frank was by no means rotating. A strong start was expected from the hosts, yet it was Villa who made the early inroads and eventually built a comfortable lead from which Spurs were unable to recover.

Frank had bit back at claims of his side feeling the pressure in his pre-match press conference, but despite their manager’s backing, his players wilted in dramatic fashion as Villa took a two-goal lead into the break. There was fight, as there had been against Bournemouth, in the second half, but ultimately the damage had already been done.

Knocked out in the fourth round by Villa last season, Spurs were hoping to exercise some demons by beating Unai Emery’s side, yet failed to do so once again.

Frank’s days look numbered after latest defeat

Thomas Frank was frustrated that he even needed to address the fact that he was pictured holding a coffee cup emblazoned with an Arsenal logo after his side’s defeat to Bournemouth. These things stick, though, and Frank was on the receiving end of jibes from all corners of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The boos that greeted him at half-time have become commonplace, but cries from the away end of ‘He is an Arsenal fan, Thomas Frank’ will have cut deep. The Dane, a man of commendable honesty and humility, does not deserve to be made into a caricature. The problems at Spurs are much more pronounced than anything he has done in six months in the job.

Thomas Frank’s debut season goes from bad to worse with early FA Cup exit

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Frank turned to the tactics board to try to stop the rot in the first half but with those huddled around the manager half-listening and half-turning away, the message was not getting through. Spurs’ dressing room looks to have checked out.

The accusatory glances after each Villa goal said a thousand words, and the next step seems inevitable.

After more than seven years at the helm, Frank had the measure of Brentford’s dressing room. At Tottenham, he has had to start from scratch, earning the trust and respect of a team that has repeatedly shown itself to be short of the right characters to compete at the top level. In this regard, Frank has struggled, and there is nothing to suggest he is going to be able to change things.

Spurs need to build for the long term. The current results are immaterial in the bigger picture, but Frank is running out of time to prove he is the man to enact systemic change at the club.

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Some fighting moments, but nowhere near enough to prevent yet another home loss and FA Cup exit

Workhorse: Xavi Simons

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Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle as Aston Villa secured a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Villa took the lead after 30 minutes as Emi Buendia rifled home following good work from Donyell Malen.

The visitors doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time through Morgan Rogers.

Wilson Odobert grabbed a goal back after the break, but Villa held on to progress to the fourth round.

Sam Tabuteau was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to rate the Spurs players...

Guglielmo Vicario 6

Made an unorthodox save from Matty Cash’s shot in the first half. Typically unsure of himself in possession. Could do little about either goal.

Pedro Porro 5

Was a step off the pace in the first half, and was shrugged off all too easily by Malen for Villa’s opener. Looked more assured after the break and made an excellent goal-line clearance.

Kevin Danso 5

Dominated in the air, but Villa had the run of him when they got the ball in behind. Struggled up against the physicality of Malen.

Micky Van de Ven 5

Effective when he stepped forward to win possession high up the pitch. Had to do more to stop the Villa onslaught in the first half.

Ben Davies 7

Second start of the season and second in just under a week. The veteran defender was aggressive in the tackle and a willing runner in behind.

Joao Palhinha 7

Plenty of bite and energy, but could not get anywhere near Villa’s midfield in the first half. Improved after the break. No one can doubt his effort - he made the most tackles of any Spurs player.

Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha tussles with Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins at full-time

AFP via Getty Images

Archie Gray 5

Struggled up against the physicality and experience of Villa’s midfield in the first half. Booked early in the second half, but looked far more confident on the ball after the break as Spurs grew into the game.

Wilson Odobert 7

Took his goal well, firing low past Marco Bizot in the Villa net. Picked up some good positions through the middle as he and Simons led the charge for Spurs early in the second half.

Xavi Simons 8

Tried to make things happen, dropping deep and driving with the ball. Was unlucky not to get an assist for Kolo Muani’s disallowed goal. Drew a good save from Bizot early in the second half before seeing a late goal disallowed himself.

Mathys Tel 4

Saw plenty of the ball, but struggled to do much with it. Gave the ball away for Villa’s second goal.

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Tel has been one of Spurs’ better players recently, but this was a really poor outing from the Frenchman. Replaced in the 77th minute by Dane Scarlett.

Richarlison N/A

Withdrawn after half an hour with a hamstring injury. Injuries are piling up at just the wrong time for Frank.

Subs:

Randal Kolo Muani 7

Saw a goal disallowed towards the end of the first half. Used his body well to wrestle back possession and find Odobert, who fired home. Much better after a frustrating performance against Bournemouth.

Dane Scarlett N/A

Unable to make any impact so late in the game. Took just three touches. Shows where Spurs’ attacking options are at.

Djed Spence N/A

Unable to add anything off the bench. Took just four touches.

Dominic Solanke N/A

Back after nearly six months out, Frank said it would take some time to see the best of the English striker. His sole involvement was to foul Victor Lindelof and hand Villa a late lifeline.

Unused subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Udogie, Byfield, Williams-Barnett

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Spurs captain Romero was on Friday handed a one-match suspension and fined £50,000 after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge that followed his reaction to a late sending off in the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool last month.

Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, suffered a quad injury during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland and will not be back fit until early April.

“Kudus is a bigger one, to the tendon and quad, and don't expect him back until after the March international break,” under-fire Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said in his pre-match press conference.

Rodrigo Bentancur is facing a significant spell on the sidelines, too, after suffering a hamstring injury during Spurs’ damaging 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth on Wednesday. Lucas Bergvall similarly misses out after coming off against the Cherries with what appeared to be a muscle injury.

With Kudus out, Wilson Odobert starts on the right wing with Xavi Simons at No10 and Mathys Tel on the left. Richarilson replaces Randal Kolo Muani up top.

Solanke is still understood to be building up fitness having resumed training following ankle surgery, but his unexpected return to the bench for today’s game will be welcome news to Spurs fans; so too will the return of Udogie, who is also among the substitutes today after his recent hamstring troubles.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain absent, however, and fellow midfielders Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are both still away at the Africa Cup of Nations. The former was sent off on Friday as Mali lost to Senegal in the quarter-finals.

All the latest updates from the 2025/26 FA Cup third-round

Tottenham vs Aston Villa LIVE

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Alex Dakers|Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham vs Aston Villa LIVE

The magical FA Cup continues this evening with an all-Premier League clash between Tottenham and Aston Villa. For Spurs, stuck in the bottom half of the league table and fighting to remain in the Champions League, this could well be the final realistic chance at silverware in a tumultuous debut campaign so far for manager Thomas Frank.

In high-flying Villa, though, the Lilywhites face a sizeable test to continue their quest. Unai Emery’s men are on a blistering run of form which has seen them climb to third in the top-flight, and they also come into today’s match having won six of their last eight games against this opponent.

A few key players will be missing from each squad through injury or suspension, and despite their contrasting recent fortunes both clubs will know that anything can happen in a win-or-go-home match. Follow all the action from this FA Cup hird round clash LIVE in Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, featuring expert analysis and insight from Tottenham correspondent Sam Tabuteau at the ground.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa latest updates

Villa predicted line-up

In the injury-enforced absence of Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot will step in between the posts for Aston Villa.

Andres Garcia could deputise at right-back for Matty Cash, and the impressive Victor Lindelof - a great deadline day pick-up as a free agent - could do the same to allow Ezri Konsa a breather.

Pau Torres may partner Lindelof in the backline having returned to the bench during Villa’s midweek stalemate at Crystal Palace, and Unai Emery has two quality left-backs to choose from in Ian Maatsen and Lucas Digne.

Amadou Onana is injured but Villa have plenty of midfield options, and today it will likely be two of Boubacar Kamara, Lamare Bogarde, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn.

Donyell Malen may step in to lead the line and give Ollie Watkins a day off, but energiser bunny Morgan Rogers - hardly ever rested by Emery - could retain his starting spot.

Predicted Aston Villa XI (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Garcia, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Bogarde, Kamara; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Malen

Injured: Martinez, Onana, Barkley

Doubts: Mings

Unavailable: Guessand (AFCON)

Spurs predicted line-up

We’ll have confirmed team news for you all very shortly, but we’re expecting Thomas Frank to name as close to a full-strength team as possible today.

Cristian Romero will play no part for Tottenham today, though, and neither will the injured Mohammed Kudus, while there’s a decent chance Lucas Bergvall misses out alongside Rodrigo Bentancur.

Spurs captain Romero was on Friday handed a one-match suspension and fined £50,000 after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge that followed his reaction to a late sending off in the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool last month.

Kevin Danso will now be expected to partner Micky van de Ven at centre-back against Villa, with Radu Dragusin in reserve.

With Bentancur and likely Bergvall sidelined, Frank has yet more decisions to make in midfield.

Joao Palhinha came back into the starting lineup against Bournemouth and scored a sensational overhead kick to level the score in the second half.

He could be rewarded with another start against Villa, while Archie Gray could be brought back in after starting on the bench in midweek.

Frank switched up his attack against Andoni Iraola’s side, starting Randal Kolo Muani as the central striker.

The Frenchman was, however, ineffectual given the chance to impress in his favoured position and could make way for Richarlison, who nearly scored off the bench as Spurs rallied late on. Or, given the number of absentees, there may be room in the side for both men...

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Tel, Richarlison; Kolo Muani

Injured: Maddison, Kulusevski, Kudus, Bentancur

Doubts: Bergvall, Udogie, Solanke

Suspended: Romero

Unavailable: Bissouma, Sarr (AFCON)

Preview: Frank may need more than FA Cup magic to save his Tottenham job

Tottenham are in damage limitation mode heading into this weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie with Aston Villa, writes Sam Tabuteau.

Players are unhappy, fans are apathetic, and even Thomas Frank has admitted he is not enjoying the task of rebuilding Spurs in his image.

Antoine Semenyo’s stoppage-time winner for Bournemouth on Wednesday inflicted perhaps the most damaging defeat of Frank’s tenure, and the boos rang loud as he approached the away end at the Vitality Stadium.

Rising dissent among supporters is not going away, and the naivety of ‘cup-gate’ has only added to the tension. Whether intentional or not, the optics of being pictured holding an Arsenal-branded coffee cup could not have come at a worse time.

For much of his time in charge of Brentford, the FA Cup was of reduced importance. Now, though, with his job on the line, Frank is aware of what a first FA Cup triumph since 1991 could do for his reputation.

Keep reading Sam’s Spurs-focused preview here!

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is under increasing pressure

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Why Tottenham are wearing special-edition kit today

Tottenham today begin their campaign to mark 125 years since they became the first, and to date only, non-league club to win the FA Cup.

To commemorate the anniversary, Spurs’ first team will wear a special edition 1901 kit during this evening’s FA Cup third round tie against Aston Villa.

The shirt will feature a heritage crest and will appear in Lilywhite, with no player surnames featured on the back to reflect how the shirt would have looked in 1901.

The shirts will be auctioned via MatchWornShirt, with part of the proceeds donated to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

Read more here!

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham vs Aston Villa match odds

Tottenham to win: 13/8

Aston Villa to win: 6/4

Draw: 12/5

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Spurs have lost their last three matches in a row against Villa, and six of their last eight meetings.

The Londoners last lost four in a row against the same side in 1996.

Tottenham wins: 79

Aston Villa wins: 63

Draws: 36

Tottenham vs Aston Villa prediction

Until recently, Aston Villa had a poor record in the FA Cup. A run of seven consecutive third-round exits ended in 2024 with a fourth-round loss, before last season’s run to the semi-finals.

It remains to be seen how seriously Unai Emery takes the competition, given their superior chances of winning the Europa League and a push to finish in the Premier League top five.

But, no matter the team selection, Villa will be confident of getting a result against a team they have often got the better of recently.

Spurs are in disarray, and another defeat at home will surely spell the end of Frank’s time in charge.

Morale is through the floor and there is little confidence of the head coach being able to corral his troops to see off an impressive side.

Aston Villa to win, 2-0.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

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Aston Villa early team news: Onana and Martinez out

Aston Villa remain without the influential Amadou Onana, who has a hamstring injury, but the form of Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans means little has been lost from midfield.

Emi Martinez is out after the goalkeeper withdrew at half-time of Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, but deputy Marco Bizot was expected to start here in any case.

Ian Maatsen will hope to start, along with Donyell Malen and Emi Buendia, with all three coming off the bench in midweek.

Tyrone Mings (hamstring) is edging towards a return, but is not expected to start in north London. Evann Guessand remains at AFCON and Ross Barkley is injured, but star duo Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins plus skipper John McGinn are all in contention.

Morgan Rogers (L) and Ollie Watkins (R)

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Tottenham early team news: Kudus out, Romero suspended, Bergvall major doubt

Spurs star Mohammed Kudus is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after picking up a quad injury against Sunderland, and Lucas Bergvall is expected to join him after coming off against Bournemouth.

Mathys Tel deserves to keep his spot on the left-hand side of the attack, but Randal Kolo Muani did little to suggest in the 3-2 loss in midweek that Richarlison should stay on the bench. Archie Gray will be pushing to return, potentially in place of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring).

Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin could each get a start in central defence, with captain Cristian Romero now serving a one-match ban and been fined £50,000 on Friday after admitting a Football Association (FA) charge relating to his reaction to being sent off late on against Liverpool last month.

The game is likely to come too soon for both Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke, with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still out. Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are still away at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Spurs will be without influential playmaker Mohammed Kudus for several weeks

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Where to watch Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Other than following all the action right here with us, here are your viewing options for today’s match...

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on both BBC One and TNT Sports 1.

Coverage starts on TNT Sports at 5pm, with the free-to-air coverage on the BBC beginning at 5.30pm.

Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest for free live online via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website. TNT Sports subscribers can use the Discovery+ app and website.

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