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Igor Tudor handed double fitness boost ahead of second game in charge

Dominic Solanke could start for Tottenham against Fulham

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Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham will have defenders Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso available for selection when they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.

Igor Tudor has had to get to grips with Spurs’ crippling injury list since taking charge of the club two weeks ago, and had just 13 senior players available to train ahead of last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

Tudor is now, though, set to be boosted by the returns of Porro and Danso as he looks to steer Spurs away from the relegation zone.

Spurs, who are yet to win a league game in 2026, currently sit 16th in the Premier League table and are just four points above the bottom three.

As expected, Tudor opted for a three-man defence against Arsenal, playing Joao Palhinha as a makeshift centre-back, while the versatile Archie Gray continued at right wing-back.

On a difficult first outing for Tudor, his side struggled for balance and were ultimately picked apart in defence as Arsenal took charge in the second-half.

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With Porro and Danso back, Tudor will now be able to name five natural defenders as he quickly tries to settle on a team he can trust heading into the final months of the season.

Micky van de Ven is expected to be available for selection despite a “small problem” with his little finger.

Spurs’ defence picks itself right now, with captain Cristian Romero still suspended, but Tudor has a decision to make up front where Dominic Solanke is back to full fitness.

Small issue: Micky van de Ven

AFP via Getty Images

Solanke was only fit enough for the bench against Arsenal, having struggled with a sore throat in the lead-up to the game.

He was replaced in the starting lineup by Randal Kolo Muani, who scored his first Premier League goal of the season as Spurs equalised just 24 seconds after Eberechi Eze had given Arsenal the lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Kolo Muani has the trust of Tudor, who got the French forward playing some of the best football of his career on loan at Juventus last season.

However, with Solanke fit enough to start, Kolo Muani is likely to drop out of the side.

Richarlison is also an option as Tudor looks to breathe new life into Spurs’ attack after the Brazilian returned from a hamstring injury against Arsenal.

One area of the pitch where Tudor is not struggling for options is in midfield, with Gray and Palhinha free to play in their more natural positions, having deputised in defence last weekend.

Tudor must decide whether to stick with the midfield three of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Conor Gallagher he deployed against Arsenal or look to Gray and Palhinha.

Spurs face two huge games, away to Fulham and at home to Crystal Palace, over the next week as they try to put distance between themselves and the bottom three.

Tudor is only one game into his Spurs tenure, but the pressure is already on him to deliver results with the north London club sitting precariously above the relegation zone.

Predicted Tottenham XI (3-4-2-1): Vicario, Dragusin, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro, Palhinha, Bissouma, Spence, Gallagher, Simons, Solanke

Injured: Kudus, Bergvall, Bentancur, Davies, Udogie, Maddison, Kulusevski, Odobert

Suspended: Romero

Time and date: 2pm GMT on Sunday, March 1, 2026

How to watch: Sky Sports

Venue: Craven Cottage, London

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American football will return to London in 2026, with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders both set to stage matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The NFL will host a record nine matches outside of the United States in 2026 as it looks to continue building its global footprint, with three due to be played in London.

The Jaguars, run by Fulham owner Shahid Khan, hold marketing rights in the UK and will play back-to-back matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley next season - the third time they have done so. These will be the 15th and 16th Jaguars matches staged in London.

The Commanders, meanwhile, return to the English capital for the first time since 2016, when they drew 27-27 with the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley. They also appeared in Madrid last season as the NFL played in Spain for the first time, losing 16-13 to the Miami Dolphins in overtime.

Washington and Jacksonville’s opponents will be confirmed when the NFL fixture list is released in the spring, as will match dates.

Three NFL matches were held in London last season, with the Minnesota Vikings beating the Cleveland Browns, the Denver Broncos edging the New York Jets and the LA Rams routing the Jaguars.

“London is undoubtedly our home away from home,” said Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen, who led his side to a 13-4 record last season.

Their mid-season trip to Madrid, though, has been hailed by co-owner Josh Harris as a standout moment in an otherwise dismal campaign: “Last season’s trip to Madrid was personally unforgettable, and a tremendous milestone for our organisation.

“London is home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the world. We’re grateful for the opportunity to bring the Commanders and NFL football to this unique city.”

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Sorry Spurs are locked in battle with Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham to retain their Premier League status

Four-way battle: Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, West Ham and Leeds are all fighting for Premier League survival

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Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham are firmly in the midst of a relegation battle following their 4-1 defeat by Arsenal in the north London derby.

Injury-plagued Spurs remain winless in the Premier League in 2026 and sit just four points above the bottom three in 16th place.

Interim boss Igor Tudor has a sizeable task on his hands if he is to turn around Tottenham’s fortunes, but the Croatian is adamant that he will guide the club to safety.

With 11 games to go, Spurs, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds are locked in a four-way battle for top-flight survival, but who has the most favourable run-in?

Standard Sport has assessed each team’s remaining fixtures to find out...

Tottenham

Spurs need to pick up results... and fast, or they could be playing Championship football next season.

The only Premier League team yet to win a game in 2026, Spurs have won just two of their last 18 league matches and are looking anxiously over their shoulders from 16th place.

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Tudor’s side have a favourable run-in, but need results quickly and will view games against Fulham and Crystal Palace as must-win if they are to put distance between themselves and the drop.

Tricky away trips to Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea are unlikely to generate the points Spurs need, but with a four-point buffer to 18th-place West Ham, they know they could be safe with victories against bottom-of-the-table Wolves and relegation rivals Forest and Leeds.

Pressure on: Tottenham are the worst team in the Premier League by the recent form table

Action Images via Reuters

Fulham (A)

Crystal Palace (H)

Liverpool (A)

Nottingham Forest (H)

Sunderland (A)

Brighton (A)

Wolves (A)

Aston Villa (A)

Leeds (H)

Chelsea (A)

Everton (H)

Difficulty ranking: Kind, the easiest run-in of the four relegation rivals

West Ham

West Ham are the form team at the bottom heading into the final months of the season, despite looking down and out following their defeat at home to Forest at the start of January.

Seven points adrift of safety and having lost five of their previous six league matches, their turnaround since then has been impressive.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have lost only once in their last eight games across all competitions and are now within just two points of 17th-place Forest.

The issue for the Hammers now, though, is that they face a tricky run of fixtures over the next month as they try to keep pace with the teams around them.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa are all to come for West Ham in their next four league fixtures before they face a potentially season-defining game at home to Wolves.

West Ham’s home form has been a major issue this season, but with Everton and Leeds still to visit the London Stadium, their hopes of Premier League survival rest on their ability to make the ground a fortress.

Turnaround: West Ham have genuine belief in a great escape under Nuno Espirito Santo

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Liverpool (A)

Fulham (A)

Manchester City (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Wolves (H)

Crystal Palace (A)

Everton (H)

Brentford (A)

Arsenal (H)

Newcastle (A)

Leeds (H)

Difficulty ranking: Hard, the toughest run-in of the four relegation rivals

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest hope a new manager bounce can keep them afloat, but they also face a tricky run-in.

New manager Vitor Pereira, Forest’s fourth permanent manager of the season, has made an encouraging start at the City Ground, and they were unlucky to lose late on against Liverpool in his first league game in charge.

However, with four of the current top six still to play, Forest’s fixtures do not get any easier.

Their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of March feels like it could go a long way to deciding both teams’ fate this season, while Burnley’s visit to the City Ground will be billed as a must-win game.

Forest will be thankful that West Ham have a similarly tough run-in.

Encouraging start: Vitor Pereira is Nottingham Forest’s fourth permanent manager of the season

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Brighton (A)

Manchester City (A)

Fulham (H)

Tottenham (A)

Aston Villa (H)

Burnley (H)

Sunderland (A)

Chelsea (A)

Newcastle (H)

Manchester United (A)

Bournemouth (H)

Difficulty ranking: Hard, the second toughest run-in of the four relegation rivals

Leeds

Home is where the heart is for Leeds, who have defied the odds under Daniel Farke this season and find themselves six points clear of the relegation zone in 15th place.

Much of Leeds’ success has come from their ability to win games at Elland Road, with six of their seven league victories this season coming at home.

Leeds will know that with the league’s bottom two teams, Burnley and Wolves, still to visit Elland Road, they could secure their Premier League status in front of their own fans.

Leeds have a kind run-in and have already put distance between themselves and West Ham.

The two teams meet on the final day of the season, at which point Leeds will hope to have already sealed their safety.

Home comforts: Leeds are a force to be reckoned with at Elland Road

REUTERS

Manchester City (H)

Sunderland (H)

Crystal Palace (A)

Brentford (H)

Manchester United (A)

Wolves (H)

Bournemouth (A)

Burnley (H)

Tottenham (A)

Brighton (H)

West Ham (A)

Difficulty ranking: Kind, the second easiest run-in of the four relegation rivals

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Make no mistake about it, Spurs are in a fight to avoid relegation

Spurs lost 4-1 to Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday

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Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Igor Tudor said he was not here to enjoy his time at Tottenham and there was not much to like about Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby.

Tudor has a reputation as someone capable of making an immediate impact at clubs but the size of the job at Spurs was made clear on a grim evening at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Another bad result leaves Spurs four points above the bottom three and the threat of relegation is becoming very real. With 11 games to go, Spurs are in a fight to stay up.

Tudor is adamant he can steer Spurs to safety but has admitted that turning around their fortunes is a “big job” as he looks to change “bad habits” at the club.

Spurs are just four points above the relegation zone with 11 games left

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“Of course, I’m confident,” said Tudor when asked if Spurs will stay up. “Because I believe these are good players with bad habits. They are good players, nobody can tell me they don’t have quality. But we need to change a mental switch and have this mental sharpness to be in the game from the first to the second minute.”

That assessment after just one week in the job suggests that, in order to make short-term fixes, he needs to address long-term issues in the squad.

Time is of the essence and Tudor now faces a big week on the training ground ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.

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With West Ham having lost just one of their last eight games in all competitions, and Nottingham Forest looking revitalised under their new manager Vitor Pereira, Spurs do not have the safety buffer they had last season.

Spurs remain the only team yet to win a Premier League game in 2026. They are in relegation form and, with even Wolves picking up under Rob Edwards and Burnley showing some fight, there is an argument that they are the worst team in the division right now.

There was a moment on Sunday that epitomised the mentality shift that Spurs simply have to undergo if they are to put distance between themselves and the drop.

Igor Tudor delivered some home truths as deep-rooted problems at Spurs were exposed

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Tudor, an increasingly frenetic presence on the touchline, called to stand-in captain Micky van de Ven to push Spurs’ defensive line higher up the pitch as Arsenal began to dominate.

Van de Ven failed to heed the call and Arsenal continued to attack, eventually getting the goals their performance had warranted in the second-half.

Tudor wants his side to play aggressive, pressing football.

But Spurs are increasingly a team that reacts to rather than dictates the tempo of games.

It is obvious that Spurs are a team low on confidence and that is influencing their decisions on the pitch.

Spurs need to be comfortable taking risks in and out of possession, and Tudor must instil this belief back into his squad if they are to turn things around.

Tudor is already under pressure to deliver results, as Spurs gear up for a relegation scrap.

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Spurs’ injury problems remain despite new management

Sidelined: Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall and Kevin Danso

London Standard

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham suffered no fresh injury blows as they were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal on Igor Tudor’s Premier League bow.

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Spurs were spirited in the north London derby but found themselves defeated by the league leaders.

Tudor was able to call upon just 13 players for Sunday’s clash, but his players showed their new interim head coach their fighting spirit despite their defeat.

They were able to welcome back Dominic Solanke from illness and Richarlison, with both coming off the bench at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Here’s all the latest Tottenham injury news and potential return dates...

Pedro Porro has been pushing to return in time for the north London derby

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Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro has been sidelined since picking up a hamstring injury in the 2–2 draw with Burnley last month.

The right-back has missed Tottenham Hotspur’s last five matches, but is now approaching a return.

It had been hoped that Porro would be fit to face Arsenal, but the London derby against Fulham seven days later is more realistic after the Spaniard missed out on the matchday squad on Sunday.

Potential return date: March 1 vs Fulham (A)

Lucas Bergvall is out with an ankle injury

Action Images via Reuters

Lucas Bergvall

Lucas Bergvall has been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery following the 2–0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund on January 20.

The midfielder had an operation and Tottenham have not set a firm timetable for his return, though encouraging reports from Sweden last week suggested his recovery is progressing well. He is no longer wearing a protective boot, with his rehabilitation said to be “moving in the right direction.”

It is believed Bergvall could be back on the pitch in around six weeks, leaving him in a race against time to be fit for Sweden’s World Cup play-off against Ukraine at the end of March.

Potential return date: Late March/early April

Kevin Danso

Kevin Danso suffered a torn ligament in his big toe during the 2–0 Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt on January 28.

The defender has since missed matches against Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United, with his absence coming at a difficult time for Tottenham, who are also without Cristian Romero through suspension.

Speaking ahead of the Newcastle game, former Spurs boss Thomas Frank confirmed that Dano has spoken with a consultant” but “it will still be a few weeks before he’s available.”

Potential return date: Late February/early March

Destiny Udogie suffered a hamstring injury against Manchester United

REUTERS

Destiny Udogie

Destiny Udogie has once again been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The left-back was hurt during the 2–0 defeat at Old Trafford on February 7 and was ruled out for up to five weeks.

“Unfortunately, Destiny has a hamstring injury and will be out for the next four to five weeks,” said Thomas Frank before his dismissal.

Potential return date: Mid-March

Mohammed Kudus

Mohammed Kudus has been sidelined since picking up a hamstring injury in the 1–1 draw with Sunderland on January 4.

He was initially ruled out until after the March international break, and reports last week said the winger had travelled to Amsterdam to see a specialist as he works towards a comeback.

Kudus returned there to consult a trusted expert from his time at Ajax and is still targeting a return to full training after the March international break.

Potential return date: April

Wilson Odobert suffered a serious knee injury against Newcastle

Action Images via Reuters

Wilson Odobert

Wilson Odobert suffered a serious knee injury against Newcastle earlier in February, and Spurs confirmed he would have surgery.

Odobert is the latest long-term injury problem at Spurs, who said in a statement: “Wilson will see a specialist next week before undergoing surgery, and will then commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff. We're all behind you, Wilson.”

Spurs have not put a timescale on his return, but he will not be back until next season.

Potential return date: Late 2026

Dejan Kulusevski

Dejan Kulusevski has been out since the end of last season with a patella injury.

Reports in Sweden earlier in February claimed Kulusevski is “nowhere near stepping out” on the pitch.

Just before he was sacked, Frank said he was unsure if Kulusevski would play again this season.

Dejan Kulusevski has been out since May 2025

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“It's a complicated injury where it’s important to make sure there’s no pain in the knee,” said Frank. “That’s why he got an injection and it hopefully will help. So in three to four weeks’ time, he’ll be on the grass pain-free."

Posting on Instagram this month, Kulusevski shared a video of himself in the gym at Hotspur Way going through an intensive set of single-legged squats with his injured right leg.

Potential return date: Unknown

Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur was ruled out for three months after undergoing hamstring surgery in mid-January.

It means Bentancur is set to miss the majority of the rest of the season..

Potential return date: Spring 2026

Ben Davies

Ben Davies could have played his last game for Spurs after suffering a broken ankle in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham last month.

Davies has under a second operation and is a doubt for the World Cup should Wales qualify.

The left-sided defender has been at Spurs for 12 years, playing 448 games, but is out of contract at the end of the season.

Potential return date: Unknown

James Maddison

James Maddison has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury in pre-season.

He has since undergone surgery but is not expected to feature for Spurs this season.

Potential return date: Summer 2026

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Sport | Football

Three things we learned from Arsenal win as Eberechi Eze runs derby but familiar weakness strikes again

Eberechi Eze rewards Mikel Arteta’s faith with a brace in the north London derby as Gunners steady the ship

Eberechi Eze shone in Arsenal’s north London derby win to ensure Declan Rice’s error ultimately went unpunished

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Matt Verri

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Mikel Arteta told his Arsenal players ahead of the match to ignore the noise but there was plenty of it coming from the away end on a dream afternoon.

The Gunners swatted aside Tottenham in dismissive fashion, a 4-1 win to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League again.

Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres both scored twice. A Declan Rice error helped get Spurs on the scoresheet in the first half, cancelling out Eze's opener and making it level at half-time, but Arsenal ran away with it after the break.

A biggest away win at Tottenham since 1978 was an emphatic response to the poor recent run. Arsenal now going into a rare midweek off in buoyant mood and with the chance to recharge.

Arsenal steady the ship

And breathe.

Arsenal's title charge was in danger of coming off the rails after their draw with Wolves in midweek, a result that made it just two wins in seven matches in the Premier League.

Manchester City's win over Newcastle on Saturday night reduced the gap to two points and the pressure was firmly on Arsenal to respond.

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The atmosphere was bouncing in north London at kick-off but by full-time it was the away end in party mode and the home fans already filing out.

Arsenal players celebrate victory in the north London derby

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Arsenal were a class above Spurs. They had 20 shots to Spurs' six and could well have won by a wider margin.

That is now four straight wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the first time they have done that in north London derbies in 71 years. In enemy territory, Arsenal continue to feel right at home.

This result did not make up for the dismal showing at Molineux, but it was a necessary display of character and one that should massively lift Arsenal heading into the final ten matches of the season.

Eze runs riot against Spurs again

Arteta is one for thinking outside the box and finding unique solutions to problems.

Can he find a way to trick Eze into thinking he is playing Tottenham every week?

Five of his six league goals this season have come against Spurs. Eze had not scored in the league since his hat-trick in November's north London derby, but he broke that duck in style.

Eberechi Eze has scored five goals against Tottenham this season

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

His opener was well-taken from a bouncing ball, and he then pounced on some poor defending for his second. He was superb on the ball throughout, injecting pace into the attacks when needing and sliding some lovely passes through to Saka.

Eze also scored a brace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, for Crystal Palace, and he was also on target at the ground the year before.

Eight goals in his past five appearances against Spurs is some return. Eze could not kick on after his first starring display against Spurs this season - he needs to do so this time.

Familiar weakness hits again

Arsenal have repeatedly made things hard for themselves this season, whether that be by conceding soon after scoring or by gifting the opposition goals with individual errors.

Both were at play here, as Spurs equalised within two minutes of Arsenal taking the lead through Eze.

Declan Rice tried to dribble past Kolo Muani on the edge of his own area and was robbed of the ball. The Frenchman had the space to drive into the box and he finished low past David Raya.

Error: Declan Rice

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

It was a terrible goal to concede in that fashion, but also in the fact it immediately lifted the home fans and killed Arsenal's momentum.

In 2026 alone, that is now ten times across all competitions that Arsenal have conceded within ten minutes of scoring themselves. That pattern must be stopped.

Against the likes of Brentford and Wolves, that proved costly. This time Arsenal found a way to reset. When they hit the front again, they did not look back.

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Croat was making his bow in English football

To the heavens: Igor Tudor

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Dom Smith

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham were thrashed 4-1 by rivals Arsenal in the north London derby, in a repeat of the bruising scoreline inflicted on them back in November.

In Igor Tudor’s first match as interim head coach of Spurs, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres both hit braces to pile more misery on their neighbours and keep Spurs 16th in the Premier League table.

Eze, who scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in November, was back to haunt the side he almost joined in the summer before U-turning and instead signing for Arsenal.

Randal Kolo Muani netted a well-taken goal for Tottenham’s only strike of a thoroughly miserable afternoon, which might — just might — have been different if his second goal was not harshly ruled out for a push on Gabriel and if David Raya had not produced an exceptional goal-line save to deny Richarlison before Gyokeres made it a comprehensive four for Arsenal.

Bitter start to Tudor’s tenure

Fans were impressed by Tudor’s confidence and attitude to the job he has inherited when he spoke this week. The Croatian insisted talk of a Spurs style of play must be put on pause due to their “emergency situation”. After his first taste of a north London derby, though, they remain 16th in the Premier League table and shot of confidence.

There were some promising individual performances for Tottenham — not least Kolo Muani, Radu Dragusin and Djed Spence — but that wasn’t nearly enough.

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Defeat saw Tottenham remain are the only side without a Premier League win so far in 2026, drawing four and losing five of their nine games. This was the very worst of them, for obvious reasons.

Tudor rewarded with key selection call

Tottenham’s interim head coach has favoured a back-three shape throughout his managerial career and he set Spurs up in that system with Conor Gallagher as one of the wide midfielders in his engine room trio, tasked with getting round the pitch.

The one interesting call was to select Kolo Muani up front instead of Dominic Solanke.

Glimmer of hope: Randal Kolo Muani

AFP via Getty Images

Whether because Solanke has this week been ill or simply because Tudor knows Kolo Muani and trusts him more from the off is not immediately clear, but the Croatian was vindicated in his call to start the French international in one significant positive for the new head coach.

Kolo Muani revitalised his career on loan at Juventus in the second half of the 2024-25 season, managed by Tudor, and is certainly yet to show at Spurs that he is the player Paris Saint-Germain splashed £76m on to sign from Eintracht Frankfurt just two and a half years ago.

Encouraging signs, though. The 27-year-old jostled with William Saliba to take down a long ball from Guglielmo Vicario, and getting back to help out defensively.

But just 24 seconds after the restart following Eze’s opener, a tenacious Kolo Muani robbed Declan Rice of the ball down the right, cut in, and fired through David Raya for his first Premier League goal for Spurs and his first goal in 19 games. Then a second goal, only for Peter Bankes to harshly rule it out for a light push on Gabriel. More starts to come? You’d think so, after this.

Spurs undone by defensive lapses

Tottenham had more than a foothold in the game at the halfway stage. Kolo Muani’s equaliser before the break had them level at 1-1 and a workmanlike performance was on track to earn them a valuable point if they could hold on.

That was not how it unfolded. Instead, Spurs were undone by shoddy defending for Arsenal’s second and third goals — Vicario apoplectic on both occasions.

Ninety seconds after the restart, Gyokeres reinstated Arsenal’s advantage from outside the box, helped hugely by the concerningly big gap between Tottenham centre-backs Joao Palhinha and the otherwise impressive Radu Dragusin. Gyokeres could not believe his luck, and took his time to fire home, Vicario livid.

Inquest: Radu Dragusin

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Then the goalkeeper had done the hard work to deny Bukayo Saka and it seemed a simple case of clearing their lines for Tottenham. But an unhelpful deflection off the heel of Palhinha left Eze with the easiest of tasks to slam home his second and Arsenal’s third and leave those in the away end chanting “You’re going down” in Tottenham’s direction.

Little could be done to prevent Gyokeres’s second and Arsenal’s fourth. The damage by that point had long been done.

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