London Evening Standard

Spurs set up with a handful of players out of position but still produced a composed performance

Comfortable: Archie Gray impressed on return to his natural position

Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

Matt Verri

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

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Thomas Frank has vowed to get Tottenham competing on all fronts and the bid for domestic honours is off to a positive start.

Spurs cruised to a 3-0 win over Doncaster to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and the result was never in doubt against League One opposition.

Even with seven changes and a lengthening injury list, this was a strong Spurs side as Frank freshened things up amid a busy run.

Two quickfire goals early in the first half sent the hosts on their way, as Joao Palhinha scored an overhead kick and Jay McGrath doubled the lead with an own goal.

The third did not come until the final kick of the match, Brennan Johnson streaking away and dinking over the goalkeeper, but this was a stress-free night and another job well done for Frank and his players.

Sign Palhinha up

Midfield destroyer, effective centre-back and, seemingly, acrobatic goalscorer.

Joao Palhinha has been one of Spurs' best players this season and that continued here with another assured showing.

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The 30-year-old was confident with the ball at his feet at centre-back but also did his defensive work well, showing good pace to track Toyosi Olusanya and make a good challenge when the Doncaster man got in behind.

Having scored against Manchester City last month, Palhinha added another goal to his Spurs tally, producing a lovely overhead kick to find the empty net after Ian Lawlor had made a mess of a corner.

Spurs have the option to make Palhinha's loan move from Bayern Munich permanent for a fee of around £27million. That already feels like a no-brainer.

Gray makes his mark

When the teamsheet came out, it looked like Archie Gray was set for a stint at centre-back alongside Kevin Danso. Instead, it was Palhinha who dropped back and Gray got his chance to impress in his more natural position.

Even in the opening minutes it was noticeable how advanced he was, pushing right up onto the Doncaster defence when Spurs had the ball.

Gray regularly made runs in behind and got to the byline, and Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro should have picked him out more regularly.

He was strong on the ball, too. One powerful run in the first half saw him fouled two or three times but Gray stayed on his feet and pinged a lovely ball out wide, drawing applause from Lucas Bergvall who was warming up on the touchline.

Gray was not quite as effective after the break but there were still bright moments, including one run and cross out wide that led to Bergvall heading just wide.

Minutes have been hard to come by this season for Gray, but on this showing his deserves more opportunities.

Top of his game: Palhinha marked a smart performance with a memorable goal

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Williams-Barnett becomes Spurs' No900

Three academy stars made the bench, as Frank handed places in the squad to Luca Williams-Barnett, Juna'ai Byfield and Tynan Thompson.

It is Williams-Barnett who attracted most excitement in the build-up to this match after a remarkable start to the season for the Under-21s. In six appearances, the 16-year-old has registered six goals and four assists.

When Spurs went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, it felt inevitable that at least one of the teenagers would get on. However, with the lead remaining at only two goals and the match not quite put to bed, Frank first turned to Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie off the bench.

Williams-Barnett eventually got the call to stop warming up and with three minutes remaining, his moment came. A huge roar went around the stadium as he replaced Mathys Tel to become the 900th player to represent Spurs.

There was real anticipation whenever Williams-Barnett picked up the ball. Playing on the left, he drifted inside and had one pass through to Bergvall cut out. He then bundled his way through another challenge and played it wide to Udogie for a move that led to Bergvall finding the net, but the offside flag was up.

There will surely be plenty more Spurs appearances to come for the teenager, but this is one he will never forget.

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Guglielmo Vicario has been in goal for all of Spurs’ matches under Frank and has kept four clean sheets in six matches.

Kinsky has barely featured since having a run in the side after arriving in January, but Frank has confirmed the 22-year-old will be one of the changes as he rotates his Spurs side.

“Antonin will start tomorrow, so I'm very happy with him as a goalkeeper,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference.

“I think he's a very good goalkeeper and I think he's got very good potential. For any player that is not starting, they're not happy. Some probably understand it a bit more, or outfielder sometimes.

“The easy thing for Antonin was to stay at his former club and now it's a bigger stage, a bigger challenge. I think he's got a great future here at Tottenham. I like what I see from him. He just needs to keep training well and doing well.”

With Dominic Solanke out with an ankle issue and Randal Kolo Muani yet to recover from a dead leg, Mathys Tel starts up front as he looks to kick his Spurs career into gear.

“I think it would be a great opportunity to have some of the younger players on the bench and I always think it's a privileged position to be in if you can give anyone a debut, especially a young player,” Frank said.

Thomas Frank will get his first taste of domestic cup action with Tottenham this evening as Spurs host Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup. In a season where the Dane has made clear that he is targeting silverware, this competition could be his best chance of getting his hands on a trophy. He has his work cut out for him to better Spurs’ performance in the competition last season, though, after they were knocked out in the semi-finals by Liverpool.

Spurs will hope to open their campaign with a statement defeat of League One’s Rovers, who sit seventh in the third tier after nine matches. They head to north London on a two-match losing run, though, having been beaten by AFC Wimbledon and Wigan by an aggregate score of 5-1.

It could be a tricky selection for Spurs, though, as Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies can now be counted among the injured. Frank has promised to name a strong squad. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Creativity, goals and a ‘go-for-it mindset’, why 16-year-old starlet is generating enormous excitement at Spurs

Luca Williams-Barnett is set to be in the Spurs squad for their Carabao Cup clash with Doncaster on Wednesday

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Matt Verri

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

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Asked what his targets were for the weeks ahead, there was no lack of confidence in Luca Williams-Barnett's answer.

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"Win every game and score in every game," he declared.

On current evidence, the latter part of that equation does not feel particularly implausible. The 16-year-old has enjoyed a stunning start to the season for Tottenham's academy in his first campaign with the Under-21 side, and the club already face a decision of how quickly to progress him.

Williams-Barnett scored a hat-trick and provided an assist in a 6-3 win over Leicester last week, taking his PL2 tally to four goals and two assists in four appearances.

He also scored and assisted in the UEFA Youth League against Villarreal, as he did when Spurs faced Bristol Rovers in the EFL trophy.

Luca Williams-Barnett has made a brilliant start to the season for Spurs Under-21s

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There have been international returns, too. Called up for the England U18s side at the start of the month, Williams-Barnett was on the scoresheet against both Canada and Uzbekistan.

He was left out of the Spurs U21 squad on Tuesday in a potential hint that he will be involved in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Frank also suggested as much.

"He's a player that we like a lot," Frank said. "Let's see tomorrow, but that could be an opportunity."

Williams-Barnett has trained with the first team already this season and has caught the eye of the Spurs boss.

"I'm well aware of Luca's talent and I like what I see," Frank said. "He's young, obviously, but his composure and technique and vision is very good."

The teenager, capable of playing in attacking midfield or up front, has been one of the stars of the club's academy as he has gone through the age ranks. His U18 boss Stuart Lewis made some lofty comparisons last season.

"He loves football. He's such an exciting, creative player," Lewis said.

"I spoke in the week about Tottenham players and having that creativity and that go-for-it mindset. We've loved Ginola over the years, we've loved Berbatov, those players.

Luca Williams-Barnett was called up to the England Under-18s side this month

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“Luca's still got a lot of work to do. He's an Under-16 player but throughout the season there's been some unbelievable moments."

It is not hard to see why Spurs fans are incredibly excited about Williams-Barnett, who has already had a taste of the first-team squad.

Ange Postecoglou named him on the bench for the Europa League trip to Galatasaray last season, just a few weeks after he had turned 16. That was a last-minute decision, with U21s boss Wayne Burnett putting in calls to get him excused from school and academy goalkeeping coach Dean Brill driving to the family home overnight to pick up his passport.

Williams-Barnett was in the squad for three consecutive European matches and was also on the bench in December last year against Fulham in the Premier League.

He is yet to make his first-team debut but his form has raised the prospect of some involvement against Doncaster on Wednesday.

Whether Thomas Frank decides Williams-Barnett is ready to get on the pitch remains to be seen, but a home tie against League One opposition does present the chance for rotation and opportunities for academy prospects.

Regardless of if it comes this week or not, Williams-Barnett appears to be on an inevitable march first-team minutes in the not so distant future. That much is obvious to fans, coaches and, of course, the teenager himself.

"I can't wait until I'm in the Premier League, scoring for Tottenham, making the fans happy," Williams-Barnett said last season. "I just can't wait."

Tel set for chance to impressive Thomas Frank against Doncaster in the absence of Randal Kolo Muani

Mathys Tel is set to start against Doncaster the Carabao Cup on Wednesday

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Matt Verri

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As Thomas Frank prepares for the start of Tottenham's Carabao Cup campaign, a mounting injury list presents Mathys Tel with a much-needed opportunity.

It is certainly nothing like the injury situation Ange Postecoglou faced last season, when it felt like Spurs could not go a couple of days without another hamstring being pulled, but the list of absentees is quietly growing.

Seven first-team players will miss tonight's third-round tie against Doncaster, with Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies the latest to enter the treatment room.

Kolo Muani's absence is due to him failing to recover from the dead leg that kept him out against Brighton on Saturday and it leaves Frank fairly short in attack. That, though, is positive news for Tel.

With Dominic Solanke still unavailable due to an ankle issue, Frank is expected to rest Richarlison and so the selection wheel will almost certainly land on Tel's name.

Mathys Tel has endured a difficult start to life at Spurs

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A Wednesday night fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might ordinarily stir up thoughts of a big Champions League match, the kind of occasion that would have been firmly in Tel's mind when he signed for the club permanently in the summer.

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Instead, it is the visit of League One opposition that presents Tel with as good an opportunity as he will get to impress for the foreseeable future.

The Frenchman was omitted from Frank's squad for the league phase of the Champions League in a significant blow. He has played 98 minutes in the Premier League so far this season - 79 of those came in an ineffective display against West Ham.

Tel has looked short of confidence in a Spurs shirt and the arrival of Kolo Muani appeared to bump him further down the pecking order in attack. His compatriot's injury has handed him a lifeline, though, and a home tie against Doncaster should be the perfect platform from which to shine.

Glimpses of Tel's potential have come on international duty, when he scored twice for France Under-21s last month. That was still in Frank's mind on Tuesday when he was asked where he wants to use Tel.

“I would say he plays all his games for the French U21s down the middle,” Frank said.

“He played for us down the middle. I'm definitely aware that he can play to the side as well, also to the left and maybe that is his best position. Maybe, I would like to say, so that's definitely something I have in mind to use as well.

Spurs paid £30m to sign Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich in the summer

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“It's always that you need to juggle everything. There's a few players also quite good down the left. And that's not that they maybe are better than Mathys, it can just be how do you construct a team.”

As it stands, the decision to sign Tel on a £30million deal is one that raises questions. It is hard to argue that having both Tel and Wilson Odobert, who has similarly struggled for form when given opportunities, feels like good squad building.

Tel is still waiting for a moment to kick his Spurs career into gear. He has scored three goals for the club since arriving in February, one of which was a penalty against Southampton. The other two came in defeats to Aston Villa and Wolves.

A return to the scoresheet against Doncaster would not fully cure Tel's struggles, but it would be a start. Right now, he badly needs that.

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Spurs host League One opposition in third-round clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Djed Spence could feature against Doncaster

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Will Heaver

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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.

Tottenham kick off their Carabao Cup campaign against Doncaster.

Spurs face League One opposition in the third round as they bid to continue their strong start to the season under Thomas Frank.

Frank has made it clear that Spurs are targeting silverware and the domestic cups are their best chance of winning something this season.

Here’s everything you need to know about the game…

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham Hotspur v Doncaster Rovers is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm BST on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.

The match will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Doncaster

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be shown on Sky Sports Plus with coverage beginning at 19:45.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, complete with expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at the ground.

Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel should show highlights after the match.

Tottenham v Doncaster team news

Ben Davies and Kolo Muani are out injured for Spurs.

Frank is also without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke, Kota Takai and Yves Bissouma.

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The Dane said in his press conference that he wanted his side to “compete across all four competitions. If we are going to do this we must pick the right team to do so”.

Antonin Kinksky will make his first start of the season in goal ahead of the rested Vicario.

Out: Randal Kolo Muani

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There will also be chances for youngster Archie Grey, who could start in midfield, and Mathys Tel will likely play up front with Brennan Johnson off the right.

Frank also said it would be a chance for academy players to “impress off the bench”, meaning Dane Scarlett and Jun’ai Byfield could get some senior minutes.

Damola Ajayi, on loan at Doncaster from Tottenham, is available to play after Spurs granted permission for him to play against his parent club. Ajayi is unlikely to start, though, with Luke Molyneaux and Jordan Gibson seemingly the preferred choice to try and support the ageless Billy Sharp up top.

Tottenham v Doncaster Prediction

Doncaster had a strong start to the season, only losing one of their first ten competitive games of the season, but have lost their last two in League One.

Spurs are looking good under Frank should comfortably progress to the next round.

Tottenham to win, 2-0

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Spurs have not lost to Doncaster since 1935. Their most recent meeting was in the League Cup in 2009, where Spurs won 5-1 at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Tottenham wins: 6

Doncaster wins: 1

Draws: 2

Tottenham vs Doncaster match odds

Tottenham to win: 2/13

Doncaster to win: 14/1

Draw: 6/1

Odds via Betfair (Subject to change)

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Will Heaver

COMMENTS

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.

Tottenham open their Carabao Cup campaign by hosting League One side Doncaster as they look to continue their strong start to the season under Thomas Frank.

Spurs are aiming to win their fifth League Cup and first since 2008, while Doncaster are in the hunt for a shock cup upset in north London.

Frank is dealing with a raft of injuries coming into the tie, though. Randal Kolo Muani is the latest to join the list of absentees and will not feature for Spurs as the PSG loanee picked up a minor injury.

Doncaster have started the League One season well, but fell to a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

That loss leaves them seventh in the table with nine matches played, four points adrift of league leaders Bradford City.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham Hotspur v Doncaster Rovers is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm BST on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.

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The match will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Doncaster

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be shown on Sky Sports Plus with coverage beginning at 19:45.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, complete with expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at the ground.

Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel should show highlights after the match.

Tottenham v Doncaster team news

Experienced defender Ben Davies joins Kolo Muani on the physio table with a minor injury as the injuries begin to pile up.

Frank is also without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke, Kota Takai and Yves Bissouma.

The Dane said in his press conference that he wanted his side to “compete across all four competitions. If we are going to do this we must pick the right team to do so”.

Antonin Kinksky will make his first start of the season in goal instead of the rested Vicario.

Out: Randal Kolo Muani

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Due to their injuries and Frank wanting to compete on all fronts, the Spurs side should be fairly strong with the likes of Cristian Romero, Wilson Odebert and Pape Sarr featuring.

There will also be chances for youngster Archie Grey, who could start in midfield, and Mathys Tel will likely play up front with Brennan Johnson off the right.

Frank also said it would be a chance for academy players to “impress off the bench”, meaning Dane Scarlett and Jun’ai Byfield could get some senior minutes.

Damola Ajayi, on loan at Doncaster from Tottenham, is available to play after Spurs granted permission for him to play against his parent club. Ajayi is unlikely to start, though, with Luke Molyneaux and Jordan Gibson seemingly the preferred choice to try and support the ageless Billy Sharp up top.

McCann will be without centre midfielder Harry Clifton, who pulled his hamstring against Wigan and is still a while away from being fully fit.

Tottenham v Doncaster Prediction

Doncaster had a strong start to the season, only losing one of their first ten competitive games of the season, but have lost their last two in the league.

Meanwhile, Spurs are renewed under Frank and have been quick off the mark, sitting third in the Premier League, having lost just one game.

Facing lower league opposition, they will be confident of progressing to the next round.

Tottenham to win, 2-0

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Spurs have not lost to Doncaster since 1935. Their most recent meeting was in the League Cup in 2009, where Spurs won 5-1 at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Tottenham wins: 6

Doncaster wins: 1

Draws: 2

Tottenham vs Doncaster match odds

Tottenham to win: 1/8

Doncaster to win: 14/1

Draw: 5/1

Odds via Betfair (Subject to change)

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