Football London

BRAZIL 2-0 SENEGAL: football.london rates all of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham’s stars’ performances as they faced off at the Emirates Stadium

Brazil earned a comfortable win in a chaotic, frenetic and feisty clash with Senegal. Plenty of London-based players involved, but while Chelsea fans will be delighted with their young stars' performance, Arsenal and Tottenham supporters have cause for concern.

Matheus Cunha came close to scoring the opener for Brazil in the first half when Bruno Guimaraes’ cross found the Man United forward, who headed onto the bar. Chelsea’s Estevao, however, would soon after earn them the lead, the ball falling to him on the right, which he dispatched excellently.

Casemiro then doubled the lead after a free kick was sent to the back post, which he duly curled off the far right post and in. A worry for Tottenham will be that Pape Matar Sarr had to be replaced with an injury just after half-time.

Then it would be Arsenal’s Gabriel to come off too, with what looks to be a right-hand side groin problem, with the way the Brazilian was holding his upper right leg.

Here’s how football.london rated the performances of all Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea's performers:

Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) – Big tackle early in the game on the edge of the box to set up a counterattack, which led to Matheus Cunha hitting the post. Produced an excellent pre-empted clearance as a cross came in to prevent a Senegal chance. Came off in the second half with a groin issue. 7

Richarlison (Tottenham) – Was an unused substitute. n/a

Estevao (Chelsea) – The winger scored his fourth goal in the colours of the Selecao. Despite the defence thinking they’d got their foot to the ball, it squirmed out to the right, where a waiting Estevao beautifully curled a strike with his left foot around Edouard Mendy.

Was a delight to watch throughout the game and sent a clear statement to Enzo Maresca as to his credentials to establish himself on the Chelsea right. 8

Joao Pedro (Chelsea) – Came on in the second half to play up top. Couldn't really get into the game and was frustrated with a lack of service. 5

Andrey Santos (Chelsea) – Was an unused substitute. n/a

Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) – Was unable to get on the ball too much in the first half, but toward the midpoint, the Spurs midfielder thought he might find a chance, but saw his path blocked by Gabriel. Worryingly for Tottenham Hotspur, a week before the North London Derby, he had to come off just after half-time after a collision with Matheus Cunha. 6

Tottenham Hotspur will be facing a nervous wait after being handed a potential injury scare just a week before the North London Derby against Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a potential injury scare just a week before the North London Derby against Arsenal.

Spurs are currently in the middle of the November international break, the final two-week hiatus from top-flight action of the calendar year.

Thomas Frank and Co. will be facing a nervous wait to hope that the Tottenham players who have travelled to represent their country will return to the club with no injury or fitness concerns.

However, that may not be the case as Pape Matar Sarr has handed Spurs a potential injury worry just a week before the international break comes to an end.

Sarr was in action for Senegal against Brazil on Saturday afternoon in an international friendly at the Emirates Stadium.

The Tottenham midfielder was named in the starting line-up by manager Pape Thiaw, but was forced to be withdrawn from the contest in the 49th minute.

Sarr went to ground after a challenge with Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha for Brazil, and was subsequently substituted to be replaced by Bayern Munich star and Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson.

Brazil had take a 2-0 lead going into the half-time interval, with goals from Chelsea forward Estevao Willian and Man United midfielder Casemiro.

It remains to be seen what the severity of the potential injury could be, with Senegal also set to face Kenya on Tuesday in their final match of the international break.

The game also saw Arsenal handed their own injury concern as Gabriel Magalhaes was substituted for Brazil with a potential injury in the second half.

Frank has regularly relied on Sarr in the Tottenham midfield this season, with the 23-year-old starting and playing the full 90 minutes in each of the last two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Man United.

Spurs will return to Premier League action on November 23 where they will face Arsenal in the North London Derby at the Emirates, and it remains to be seen if Sarr will be available for the fixture.

Lovely skill

Eder Militao wasn't the player I had down to pull out the flair but he dinks the ball into the air and over the head of his opponent before running down the right and finding Estevao.

Senegal come back

The African side have earned a corner after Ndiaye nearly managed to find an opening.

Atmosphere is great in here!

Arsenal can perform Gabriel Jesus U-turn after UEFA rule change but only in nightmare scenario

Gabriel Jesus has recently returned to training with his Arsenal teammates. The Brazilian has been missing since January, when he suffered a serious knee injury against Manchester United.

As a result, the Gunners left him out of their UEFA Champions League squad at the start of the 2025/26 season. It was a decision which had puzzled some with the Brazilian believed to be back for the final two games of the league phase in January being a possibility.

Now that he has returned to training in November, there would have been a chance he might even be back on the pitch in December with the club facing Brugge on the 10th of the same month. Mikel Arteta hoped at the time that their decision might be proven wrong.

Article continues here.

Loudest cheer Richarlison will ever get here

Playing in enemy territory from the other side of North London, the Brazilian striker gets a big cheer from the fans inside the stadium.

Gabriel Magalhaes however steals the show alongside Vinicius Jr with plenty Arsenal supporters in here as expected.

Gabriel Jesus confirms Arsenal exit plan amid Everton transfer links

Gabriel Jesus has opened up about his ambition to rejoin former club Palmeiras, though an Arsenal departure isn't imminent. The Brazilian striker arrived at Emirates Stadium from Manchester City in 2022.

The Gunners splashed out £45million to secure Jesus' services, but persistent injury setbacks have limited him to just 96 appearances since his arrival, netting 26 goals.

Jesus has consistently been the subject of transfer speculation linking him with moves away from Arsenal, with Everton the most recent club mentioned - though Arsenal will reject any approaches from their Premier League counterparts.

Article continues here.

Antoine Semenyo was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, only to sign a new deal with Bournemouth which should keep him at the Vitality Stadium until 2030

Antoine Semenyo is reportedly 'annoyed' by suggestions that he's keen on leaving Bournemouth.

The forward has enjoyed an excellent campaign this season, scoring six Premier League goals for the Cherries. With only Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago boasting better scoring records than Semenyo this term, speculation surrounding his future on the south coast has intensified.

A host of top clubs are understood to be monitoring his situation, including Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, prompting supporters nationwide to question whether Semenyo will still be at Bournemouth for 2026/27.

However, Sky Sports report that Semenyo is happy at the Vitality Stadium and is 'annoyed' by suggestions he has requested a transfer.

When pressed by Jamie Redknapp about his future earlier this month, the Ghanaian responded: "I don't think about it too much. I try to stay present as much as I can. You see the news all the time, I see it as well, I'm not oblivious, but I try to keep focused.

"I'm enjoying my football here. If I'm not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals and whatever happens in the future happens. When they [his former team-mates] all left [in the summer], there was a lot of interest and back and forth with the club.

"But I knew in my head that the manager's got something up his sleeve this year. How we finished off the season last year was so good and we could continue, especially with the players we've bought in as well.

"I wasn't too sure at the start but we've kicked on like a house on fire. I'm glad I committed to staying here because I'm enjoying every moment," reports the Manchester Evening News.

Following a 13-goal haul across all competitions last term, Semenyo was heavily linked with a blockbuster switch to Spurs during the summer transfer window. The move ultimately collapsed, with the Lilywhites instead snapping up Mohammed Kudus in a £55million move.

It appears as though Spurs are settling into life under Thomas Frank, after luring the head coach away from Brentford this summer. The Dane stepped in as Ange Postecoglou's replacement after he was sacked following a lacklustre 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

And it's clear that the tactician has already had a major impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs currently sit fifth in the Premier League standings after 11 games, with five wins, three draws and three losses to show for their efforts.

EXCLUSIVE: Cristian Romero behaviour towards Tottenham stars backed as Arsenal pair snubbed

EXCLUSIVE: Cristian Romero has formed a solid centre-back partnership with Micky van de Ven this season under Thomas Frank, and former Tottenham midfielder Sandro has now had his say on the pair

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sandro has snubbed Arsenal when delivering his verdict on the Premier League's best centre-back partnership.

Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have formed a formidable partnership at the Gunners in recent seasons. Arsenal's centre-back duo have conceded a meagre five goals in the English top-flight so far this season, with their performances playing a key role in Mikel Arteta's side having a four-point lead.

The Gunners' partnership in defence is widely viewed as the best in the Premier League as Arsenal chase a first league title since 2004. But Sandro has a different view.

Speaking exclusively to football.london, via football odds, the Brazilian was asked if Tottenham's Romero and Micky van de Ven partnership is the league's best. He admits to enjoying how Romero deals with referees and Tottenham's players.

"I think so, I believe that it is the best defensive partnership in the Premier League, because you can see the quality that Van de Ven has and his speed," he said.

"Yes, he made a mistake against Chelsea, but who doesn't make a mistake? Everybody does, and if you balance the mistakes and the good things that he does, he’s amazing."

Discussing Romero's behaviour, Sandro added: "The leadership that Romero has, it's unbelievable. You can see straight away the way he manages the game, the way he talks with the referees, with the midfielders. I love Romero. Proper leader.

"And I think he's now reading the game a little bit more to get into positions, where he used to get stupid yellow cards and red cards. But now, I think he has learned a little bit. Okay, he's never going to change, he goes for the ball, but I think he's now a bit calmer."

Sandro's view contrasts that of Arsenal legend Martin Keown. The ex-England defender has previously proclaimed that Magalhaes and Saliba are the best defensive partnership in Europe.

“Gabriel and Saliba are the best partnership in Europe; they’re aggressive, contact players," he told TNT Sports in 2024.

Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand agrees. "I think they are the best pairing in Europe," he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.

"They complement each other, their styles are perfect for each other. A good mix and blend."

Arsenal and Tottenham will have a chance to prove which partnership is best when both teams face off in their first fixture after the international break on Sunday, November 23.

Marcus Rashford's future beyond his loan at Barcelona remains uncertain

Marcus Rashford already had a friendly relationship with James Maddison prior to reports linking the England attacker to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Barcelona star is on loan at the Spanish giants until the end of the season from Manchester United. With Ruben Amorim not wanting the 28-year-old as part of his plans at Old Trafford, Rashford's future beyond next summer remains up in the air.

He's enjoyed a return to form in Spain, with 15 goals and assists combined in just 16 games across all competitions for Barcelona. The Catalan club possess a reported £26million option to buy at the end of his temporary spell.

However, there could be a return to England for Rashford, with reports in Spain claiming that his agent and brother, Dwaine Maynard, has held initial talks with Spurs and Chelsea over a possible transfer.

Should Rashford make the move to north London, it'll see him reunite with several international team-mates, including Maddison, whom he shares a friendship with. The pair have regularly looked pally when meeting up for England duty and have exchanged complimentary messages to each other on social media.

It was after Rashford's brace for United in a Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea in 2019 that saw the pair take to Instagram. The attacker netted a penalty and wonderful free-kick at Stamford Bridge and posted a photo of himself celebrating in front of the Blues fans on social media.

He wrote the caption: "Class win. Class support. Class night. Hope you enjoyed your birthday Dwaine Maynard (Rashford's brother and agent)" which saw Maddison respond: "Nah that free-kick," alongside a shocked-face emoji. Rashford then replied back with: "Maddison [I've] been watching you mate."

One of their more recent interactions came this past summer when speculation surrounding Rashford's future was rife. It was in June when he went on holiday and posted several snaps from his break on Instagram with the caption: "The lost files. Summer 25" which the Spurs star liked.

Maddison - who is expected to be out of action for most of the season following an ACL injury in pre-season - would surely be an advocate of Rashford signing for Spurs, but the forward has waxed lyrical about his time so far in Barcelona.

Speaking to ESPN last month, Rashford said: "Oh yeah, for sure," when asked whether he wanted to remain at Barcelona. He added: "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour."

Calling it a "perfect scenario" where he's playing alongside the top players in the world, Rashford had special praise for two of his team-mates in particular. "Lots of players have lots of qualities but probably the standouts are Lamine Yamal. And, for me, Pedri is unbelievable," he explained.

"I knew he was good before I played with him. But to play with him everyday is unbelievable. Relationships on the pitch, the ones I am still learning, are very important. When it comes to the matchday, these are things which make small differences. They have such high quality. It's the perfect scenario to play with players like this."

Tottenham are likely to welcome back a number of faces to the matchday squad for the North London Derby

Thomas Frank has had to contend with a number of injuries during the opening months of the 2025/26 season and that has seen Tottenham's form remain inconsistent.

The 2-2 draw with Manchester United before the international break has left Spurs in fifth place in the Premier League, with the Lilywhites winning five, drawing three and losing three of their 11 games. James Maddison, Dejen Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin have not played a single minute this campaign due to injury, while Frank has also been without Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma and Archie Gray for large periods.

Solanke, seen as a player who could thrive in Frank's system, has only racked up three appearances this term. In fact, the 28-year-old has only been on the pitch for 49 minutes.

An ankle injury disrupted much of the England international's pre-season and the striker ended up having "minor surgery" to try and rectify the issue at the end of September. It means Solanke has not led the line for Tottenham for nearly three months.

Solanke made the move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Bournemouth last summer, with the club agreeing a deal worth £65million with the Cherries. The Englishman scored 16 goals and grabbed eight assists in his first year with the Lilywhites but there was a general consensus he could do more.

Frank has instead had to rely on Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, but there is hope Solanke could make his return after the international break. Speaking at the end of October, Frank said: "We're very aware of when we get Dom back, we hope - touch wood - we have him back and no setbacks, so we are very aware of doing it the right way, so it's going in the right direction, he will not be available before the international break, so that's the status right now."

The Dane provided a further update last week: "Yeah, I think the international break will be the big deciding factor because we have two weeks there to push in the next steps. As I say, it's going forward. Just to take it instead of the questions every single time because it was clearly that he was not ready before the international break.

"It's more, we look after the international break, that's what we're aiming for. I think we always want to get it right, but I think it's important to get it right so he's out there, can help the team and we need him back."

So, there is general hope that Solanke could return to the Spurs matchday squad for the North London Derby against Arsenal on Sunday, November 23. Spurs then travel to Paris to face Champions League holders PSG three days later before welcoming Fulham to north London on November 29.

The back end of November and December will see Tottenham play nine games in all competitions and Frank will want as many of his players fit as possible. While Solanke may not start against league leaders Arsenal in just over a week's time, he certainly could come off the bench to make an impact instead.

A lot will depend on what Solanke does training wise over the next week. Frank and Tottenham, though, will soon be able to call upon Solanke once again and his return has arguably come at the perfect time.

Thomas Frank looks to have been handed yet another Tottenham injury concern with Lucas Bergvall leaving Sweden camp

Lucas Bergvall is set to make an early return to Hotspur Way having departed the Sweden national team camp. It has been officially confirmed by Sweden that Bergvall has left Graham Potter's first camp in charge with Newcastle's Emil Krafth replacing him.

The midfielder has missed Spurs' last two games having suffered a concussion in the opening minutes of the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea earlier this month.

In line with protocols, Bergvall was required to sit out of the Champions League win over Copenhagen and the Premier League draw with Manchester United. Despite this, Potter still called up and stated that Bergvall would attempt to train fully on Thursday, however he was seemingly unable to do so.

A statement confirming his departure read: "Lucas Bergvall will not be available to play in the men's national team's next two matches due to the consequences of the concussion he suffered in connection with Tottenham's league match against Chelsea on November 1."

Stefan Pettersson, head of the Men's National Team for the Swedish Football Association added to Sport Bladet: "We had agreed with Tottenham's doctor to do some tests during the week and then run at full speed so that Lucas would feel it properly. When there was a reaction, there was no hesitation. We don't want to take any risks."

The Lilywhites have been battered by injuries over the last few weeks with Randal Kolo Muani the latest to pick up a problem having fractured his jaw this past weekend.

Like Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus also missed the two matches before the November international break but is expected back for the North London Derby against Arsenal.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke are at the other end of the spectrum with all three recovering from surgery.

Archie Gray, Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies and Kota Takai are others that have been dealing with issues.

One positive was Radu Dragusin taking a huge step towards a return, with Maddison supporting him, as he played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient on Wednesday.

A number of Tottenham players could benefit from these injury blows over the coming weeks with Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel as two on the fringes that took advantage against Man United.

Frank will almost certainly want as many of his big hitters back as soon as possible with such a tough run of fixtures on the horizon alongside the busy Christmas period. Solanke and Kulusevski are two that would be greatly welcomed back, but it is unclear if either will be able to play before the end of the year.

When asked specifically about having Solanke back before 2026 begins, Frank said: "I do hope so. We want him back and no setbacks. I would say let’s see what happens after the international break. We are still [making] steps forward. It’s on track so far.”

On Kulusevski, he added: "Deki is still not on the grass. We're working very hard to get him fit as quickly as possible."

Tottenham's Justin Cochrane is one of English football's most promising young coaches but had to deal with personal tragedy last year as his wife sadly passed away

England and Tottenham Hotspur coach Justin Cochrane has spoken openly about the devastating death of his wife, Leeanne.

Cochrane, who currently serves as assistant coach to Thomas Frank at Spurs, tragically lost his wife in November 2024, when she was just 40 years old.

The 43-year-old was still working at Brentford under Frank at the time, before accepting his role as part of Thomas Tuchel's backroom staff for the England national team in February 2025.

But, while continuing to build his promising coaching career, he has been forced to navigate the unbearable grief of losing the mother of his three sons to a rare form of thyroid cancer.

The couple were initially told by doctors that she had a very slim chance of survival. Despite receiving treatment at the Royal Marsden hospital in London, Leeanne tragically died ten months later.

Cochrane bravely opened up about her passing in a recent Sky Sports interview, explaining: “Going from everything going smoothly sailing to being a solo parent and organising everything around my family. Dealing with the shock while maintaining my work, it is difficult to put into words what I have experienced this last year.

“She was an incredible wife and mother, she was perfect for me and she brought balance to the family. She supported my journey in coaching and did whatever she could for the boys. My life was pretty much perfect and she was a massive part of that.

“Leeanne, although she did not have many symptoms of illness, after ten months she was no longer here. The decline was pretty quick and very tough to see as her husband and to manage as a father.

“It was incredibly tough, I had the support of the club [Brentford] and all the staff. I told the players quite early on as there would be times I would be away and they were all supportive. Christian Norgaard, the captain, was incredible throughout.

“That period was tough because there was hope that maybe she could beat this. But there was also realism if she did go and what would happen, I had less sleep then. After she passed, I probably slept five hours but before when she was ill and I was dealing with those thoughts, it was three hours.”

Reflecting on the immediate aftermath of Leeanne's death, the former QPR and Millwall centre-back continued: “It was a bit of a daze, I was in shock, it felt like I was knocked out but I was still on my feet. I went into a mode to provide for my three sons, Leeanne spoke about me looking after them and myself.

“That gave me my strength, although the days were tough and the nights were long. Every time I got out of bed I had to find a way to get to the end of the day and some days were harder than others of course.

“Football was able to give a release and was able to help, a good training session with laughs and joy or a win on the weekend could give you a little lift. But then the reality sets in again and you keep going and you find a little way.”

Cochrane, who has had a community bench made in his wife's memory close to their home, is due to travel to the World Cup with England next summer. However, he recalled breaking down in tears on the team coach early in his Three Lions career, when a certain song played on the speakers.

He explained: “I was on the way to Wembley and a song came on the coach and I had been with the staff maybe five days.

“I just started crying, I was sat opposite Henrique Hilario, and in that moment he just knew and gave me a hug.

“He just saw what was required but it had just hit me, I had been fine for a few days but it hit me that she was not going to be with me that day.”

Ivan Toney has been linked with a return to the Premier League in January, with Tottenham among the clubs reportedly interested in the Al-Ahli striker

Ivan Toney is reportedly considering a return to the Premier League in January, amidst rumours of a potential transfer to Tottenham. The 29-year-old has been plying his trade in Saudi Arabia for the past 15 months, having signed for Al-Ahli from Brentford in August 2024.

Since his move to the Middle East, Toney has been in scintillating form, netting 41 goals and providing eight assists in 59 appearances. With the former Peterborough striker scoring 11 of those in just 15 matches this season, talk about a possible return to English football has intensified.

Sky Sports reports that Toney is contemplating a Premier League comeback following his departure from Brentford last summer. It's suggested that several top-tier clubs have made enquiries about a January deal, with Everton and Tottenham among the interested parties.

Manchester United are thought to be another club linked with Toney, with Ruben Amorim's side keen on the striker before his move to Saudi Arabia.

Toney found the back of the net 36 times across 83 top-flight outings for Brentford before securing his £40million switch to Al-Ahli in 2024. His finest Premier League season arrived in 2022/23 when he bagged 20 goals in 33 appearances, with only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (36) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (30) surpassing his tally.

He flourished under the management of Thomas Frank at the Bees, with the Dane now the current boss at Tottenham. Reflecting on his choice to leave Brentford for the Saudi Pro League, Toney revealed in December 2024: "I came here and the training ground was good, the stadium was nice and the quality in the team was good also. People look at this league differently, but I stepped into it knowing it's still a high standard.

"I wanted something a bit different. It's a different culture, but I can blend in anywhere. I've been at Peterborough, Brentford, now out of the UK. I'm excited to be on this journey. I believe it's the right move at this stage of my career."

After an outstanding maiden campaign at Al-Ahli, netting 30 times in 44 appearances, Toney secured his England return during the summer. The call-up represented his first selection since Thomas Tuchel took over from Gareth Southgate as England's new boss at the beginning of 2025.

Despite Toney featuring for just two minutes in a 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal, the pathway remains available for him to secure his World Cup berth next summer. Nevertheless, a Premier League comeback might prove necessary to cement his international prospects.