Football London

Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri pulled off a brilliant goal which had echoes of a Robert Pires classic ahead of big week for the Gunners

Ethan Nwaneri scored a wonderful goal while on duty with England’s under-21s this week, as he again cements his place in the mind of Mikel Arteta. Discussion over minutes and potential loan moves has dominated the discourse of late.

However, the player again showed exactly why Mikel Arteta has the confidence to keep him in the group, knowing he will get minutes. However, it was the finish against Slovakia that drew parallels to a certain Arsenal legend and the Invincibles.

While it might have lacked the beautiful piece of skill Robert Pires executed, dinking the ball over George Boateng’s head in 2002, the chipped finish over Peter Schmeichel is what Nwaneri would recreate. Adam Hrdina was left helpless, running back watching the ball fly over his head to nestle in the back of the net.

Nwaneri’s minutes have been mitigated by the arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, in addition to the arrival into the senior setup of Max Dowman. Arteta has been open in his criticisms of Nwaneri in some ways.

Citing the duels he has lost or the lack of impact in some moments. However, there is no doubt about his keenness to get the best from a talent that he has shown belief in since he allowed him to become the Premier League’s youngest-ever player when he made his debut against Brentford at 15.

For the North London Derby, even with Martin Odegaard out, it is unlikely that Nwaneri would start the game, but with the clash with Chelsea just a week away, it wouldn’t be a surprise should Arteta decide to rotate in midweek.

Arsenal have won four out of four in Europe this season, and although Bayern Munich are by far the most challenging side they have faced this season, the desperation for points in the league phase pales in comparison to the Premier League right now. There are some other players returning from injury, as mentioned, but Nwaneri could still be in with a chance to start against the German champions.

Thomas Frank has had a solid start to life at Tottenham and is being backed to take Spurs high up the Premier League table

Tottenham have been backed to finish second in the Premier League, just behind Arsenal, ahead of the first North London Derby of the season.

Spurs make the short trip to face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday knowing they must turn around their horrific record in this fixture in recent years. The Lilywhites have lost five of their last six games against the Gunners and have not won against their arch rivals since May 2022.

Under Thomas Frank this season, though, Tottenham have been more solid defensively and currently find themselves fifth in the Premier League. They are still eight points behind league leaders Arsenal but know a win or draw will help them in their quest to finish in the top four.

In fact, Frank's side have been backed to finish second by former Gunners defender Bacary Sagna. When asked for his top four prediction, Sagna, speaking to Reece Mennie on his podcast, said: " Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man City.

"People will say, but why would you say Tottenham? I saw them playing against Arsenal on pre-season. It's a long time I didn't see Tottenham playing this way. It's a long time I didn't see the intensity they put in defending, in reshaping the team, in taking players on one-on-one, technically, players at that level.

"And I was impressed. I was like, woah, you know what, this season they're going to be competing. I'm happy because I'm a football lover, to see them coming because I like competition.

"So I'm looking forward to see the Arsenal vs Tottenham game because this is what I like the most. And, of course, I support Arsenal, but as a football lover and for what it takes and for the showcase they will put on, I think it's good for football in general. So I'm happy to see them at the level they are because I love football more than anything and I like to see competitive games."

Under Frank this season, Tottenham have won five, drawn three and lost three of their 11 games in the league. While they have recorded an impressive win against Man City, they suffered embarrassing defeats to Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Chelsea at home.

The players were booed after that loss to Chelsea and Frank already knows how difficult it is to be consistent in the Premier League. "All the players are of course frustrated," Frank said after the 1-0 loss. "They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that.

"I think it is difficult to be consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that."

Tottenham performed much better in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United just before the November international break and Frank will be hoping his side can build on that against Arsenal. The goal remains finishing in the top four but whether that happens may well just depend on consistency.

Mathys Tel joined Tottenham on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich during the summer window following a six-month loan spell in north London

Italian side Roma are said to be eyeing a January swoop for Tottenham winger Mathys Tel. The France U21 international has struggled for regular minutes so far this season under Thomas Frank after being omitted from Spurs' Champions League squad at the beginning of the campaign.

However, prior to the international break, Tel had a huge impact from the bench against Manchester United and netted in the pulsating 2-2 draw.

The former Bayern Munich starlet has scored just two goals in all competitions this season, however, having also netted in Tottenham's 2-1 triumph over Leeds at Elland Road in October.

Meanwhile, reports in Italy have indicated that Tel has been identified by Roma as a possible transfer option this winter.

But it's also been claimed that Spurs wouldn't be willing to listen to loan offers and would instead only consider permanent bids.

Given Frank's squad has already been depleted by injuries this season, it seems unlikely the Dane would be prepared to weaken his squad before strengthening it.

Roma also have Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee on their radar with Gian Piero Gasperini's side currently second in the Serie A standings and level on points with first-place Inter Milan.

There is also a chance that Tel could soon be added into Spurs' Champions League squad after Randal Kolo Muani suffered a fractured jaw against Manchester United.

Kolo Muani is projected to miss around six weeks of football, though UEFA rules state that participants can replace players with long-term injuries.

The threshold is that any player that is replaced must be scheduled to miss around 60 days through injury and at this moment in time, there is hope Kolo Muani might return sooner as he does not require surgery.

Tel joined Tottenham on a permanent deal for around £30million in June after helping the club achieve Europa League glory in Bilbao under Ange Postecoglou.

He joined Spurs late in the January window on an initial six-month loan despite widespread interest from the Premier League.

Back in September, the Frenchman shared his disappointment at being left out of the club's Champions League roster.

He said: "It's clear that when you're not on a list, it definitely hurts. But I'm someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I've worked a lot on the mental aspect.

"So today it's definitely a disappointment, I would have liked to be there. But the coach's choice is the coach's choice, we can only respect it and we're going to work to come back in the best possible way."

Thomas Frank will be assessing his Tottenham players as they return from international duty over the coming days, with Sunday's North London Derby against Arsenal to come

Brennan Johnson's impact at Tottenham last season perhaps does not get the recognition it deserves.

The winger was Spurs' top goalscorer in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign with 18 goals in 53 appearances. The Welshman also managed seven assists in that period, which means he ended the season with 25 goal contributions. Not bad at all, all things considered.

Despite that, the 23-year-old has his critics. Since signing from Nottingham Forest in a £47.5million deal in the summer of 2023, some question the Welsh international's end product and ability to make the right decision consistently.

The signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in the summer has meant Johnson no longer is a guaranteed starter, although both players have played a fair bit of football already this season due to their versatility.

With Johnson scoring four goals for Spurs in 17 appearances heading into the November international break, the former Forest man added another goal to his name in Wales' 7-1 demolition of North Macedonia in Cardiff on Tuesday. Captain Harry Wilson scored a hat-trick, with David Brooks, Johnson, Daniel James and Nathan Broadhead also on the scoresheet as Wales secured their place in the World Cup play-offs.

The win means Wales will play at home in their play-off semi-final, with the match to be played at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26. “That’s massive. The fans really get us through games and were amazing again," Fulham star Wilson said after the match.

“When we conceded in the first half to make it 2-1, their response to that goal gave us a boost, and Brennan (Johnson) produces an amazing goal to give us that breathing space again. From then onwards we were the dominant team.”

Receiving the ball on the left hand side, Johnson dribbled inside before unleashing a fierce strike which found the top right corner. It was a moment of magic from the Tottenham man and Thomas Frank will be hoping he can do that on a more frequent basis, starting with Sunday's North London Derby against Arsenal.

With Dejan Kulusevski out injured and there being doubts over the fitness of Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani, Johnson may well find himself in the starting line-up against the Gunners at the weekend.

The winger should be in a confident mood after his performance for his country and Frank has already outlined what his biggest strengths are. “I think one of Brennan’s big strengths is the ability to arrive in the right areas. That’s a key strength, and the ability to score goals is quite good," the Dane said.

“I agree, I think he was positive when he came on the pitch (against Monaco). I think he had the biggest chance we had. He arrived in some good areas, he also worked hard in the recovery runs which he needs to do. So, yes, that is his key strength.”

Tottenham's players will likely arrive back at Hotspur Way on Wednesday and Thursday and all involved at the club will be preparing for Sunday's huge clash against Arsenal. Johnson will be hoping he is not only involved from the start, but can also make an impact just like he did with Wales on Tuesday.

Uruguay were thrashed 5-1 by the United States in an international friendly in Tampa on Tuesday evening

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was shown a straight red card in Uruguay's embarrassing 5-1 capitulation at the hands of the United States on Tuesday night.

The Spurs maestro was already on a booking when he made the strong challenge on USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. Berhalter required treatment and the force of the tackle was notably audible during the TV broadcast.

Guatemalan referee Julio Cesar de Jesus Luna Guzman was quickly surrounded by a host of United States players including former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who began waving an imaginary card in a bid to get Bentancur sent off.

Following some deliberation, Guzman then showed Bentancur red and sent the former Juventus man for an early bath.

Uruguay were already 4-1 down at the time following first-half goals from Berhalter, Alex Freeman (two) and Diego Luna.

To compound Uruguay's misery, the hosts then added a fifth just four minutes after Bentancur's dismissal through Lyon's Tanner Tessmann.

After the game, the Uruguayan media hit out at the national team's torrid display in Tampa, claiming Marcelo Bielsa's side are in crisis ahead of next summer's World Cup finals.

Depending on respective governing bodies, in this case CONMEBOL, red cards in international friendlies can lead to suspensions in future friendlies.

It's currently unclear whether Bentancur will serve a ban following his dismissal in Florida, though he will be available for this weekend's North London Derby against Arsenal.

Former Leeds boss Bielsa took responsibility for the defeat during his post-match press conference, stating: "Obviously, our team played with players who play more frequently against players who don't play as frequently in the United States and the differences were what they were, what you saw.

"So, what's clear is my management of a team that was outplayed, as Uruguay was today. I don't see or feel that there's any need to make an individual or collective complaint and not having that feeling only increases my share of the responsibility, which in this case is all of it."

Uruguay have already booked their ticket to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer after finishing fourth in South America's World Cup qualification standings.

They won seven of their 18 games, also drawing seven and losing four times to finish ahead of Brazil.

Bentancur's side have not performed well in recent times though, drawing 0-0 with Mexico, scraping past Uzbekistan after narrowly pipping the Dominican Republic 1-0.

Tottenham have been hampered by injuries so far this season with that expected to remain the case against bitter rivals Arsenal in their return to Premier League action on Sunday

Thomas Frank has a staggering 12 Tottenham injury concerns ahead of this weekend's North London Derby against Arsenal. Spurs have made a decent start to the 2025/26 campaign which has been made even more impressive by the sheer amount of key absentees over the first few months.

Defeat at home to Chelsea and the last-gasp draw against Manchester United has seen optimism remain low especially with games against Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on the horizon. Both teams have been handed brutal injury blows over the last few weeks with the Lilywhites also taking a few hits.

However, key returns are expected for the visitors to Emirates Stadium this weekend with Mohammed Kudus the marquee name on track to make a long-awaited comeback despite only missing the last few games.

With all of that being said, football.london has taken a look at the latest Tottenham injury news and when those currently missing could return.

Mohammed Kudus

Kudus is expected to return for the clash against Arsenal.

Potential return date: Arsenal (A) - Sunday, November 23.

Lucas Bergvall

Further concussion issues forced Bergvall to pull out of the Sweden squad after he missed two Spurs matches.

The update from his national team suggests he may still be struggling with symptoms and is thus a doubt to face Arsenal.

What Sweden official Stefan Pettersson said: "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."

Potential return date: N/A.

Pape Sarr

Sarr was forced off in action for Senegal against Brazil at Emirates Stadium, which has resulted in him returning to Hotspur Way early.

What Senegal boss Pape Thiaw said: "We left him in London. He took a knock. So we felt it would be difficult for him to recover in just two days.

“Since we were in his home city, we preferred to leave him at the disposal of his club so he could receive treatment there.”

Potential return date: Arsenal (A) - Sunday, November 23.

Randal Kolo Muani

Reports in France have claimed Randal Kolo Muani fractured his jaw in the draw against Manchester United.

Potential return date: December/January.

Dominic Solanke

Frank is hopeful of having Solanke back before the end of the year with the striker yet to start a competitive game this season.

What Frank has said: " We want him back and no setbacks. We're very aware of doing it in the right way. It is going in the right way, but he won't be back before the international break."

Potential return date: December/January.

James Maddison

An ACL injury is expected to keep Maddison out of action until May 2026 at the earliest.

Potential return date: Summer 2026

Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski underwent surgery on his knee back in April and is expected to return in the New Year.

What Frank has said: " Deki is still not on the grass. We're working very hard to get him fit as quickly as possible."

Potential return date: January 2026.

Radu Dragusin

Dragusin stepped up his recovery from a serious knee injury with a 45-minute appearance in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier this month before training with Romania.

What Frank has said: " He's fully integrated into training now. An ACL [injury] is not tricky, but it's such a big injury, because you're out for nine months, so you need to build strength in the knee. He is definitely getting closer to being involved. I think we plan to play him in a friendly [during the Nov break], as I understand it."

Potential return date: December 2026.

Archie Gray

A minor calf problem has kept Gray out of action but he is on track to return this month.

Potential return date: Late November.

Ben Davies

Davies suffered an injury during last month's international break and is still yet to return.

Potential return date: N/A.

Yves Bissouma

Bissouma had a minor procedure on his ankle after suffering an injury on his return for Mali during October.

Potential return date: N/A.

Kota Takai

Summer signing Takai is yet to appear for his new team because of plantar fasciitis and a quad issue.

Mikel Merino looking the likeliest starter for Arsenal in the centre-forward role against Tottenham Hotspur as Viktor Gyokeres question mark remains after international break

Mikel Merino is becoming the likeliest candidate to start up front for Arsenal in the North London Derby. Tottenham Hotspur arrive at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with injury concerns of their own to deal with.

Yet the Gunners have been experiencing something of a crisis while still sitting clear at the top of the Premier League table as they enter a defining week of their season. Spurs lead a three-game gauntlet, which includes Bayern Munich in midweek, before a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Having lost Viktor Gyokeres to injury at Burnley, the Swede continues his recovery after missing the international break with Sweden. However, football.london understands that optimism over a start against Tottenham has not grown over the break, and he remains a considerable question mark for the match.

Arsenal are inclined not to rush back any of their players, and were reminded of the caution that is needed during recovery after German boss Julian Nagelsmann revealed he was made aware Kai Havertz had suffered a setback in his own rehabilitation from knee surgery.

“Kai Havertz had [a] minor relapse on his injury, but overall he’s doing well,” he said. “He is expected to return towards the end of the year.” Now, November is of course at the end of the year too, although a December return could indeed look more likely at this stage.

Gabriel Jesus is back in training, but with such a shortage of options, Arsenal are keen to give the Brazilian maximum chances of returning to full fitness. Despite being shown clinically finishing chances in training sessions, an injury of his seriousness needs to be allowed the best chances to heal before being thrown into senior action.

Jurrien Timber, on his recovery, featured for the under-21s on a number of occasions before his return. Jesus did not play in their last game before the winter break last week, which could indicate how far he remains from making it back into the squad. This therefore leaves on more option, Merino.

Having come through both of Spain’s final World Cup qualifiers, without impressing in the same way as he had in October and September, Merino could be again, for the third straight match, the option at centre-forward. Andre Harriman-Annous is the youth starlet who is another option, but for the derby, Arteta is most likely to call on his experienced figurehead once again.

Fans should remember that Merino led the line at the end of the last season, including scoring against the then European champions Real Madrid in the 3-0 home victory. Merino cannot offer everything the typical striker can, but he remains a clinical finisher, and if Arsenal can get the ball to the Spaniard in a dangerous area, he could be the difference in the derby.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Troy Parrott has been prolific since being sold to AZ Alkmaar last summer

Former Tottenham Hotspur starlet Troy Parrott has captured attention with his heroics for Ireland. The striker enjoyed an unforgettable few days as he helped keep the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup hopes alive.

The 23-year-old scored a brace last Thursday to seal an unlikely home victory over Portugal, but Parrott went one step further in Ireland’s final World Cup qualifier. Away in Hungary, he completed his hat-trick in the 96th minute to give Ireland a 3-2 win and book their place in the play-offs.

Parrott has flourished since being sold by Spurs in 2024. The young forward was considered a hot prospect during his time at the club but only made four first team appearances, being loaned out on five occasions.

His final loan spell as a Spurs player was with Dutch side Excelsior, where Parrott’s performances impressed AZ Alkmaar. Parrott was sold for £6.7million, with former boss Ange Postecoglou later explaining that competition for places, including the subsequent arrival of Dominic Solanke, limited his chances of making a first team breakthrough.

Despite leaving Spurs, Parrott was not away from the club for long. Tottenham faced AZ in the Europa League group phase before meeting again during the round of 16 on Spurs’ route to winning the trophy.

"It is good to see Troy doing well, I think he had a great loan spell in the Dutch League last year," Postecoglou said ahead of the group game between the two sides. "He is looking like he started his AZ career in positive fashion too so it is great.

"In terms of getting a chance, sometimes in football it is just about timing. We have a striker here mate who was at Chelsea and Liverpool early in his career and he has done alright since. There is a pathway forward for everybody."

Parrott has thrived since his permanent move to AZ. He scored 20 goals in all competitions last season and has been even more prolific at the start of this campaign, scoring 13 goals in 14 games.

Spurs will be pleased to see their former prospect thriving, not least because Tottenham could still profit from the striker’s next move. football.london understands that Spurs included a 20 per cent sell-on clause as part of Parrott’s move to AZ.

However, Spurs did not agree a buyback clause in Parrott’s deal. The forward is likely to attract interest from plenty of clubs in future transfer windows due to the combination of his club form and vital goals for Ireland.

Meanwhile, Parrott will want to continue his hot streak as he returns to club action. The former Spurs star was overcome with emotion when asked how he felt after his hat-trick for Ireland.

"I'm really, really emotional. They're tears of joy. Ah, what a night, what a night," Parrott told RTE. "This is why we love football, because things like this can happen. Look, I love where I'm from, so this means the world to me. My family is here.

"It's the first time I've cried in years as well, I really, really can't believe it. Everyone is crying. I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but this tonight, I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life.

"That is really a fairy tale. You can't even dream about something like that. Honestly, I have no words to describe my emotions right now."

James Maddison and Yves Bissouma are currently sidelined with injury but Thomas Frank will be hoping a number of Tottenham stars return for the clash against Arsenal

Tottenham's injury issues have been well documented in recent weeks, with Thomas Frank potentially without as many as 12 players for the weekend's North London Derby against Arsenal.

It's a far from ideal scenario for the Dane as he prepares his side to face the Premier League leaders. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma and Archie Gray have either not featured at all this campaign or only been afforded limited minutes due to injury.

There are also concerns over the fitness of Ben Davies, Kota Takai, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani going into Sunday's clash at Emirates Stadium. Pape Matar Sarr also limped off during Senegal's 2-0 defeat to Brazil on Saturday, with the 23-year-old missing his country's friendly against Kenya on Tuesday.

“We left him in London," Senegal manager Pape Thiaw said. "He took a knock. So we felt it would be difficult for him to recover in just two days. Since we were in his home city, we preferred to leave him at the disposal of his club so he could receive treatment there.”

Frank will be keen to get a number of the aforementioned players back fit as soon as possible, and two senior stars have been hard at work in the gym at Hotspur Way over the international break. James Maddison shared a picture of himself with Yves Bissouma in the gym on Tuesday on his Instagram account, alongside a bicep emoji.

Maddison suffered an ACL injury in pre-season and is expected to miss most of the season, while Bissouma was stretchered off with an ankle injury while playing for Mali in October and has since undergone surgery. Both players are yet to play for Spurs this season and it's unclear at this stage when both will make their returns.

The England international was a big support to Radu Dragusin during the centre-back's own recovery from an ACL injury picked up in January and was even in attendance at a behind-closed-doors friendly last week as Dragusin made his long-awaited comeback.

"Honestly everybody, but you know, especially Madders, he was there when I got injured, he always was next to me to give me a laugh in a difficult day," Dragusin said after playing 45 minutes for Tottenham Under-21s against Leyton Orient. "For him to be here next to me, it really meant a lot, because you know, this is how we are here, we are a family, we don't let anyone down in the hard moments, so I'm really grateful to be part of this group."

It may be that Bissouma and Maddison, and all the other injured stars, share a close bong over the coming weeks and months as they look to push each other through their rehabilitations. Frank will be hoping the recoveries go smoothly and that some of his injured stars will be available for this weekend's North London Derby.

Tottenham face Arsenal in the first North London Derby of the season on Sunday and Thomas Frank has been given somewhat of a double boost going into the clash

The end of the international break is fast approaching and Thomas Frank will have his attention firmly on the North London Derby.

Tottenham make the short trip to Emirates Stadium to face arch rivals Arsenal on Sunday, with the Gunners currently four points clear at the top of the Premier League. Frank, though, will only be focusing on his own side and as he only has one win against a team managed by Arteta throughout his career, the Dane will want to make that two come the weekend.

Spurs are experiencing somewhat of an injury crisis at the minute, however. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin have not played a single minute this campaign due to injury, while Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Kota Takai, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani and Pape Matar Sarr are all sidelined.

While a few of the aforementioned players may well return for the North London Derby, Frank will want the players he does have fit to be ready when called upon. The former Brentford boss would have been impressed by what Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel did on Monday night then.

Playing for France U21s against Faroe Islands U21s in a European Under-21 Championship 2027 qualifier, Tel scored the only goal of the game as he captained the side to a 1-0 win. The Frenchman's 37th minute penalty proved to be the decisive moment in the match as his country went top of Group C.

Simons, meanwhile, scored Netherlands' third goal of the night against Lithuania in a 4-0 victory. The result secured the Netherlands' place at World Cup 2026 with Simons playing well in the 78 minutes he was on the pitch.

The fact Tel and Simons both scored while on international duty will be music to Frank's ears as we approach the vital clash against Arsenal on Sunday. Both could feasibly start against the Gunners given Frank's lack of options at present and the duo should go into the match with plenty of confidence.

Tottenham have struggled with inconsistency in the forward areas so far this season and Frank is still trying different things in an attempt to get the best out of his players. Speaking after the 2-2 draw with Manchester United before the international break, Frank said: “We are searching to find the right balance up front and I think when we look at the game back, I think there was positive bits going forward.

“We constantly work on the relationship and try to improve it with the players and try to find what is exactly the right blend, but I think there were small steps in the right direction. (Against United) we wanted two strikers, Kolo Muani and Richarlison, for the crosses, which we thought was an area where we potentially could hurt United.

“I think it worked perfectly with the first one (by Brennan Johnson), where Richarlison got a big chance, so that could have been an unbelievable, fantastic game plan from us. So that was part of it and we need different personalities and types for different games.”