Yahoo

Roberto De Zerbi has revealed how Dejan Kulusevski reacted upon being told he will be in the Tottenham matchday squad against Coventry.

It is nearly a year-and-a-half since Kulusevski last played a competitive match for Spurs, though he did take part in an 11-a-side training match at Hotspur Way during the international break.

A complicated kneecap injury has kept the Swede on the sidelines but, at last, a return to action is right around the corner.

Kulusevski missed out on a place in the Spurs squad against Manchester United last weekend, despite travelling to Old Trafford with the rest of his team-mates.

That will not be the case on Monday night when Tottenham host Coventry in a must-win Premier League game as De Zerbi has revealed the attacking midfielder has been cleared by the medical staff to be named among the substitutes.

"Yes, Kulusevski on the bench. We had a meeting with the medical staff, they gave the okay and it's great news," the Spurs head coach said in the pre-match press conference on Sunday morning.

"I think it's one of the best news after Everton game last season, because Deki, he suffered too much. He deserves to feel emotion on the pitch.

"Yesterday, after the training, I spoke with him and I said to him, 'Deki, look, I spoke with the medical staff, and they gave me the okay' and he smiled like this.

"We are happy, we are very, very happy.

"It's not football. I'm not speaking about football. Okay, he's a special player, but we are speaking about different things. He suffered a lot and his reaction was great."

While Kulusevski's availability is a huge boost for Spurs, De Zerbi has revealed Savio, Lucas Bergvall and Pedro Porro are absent, joining the suspended Rodrigo Bentancur on the unavailable list.

Tottenham Hotspur's Jamie Donley made his seventh appearance for Luton Town on Saturday.

The 21-year-old joined the Hatters on a season-long loan deal from Spurs this summer.

He's been with Tottenham since the age of eight, and has widely been regarded as one of the top academy prospects in N17 over the years.

Despite this, he's only been able to make six competitive first-team appearances for the Lilywhites.

The attacking midfielder has spent the last few seasons out on loan, enjoying stints with Leyton Orient, Stoke City and Oxford United.

Now in a potential make or break campaign with Luton, Donley knows he needs a big year for the sake of his Spurs first-team future.

What did Luton media say about Jamie Donley's MK Dons performance?

Saturday saw Luton travel to MK Dons for a bottom-half clash in League One.

Jack Wilshere's Hatters side entered the game unbeaten in three, but that run has now ended with a 2-1 defeat at Stadium MK.

Donley started the game on the left wing for Luton, but was replaced after 75 minutes having endured a frustrating afternoon.

Detailed via Luton Today, they write of numerous spurned goalscoring opportunities for the Spurs loanee on Saturday.

"Luton should have levelled immediately, Donley bursting forward and creating space for himself, only to see his low attempt hit (Nahki) Wells and bounce clear," they wrote.

"With Town's away end getting unnecessarily frustrated when Luton went back to (James) Shea from the halfway line, the visitors tried to level proceedings before the break.

"A huge pump upfield by Johnston sent the unmarked Mendel away, who got past the covering Sam Silvera, but with the goal opening up, tried to set up (Callum) Marshall instead, overhitting it, as the attacker's cross was shanked wide by Donley on the volley."

So, do Donley's underlying numbers from Saturday paint an even clearer picture of just how wasteful his performance was?

Roberto De Zerbi can't ignore Tottenham gem Jamie Donley any longer after 'great' loan scenes How many shots did Donley have against Luton?

Donley has been a hugely impactful player for Luton so far this season, scoring twice and providing two assists from seven League One games.

However, he evidently wasn't at his clinical best against MK Dons, and that's reflected in his numbers from the match.

Per FotMob, no player on the pitch took more shots than Donley's four, but only one of them was on target.

He did, however, create two chances, completed 91 per cent of his passes accurately, play three passes into the final third and two accurate long balls.

Donley also made six recoveries, won three ground duels, his lone aerial duel and won two fouls.

Overall then, his all-round performance was once again impressive, but it was overshadowed by his wastefulness in front of goal.

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

You don't have to be over 60 to know about Alfie Conn, but one look at any picture of the Scotsman in action will carbon date his heyday firmly to the 1970s.

Long curly hair flowing over his collar, huge sideburns plus a 'tache to die for, shirt hanging outside his shorts – Conn was the epitome of a rock'n'roll footballer in an age when the Bay City Rollers and the Faces were riding high in the charts, and fashion trends on Top of the Pops translated to the terraces.

At Tottenham back then, one fan was seen wearing a white butcher's coat with "Gilzean is King of White Hart Lane" written in blood, a unique tribute to the club's Scottish forward Alan Gilzean. In 1974 though, Gilzean was replaced in the affections of Spurs supporters by his compatriot, when Conn arrived from Rangers for £140,000, a huge sum at the time.

"We've got our own George Best," was the sentiment on the Shelf and the Park Lane end at White Hart Lane, and there could be no higher praise. Best was football's first bad-boy superstar, long before Paul Gascoigne, Eric Cantona and Mario Balotelli.

Conn looked the part too, played in a similar devil-may-care way, and quickly won over Spurs fans who'd grown up during the Bill Nicholson era, when the club won eight major trophies in 12 years playing stylish, attacking football. Nicholson's final signing before stepping down fitted the bill in terms of what fans loved in a player, but it wasn't all plain sailing.

Now 72, polite, softly spoken and mostly bald, it's hard to marry the Conn of today to the image of a player who infamously taunted Billy Bremner and Norman Hunter by sitting on the ball during a game against Leeds, and prompted graffiti that proclaimed "Alfie Conn is God", still seen in parts of north London long after he'd left Spurs.

"George Best was my idol, although I was never going to reach those heights – if I had an ounce of his ability, I'd have been quite happy," he tells FFT now. As a youngster, he'd seen the Northern Irishman up close when Best played in a charity match to raise funds for victims of the 1971 Ibrox disaster. Best and Manchester United team-mate Bobby Charlton were guests in a combined Celtic/Rangers team against a Scotland XI, and Conn trained with them. "Just to see him up close was unbelievable," he says.

At the time, Conn was still traumatised by the events of January 1971, when 66 Rangers fans died and more than 200 were injured in a crush at the end of an Old Firm game. "I'd just turned 18, played in the game and had no idea what had happened until later that evening, when my mum phoned to check if I was alright," he explains.

Rangers officials and players spent days and weeks visiting survivors in hospital and attending funerals. "Sometimes we went to three a day – one was for five young brothers, who lived down the road," Conn says. "It turned out to be one of the worst events in my life. I lost over a stone in weight."

Conn started his career at Rangers, even though his father Alfie Conn Sr had played more than 400 games for Hearts and once for Scotland. "I was a fan from the first time I went to Ibrox as a kid, seeing the big red brick facade," Alfie Jr explains.

He was thrown into his Rangers debut in a Fairs Cup game against Dundalk at the age of 16. "I had no nerves, no fear," he admits. "You don't at that age." Conn went on as a substitute for Alex Ferguson, then the Rangers centre-forward. "I had no idea he'd go on to be one of the best managers ever, but you knew he'd succeed in whatever he did because of his nature," Conn says now. "He was always up for a battle."

A year after the low of the Ibrox disaster, Conn experienced the club's greatest success, winning the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup at Camp Nou. The Barcelona Bears, as they became known, beat Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in front of 35,000 fans. "It was over 34,000 Scots and two Russians," Conn quips.

Crowd trouble in the city centre and two pitch invasions led to headlines around the world and a chaotic final. "We'd gone 3-0 up soon after half-time, but whether it was the heat or the occasion getting to us, we were shattered, out on our feet," he says. "Dynamo got two goals back and to be honest the second pitch invasion did us a favour, it gave us a breather."

The pitch was cleared in time to allow the players back for the final minute, before another invasion. "We were hit by police batons as we tried to get down the tunnel," he says. "It was chaos."

UEFA decided not to risk having a trophy presentation on the pitch, so the cup was presented in a small room inside the stadium. "John Greig, our captain, was taken to a wee room by UEFA officials, given the cup and told to get the hell out of there," Conn says. "That was a real disappointment not to be able to celebrate with our fans, but it was one of the greatest nights of my career."

The following year, Conn scored as Rangers beat Celtic 3-2 in the Scottish Cup final in front of 122,000, the last time Hampden reached that capacity before being downsized.

A year later he was off to England, having fallen out with manager Jock Wallace, but he was surprised to be joining Tottenham.

"I'd spoken to Tommy Docherty the week before and it was agreed that I'd join Manchester United," Conn explains. "But then I was told to meet at the airport for a flight south, and thought I was going to meet him again in London. So imagine my surprise when I heard the Cockney voice of Eddie Baily, Bill Nicholson's assistant, saying 'Welcome to Tottenham'.

"As soon as I met Bill and he told me what was on offer, I said 'Where do I sign?' He was a great manager, one of the few who had that special aura which commanded respect, like Jock Stein, Bill Shankly and Don Revie."

Conn's wages more than trebled from £60 to £200 per week, plus a 'crowd bonus' for cup games – £3 per thousand fans, once the crowd reached more than 29,000. It was a huge incentive to pull in the punters, and Conn certainly did that once he'd established himself, which took six months.

He had injuries as Spurs struggled at the start of the season, before Nicholson quit and was surprisingly replaced by Terry Neill. The former Arsenal defender lasted less than two years at Spurs, before leaving to manage the Gunners. "The fans all thought he was using Spurs as a springboard to manage Arsenal, and we didn't see eye to eye, but at least he gave me my chance," Conn says.

His full debut, in January 1975, couldn't have gone better. Away to Newcastle and needing a win, Spurs were 4-0 up by half-time and ended up winning 5-2, with Conn scoring a hat-trick. "My dad and grandad came down from Glasgow, and I went back up with them afterwards," he remembers. "We all had a few drinks on the train back and when the ticket inspector came round, my grandad said we were celebrating my hat-trick, then ended up taking over his duties!"

Conn quickly became a fans' favourite at Tottenham, taking over the King of White Hart Lane title from Gilzean. "I couldn't believe it the first time I heard it – that sort of thing makes your chest stick out," he says. "I got on great with the fans, and to this day I still think of Tottenham as my club."

But that result was an outlier as Spurs went on a run of eight defeats in nine games, and in their final game of the season, needed a win to avoid relegation. They were up against Leeds, a club he'd almost signed for as a teenager, now preparing to face Bayern Munich in the European Cup final.

Inspired by one Conn goal and two assists, Spurs raced into a 3-0 lead. He then, however, decided to sit on the ball and taunt Bremner, Hunter and Co. What was going through his mind? "Nothing!" he laughs now. "I don't know why I did it, but as soon as I looked round and saw big Pat Jennings shaking his head, I thought 'What have I done?' The Leeds players suddenly turned it on and within 15 minutes it had gone from 3-0 to 3-2. It was a relegation battle for us and I could have been the villain rather than hero. Fortunately we got a penalty, won 4-2 and stayed up."

"I thought I'd better apologise to the Leeds players," he adds. How was it received? "I don't know – I popped my head round the dressing room door, said 'Sorry lads' and got out as quick as I could!"

The incident cemented Conn's place in Tottenham folklore, but he still couldn't nail down a regular place. Keith Burkinshaw replaced Neill but also had little time for the maverick Scot. Spurs continued to struggle and by the time they were relegated in 1977, Conn was gone.

"I was playing the reserves and got a call to say someone wanted to see me," he explains. "It was Jock Stein. It's fair to say that no-one else could have tempted me away, but he was different. I needed no persuasion, even though it meant going to Celtic, which I knew would be difficult."

Stein had just one special condition. "He told me all the best players wore their hair short and were clean shaven, so would I mind a haircut?" Conn says. "It wasn't a problem and he said 'Good, I've got you booked in at the barber's tomorrow!"

The newly clean-cut Conn went on to experience success at Celtic, winning two titles and the Scottish Cup, but as the first man to cross the Old Firm divide since World War Two, his move was not without trouble. "An old friend, the best man at my wedding, was a diehard Rangers fan and never spoke to me again," he says. "People would come up to me in pubs and at social occasions, and give me grief. On rare occasions they still do, unfortunately."

Conn's career took him from Celtic to America, playing professionally in an indoor seven-a-side league and then for San Jose Earthquakes, before a brief return to British football. He retired to run a bar in Scotland, with his former Rangers team-mate Willie Henderson. On the opening night they promised a special guest, and the locals were stunned when the great Stanley Matthews walked in. "Everyone wanted his autograph, including me," laughs Conn.

There's great sadness in his eyes when he talks about losing his wife Sue to motor neurone disease in 2021, and he now raises funds for MND charities through events and royalties from his recent autobiography.

He has few regrets from a colourful career that was blighted by injuries and some managers' mistrust of mavericks like him. He won just two caps for Scotland and wishes he could have featured more for Spurs. "If Bill Nicholson had stayed on, I would have played a lot more and stayed longer," he says.

Conn appeared just 49 times for Tottenham, scoring 10 goals, yet his impact was about more than just pure statistics. With his swagger, sideburns and long curly hair, for many of the Spurs supporters who watched him play, he's still the King of White Hart Lane.

Conn's book What's It All About? The Alfie Conn Story is available now

Tottenham Hotspur cannot get caught up in regrets over Luka Vuskovic after selling him to Brighton during the summer window.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that Spurs got a "very, very good fee" for the talented defender.

After spending the 2025-26 season on loan at Hamburg, it was clear that his future was always going to lie away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Brighton ended up splashing £46million on the 19-year-old, who has since become a key figure in Fabian Hurzeler's defence at the Amex Stadium.

In fact, as per Football Insider, the Seagulls already believe that he has the potential to become a £100million player, which the club are professionals at generating.

Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Carlos Baleba have all reached eye-watering fees, but Brighton have no plans to cash in on Vuskovic.

Tottenham shouldn't regret Luka Vuskovic sale

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson has warned the Lilywhites not to overthink their decision to sell, despite hopes for the defender on the south coast.

"You can't keep every player, and they wanted to turn the squad a little bit. And ultimately they got quite a big fee for him. It's a big profit," he said.

"And so I wouldn't be obsessing too much about whether he's successful or not. It's all very easy to say, 'This is our next £100m player'.

"It's not easy to find a buyer for £100m, certainly not a £100m centre-half. They sold them for a very, very good fee.

"It's not like they got £15m. They got £46m for him, so there's plenty built in there in terms of what they guaranteed themselves."

Sources: Brighton believe Luka Vuskovic is a £100m talent months after Tottenham exit Antonio Rudiger to Tottenham update as 'most likely' destination revealed Who are Tottenham's most expensive players?

While some supporters will still be angry over Vuskovic's departure, Spurs have more than enough talent to survive without him in defence.

In fact, Jan Paul van Hecke, £50.5m, and Micky van de Ven, £42.1m, are two of the Lilywhites' most expensive players after an expensive summer.

Sandro Tonali, £75.8m, Mateus Fernandes, £58.9m, and Omar Marmoush, £42.1m, make up the rest of the top five.

Very few of these are likely to fetch as big a fee as Vuskovic might in the future, but Spurs were forced to make a decision at the time.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Pape Matar Sarr turned out for Juventus in the Europa League on Thursday.

The 24-year-old joined the Serie A giants on a season-long loan deal from Tottenham this summer.

Juventus do have the obligation to buy the midfielder if certain performance-related conditions are triggered.

Sarr's Spurs role dwindled somewhat in 2025-26, making just 37 total appearances compared to his 55 in 2024-25.

Now settled in at his new home in Turin, the Senegalese international has already made five appearances for the Bianconeri.

The latest of which came on Thursday night, as Juventus travelled to Spain to take on Celta Vigo in the Europa League.

Why did media agree on Pape Matar Sarr's performance vs Celta Vigo?

A tough assignment for Luciano Spalletti's side, but one that they passed thanks to an added-time winner.

Hugo Alvarez gave the La Liga outfit an early lead, before Newcastle loanee Nick Woltemade equalised on the hour mark.

It then took former Tottenham striker Randal Kolo Muani to pop up in the 92nd minute to score the winning goal for Juventus, earning them a 2-1 victory.

Sarr played the full 90 minutes in central midfield, and media outlets reporting on the game all waxed lyrical about his performance.

La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote: "At Balaidos, Pape Matar Sarr showed how he can become a key player in the Juventus midfield.

"Very skilled in breaking up and in transition, he needs to improve a little in his finishing, but Spalletti can enjoy his "thoroughbred".

Meanwhile, Goal said: "Sarr provided the physical presence necessary to combat Celta's technical midfield.

"He covered a vast amount of ground and won several key secondary balls, helping Juventus maintain their 53 per cent possession share throughout the contest."

Finally, Black & White & Read All Over wrote: "His engine in midfield is impressive, and is going to be put to good use on the press.

"Led the team with three interceptions and co-led with just as many tackles. He also made a pair of clearances (again joint-top) and blocked two shots. Six."

So, just how good were Sarr's underlying numbers against Celta Vigo, and do they do his rave reviews justice?

How Pape Matar Sarr will trigger Tottenham transfer as obligation terms revealed Where Sarr led all players in Celta Vigo vs Juventus

Sarr is still trying to carve out a key role in Juventus' Serie A side, having started just one of his three Italian top-flight games.

However, he's cemented a starting job in Spalletti's Europa League XI, as he's played every minute of Juve's two games in the competition this term.

Per FotMob, no player on the pitch between Celta and Juve took more touches (88) or had more defensive contributions (12) than Sarr.

Meanwhile, he also completed 65 of his 71 pass attempts (92 per cent) successfully, took three shots and played seven passes into the final third.

Sarr made five interceptions, five recoveries, three tackles, two blocks, two clearances, won four ground duels and one of his two in the air.

Overall then, this was a dominant display by the Tottenham loanee, and one that is sure to only increase his standing in Juventus' team moving forward.

Roberto De Zerbi must be watching on with a feeling of major transfer regret, as his midfield engine room hasn't clicked yet this season.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a busy January window if Armend Muslika continues his form.

There are so many big names coming through the academy on Hotspur Way right now.

Several are catching the eye as Luca Williams-Barnett continues to take the headlines in North London.

He is up there with the best that the North London club have to offer, but several starlets are breaking through.

Muslika is one of those as his exploits for the under-18s continue to catch the eye.

It looks as if the 17-year-old and others could spark upward movement in the under-21s squad.

Why Armend Muslika could spark exits at Tottenham

The Albania youth international has certainly made an impression in N17.

That has been showcased with various top class goals at this early point of the campaign.

His latest installment came with a free-kick against Fulham U18s.

It was that which seriously caught the eye of Lilywhite Rose account owner John Wenham.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham said: "Another big, big win for the U18s, against the big Fulham this time. Armend Muslika, who we've talked a lot about in recent weeks, scored another ridiculous free kick."

The Spurs expert went on to suggest that his progress, alongside several U18 stars could lead to moves within the U21 age group.

"He's looking really, really good. He needs to be up to the U21s as soon as possible, from January onwards, and you'll see Oliver Boast, Muslika, Tyler Tingey, maybe Toju Wellspring all move up already because they look too good for the U18s."

"Someone's going to have to move up to the U21 and that can be accommodated by more U21 being loaned out."

That is an avenue that Spurs haven't been afraid to go down, but who could it impact most?

When Armend Muslika will get his Tottenham first-team breakthrough Who could now depart Tottenham U21 on loan?

With Muslika, Boast, Tingey and Wellspring named, there are several moving cogs to allow them up the age groups.

That would need a striker, two midfielders and centre-back to make a move away.

It may open the door for Ellis Lehane, Callum Olusesi, Tye Hall and Malachi Hardy to go out and get some first-team minutes under their belts.

There are high hopes for all of these names, so allowing them to take a step into senior football may be wise.

That is all bettered knowing that those thriving in the U18s will get a chance to step up and prove themselves at a higher level.

If Muslika can match his spectacular form with the U21s, it will certainly be interesting to see how he's viewed among the best talents in English football.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison could finally start against Coventry City on Monday.

The Englishman hasn't started in a Premier League game for the North London outfit since 27 April 2025 in the 5-1 loss to Liverpool.

Injuries have hampered the 29-year-old's spell at the Lilywhites, but he finally looks ready to make a difference.

Maddison has come off the bench for Spurs in four Premier League games this season and made an impact every time.

Roberto De Zerbi may feel it's time to rely on the England international from the get-go at home on 19 October.

Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm local time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Italian manager could make slight tweaks after the 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

Who could be dropped from Tottenham starting lineup vs Coventry City

Maddison made an impression against Man United and could now be rewarded for his recent performances.

At Old Trafford, the former Leicester City star replaced Conor Gallagher and became the creative force after Rodrigo Bentancur's sending-off.

Lucas Bergvall may be the one to make way for Maddison, with the ex-Chelsea ace possibly dropping deeper alongside Sandro Tonali.

Micky van de Ven is back fit and could reignite his partnership with Jan Paul van Hecke, which would see Marco Senesi return to the bench.

While Dominic Solanke did score, he missed plenty of clear-cut opportunities and De Zerbi may want to bring Omar Marmoush back into the team as his number nine.

Why Tottenham fans may have misunderstood James Maddison's late-season return How Roberto De Zerbi could justify changes vs Coventry

De Zerbi clearly has a lot of love and respect for Maddison, who has endured a difficult spell at Tottenham in recent months.

The Italian manager recognises the Englishman's qualities and could hand him his first start in around 16 months.

Speaking ahead of the Man United clash, De Zerbi said, "Like I said many times, James is a special player for us, as a player for sure but also as a personality."

In the last 15 to 20 minutes of the game against the Red Devils, Maddison made the most of his time in possession, completing 85 per cent of his passes and recording a total progression of 65.2 meters, as per Sofascore.

The midfielder also contributed defensively, winning all three of his tackles and four ground duels.

As for Solanke, he missed two big chances before scoring at the death at Old Trafford and De Zerbi may brutally axe him.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee George Abbott made his third appearance of the season for Mansfield Town on Thursday.

Indeed, it's not the 21-year-old's first spell with the Stags, having spent the second half of last season on loan with them as well.

The central midfielder turned out 11 times for Town in 2025-26, scoring once and providing one assist.

He's still trying to carve out a key role under manager Nigel Clough, having played just 60 minutes of League One football this season.

Thursday night saw him play 45 minutes of those as Mansfield welcomed Oxford United to the One Call Stadium.

Judging by words in local Mansfield media, the Spurs youngster may well have earned more off the back of his performance.

What was said about George Abbott in Mansfield vs Oxford United?

Mansfield and Oxford played out a 1-1 draw in Nottinghamshire on Thursday evening.

The Stags now sit 11th in League One, having won three, drawn three and lost three from their opening nine games.

Abbott started as the left-sided central midfielder, but could only play the opening 45 minutes before being withdrawn at half-time.

This, however, was down to injury, as local Mansfield news outlet Chad details in their write-up of his display.

"Had a hugely influential first half and looked really up for the task at hand," they wrote.

"Continuously pushed forward and found himself in good spaces early on, constantly getting forward whenever possible.

"Ran his socks off chasing every ball and linked up well with Jon Russell to spark attacks.

"Caught a knock to the head on 21 minutes and was replaced by Stephen McLaughlin after the break."

So, just how good were Abbott's underlying numbers from his first-half display for Mansfield in this one?

'It is so cruel that this has happened to George Abbott in scenes away from Tottenham' How many chances did Abbott create vs Oxford?

Abbott will be hoping that a strong loan spell with Mansfield this season sees him earn a pre-season chance under Roberto De Zerbi next summer.

He's already made his competitive debut for Spurs in 2022-23, and could be join a young core of central midfielders such as Archie Gray to move Tottenham forward.

That's going to require some standout performances in League One this season, and Oxford was a step in the right direction.

Per FotMob, Abbott created one chance and one big chance, took one shot at goal and took three touches in the Mansfield box.

He also completed his lone cross and long ball attempts successfully, made two recoveries, one interception and won his only aerial duel.

Mansfield will hope the knock he took against Oxford isn't serious, and that he'll be back in the team for their Tuesday night trip to Wimbledon next week.

Tottenham outcast Richarlison has admitted he is happy to be back playing after scoring for Spurs' Under-21s in their EFL Trophy defeat to Cheltenham Town on Tuesday evening.

Richarlison has been banished from Spurs' first team and told he does not have a future at the club after expressing his desire to leave over the summer.

The 29-year-old has not played for Roberto De Zerbi's side since starting Tottenham's 3-0 defeat to Brentford on the opening weekend of the season.

Richarlison was Spurs' top goalscorer last season but has now been frozen out, with the club unable to facilitate a transfer for the former Everton hitman in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Excluded from Spurs' Premier League squad, Richarlison did not travel with the first team to Marbella for a warm-weather training camp this week.

Instead, he made himself available for selection for the U21s, starting and scoring for Wayne Burnett's side as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Cheltenham before losing 7-6 on penalties.

Richarlison netted the equalising goal with an instinctive finish from James Rowswell's right-wing cross and celebrated in the corner with the rest of the squad.

Despite primarily using the game to build fitness and match sharpness ahead of the January window reopening, Richarlison impressed with his effort and application, stopping to pose for photos after the full-time whistle.

It was clear Richarlison enjoyed being back on the pitch for the first time in nearly two months, and he took to social media to express how much he had missed playing.

"Happy to do what I love most in life. I was missing it," he said in a post on Instagram.

On a positive night for Richarlison, Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill praised the striker's attitude and said it was a pleasant surprise to see his name on the teamsheet before kick-off.

"No, we weren't expecting it, but it was good," Cotterill said.

"When I found out he was on the teamsheet, I was actually chuffed with that. I was really pleased. It gives our lads a glimpse of what it's like at that top level. That was great tonight for us."

You may be forgiven for forgetting that of the two sides, Manchester United and not Leeds United were the team who added to their Premier League points tally last weekend. While Leeds were beaten at Arsenal, Manchester United drew with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

While Leeds were beaten, the manner of the performance, on the back of so many positives already this season, ensured they head into this weekend's match with their fierce rivals both confident and excited about the challenge ahead. Their opponents? Well, the feeling is a little different.

The Red Devils are the team on a two match unbeaten run in the Premier League, but let's not fool ourselves, the club is in yet another crisis. Successive draws against a Fulham team yet to win and then basement strugglers Tottenham is not the type of results to celebrate, with Michael Carrick overseeing what is officially the club's worst start to a season for 40 years.

A 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening has only served to increase the pressure on everyone at the club ahead of a trip to Elland Road on Sunday.

With speculation rising Carrick could lose his job if his side are beaten by Leeds the pressure is intensifying, with most bookmakers having the Man Utd boss as overwhelming favourite to be the next manager to go. It's a situation only serving to play into the hands of Daniel Farke and his men, with the Leeds faithful sure to amp up the atmosphere even more this Sunday.

Man United will head to Elland Road as underdogs and with a warning already sounding about their chances, as Ally McCoist explained on talkSPORT. He said; "I'm not sure I fancy them going to Elland Road. I thought Leeds were excellent for an hour against Arsenal; they were really organised, well disciplined. That is one tough game for Manchester United."

It was a point also made by his radio colleague Jason Cundy, who expects Leeds to inflict more pain on Carrick's team this weekend.

"There is a pattern emerging, and they can't find a win," said Cundy. "That late goal your mob (Tottenham Hotspur) scored at the weekend was an absolute wound. Going away to Atletico Madrid and Leeds are always tough games, but what you cannot do is drop points while leading against ten men and the bottom side of the league.

"That noise and heat are going to continue. I think they will get beat at the weekend."