Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur will look to make amends for the disappointing defeat they suffered at Fulham before the international break when they make another trip across London to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday night.

The result at Craven Cottage was Spurs' third defeat in five games, and has placed more pressure on under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou, who has struggled greatly in his second season, with the Lilywhites down in 14th in the Premier League table.

Success in the Europa League is all that can save Spurs' season, and much of the focus will now centre around their upcoming quarter-final with Eintracht Frankfurt, but a strong performance against rivals Chelsea is always imperative.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with bitter rivals Chelsea, who have not suffered a home defeat in this fixture for seven years, but saw their four-game winning run ended by Arsenal before the international break.

Kevin Danso

© Iconsport

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Chelsea)

Danso sustained a hamstring injury late on in their draw with Bournemouth in early March, but after missing the fixtures against AZ Alkmaar and Fulham, as well as international duty with Austria, the Lens loanee is potentially in contention to return.

Dejan Kulusevski

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Foot

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Chelsea)

Kulusevski has missed Spurs' last four matches, and was also unavailable for Sweden duty last week, with the signs suggesting this could also come just too soon for the wide man, who is recovering from a foot injury.

Richarlison

© Imago

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Calf

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Chelsea)

Postecoglou revealed early in March that he expected Richarlison to recover from a calf injury after the international break, suggesting he will be in contention to feature here, after eight games on the sidelines.

Radu Dragusin

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Dragusin will not play again this season after surgery on a serious ACL injury, and the Romanian central defender is set to miss most of 2025 with the setback.

Lucas Bergvall

© Imago

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Chelsea)

Bergvall missed international duty with Sweden due to illness and was not present for training last week, but he should be fine to feature in some capacity here.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR'S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for this Premier League encounter.

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Chelsea return to action on Thursday night when they play host to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Having not featured in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the weekend, the Blues have not played since March 16 when they went down by a 1-0 scoreline at Arsenal.

With Enzo Maresca's side playing in the final fixture of this matchday, they will likely drop out of fourth spot in the standings come kickoff in this game, but the focus will be on delivering a timely three points in the race for Champions League qualification.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Chelsea's injury and suspension news ahead of welcoming one of their London rivals to Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer

© Imago

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Muscle

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Cole Palmer was ruled out of the previous fixture with Arsenal due to a muscle injury, one which also kept him sidelined for England duty. However, having returned to training last week, there is optimism that the playmaker could be involved here.

Omari Kellyman

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Omari Kellyman made his return to Under-21 action earlier this month in the hope of building some momentum ahead of next season. However, the winger lasted just over half-an-hour of that game before sustaining a recurrence of his previous hamstring injury, and he will sit out the rest of the season.

Nicolas Jackson

© Imago

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Nicolas Jackson sustained a severe hamstring issue in the home win over West Ham United in early February and has been sidelined ever since. However, the Senegal international is now back in training and on course to feature in some capacity on Thursday.

Marc Guiu

© Imago

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Marc Guiu is said to have been on a similar recovery path as Jackson having suffered an injury in the same game. However, it appears that the young Spaniard still has work to do before he can be considered for a place in the squad.

Noni Madueke

© Imago

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: April 3 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Noni Madueke has not been seen since the middle of February. However, like with Jackson, he is now back in training after a hamstring injury and may be available on Thursday night.

CHELSEA'S SUSPENSION LIST

Mykhaylo Mudryk

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Possible return date: Unknown

Mykhaylo Mudryk tested positive for meldonium in late 2024, and the Ukraine international is still serving a provisional suspension while an investigation continues.

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Bournemouth have reportedly placed a £75m valuation on Antoine Semenyo, with the Cherries bracing themselves for bids for the in-demand attacker during this summer's transfer window.

The 25-year-old has been in excellent form for Andoni Iraola's side during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring nine goals and registering six assists in 32 appearances in all competitions.

Semenyo has two goals and one assist in the FA Cup this season, with Bournemouth preparing to tackle Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the competition on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the forward has seven goals and five assists in 28 Premier League appearances this term, consistently making an excellent impression for a talented Cherries outfit.

There has been a host of speculation surrounding the Ghana international in recent months, with a number of Premier League teams believed to be interested in securing his signature at the end of the campaign.

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Bournemouth 'set substantial Semenyo valuation' amid exit talk

According to The Sun, Bournemouth are under no pressure to sell Semenyo this summer, and it would take an offer in the region of £75m for the club to consider letting their key attacker depart.

The report claims that Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen on the forward, who made the move to the Cherries from Bristol City in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign.

Semenyo has scored 21 goals and registered 21 assists in 125 appearances for Bournemouth, while he has been capped on 21 occasions by Ghana, scoring three times and registering one assist.

The forward has a contract at the Vitality Stadium until the summer of 2029, and European football could be on offer at the club next season if the team are able to finish the campaign in a positive fashion.

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Bournemouth 'not under pressure' to sell Semenyo

Bournemouth entered the March international break off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Brentford, and they have actually only managed to pick up one point from their last four league fixtures during a disappointing run.

Iraola's side are 10th in the Premier League table, just four points behind fifth-placed Manchester City, with Champions League football for next term certainly still on the cards for the talented team.

It is difficult to imagine Liverpool, Chelsea or Tottenham going anywhere near the £75m price tag that has allegedly been set, so it would be a surprise if the forward was on the move during this summer's transfer window.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been handed a double fitness boost after Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke returned to training on Friday.

Palmer had started every Premier League game this season before he was forced to miss the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal with a muscle injury.

The Chelsea start subsequently withdrew from Thomas Tuchel's England squad to give him time to rest and recover ahead of the return of Premier League action.

There was some concern about Palmer's fitness status when it was reported on Thursday that he was yet to return to training at Chelsea's Cobham base.

Palmer, Madueke return to training

However, Chelsea fans would have been delighted to see images on social media of Palmer taking part in Friday's training.

Palmer has failed to score in his last seven Premier League matches, but he is still the best attacker in the Chelsea squad.

The playmaker has registered 14 goals and provided seven assists in 33 competitive appearances this season, highlighting why his return to training represents a significant boost ahead of Thursday's home meeting with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Like Palmer, Madueke also made his return to training on Friday after missing the last six competitive matches with a hamstring issue.

Madueke has not featured for Chelsea since being forced off in the first half of a 3-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion on February 14.

Who are Chelsea's other injury concerns?

Forward Nicolas Jackson could also be available for the meeting with Tottenham after he was seen working on the grass earlier this week.

However, Chelsea are still expected to be without young forward Marc Guiu for their return to Premier League action.

The 19-year-old has been on the sidelines since being forced off in the 2-1 win over West Ham United on February 3.

Leicester City Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the King Power Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League fixture.

The Foxes are currently in 10th place in the WSL standings, while the visitors are just two points better off in ninth position.

Match preview

Leicester moved six points clear of the relegation spot with an entertaining 3-2 win in last Sunday's home meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Foxes appeared to be cruising to a comfortable victory when they established a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Shannon O'Brien, Saori Takarada and Shana Chossenotte.

However, they were forced to negotiate a nervy finish after Madison Haley and Fran Kirby reduced their advantage to just one goal.

Leicester clawed their way to the final whistle to clinch a third consecutive WSL home victory, meaning that they have now gone four top-flight home matches without defeat since losing to Manchester United in November.

The Foxes will hope to make full use of home advantage on Sunday as they go in search of their first WSL victory against Tottenham at the eighth time of asking.

Tottenham will be bereft of confidence after losing each of their previous six competitive matches since beating Crystal Palace 3-2 on January 26.

Their losing run started with a defeat to Everton in the Women's FA Cup, before they went on to lose five consecutive league games against Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Brighton and West Ham United.

Robert Vilahamn's side drew a blank in last Sunday's away meeting with the Hammers, meaning that they have now failed to score in four of their previous five league games.

The Tottenham boss will also be concerned by the fact that his team have the joint second-worst defensive record in the division, having shipped 36 goals in 17 league matches this season.

Spurs can at least take confidence from the fact that they have won six of their seven WSL meetings with Leicester, including a narrow 1-0 home win in January's reverse fixture.

Leicester City Women Women's Super League form:

Leicester City Women form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Women Women's Super League form:

Tottenham Hotspur Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Leicester remain without the services of Ruby Mace, Jutta Rantala, Noemie Mouchon and Lena Petermann due to knee injuries.

Miquel has revealed that a late decision will have to be made on the availability of Sari Kees and Missy Goodwin.

The Leicester manager could decide to stick with the same lineup that started last Sunday's 3-2 win over Brighton.

As for the visitors, long-term absentee Kit Graham is continuing to work on her recovery from anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Vilahamn has confirmed that Bethany England remains sidelined with a quad injury that has kept her out of the last two matches.

The Tottenham boss could make a few changes in an attempt to find a winning lineup, with Luana Buhler, Matilda Vinberg and Jessica Naz among those who could feature in the starting XI.

Leicester City Women possible starting lineup:

Leitzig; Swaby, Howard, Thibaud, Ale; Tierney, Cayman; Chossenotte, Cain, Takarada; O'Brien

Tottenham Hotspur Women possible starting lineup:

Kop; Morris, Buhler, Bartrip, Nilden; Summanen, Spence; Holdt, Vinberg, Naz; Thomas

We say: Leicester City Women 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur Women

Tottenham are low on confidence after losing each of their last six competitive matches, and we think that they will experience another unsuccessful outing on Sunday, considering that Leicester have won their last four home games in all competitions.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Cole Palmer is reportedly yet to take part in Chelsea training after he sustained an injury before the international break.

The 22-year-old was a notable absentee for Chelsea's narrow 1-0 defeat against London rivals Arsenal earlier this month.

Palmer's absence represented a significant blow for Chelsea given the fact he had started every Premier League game this season before he was ruled out of the Arsenal clash.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirmed after the defeat that Palmer has sustained a muscle injury in training, although he was hopeful he would return to action following the international break.

Palmer subsequently withdrew from the England squad for Thomas Tuchel's first two games against Albania and Latvia.

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Palmer yet to return to training

The hope was that the international window would give Palmer the chance to rest and recover before Chelsea return to action against Tottenham Hotspur on April 3.

However, there still seems to be considerable doubt as to whether Chelsea's star man will be ready for next Thursday's London derby at Stamford Bridge.

According to football.london, Palmer has not featured in Chelsea training since he picked up the injury prior to the defeat against Arsenal.

The Chelsea attacker has just under a week to return to training and prove his fitness for the meeting with Ange Postecoglou's side.

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Palmer's importance to Chelsea

Palmer experienced a dip in form before his injury, going seven consecutive Premier League matches without a goal or assist.

Nevertheless, he still remains Chelsea's standout attacker, having racked up 14 goals and six assists in 28 Premier League appearances this term.

To put Palmer's impressive numbers into context, only Chris Wood, Alexander Isak, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have registered more goal contributions in the Premier League this season.

Palmer has also enjoyed success in his three previous meetings with Spurs, scoring two goals and providing one assist across those encounters.

In fact, the 22-year-old netted a brace to help the Blues claim a 4-3 away victory over Tottenham in December's reverse fixture.

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A Premier League manager will reportedly be in pole position to replace Ange Postecoglou if Tottenham Hotspur decide to sack their manager.

Postecoglou's future in North London is currently under the microscope following an "unacceptable" 2-0 defeat at Fulham prior to the international break - Spurs' 15th loss in the Premier League this season.

After 29 matches, Tottenham are languishing in 14th place in the top-flight table, and while there are no fears of relegation - sitting 17 points clear of the bottom three - the Lilywhites are in danger of ending the miserable campaign in the bottom half of the table.

Tottenham currently sit 10 points adrift of Bournemouth in 10th, while they are 13 points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in seventh, with a strong end to the season and a drop-off in form from several other clubs above them required for Spurs to miraculously sneak into the European places.

Spurs could qualify for next season's Champions League if they triumph in the Europa League, and Postecoglou, 59, has put pressure on himself to win silverware - and Tottenham's first trophy since 2008 - after stating at the beginning of this season that he "always win things in my second year".

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Silva identified as Postecoglou replacement?

Should Tottenham's lengthy run of poor results and performances continue, and they fail to beat Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs in their Europa League quarter-final tie, speculation over Postecoglou's future will intensify.

The likes of Inter Milan's Simone Inzaghi, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola and ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, currently in charge of USA, have all been tipped to potentially succeed Postecoglou in North London.

However, former Spurs scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected within the game, has claimed that Fulham's Marco Silva is in pole position to take the reins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level recruitment after over a decade at Manchester United, does not see Postecoglou lasting beyond the end of the current campaign, and sources have suggested that Silva would be one of Tottenham's leading targets.

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Could Spurs swap Postecoglou for Silva?

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said: "Tottenham, unless they put a run together from now to the end of the season, you would think that things might happen [to Postecoglou] there in terms of the sack for the manager.

"Silva would certainly be top of the pops in terms of competition for that [managerial] spot, that's what I'm hearing from my sources there."

Since joining Fulham in 2021, Silva has steered the Cottagers to the Championship title and has established the club in the Premier League, boasting a win ratio of 44.83% across 174 matches.

The 47-year-old has seen his Fulham side go from strength to strength this season and their aforementioned win over Spurs helped them climb up to eighth in the Premier League table, just four points behind the top four with nine games remaining.

Silva will soon be entering the final year of his contract at Craven Cottage which is believed to include a £7.5m release clause.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and current Anderlecht defender Jan Vertonghen has confirmed that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season.

The 37-year-old has spent the past two-and-a-half years on the books at Anderlecht but has only made five appearances in an injury-hit 2024-25 campaign, where he has suffered from Achilles and ankle problems.

Vertonghen is already due to become a free agent at the end of the season, but the former Belgium international has now confirmed that he will be hanging up his boots once the campaign is over.

"During the past weeks, months, I have been thinking a lot about how I want to continue or end my career," Vertonghen said in a video on Anderlecht's social media channels. "This past time has made it clear that it will be my last games. Not only at RSC Anderlecht, but in my career.

"I've realised that it's becoming harder and harder, not only in games but also in training, to get ready physically. To show what I want. To be the player I want to be. Not only towards the fans, to my teammates, but mostly to myself as well.

"I've had the chance, when I was sitting in the stands, to reflect a lot, and I'm so proud of what I have achieved with everyone. For the next 11 games, these eight to ten weeks, I'll try to give it my all and hopefully experience some beautiful moments together. But then, the journey ends.

"That hasn't been an easy decision, but it's a decision I have to take, and I feel it's the right time. We'll do everything we can to make it a fantastic ending."

Jan Vertonghen's legacy analysed as retirement confirmed

A reliable, no-nonsense defender who shone as both a centre-back and left-back in Tottenham colours, Vertonghen was a stalwart of the Mauricio Pochettino era at Tottenham after emerging through the famed Ajax academy.

Following his £10.5m arrival in 2012, Vertonghen gave Tottenham eight years of incredible service, during which time he formed a formidable partnership with compatriot Toby Alderweireld at the back.

The brilliant Belgian totalled 315 appearances for Tottenham, coming up with 14 goals and seven assists in that time, although he never succeeded in his quest to bring silverware to North London.

However, with Vertonghen and Alderweireld in front of Hugo Lloris, Spurs briefly became genuine Premier League title challengers, not to mention finishing as runners-up in the 2018-19 Champions League final after knocking out Vertonghen's former club Ajax in the semi-finals.

Vertonghen was unable to enjoy the send-off that his Spurs career deserved, as his final few months at the club in 2020 came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he enjoyed a fruitful two years with Benfica before heading back to his homeland to finish his career.

Even in his late 30s, the 2012 Eredivisie Footballer of the Year still managed three goals and two assists in 27 Jupiler Pro League games last season, but as he alluded to in his retirement message, his body has simply failed him in 2024-25.

Away from his astounding club career, where his most significant honours were two Eredivisie titles with Ajax in 2011 and 2012, Vertonghen won 157 caps for Belgium, by far and away the most for the senior men's team.

The versatile defender was a leader of the Red Devils' so-called golden generation, but just like his time at Spurs, Vertonghen excruciatingly went trophyless in a Belgium kit and called time on his international career after Euro 2024.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly prepared to listen to offers for one of their international midfielders.

The North Londoners are currently enduring one of their worst Premier League campaigns in recent memory, sitting in 14th position in the standings.

Although head coach Ange Postecoglou has guided Spurs through to the Europa League quarter-finals, the position of the Greek-Australian is under threat.

Regardless of who is in charge for 2025-26, there is an inevitability that ongoings and outgoings will ensue to try to move the club back up the table.

According to Football Insider, Spurs are open-minded to cashing in on one of their regulars in the middle of the pitch.

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The report alleges that Spurs are willing to accept offers for Rodrigo Bentancur with the Uruguay international said to have failed to impress Postecoglou most recently.

Former scout Mick Brown, a regular contributor to the outfit, claims that the 27-year-old is no longer a part of Postecoglou's long-term plans.

Brown said: "Ange Postecoglou is not happy with his midfield options. It's such a key area of the team, and the players at his disposal have not been good enough.

"They've failed to impress when called upon so far this season, and Bentancur now is not part of Tottenham's plans moving forward.

"So if they can get rid of him and bring in a decent fee, it's definitely something they'll consider. I hear there are clubs in Europe who have been looking at a move in the summer."

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A harsh judgment?

When Spurs have regularly underperformed this campaign, only a handful of players can feel that they have retained their reputations, but Bentancur is probably not one of them.

Although a total of 27 starts and five substitute outings have been made in all competitions, Bentancur has scored just twice and played all or the majority of some notable defeats in recent months.

In an area where Spurs are well-stocked, Spurs may feel that now is the right time to cash in on a big earner who has less than 18 months remaining on his contract.

Spurs will hope to generate somewhere close to the £21.5m that they paid for Bentancur in at the start of 2022.

Manchester United are reportedly braced for competition from Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of Sunderland's Chris Rigg.

Both United and Spurs have endured difficult seasons in the Premier League, with the clubs languishing in 13th and 14th place respectively.

Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim has been provided with some leeway for his side's performances given he only arrived in November, while Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has faced significant scrutiny.

The upcoming summer transfer window is certain to be one of sizeable change, with both managers keen on strengthening their flawed squads.

However, Fichajes report that Spurs are willing to pay nearly £38m to sign Sunderland midfielder Rigg, who is believed to be one of the finest prospects currently in the Championship and is said to be a target for United.

Chris Rigg in profile

Rigg is only 17 years old but has started 29 times for the Black Cats in the second tier, and though he has at times made mistakes, the level of maturity he has displayed for his age is remarkable.

The teenager could be developed into fulfilling a number of positions in midfield given his rounded skillset, with the player capable of playing in a box-to-box or more defensive role.

Sunderland have primarily utilised Rigg in more advanced areas, and the Englishman has registered 36 key passes in the Championship, a figure that only three of his teammates have bettered.

Who should Rigg sign for in the summer?

United are said to be struggling financially following years of mismanagement, and the club are reportedly on the lookout for younger stars that can be developed rather than already established players that may prove prohibitively expensive.

Meanwhile, Rigg would arguably face significant competition for a place in Spurs' team given they boast talents such as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski in attacking roles.

Sunderland are currently in fourth place in the Championship and are almost certain to qualify for the promotion playoffs, and there is a chance that Rigg could be playing Premier League football next season if he stays with the Black Cats.

Perhaps the teenager should opt to stay at the Stadium of Light considering his young age, especially as he will likely be afforded more time to iron out his flaws with Sunderland than he would at either United or Spurs.