Football London

It was a wretched night for Sweden on home soil as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Kosovo in their latest World Cup qualification match

Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has explained his decision to substitute Tottenham attacking midfielder Lucas Bergvall at half-time of their 1-0 World Cup qualification defeat to Kosovo. After four matches, the Scandinavian nation's hopes of qualifying for next summer's tournament are all but over following a disastrous campaign.

Despite boasting arguably two of the world's best strikers in Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, Sweden sit bottom of Group B with just a single point to their name. While Friday's 2-0 defeat to Switzerland was damaging, the embarrassing loss to Kosovo on Monday night is terminal.

Sweden can no longer qualify as group winners and even their hopes of finishing second and earning a play-off spot are now incredibly slim.

Spurs playmaker Bergvall, who missed an open goal on Friday against Switzerland, started against Kosovo but was hooked at the break.

If any Tottenham supporters were tracking the events in Gothenburg, they would have been concerned that Bergvall had picked up an injury.

But Tomasson has now confirmed the call was purely tactical, stating post-match: "We were down 1-0 and we wanted to change things. In the second half, with the changes we made, I think our formation surprised Kosovo a little bit.

"We created good moments that could have led to goals. Sometimes you have to change things at half-time."

Bergvall himself has also confirmed there were no fitness problems, telling the Swedish media: "No, I'm perfectly healthy."

His substitution is arguably good news for Spurs as it means their 19-year-old Player of the Year is reasonably rested for Sunday's visit of Aston Villa.

According to Sofascore, Bergvall had the second-highest rating (7.4) on the pitch in the first half. He completed 22 of his 25 passes, four of his five attempted dribbles and also won six of his seven duels.

Incredibly, Sweden now have a goal difference of minus five - even though their squad is littered with top talent from Europe's top-five domestic leagues.

After the defeat, an anti-Tomasson banner appeared in the stands which read: "JDT out - Danish b******." The former Blackburn Rovers boss insists he won't be stepping down as he plans to honour his contract.

He said when asked if he will consider resigning: "I have a contract with the association and we are in the middle of qualifying, so I expect to be here. I have a contract and we are in the middle of qualifying, so I expect that to stay. I am focused on the team and the upcoming matches."

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been speaking about Lionel Messi, Rodri, Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and much more!

Thomas Frank has revealed Lionel Messi is the best player he's watched live while the Tottenham boss has also tipped Rodri to become a top coach or manager in the future.

The Dane is currently enjoying some rest bite from the relentless football calendar due to the current international break, although members of the Spurs squad will return to Hotspur Way in the coming days and preparations for Aston Villa on Sunday will start to ramp up.

Frank has had time to reflect during the short break and interestingly made his feelings known on Inter Miami star Messi. In an interview with SPORTbible, Frank said when asked who the best player is he's seen live: "Messi. Been privileged to watch him I think eight or 10 times.

"Exceptional, I must admit. I actually watched him against I think it was Tottenham, wasn't it? But anyway, he was very, very good, so top player."

Frank was also very honest when asked for the best player he has coached. "That's a very tricky question. I'll mention a few," he said. "Former Spurs player Christian Eriksen I think was a fantastic player. Coached him when he was in my under-17 national team.

"I would say also both Ivan Toney, David Raya, Ollie Watkins are among them, and another one, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the national team, and Andreas Christensen."

Manchester City midfielder Rodri was also tipped to become a future manager by Frank, with the former Brentford man describing the 29-year-old as "intelligent". "It needs to be a midfielder, I think, because normally it's those who most normally become managers," Frank said. "I will name Rodri from [Man] City. Clever midfielder, so maybe he'll be a coach or manager one day.

"I think he's intelligent on the pitch. I think he's also quite intelligent in the press, so yeah, if he wants to go into that circus. I understand some players that don't want to go into it. You know, I'm a little bit from a different background. He's been in it for maybe, that's when he will stop or retire, maybe 18 years, so it's even more when you're a manager or a head coach, and probably not as fun as playing."

Spurs could be without another of their senior players when they host Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Tottenham defender Ben Davies is set for further assessment after he was forced off with an injury in Wales' 4-2 World Cup qualification defeat to Belgium.

The Spurs' veteran was making his 100th appearance for The Dragons, but the night ended in disappointment for the experienced 32-year-old, who was captaining his country in the absence of Aaron Ramsey.

Davies went to ground and had to leave the field on 72 minutes as he was not able to continue He was, however, able to walk off the field with what appears to be a muscular issue.

The former Swansea City full-back, who now operates as a central defender, is yet to feature for Spurs this season.

He battled through a knee issue last month and remains part of Thomas Frank's leadership group after previously playing an important backstage role under Ange Postecoglou.

While he hasn't been playing, Davies is a key voice in the Spurs dressing room and any layoff would still come as a blow to Frank, as the Welshman also sets the standard on the training pitch.

The Dane has already lost Yves Bissouma, who was stretchered off on Sunday evening just seconds after entering the field for Mali in their 4-1 win over Madagascar.

With two qualifiers to play in November against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia, Wales will be hoping to call upon Davies next month as they target a World Cup play-off spot.

The 4-2 defeat to Belgium leaves them third in Group J, three points behind second-place North Macedonia and four points off leaders Belgium.

Davies, who made his Wales debut way back in 2012, was praised by national team boss Craig Bellamy for his professionalism ahead of his 100th cap.

Bellamy said: "I watched the game back against Canada and he [Davies] was so good. He was just amazing in every part of his game. As good as I've ever seen him play for Wales, that was my feeling.

"We can all agree that he's been a top player. But we are all very impressed with him as an individual, as a person.

"You can see when he does interviews. He's very impressive. He will be a top manager if he wants to be. Or he could become a director of football, or a CEO [chief executive officer].

"He's that level and beyond impressive as a person. His level of consistency – and his consistency of being available – is a credit to him."

Mohammed Kudus has had an international break to remember after the Tottenham star ensured Ghana's place at the 2026 World Cup.

The 25-year-old scored the only goal of the game as Ghana defeated Comoros 1-0 at home on Sunday evening. The Black Stars needed just a point to book their place at next summer's finals and it was Kudus' second-half strike which was enough for Otto Addo's side.

Venturing into the box in the 47th minute, the former West Ham man met Thomas Partey's low cross to tap home past the helpless Comoros goalkeeper. The result meant Ghana topped Group I, six points clear of second-placed Madagascar.

"For me, personally, surely it's a big achievement," Addo said after the game. "But to be honest, I think more about us."

He added: "It's good for us, for everyone, for every Ghanaian. It's good for the players, not only for me, so this is the most important thing."

Kudus will now return to London ahead of Tottenham's Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday. The former Ajax star has been in decent form as of late and scored his first goal for Spurs against Leeds United before the break.

The attacking midfielder already has five assists to his name in the Premier League, too, and Thomas Frank was delighted his No.20 managed to get off the mark against Leeds. "Mo, again, getting his goal, which I'm pleased with," the Dane admitted. "It was about time he scored that goal! But no, I'm so pleased for him. So, you just see he looked a little bit more fluid."

Frank previously called on Kudus to improve his attacking output and his two goals in three games for club and country will certainly please the Tottenham boss. “Of course, I followed him from a distance. [Kudus] impressed me the first season at West Ham and a little less last season,” the former Brentford boss said.

“Looking from distance, they maybe didn’t have their best season for various reasons. I don’t want to go into detail, it’s very difficult to judge from the outside, [but] that maybe doesn’t help. From a player perspective, I can only really speak about the players I am coaching right now.

“I think he’s been quite consistent, so hopefully he can keep that going forward. That is definitely [our aim]. Definitely, all the front three or four players need to provide goals and score goals.

"Wingers and strikers need to have quite a significant number of goals, or as many as possible. So, of course, that is a target for Mo as well. I know he’s very eager to get better numbers on the board.”

The international break always brings fresh worries over potential injuries for clubs - and managers - and it's no different at Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Frank will be watching his players involved in international matches carefully and some of his fears may have been realised over the weekend.

Making his way back from injury that has kept him out so far this season, it seems that Yves Bissouma has now suffered another problem while representing Mali.

In a more positive light, though, the international breaks also provide players making their way back from injury extra-time to step up their recovery ahead of the return of Premier League fixtures.

With that in mind, here's the latest news from the Spurs injury room ahead of their Premier League clash against Aston Villa this weekend;

Yves Bissouma

Injury: Ankle

The midfielder made his return to action for Mali in their World Cup Qualifier on Sunday night. However, his match ended early when he suffered the injury.

Bissouma showed he was in a lot of pain - and he was eventually stretchered off the pitch. It comes after he made a return from a knee injury.

Spurs now face a wait to discover the extent of the injury.

Potential return date: TBC

Dominic Solanke

Injury: Ankle

What Frank has said: "Dominic has had a minor procedure, and it went well. As I said in Bodo, in terms of a time frame, we'll know more after the international break."

Potential return date: TBC

Randal Kolo Muani

Injury: Dead leg

What Frank has said: "Kolo Muani has been back on the pitch for the last two days, so that's very positive."

The forward played for 45 minutes in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Watford on Friday.

Predicted return date: October 19 vs Aston Villa (H)

Dejan Kulusevski

Injury: Knee

What Frank has said: "He's a key, key player for us. Instead of putting an exact month on [his return]. I just want him back as quick as possible. I know the medical team and Dejan are working very hard on that. It's not tomorrow, hopefully not too far away."

Potential return date: January 2026

Kota Takai

Injury: Plantar Fascia

What Frank has said: "Kota is better and better. He has trained fully with the team for a week to 10 days."

Predicted return date: October 19 vs Aston Villa (H)

Radu Dragusin

Injury: Knee

What Frank has said: "He's progressing well. He's been on the grass for three weeks - and is progressing as well as it should. We all know coming back from an ACL is a long one - he's on track - but it will be a few weeks before he's able to be involved."

Potential return date: November 2025

James Maddison

Injury: Knee

The attacking midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture during pre-season that will effectively rule him out for the season. As he continues his recovery, Maddison is regularly sharing updates - in his YouTube series.

Cristian Romero has been a huge player for Thomas Frank at Tottenham so far this season.

After signing a new long-term contract with the club over the summer amid links with an exit away, Romero was named the club's first team captain and has been excellent in the nine games he has played. Since scoring against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final, Romero has been part of a backline which has kept four clean sheets.

“I rate him super high. I think he is one of the best centre backs in the world. It helps when you have won a World Cup and the Europa League," Frank said of the Spurs captain last month.

“The best perform week in, week out. I definitely see a more mature player and person, not that he has not been that before. He is aggressive when he needs to be, cool and composed when he needs to be.

“I think he is a great character. He loves his football. He is like a boy sometimes with his love for the game. When he trains and plays, he has this focus, which is something really important. He is a great character.”

Romero sat out a number of games last season under Ange Postecoglou due to injury and Frank will be hoping the tough centre-back is able to stay fit this campaign. Spurs are currently third in the Premier League and are also unbeaten in the Champions League and Romero being fit and playing well is a huge reason for the decent start to the season.

Spurs have games against Aston Villa, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United in the next few weeks and Frank will want Romero available as much as possible. As a result, the Argentina international may need to be careful not to pick up any more bookings.

According to Premier League rules, players who receive a total of five yellow cards in their first 19 matches will be given a one-match suspension. Currently, Romero has received three yellow cards with Spurs having played seven games.

That means, should the defender pick up two more yellow cards in the next 12 league games, he will be suspended for one match. Should he pick up a caution against Villa on Sunday, and then another against Everton on October 26, he would be suspended for Tottenham's clash against Chelsea on November 1.

Elsewhere, Mohammed Kudus, Djed Spence and Joao Palhinha have all picked up two yellow cards in the league.

Tottenham striker Dane Scarlett has been called up to train with the England national team after Ollie Watkins was sent home from camp.

Thomas Tuchel's World Cup qualifiers have gone swimmingly thus far, with the Three Lions sitting atop of Group K with 15 points thanks to five wins from five matches. However, there's still work to be done should England hope to make it to next year's tournament in North America.

The nation will qualify for the major tournament with two games to spare if they are successful against Latvia on Tuesday evening at the Daugava Stadium, and will be able to utilise their remaining clashes with Serbia and Albania as a victory lap of sorts.

However, the Three Lions were dealt a major blow on Monday, when Aston Villa talisman Watkins was sent home from training through an injury sustained during England's 3-0 thumping of Wales last week. As a result, he will miss the trip to Latvia.

Taking to X, the official social media account of England wrote: "Ollie Watkins has been ruled out of tomorrow's @FIFAWorldCup qualifier against Latvia, having not recovered from the knock sustained against Wales. Speedy recovery, Ollie!"

Tuchel deployed Watkins from the outset against Craig Bellamy's Wales, where he scored in the first half alongside Morgan Rogers and Bukayo Saka. However, after missing a chance later in the half, Watkins collided with a goal post, receiving on-field treatment.

He was subsequently substituted off for Marcus Rashford as the second period of play got underway, and while Tuchel described him as "ok," after the match, he has since left the camp. It also remains to be seen as to whether he will make Aston Villa's clash with Tottenham on Sunday, October 19.

Thankfully, Bayern Munich talisman, Harry Kane, should be available for selection on Tuesday after missing the clash with Wales, while Barcelona loanee, Rashford, could also be deployed down the middle as opposed to on his favoured left flank.

As a result of Watkins leaving the camp and returning to Villa, Tottenham wonderkid Scarlett received a call-up from Tuchel to take part in the morning session at Spurs' Hotspur Way training ground.

Taking to X to share a photo of the 21-year-old during a training session alongside Kane, England wrote on social media: "Good to have you with us, @DScarlett09. #YoungLions forward Dane Scarlett joins the #ThreeLions for this morning's session at @SpursOfficial.

A product of the Spurs youth system, the forward has made 22 appearances for Tottenham thus far, with a goal and three assists to his name - although, he has mainly enjoyed loan spells with Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Oxford United to continue developing.

He has also scored 23 goals in 23 appearances for Spurs' Under-18s side, and is touted to be a major player in the future. He is yet to make a senior appearance for England as of yet.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has withdrawn from the England squad after sustaining a blow to his knee in Thursday's 3-0 friendly win over Wales. The 29-year-old frontman will not be travelling with the Three Lions to Latvia for Tuesday's World Cup qualification match in Riga.

The development also casts doubt over Watkins' potential involvement in Sunday's Premier League trip to Spurs. Watkins picked up the issue when accidentally sliding into the post after he had netted England's second goal of the night.

He was then substituted and later hobbled through the mixed zone, telling the reporters that were present that he thought he'd be okay. However, England have now published a statement confirming Watkins has returned to Villa.

It read: "Ollie Watkins has been ruled out of England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Latvia. The Aston Villa striker has not recovered from the knock sustained against Wales at Wembley on Thursday evening and has returned to his club."

Watkins is set to be assessed ahead of the trip to north London. He has previously scored three goals in three separate visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Spurs' chances of victory would certainly be bolstered by his absence.

It's been a challenging start to the campaign for both Watkins and Villa, however. While Unai Emery's side won four matches on the spin heading into the international break, Watkins has only found the back of the net once in 10 outings in all competitions.

He has started all seven of Villa's Premier League games and recently scored in the 3-1 win over Fulham.

Watkins knows Spurs boss Thomas Frank all too well having made 83 appearances under the Dane at Brentford.

The England international mustered 34 goals during that time to earn a transfer to Aston Villa in September 2020.

Spurs have won four of their opening seven top-flight matches and are currently just two points adrift of north London rivals Arsenal at the summit.

The games are now coming thick and fast for Frank's side as they also prepare for Champions League and EFL Cup fixtures.

After Villa, they travel to Monaco in the Champions League before facing their first trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium to play much-improved Everton.

Spurs are then on the road again to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup before three consecutive home fixtures against Chelsea, Copenhagen and Manchester United before the November international break.

Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma was taken off with an injury just moments into his first game of the season on Sunday night.

The 29-year-old missed the start to Spurs' season with a knee injury but had got himself back into a position of fitness where he could be called up by Mali during this international break, joining up for their second World Cup qualifying game of the fortnight against Madagascar.

Bissouma entered the fray at the Stade Modibo Keita in the 66th minute but reports from the 4-1 victory claim the midfielder was almost immediately injured after a challenge with an opposition player when the ball first came his way. The Tottenham midfielder was reportedly unable to walk off the pitch on his own and required a stretcher to take him off.

Bissouma's knee injury had scuppered the chances of a move away from N17 this summer. The former Brighton man's contract at the north London club is now approaching its final nine months and Spurs were looking to let him leave, with a transfer to Turkey and other Premier League sides mooted.

However, nothing was forthcoming for the midfielder, who was left out of the UEFA Super Cup squad at the start of the season by his new head coach Thomas Frank due to repeated lateness and then his Champions League squad for the league phase of the competition.

Last month after the window closed, the Spurs boss said: "There are no hard feelings at all. Not before, not now, not at all. Train well and everyone has an opportunity.

"He has just started to run outside, so he is not part of the group but everything I've seen when I’ve said hello to him and every day with the players, he seems good."

Now Bissouma looks to have another injury to deal with. If it is ankle injury as one social media report claimed after the game then the Mali international has previous with such a problem, having missed a chunk of his first season at the club with a stress fracture in his left ankle in February 2023 which required surgery.

Spurs return to Premier League action after the international break with the visit of Unai Emery's Aston Villa to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Villa finally got going before the break with a run of four straight victories, two coming in the Premier League and two in the Europa League. The Villains will come into the clash in N17 on Sunday sitting 13th in the fledgling table with Thomas Frank's side up in third with just one defeat under the new head coach in all competitions since the Premier League began.

Due to the staggered nature now of international matches, the Spurs players will be returning to Hotspur Way on different days across the coming week which can cause problems in terms of recovery and readiness, although the Villa match being on Sunday does provide a bit more preparation time for all involved.

Injuries in the second round of international matches could also bring further problems for Frank and the latest players back to the Enfield training complex will be those who play on Tuesday either in Europe or further afield.

Richarlison could be involved in Brazil's friendly in Japan, which kicks off at 11.30am UK time on Tuesday, while later that night Joao Palhinha could play for Portugal at home against Hungary, as could Pedro Porro for Spain at home against Bulgaria and Djed Spence for England in Latvia.

Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario take on Manor Solomon's Israel that night in Italy while the latest returnee to Hotspur Way could well be Pape Matar Sarr who faces a Senegal home World Cup qualifier against Mauritania on Tuesday night.

Rodrigo Bentancur is one of the few players to be given a fortnight off from international duty after Marcelo Bielsa named a young Uruguay squad for two friendlies in Asia in order to look at some new faces which means the experienced midfielder will be one of Frank's fresher players.

The Dane has another run of games after the Villa clash to take into account with Spurs heading to Monaco for their next Champions League game on Wednesday next week before returning to face Everton away at their new stadium the following Sunday. The Spurs head coach must juggle his side to decide who plays in which game.

Here's the Tottenham team we reckon Frank will select to face Villa.