Al Jazeera

Manchester City’s troubles from last season have been exposed once more in a humbling 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham that raises questions about their quest to regain the Premier League title.

Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha struck for the Europa League winners on Saturday just before half-time as Spurs went top of the table, making it a perfect start for manager Thomas Frank after two league games in charge.

City’s run of four consecutive titles came to a spectacular end last season as they finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

A 4-0 thrashing of Wolves on the opening weekend of the campaign showed glimpses of a new-look City back to their best.

However, a series of defensive issues remain unresolved as manager Pep Guardiola must decide on who will be his number one goalkeeper going forward after a day to forget for James Trafford.

The England international retained his place in goal despite the return to fitness of Ederson.

The Brazilian is reportedly on the verge of joining Turkish giants Galatasaray, which would free up City to make a move for out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City’s failure to get those deals done before the final week of the transfer window came back to haunt them in a familiar tale for Guardiola’s men against Tottenham.

In the last 13 Premier League meetings between the sides, City have won just four despite several changes of management at Spurs in that time.

Frank is the latest man in the Tottenham dugout and has made a highly impressive start.

Spurs were minutes away from beating PSG in the UEFA Super Cup before losing on penalties and have taken maximum points from their opening two Premier League games without conceding a goal.

Omar Marmoush’s return was one of two City changes as Ballon d’Or winner Rodri had to settle for a place on the bench.

Marmoush flashed a shot across goal and was then denied by Guglielmo Vicario with City’s best chance before conceding.

City’s high line was easily exposed in an embarrassing early exit from the Club World Cup to Saudi side Al-Hilal last month and is an issue Guardiola still has to resolve.

Tottenham took the lead at 35 minutes when Mohammed Kudus fed Richarlison, and he squared for Johnson to power past Trafford.

An offside flag briefly halted Spurs’ joy until a VAR review showed the slipping Ruben Dias had played Richarlison onside.

City then completely lost their composure for the period before half-time.

Trafford was fortunate to avoid being punished after rushing outside his box to block a shot from Kudus.

But the 22-year-old then endured a moment that might cost him the chance to be Guardiola’s number one this season.

Trafford’s attempted pass to Nico Gonzalez inside his own box was intercepted by Pape Matar Sarr, and even though the goalkeeper recovered to deny Richarlison, Palhinha smashed home the rebound.

Erling Haaland had the chance to reduce City’s arrears in first-half stoppage time but headed over the goal to sum up a tough afternoon for the Norwegian.

Spurs let a two-goal lead slip late on against PSG in Frank’s first game in charge but rarely looked in danger of suffering a similar fate on Saturday.

Haaland wasted City’s other big opportunity to gain a foothold when he overhit a pass to Rayan Cherki with just Vicario to beat.

City fell to defeat with a whimper and could have been further punished on the counterattack when Trafford made good saves to deny Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert in stoppage time.

Follow our live build-up, with full team news coverage and analysis, ahead of our live text and photo commentary stream.

Who: Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

What: English Premier League

Where: Etihad Stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom

When: Saturday, August 23 at 12:30pm (11:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the updates on Al Jazeera Sport from 9:30am (8:30 GMT) in advance of our live match commentary stream at 12:30pm (11:30 GMT).

After the battle of Old Trafford between Manchester United and Arsenal on the opening weekend, the Premier League has served up another mouth-watering early-season meeting between two sides with lofty ambitions this term.

Manchester City and Tottenham both proved to be well below par last season but come into the new campaign full of vigour – and with plenty of new signings.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at another stellar Premier League match-up in only the second round of fixtures.

How did Man City and Tottenham fare last season?

Manchester City’s slide was the most surprising of all last year, as Pep Guardiola’s defending champions struggled through the early months of the campaign before scrambling over the line to claim a Champions League qualifying position at the last.

Tottenham, meanwhile, finished one place above the relegation zone – a position that led to Thomas Franck replacing Ange Postecoglou as manager.

Spurs did, however, lift the Europa League, beating Manchester United in the final, meaning the north London club are competing in the Champions League alongside City this season.

What happened on the opening weekend for Man City and Tottenham?

City stormed to a 4-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers with Erling Haaland netting twice. Tijjani Reijnders, making his Premier League debut, was one of the key performers and topped his day with a goal, while Rayan Cherki came off the bench to score the fourth.

Tottenham also eased their way into the new campaign with a 3-0 home win against Burnley.

Richarlison scored the first two for Spurs, the opener in the 10th minute, before Brennan Johnson added the third.

Who did Man City and Tottenham sign in the summer?

Former Man City academy player James Trafford was a late summer signing in goal for City and is set to continue between the sticks with Ederson still being linked with a move away from the Etihad.

The 23-year-old, who left City for Burnley in 2023, is the latest of six summer recruits for Guardiola to go with the arrivals of Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reis in the January window.

The signings of Reijnders, defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, midfielder Sverre Nypan and winger Cherki, alongside Trafford and veteran keeper Marcus Bettinelli, means City’s spending for 2025 has surpassed the 300 million pound ($402m) mark.

Tottenham have not been shy themselves, when it comes to splashing the cash with eight recruits signed in this window.

The capture of Ghana forward, Mohammed Kudus, from rivals West Ham for 55 million pounds ($73.8m) is the headline news.

Fellow attacker Mathys Tel was hardly cheap, though, with the 20-year-old Frenchman secured for 40.2 million pounds ($53.9m) from Bayern Munich. Both will be looked upon to fill the hole left by Son Heung-min’s transfer to Los Angeles.

Kevin Danso’s 21 million pounds ($28.2m) arrival in defence from Lens will also be seen as a major move following the difficulties suffered at the back by Spurs under Postecoglou.

What happened the last time Man City played Tottenham?

The last meeting between the teams was in North London in February with City winning 1-0.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game in the 12th minute.

What happened in the corresponding fixture last season?

Tottenham stormed to a 4-0 win in the Premier League encounter at Etihad Stadium last season.

City were in the middle of a wretched run, which ended their title defence before it got off the ground, and the hammering on November 23 only compounded matters.

James Maddison scored in the 12th and 20th minutes to give Spurs a storming start before Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson rounded off matters in the second half.

Spurs had already claimed a 2-1 League Cup win against City by that stage of the season.

Head-to-head

This is the 165th meeting between the clubs with Manchester City winning 69 times and Tottenham emerging victorious on 68 occasions.

The first meeting came in January 1909 with Spurs winning 4-3 in an FA Cup encounter in Manchester.

The North London club have won two of the last three matches, ending a run of only one win in five against City.

Man City team news

Midfielders Mateo Kovacic, Kalvin Phillips and forward Savinho will all miss the match due to Achilles issues for the former two and an unspecified injury for the latter.

Rodri, Ederson, Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol were all absent from the season-opening win against Wolverhampton Wanderers but returned to training this week.

Tottenham team news

Maddison leads a long list of absentees for Spurs and his loss is doubly felt following his brace in the win at the Etihad last season.

Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon and Kota Takai are all also missing for the trip due to injuries.

Yves Bissouma and Destiny Udogie, however, are both set to be assessed ahead of the match after missing the win against Burnley due to knocks.

Manchester City predicted starting lineup

Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Gonzalez; Bobb, Reijnders, Marmoush; Haaland

Tottenham Hotspur predicted starting lineup

Vicario; Danso, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Bentancur, Palhinha, Spence; Sar, Kudus; Richarlison

Follow our live football updates, with full team news, ahead of our text commentary of the Champions and Europa League winners.

Son Heung-min has agreed to a contract with Los Angeles FC, finalizing his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) after a decade at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 33-year-old South Korean superstar forward is joining LAFC three days after he formally announced his decision to leave Tottenham.

Son attended LAFC’s Leagues Cup match against Tigres at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night, watching from a luxury suite. LAFC will formally introduce Son at a news conference Wednesday, but the club showed the forward on the stadium video board late in the first half as he waved to roaring fans thrilled by their team’s landmark acquisition.

LAFC, a deep-pocketed club with significant team success in its first eight seasons of existence, reportedly paid a transfer fee of more than $20m, which could end up being the most ever for an MLS move.

Son was a beloved presence at Spurs, scoring 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for the North London club, while rising to global prominence with his combination of speed, playmaking skill and finishing acumen.

The captain was given a memorable farewell last week in Seoul during Tottenham’s exhibition match against Newcastle, getting a guard of honour from both teams and tearfully exiting in the second half while nearly 65,000 fans roared.

But South Korea’s most popular athlete – and almost certainly the greatest Asian soccer player in history – has chosen an auspicious stage for the next chapter of his ground-breaking career.

Los Angeles has the world’s largest ethnic Korean population outside Korea, with the city’s vibrant Koreatown district sitting just a couple of kilometres (miles) from LAFC’s BMO Stadium.

LAFC is undoubtedly hoping to market Son as a soccer counterpart to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, albeit on a smaller scale. Ohtani, the three-time MLB MVP from Japan who is on a trajectory to become the greatest Asian player in baseball history, draws fans from across the Pacific Rim to Dodger Stadium while attracting millions in sponsorships and partnerships for the Dodgers.

Son’s move to California also puts him in a position to have an effect on and off the field at the World Cup, which will be held across North America in 2026. Son, the captain of his national team, has already said he will play in his fourth World Cup.

After leading Tottenham to its first European trophy in decades by winning the Europa League in May, in a fitting cap to his English career, Son will go straight into the MLS Cup race when he suits up for his new club. LAFC currently sits sixth in the Western Conference at 10-6-6, but with multiple games in hand on every team ahead of it due to its participation in the Club World Cup.

Son’s seven Premier League goals last season were his fewest since his Tottenham debut, but he still appears to have the pace and skill necessary to be a difference-maker at any level. He also turned 33 only a month ago, putting him on the younger end of the global stars recently arriving in MLS.

Lionel Messi and Marco Reus were 35 and Luis Suarez was 37 when they went stateside in recent years, while Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris were both 37 when they joined LAFC last year.

Son will be reunited in Los Angeles with longtime Tottenham teammate Lloris, who has been outstanding since becoming LAFC’s goalkeeper last season.

High-scoring French forward Denis Bouanga is the only designated player currently under contract for LAFC, and general manager John Thorrington has been criticised by some fans for not using the full power of his financial resources this season. LAFC spent months on an ultimately failed attempt to get France’s Antoine Griezmann to leave Atletico Madrid.

Bouanga and Son have both thrived on the left wing during their careers, but Son likely has more positional versatility than Bouanga, making him a candidate to line up in the middle or even on the right wing.

Son seems to be an infinitely better fit for LAFC than Giroud, who moved to Lille last month after one disappointing year in California. LAFC plays a counterattacking, speed-based style that didn’t suit Giroud’s goal-scoring strengths, while Son should be right at home in such a system.

But LAFC could also alter its style in the winter, after coach Steve Cherundolo departs for Germany following four largely successful seasons highlighted by an MLS Cup championship.

After 10 years with Tottenham Hotspur, captain Son Heung-min announced on Saturday that he plans to leave the English Premier League club.

At a media conference in Seoul, Son, appearing at times to be holding back tears, said his decision to leave the Spurs was ’the most difficult” of his career and said the club was supporting him as he looks to move on to another team.

Spurs will face Newcastle United in a preseason friendly on Sunday in Seoul in what could be the final match of Son’s time at Spurs.

“Before we start the press conference, I just want to share the information that I have decided to leave this club in this summer,” Son said. “Respectfully, this club is helping me to my decisions. So I just wanted to share this information before we start the conference.

“I came to North London as a kid, 23 years old, very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn’t speak English and leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.”

He continued his tribute by thanking Tottenham fans.

“So I just want to say thank you to all of the Spurs fans that gave me so much love and felt like it was my home,” he said. “It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made. So I hope the goodbye is always also in a good timing you know. But I think it’s the right time to make this decision.” Son was asked in Korean on his future playing plans, and he replied: ’I don’t think I have an answer yet.”

He also confirmed in Korean that he would play for South Korea at the World Cup next year in North America.

In May, Son finally won his first title in Europe as Tottenham defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final.

“I felt the pressure. I wanted it so badly,” Son said after that match. “The last seven days, I was dreaming about this game every single day. It finally happened, and I can sleep easy now.”

The 33-year-old Son has been one of the biggest stars of the Premier League, scoring 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for Tottenham. He was made captain in 2023 by former head coach Ange Postecoglou and helped the club lift its Europa League title, a first trophy since 2008.

Son added that the team’s recent success was a factor: “ Winning the Europa League made me feel I had achieved everything I could here. I need a new environment for a fresh challenge.”

Son has been heavily linked with a move to the United States and there is reported interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.

Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou in June and the Danish coach paid tribute to Son on Saturday.

“He is truly a Spurs legend in every aspect,” Frank said. “One of the best players to ever play in the Premier League, in my opinion, as a winger. I think it is probably the perfect timing, going out on a high.”

Later in the media conference, Son reiterated that he has not decided on where he will play next. But he said next year’s World Cup was his priority for his home country.

“I don’t think I have an answer yet,” he said of his future playing choices. “I think I can share more about my future after tomorrow’s game once things become more certain.

“My most important priority right now is the World Cup. It’s likely to be my last World Cup and I want to give everything I have in that environment … I want to be able to play football happily, which I think will play the biggest role in my future decision-making. I am still trying to organise my thoughts around that.”

Pape Matar Sarr scored from the halfway line as Tottenham punished a shaky performance by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to win the first North London derby staged outside the United Kingdom 1-0.

Raya, who had already been caught in no-man’s land twice as in-swinging corners hit the post, was at fault again in the 45th minute on Thursday when Sarr robbed Myles Lewis-Skelly just inside the Arsenal half.

The Spurs midfielder looked up, saw Raya stranded way outside his penalty area and let fly to score in outrageous fashion from 50 yards out.

Nominally a preseason “friendly”, there was no love lost on the pitch between the bitter rivals.

Tackles flew in and tempers frayed in a fiercely contested clash in front of a 49,975 sellout crowd under the roof in Hong Kong’s air-conditioned Kai Tak Stadium.

Arsenal started the stronger but it was Tottenham who hit the woodwork three times in a frantic first half and deserved their lead at the break.

Arsenal laid siege to the Tottenham goal at the start of the second half, but new manager Thomas Frank had his defence well-drilled and the Gunners found it hard to break through.

Gabriel Martinelli did manage to find an opening on 58 minutes but shot wastefully over the bar from 14 yards.

Arsenal brought on Leandro Trossard and new signing Martin Zubimendi, who almost scored with his first touch when his shot was deflected over the bar.

A huge cheer went up when Son Heung-min was introduced by Tottenham in the 75th minute.

It was followed by an even bigger ovation when new striker Viktor Gyokeres also came off the bench for his Arsenal debut with 13 minutes to go.

The Swedish striker, sporting the number 14 shirt made famous by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, was signed for $67m six days ago.

He made some darting runs as Arsenal pressed for a late equaliser, but will need time to get up to speed with his new club.

Tottenham now fly on to South Korea to face Newcastle United on Sunday, while Arsenal head home after three matches in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Tottenham Hotspur have named Thomas Frank as their fifth permanent manager in six years with the Premier League club confirming they had hired the former Brentford boss on a three-year contract.

He replaces the sacked Ange Postecoglou.

The 51-year-old Dane, who has been in charge of Brentford since 2018 and established them in the top flight, will take charge of a club that will take part in next year’s Champions League after they won the Europa League last month in Bilbao.

“In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game,” a club statement said on Thursday.

“He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead.”

Australian Postecoglou’s achievement in delivering Spurs’ first trophy for 17 years was overshadowed by a woeful Premier League season, which saw them finish 17th with 22 defeats, their worst campaign since the club were relegated in 1977.

Frank began his coaching career with Denmark’s under-age sides before taking charge at Brondby in 2013, leaving in March 2016, and in December that year joined Brentford as assistant to Dean Smith in the Championship (second tier).

In October 2018 after the dismissal of Smith, Frank was appointed Bees manager.

“From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build, and his wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club,” Brentford Director of Football Phil Giles said.

“We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential.”

Frank has been impressive during his time at Brentford, creating a high-scoring side who have punched above their weight since reaching the Premier League in 2021 via the playoffs.

In their four Premier League seasons under Frank, Brentford have finished 13th, ninth, 16th and 10th, and last term, only four teams scored more than their 66 goals.

An eager user of player data, Frank and his backroom staff have proved especially adept at unearthing gems and selling those players on for huge profits, such as forwards Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Said Benrahma plus goalkeeper David Raya

Despite the outgoings, Brentford have managed to remain competitive in the top flight under Frank and last season were in the mix for European qualification.

Forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored 39 Premier League goals between them last season, and both could well be Tottenham targets during the close season.

Frank has gained a reputation for his attention to detail, and it is no surprise that his Brentford side scored inside 40 seconds in three successive league games last season.

“We have a kickoff strategy, and we tweak it from game to game. And as a mindset and philosophy, we like to get straight on the front foot and be positive,” Frank said at the time.

He now faces a completely different challenge at Tottenham, and a fast start to his reign will be important to win over fans, who felt Postecoglou should have been rewarded for winning a trophy by being given another season at the helm.

Brentford assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton are also joining Frank at Spurs along with Andreas Georgson from Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou spoke of his intense pride at his two-year stint as Tottenham Hotspur manager after it ended with him being sacked by the Premier League club.

The 59-year-old Australian took the club to their first trophy for 17 years last month when Tottenham beat Manchester United to win the Europa League.

But the club axed him on Friday after their worst top-flight campaign since 1976-77, finishing one place above the Premier League’s relegation zone after losing 22 games.

“When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride,” he said in a statement released shortly after his dismissal was confirmed.

“The opportunity to lead one of England’s historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

“That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.”

Postecoglou spoke in the build-up to the Europa League final about changing the way the club is perceived, and he said his accomplishments should ensure that Tottenham will not have to wait so long for their next trophy.

“We have laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success,” he said. “I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.”

While Tottenham fans were split over Postecoglou’s future, he had a message for the supporters.

“I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters,” he said. “I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on.

“And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special. We are forever connected.”

The 59-year-old ultimately paid the price for a horrendous Premier League season, which saw Tottenham finish 17th.

“The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place,” Tottenham said in a statement.

“Following a positive start in the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season.”

Postecoglou leaves two years to the day after his appointment and 16 days after his side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao for the club’s first silverware since 2008, a win that also put them in next season’s Champions League.

The former Celtic manager has had to face questions over his future for several months, yet delivered on his claim early last season that he always wins a trophy in his second season in a job.

He also took Tottenham to the League Cup semifinal, but their league campaign was their worst since the last time the club suffered relegation from the top flight, in 1976-77.

Several of the club’s first team have voiced their support for Postecoglou since beating United, but chairman Daniel Levy is now searching for his fifth full-time manager in six years since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in 2019.

“At times there were extenuating circumstances — injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign,” the club said. “Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club’s greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.”

Several managers have been linked to the Tottenham job, including Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.

Postecoglou will walk away with his pride intact and a handsome bonus, but his recent comment to fans at the Europa League victory parade that the third season of a TV series is always better than the second now looks hollow.

It all started so well for Postecoglou. He began the 2023-24 campaign by guiding Tottenham to their best start to a top-flight season since the 1961 title-winning team.

That form soon dipped, and despite finishing fifth in his first campaign, the momentum had long since gone.

This season, Tottenham earned only 38 points and lost 22 top-flight matches. They managed five points from their last 12 league games, and the only win they earned during that run was against a Southampton side who narrowly avoided becoming statistically the worst team ever in the Premier League.

Postecoglou has pointed to a long injury list, which denied him the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Son Heung-min for significant periods.

But while it has clearly been one of long-serving chairman Levy’s toughest calls, he has concluded that Postecoglou is not the man to lead the club forward.

“We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision,” the club statement said.

“We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future — he will always be welcome back at our home.”

Follow our live build-up with full team news and analysis before our comprehensive text and photo commentary stream.