Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank should consider a couple of alterations for Sunday's Premier League battle with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The Lilywhites are on the hunt for a third straight win in all tournaments this weekend, having battled past Brentford and Slavia Prague while keeping two clean sheets along the way.

Frank might have Brennan Johnson back from a knock in time for gameweek 16, but Yves Bissouma (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Destiny Udogie (thigh) and Dominic Solanke (ankle) are all sidelined.

Johnson would be an alternative to Wilson Odobert on the left, but Randal Kolo Muani was bright off the bench against Slavia Prague and could regain his place in the attacking quartet.

The influential Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus would welcome Kolo Muani back in that scenario, as well as Richarlison, who has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 24 Premier League starts.

Archie Gray has been a key component of Tottenham's recent revival and ought to be retained in the middle, likely alongside Rodrigo Bentancur as Joao Palhinha makes way.

Frank should also see no need to alter his defensive line, which will once again feature Djed Spence at left-back while Udogie recuperates for the next few weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Gray; Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison

The first instalment of the unofficial Ange Postecoglou derby, a resurgent Nottingham Forest host a revitalised Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League clash at the City Ground.

Both sides conquered foes on the continent in midweek, as the Lilywhites eased past Slavia Prague 3-0 in Champions League action, while the hosts eked out a 2-1 Europa League win over FC Utrecht.

Match preview

From a disastrous November to a merry December, Spurs fans may finally be feeling some festive cheer, as Thomas Frank aims to propel the Europa League winners to their third straight victory in all competitions and fourth successive game without defeat.

After closing out last month with a terrible three consecutive losses, a rejuvenated Spurs side have claimed two wins and a draw from their last three, stealing a point from Newcastle United before back-to-back successes over Brentford and Slavia Prague.

Home was formerly where the hatred was for Tottenham, but the Lilywhites' 2-0 triumph against Brentford last weekend moved them to within just three points of fifth-placed Chelsea, even if they are still languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League standings.

Frank now aims for a three-game winning sequence for the first time as Tottenham head coach, but the Lilywhites' exploits on their travels are not as pleasing as they used to be, with three losses and a draw from their last four away from home.

Nevertheless, 15 Premier League goals on the road this season is the joint-most of any club alongside London rivals Chelsea, and Spurs have netted at least twice in six of their seven top-flight away matches in 2025-26, the outlier being their North London derby drubbing at the hands of Arsenal.

Tottenham's total of 14 points on the road is double that of Forest's tally of seven on home soil this season, but after the Nuno Espirito Santo saga and Postecoglou disaster, Sean Dyche has steadied the ship and then some.

Overseeing six wins, two draws and just three losses in his first 11 games at the helm, the former Burnley and Everton boss appears to have found the perfect culture fit both at the City Ground and in the Europa League, where his side have claimed 10 points from the last 12 on offer.

A hard-fought win over Utrecht on Thursday was the perfect tonic to a 3-0 humbling at the hands of Everton last time out in the Premier League, where the 17th-placed Garibaldi lie just two points above West Ham United in the relegation zone.

While the hosts have conceded in all of their home games this season, that may not matter too much on Sunday if they can find the net themselves; Forest are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches where they have scored at least once.

Furthermore, Spurs have never won a Premier League game at the City Ground when conceding, and Santo memorably led the Garibaldi to the double over the Lilywhites in 2024-25, including a 1-0 home success on Boxing Day.

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Tottenham go into gameweek 16 without their well-documented absentees in Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Destiny Udogie (thigh) and Dominic Solanke (ankle), as well as the disciplined and injured Yves Bissouma.

Kota Takai (thigh) and Radu Dragusin (ACL) are still waiting for their first minutes of the season, but the pair have taken part in friendlies behind closed doors and cannot be entirely ruled out of contention for Sunday's trip.

The same goes for Brennan Johnson - absent from the Slavia Prague win due to a knock - although Randal Kolo Muani may be at the head of the queue for promotion from the bench regardless.

As for Nottingham Forest, injury was added to insult against Everton when the long-serving Ryan Yates suffered a thigh injury, one that has ruled the midfielder out for the foreseeable future.

Yates has joined Ola Aina (thigh), Chris Wood (knee) and Angus Gunn (knee) in the Tricky Trees' medical bay, but Taiwo Awoniyi (unspecified) and first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels (groin) may be back in contention.

The latter will be part of a plethora of changes if passed fit, alongside the much-coveted Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White, facing Spurs for the first time since the summer transfer soap opera.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Jesus

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Gray; Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison

We say: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

No Premier League team has over-performed their Expected Goals more than Tottenham this season - scoring 25 from an xG of 15 - and there is little chance of Frank's men being shut out on Sunday.

The visitors are also working with additional rest days compared to the hosts, but Garibaldi boss Dyche could afford to rotate on Thursday night, and Forest's newfound resilience could enable them to claim a well-earned point.

Looking to get their Premier League season back on track, Tottenham Hotspur will travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The Garibaldis have experienced a resurgence under Sean Dyche, but they have also lost two of their last three top-flight matches - including a 3-0 humbling at the hands of Everton most recently - ahead of this weekend.

As for Spurs, they endured a five-game winless run prior to last Saturday's 2-0 victory over Brentford, and they will be looking for back-to-back league triumphs for the first time since August.

Here, Sports Mole provides all the details you need to know about how to watch Sunday's Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

What time does Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur kick off?

This game will kick off at 2:00pm on Sunday, December 14 for viewers in the UK.

Where is Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur being played?

The Lilywhites will travel to the City Ground, the Garibaldis 30,404-capacity stadium that has been home to the club since 1898.

How to watch Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the UK

TV channels

This match will be broadcast live on the Sky Sports Football TV channel.

Streaming

Fans can also stream the game on the Sky Sports+ app, or via NOW UK if they have purchased the Sky Sports package on the platform.

Highlights

Game-changing events should be posted on on the SkySportsPL X (formerly Twitter) account, while highlights will be available on the Sky Sports app shortly after full time, and uploaded to the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel later.

Who will win Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur?

Forest may have been in significantly improved form under Dyche, but they remain just two points above the relegation zone and will be keen to distance themselves from the bottom three.

With that in mind, the Tricky Trees should take heart from the fact that they have only lost one of their last five games at the City Ground, and they will feel capable of beating a less-than-stable Spurs side.

Meanwhile, Thomas Frank's Lilywhites downed Brentford last Saturday before beating Slavia Prague 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek, but they are yet to prove their consistency in the top flight.

The Londoners make the trip after losing three of their four most recent away outings, though it is important to note that Tottenham played Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain - as well as Newcastle United twice at St James' Park - during that run.

Regardless of the outcome, expect to see a close-fought clash on Sunday, though Forest could come out on top in a narrow win on their own turf.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to claim their third win in a row when they travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Frank’s men ended a five-match winless run by beating Brentford 2-0 on home soil last weekend to climb up to 11th place in the top-flight table, four points behind the top four.

Spurs also kept a clean sheet on Tuesday night as they secured a 3-0 home victory over Slavia Prague in the Champions League, despite missing a number of players through injury.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest against Forest.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: Unknown

James Maddison has been sidelined since sustaining an ACL injury in August and he is not expected to return to first-team action before the end of the current campaign.

Dominic Solanke

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: Unknown

Dominic Solanke underwent ankle surgery at the end of September and there is currently no timeframe for when the striker could return to first-team action.

Radu Dragusin

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: December 28 (vs. Crystal Palace)

Radu Dragusin is yet to play a single minute of senior football this season due to a knee injury, but he recently featured in an Under-21 friendly and a potential first-team return before the end of this year cannot be entirely ruled out.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Dejan Kulusevski is still recovering from a knee injury that he picked up towards the end of last season and there is currently no timeframe for when the attacker could return to first-team action.

Yves Bissouma

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: Unknown

Yves Bissouma continues to recover from an ankle injury while the club deals with “an internal matter” relating to the midfielder being filmed inhaling nitrous oxide - also known as laughing gas - from a balloon earlier this year.

Destiny Udogie

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 1 (vs. Brentford)

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury towards the end of Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle on December 2 and Frank has confirmed that he will remain sidelined until January.

Kota Takai

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: Unknown

Kota Takai is yet to make an appearance for Tottenham since joining in the summer due to a thigh injury, but he has made progress in his recovery and recently featured in an Under-21 friendly.

Brennan Johnson

Status: Minor doubt

Type of issue: Unspecified

Possible return date: December 14 (vs. Nottingham Forest)

Brennan Johnson was not able to train with the team on Monday and he was deemed “touch and go” before missing Tuesday’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague. The attacker will be assessed further before Sunday’s trip to Forest.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham Hotspur have no suspended players for this match.

Unbeaten in four previous clashes with Slavia Prague, Tottenham Hotspur endeavour to extend that 100% record in Tuesday's Champions League league-phase battle with the Czech giants.

The Lilywhites have taken eight points from five matches to sit 16th in the league-phase rankings, while the visitors lie in a lowly 31st after failing to win any of their games so far, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for the two clubs.

TOTTENHAM vs. SLAVIA PRAGUE

TOTTENHAM

Out: Mathys Tel (ineligible), Yves Bissouma (ankle), James Maddison (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Kota Takai (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ankle), Radu Dragusin (knee), Destiny Udogie (muscle)

Doubtful: Brennan Johnson (unspecified)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Simons, Odobert; Richarlison

SLAVIA PRAGUE

Out: Oscar (muscle), Filip Horsky (ACL), Petr Sevcik (ACL), Dominik Javorcek (knee)

Doubtful: Tomas Chory (illness)

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed the nature and severity of Destiny Udogie's injury ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

The Italy international was an unforeseen absentee from the squad for Saturday's 2-0 Premier League victory over Brentford, and Frank revealed post-match that he had sustained soft tissue damage.

The former Bees boss affirmed that Udogie's problem was a minor one, but he immediately emerged as a doubt for the visit of Slavia on Tuesday, when Spurs will seek a third win from three Champions League home games this season.

Udogie was not spotted with the team in Monday's training session, and speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference, Frank revealed that the ex-Udinese man has played his final game of 2025.

"Destiny picked up a hamstring injury in the end of the Newcastle game, so he’s out until January unfortunately," football.london quotes the Tottenham manager as saying.

Tottenham games Destiny Udogie will miss with hamstring injury

Exactly what date in January Udogie will return is unclear, but the Italian defender is guaranteed to miss four games for Tottenham, starting with the Champions League showdown against Slavia Prague.

Udogie will also take his place on the sidelines for Sunday's Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, as well as the high-profile battle with champions Liverpool at home on December 20.

Spurs must also cope without the 23-year-old for the London derby with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on December 28, and it remains to be seen if he is passed fit for the trip to Brentford on New Year's Day.

Udogie may also be doubtful for matches against Sunderland (January 4) and Bournemouth (January 7) early in the New Year, but he could return in time for the visit of West Ham United on January 17, or the UCL clash with Borussia Dortmund on January 20.

Thomas Frank gives Brennan Johnson, Yves Bissouma, James Maddison update

As well as Udogie, Brennan Johnson was not able to train with the team on Monday, and Frank revealed that the Welsh winger is "touch and go" for the contest with the Czech giants.

The Dane was also asked about James Maddison being back on the grass, but he tempered expectations about the ACL victim, saying: "It is very early stages, still a long term injury. Good to see him out there but very early stages and there is no specific time frame. It will be a long time unfortunately before he is available."

Spurs also go into Tuesday's game without Yves Bissouma, who is allegedly 'facing the axe' from the club after he was filmed inhaling nitrous oxide - also known as laughing gas - from a balloon, his second such incident after a similar indiscretion last year.

Asked about the incident and investigation, Frank replied: "It’s an internal matter that we are dealing with at the moment and when we have dealt with that, then I will comment on it."

Dominic Solanke, Kota Takai, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and the ineligible Mathys Tel are also unavailable for Tottenham against Slavia Prague, who have not won a Champions League match in 18 years.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have received a mixed training update ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Slavia Prague in North London.

The Lilywhites welcome their Czech foes to the English capital aiming for back-to-back wins in all competitions after seeing off Thomas Frank's former club Brentford 2-0 in Saturday's Premier League London derby.

Spurs have also taken maximum points from their two UCL home games this term - overcoming Copenhagen and Villarreal on their own soil - but their last European outing ended in a 5-3 loss to reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.

That beating marked Tottenham's first continental loss of the season, though, and Frank's side sit in a respectable 16th place in the table with eight points from their first five games.

The Europa League champions are just two points adrift of the top eight places - which guarantee direct entry into the last 16 - and will be firm favourites to defeat a Slavia side without a Champions League win since 2007.

Tottenham in mixed injury update before Slavia Prague Champions League clash

Members of the media were in attendance to watch Tottenham's open training session on Monday, but neither Destiny Udogie nor Brennan Johnson were spotted with the team.

Udogie missed the weekend's win over Brentford with a soft tissue problem, one that Frank affirmed was not serious, but the Italy international will seemingly be absent for the visit of the Czech giants this week.

Meanwhile, Johnson was an unused substitute in the derby success over the Bees, and Frank will likely be asked for the reason behind his absence when he faces journalists in his pre-game press conference.

In brighter news, Randal Kolo Muani - who reportedly picked up an issue at the weekend - took part in the session, while James Maddison was also working outdoors on the grass, just a few months on from his ACL injury.

Maddison is still months away from a playing comeback, though, while Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Kota Takai, Radu Dragusin, Mathys Tel and Yves Bissouma are also out of Tuesday's game.

How could Tottenham line up against Slavia Prague?

Heading into a taxing period that features games against Nottingham Forest (A), Liverpool (H) and Crystal Palace (A), Tottenham boss Frank could make a handful of changes to his side this week.

Johnson would have been one candidate to come into the attack at the expense of Mohammed Kudus, but the Ghana international may now continue on the right if his Welsh counterpart is unavailable.

However, Wilson Odobert could displace Kolo Muani if the Paris Saint-Germain loanee is not risked, while two of Pape Sarr, Joao Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall should provide fresh legs in the engine room.

Frank could also decide to rest Cristian Romero and promote Kevin Danso to the starting XI alongside Micky van de Ven, but Udogie's issue should see Djed Spence and Pedro Porro continue in the full-back positions.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Randal Kolo Muani has emerged as a doubt for the team's Champions League clash against Slavia Prague on Tuesday.

Thomas Frank oversaw a 2-0 victory against Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League, with the win a significant boost to the head coach considering he had failed to win his prior five matches.

The performance of forwards such as Xavi Simons was praised, and fans will hope that the team's attackers can continue to impress.

Randal Kolo Muani started on the left flank, but he was substituted in the 74th minute, and he was seen limping as he left the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

The news of the Frenchman's possible injury will come as a blow to Frank, who is set to lead his side out at home on Tuesday against Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Slavia Prague: Who starts in Champions League?

Dominic Solanke is also set to be unavailable for Tuesday's clash, with the timeline on his return to the pitch uncertain.

The forward's injury problems mean that there is no reason to doubt the selection of Richarlison, who started and scored against Brentford.

The Brazilian striker will almost certainly be supported by attacking midfielder Simons, while Mohammed Kudus is set to start on the right flank.

If Randal Kolo Muani is not deemed ready to feature, then perhaps Wilson Odobert will be chosen to feature on the left side of attack.

Xavi Simons: Has he established himself in the Premier League?

Tottenham Hotspur attempted to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace in the summer, but after the Englishman opted to join Arsenal, the club pivoted to RB Leipzig's Simons.

The Dutchman scored against Brentford, but that was his first goal for the club in 19 matches, while has has provided just three assists.

Some fans and pundits have criticised the 22-year-old, but perhaps an adaptation period should have been factored in prior to his arrival in the summer, especially when other attackers such as Florian Wirtz of Liverpool have struggled after moving from the Bundesliga.

However, Simons was excellent against Brentford, with the creator excelling against the Bees' low block, and his goal may be the confidence booster that he needs to kickstart his Spurs career.

Tottenham Hotspur could soon make a £40m bid for a Brighton & Hove Albion defender as Thomas Frank seeks to bolster his rearguard ranks, according to a report.

The Europa League holders converted Kevin Danso's loan from Lens into a permanent deal this summer, but Frank is still lacking in centre-back options.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are immovable in the Tottenham backline when fully fit, and the pair helped the Lilywhites keep their first clean sheet in five games in Saturday's 2-0 Premier League win over Brentford.

However, with Radu Dragusin still on his way back to full fitness after an ACL injury, Kota Takai yet to make his debut and Ben Davies out of contract in 2026, Tottenham could do with additional defensive cover.

According to TEAMtalk, Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke is a player who has interested Spurs chiefs, and a sizeable bid for the Netherlands international could be forthcoming in 2026.

Tottenham considering £40m offer for Jan Paul van Hecke?

The 25-year-old has established himself as a crucial player for the Seagulls since joining in a €2m (£1.8m) deal from NAC Breda in 2020, although he was first loaned out twice to Heerenveen and Blackburn Rovers.

Van Hecke now boasts four goals and four assists from 108 matches in a Brighton shirt, scoring an impressive three times in the current Premier League campaign for Fabian Hurzeler's side.

The Dutchman was at fault for Jarrod Bowen's opener in Sunday's 1-1 draw with West Ham United, but he atoned for his mistake with the assist for Georginio Rutter's injury-time leveller at the Amex Stadium.

However, Van Hecke - who is expected to be part of the Netherlands contingent for the 2026 World Cup - is about to enter the last 18 months of his contract with Brighton, who could therefore be forced into a cut-price sale next year.

A January move has not been ruled out for Tottenham if the Seagulls cannot tie Van Hecke down to a new contract, but the South Coast club are still fighting to keep the 25-year-old for a little while longer.

What would Jan Paul van Hecke bring to Tottenham?

Comfortable on the left and right-hand side of the backline, Van Hecke could seamlessly slot into the Romero or Van de Ven role for Spurs, and it goes without saying that the Brighton man knows the latter from their time in the national team.

There are few better central defenders than Van Hecke when it comes to progressing play, as the Dutchman has averaged 6.70 progressive passes per game over the past 365 days, in addition to 1.95 progressive carries.

The former statistic puts Van Hecke in the top 3% of all centre-backs in the big five European leagues, while he sits in the top 2% for progressive carries.

Moreover, the 25-year-old has made 7.14 passes into the final third per game over the past year, further highlighting how he could help solve Spurs' well-documented build-up issues from the back.

Two for two in Champions League home matches so far this season, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Slavia Prague to North London on matchday six of the 2025-26 league phase.

The Lilywhites have taken down Villarreal and Copenhagen without conceding at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, but their last European away day ended in a 5-3 beating at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Spurs' two wins at home is still two more than Slavia have picked up all season in the Champions League; the Czech side lie 31st in the 36-team rankings with just three points on the board.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 4

Tottenham Hotspur wins: 3

Draws: 1

Slavia Prague wins: 0

Meeting for the first time in the Champions League during the 2025-26 campaign, Tottenham and Slavia previously did battle on four occasions during the days of the old UEFA Cup.

All four clashes were tightly-fought contests, but Spurs nevertheless came up trumps in three of them while playing out one draw, meaning that they are unbeaten against their Czech foes in competitive action.

The two clubs' inaugural meetings came in the first round of the 2006-07 UEFA Cup, in which Martin Jol masterminded a pair of 1-0 victories for the current Europa League champions in the first round.

Spurs firstly prevailed at the Fortuna Arena thanks to a Jermaine Jenas goal, before completing the job at White Hart Lane courtesy of a Robbie Keane effort; the Lilywhites were eventually eliminated by Sevilla in the quarter-finals.

Nearly a year and half later, Spurs and Slavia Prague reunited in the knockout rounds of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup, meeting in the last 32 after the Czech team dropped down from the Champions League.

Spurs played away from home in the first leg again, and Keane repeated his 2006 feat at the Fortuna Arena, adding to a Dimitar Berbatov goal before David Strihavka's consolation in a 2-1 Tottenham victory.

Seven days later, the Lilywhites finished the job at home with a 1-1 draw; Jamie O'Hara broke the deadlock before Matej Krajcik's leveller, which was in vain as Spurs clinched a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Across all meetings with Czech teams in Europe, Tottenham are now unbeaten in seven - winning five of them - and the North London giants' only such loss came against Dulka Praha in the 1961-62 European Cup.

Last four meetings

Feb 21, 2008: Tottenham 1-1 Slavia Prague (UEFA Cup)

Feb 14, 2008: Slavia Prague 1-2 Tottenham (UEFA Cup)

Sep 28, 2006: Tottenham 1-0 Slavia Prague (UEFA Cup)

Sep 14, 2006: Slavia Prague 0-1 Tottenham (UEFA Cup)

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