Sports Mole

Marcus Rashford will be bidding to help Manchester United return to winning ways when the Red Devils welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Erik ten Hag's side, who are 11th in the table, will enter the match off the back of a 1-1 draw with FC Twente in their Europa League opener at Old Trafford.

The 20-time English champions were also held by Crystal Palace in the league last weekend, with Rashford surprising starting on the bench against the Eagles.

The forward has managed three goals and one assist in eight appearances in all competitions this season, but just one of those efforts has come in the Premier League.

Rashford is expected to be in the XI on Sunday, as Tottenham head to Old Trafford, and with that in mind, Sports Mole takes a look at how the 26-year-old has performed against the North London outfit during his professional career.

Marcus Rashford record vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Played: 16

Won: 9

Drawn: 3

Lost: 4

Goals: 6

Assists: 1

At senior level, Rashford has tackled Tottenham on 16 occasions, boasting a record of nine wins, three draws and four defeats against them, scoring six goals and registering one assist in the process.

The forward has faced Spurs 15 times in the Premier League, with his record standing at eight wins, three draws and four losses, with all of his goals (six) and his single assist coming in league encounters with Tottenham.

Rashford has also enjoyed a win over the capital outfit in the FA Cup, though, coming on in the latter stages of their semi-final during the 2017-18 campaign, which the Red Devils won 2-1.

The attacker's first goal against Spurs came in the second half of the 2018-19 season, with his effort seeing Man United record a 1-0 victory in North London.

Arguably his best-ever performance against Spurs came during the 2019-20 campaign, when he netted a brace in a 2-1 victory for Man United at Old Trafford.

Rashford also registered against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, but he struggled to make his mark in North London during the 2023-24 season.

The attacker played 85 minutes of what proved to be a 2-0 loss for Man United in the capital, with the two teams locking horns on the second matchday of the campaign.

Rashford was back on the scoresheet against Spurs in the reverse game at Old Trafford, though, as the points were shared in a 2-2 draw in January 2024. body check tags ::

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is expecting to have the same squad available from Wednesday's clash with FC Twente for Sunday's Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils were again missing Victor Lindelof for the Europa League contest with Twente, with the Sweden international yet to feature this season due to a toe problem.

Lindelof is now back in training, but Ten Hag is not expecting to have the centre-back available against Spurs, while Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia also remain on the sidelines.

"Any comebacks for Sunday? No, I think it will be the same group as yesterday," Ten Hag told reporters during his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount are now back in the fold after recent injuries, and the pair will be in contention to start against Spurs this weekend.

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Man United to again be missing four players vs. Tottenham

Ten Hag admitted that he has been "impatient" with his side's inconsistency, with the Red Devils only winning three of their eight matches across all competitions this season.

"I am impatient, I want to go straight forward. But also be fair, we had success in the last two seasons and we have to work very hard for more success," he added.

"You have to assess the situation, still we are working and progressing. We made a choice to sign very young players like last year with Hojlund and this year with [Joshua] Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.

"We believe in them, for this moment and also the future. But also I am impatient. I want to go straight forward. But we had success in the last two seasons and we have to work hard to bring more success.

"Not scoring goals. That is the problem, the key area is to score more goals as a team. We have players across the team who have the ability to score, that is clear, you see all the opportunities we are creating but we are not scoring enough."

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Ten Hag backs Fernandes amid criticism

Ten Hag also defended his captain Bruno Fernandes, with the Portugal international facing criticism this season due to some disappointing performances.

"I think the team brings in now the situation," Ten Hag added. "I think he [Fernandes] is capable, I think he has proven this so many years already in the Premier League that he can create many chances and I am convinced this season he will not do differently this season.

"He will come on this point and find his form, he will make final passes and score goals, 100%. And it's just a matter of time."

Man United have drawn their last two matches, sharing the points with Crystal Palace in the league last weekend before playing out a 1-1 draw with Twente in the Europa League.

The Red Devils are currently 11th in the Premier League table, boasting a record of two wins, one draw and two defeats from five matches to collect seven points.

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Manchester United will be aiming to return to winning ways when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils will enter the match off the back of a 1-1 draw with FC Twente in their opening match of the 2024-25 Europa League.

Erik ten Hag's side drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in the league last weekend, meanwhile, and they are currently 11th in the table, boasting seven points from their opening five games of the season.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Man United's injury and suspension news ahead of their contest with Spurs, who also have seven points from their five matches this term.

Leny Yoro

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Foot

Possible return date: December 3 (vs. Arsenal)

Yoro will be out until at least the start of December due to the fractured metatarsal that he suffered during a pre-season clash with Arsenal, with his debut for the club potentially coming against the Gunners in the Premier League.

Tyrell Malacia

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Malacia missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a serious knee injury which required two separate operations, and the left-back is still not ready to return, but he was able to take part in the warm-up part of the club's training session last week.

Luke Shaw

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Calf

Possible return date: October 6 (vs. Aston Villa)

Shaw has been absent early in the season due to a calf problem, and the left-back will again miss out here, but he could return before the October international break.

Victor Lindelof

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Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Toe

Possible return date: September 29 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Lindelof is yet to feature this season due to a toe problem; the Sweden international returned to training last week, though, and there is a slight chance that he could be back in the squad for this match.

MANCHESTER UNITED'S SUSPENSION LIST

Man United have no players suspended for the Premier League clash.

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Fenerbahce vs. Union SG (Thursday, 5.45pm)

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Looking to respond following a disappointing domestic defeat last time out, Fenerbahce will commence their Europa League campaign with the visit of Union SG on Thursday night.

The Yellow Canaries lost a league battle with Galatasaray over the weekend, whilst Les Unionistes played out a goalless draw with Standard Liege in Belgium.

We say: Fenerbahce 2-0 Union SG

Apart from Saturday's clash with Galatasaray, Fenerbahce have been formidable so far in 2024-25 and should be confident of breezing past Union SG on home soil.

Les Unionistes are struggling domestically and cannot rely on the talents of Fuseini in attack on Thursday, meaning that we are expecting a difficult night for the Belgians in Istanbul.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Malmo vs. Rangers (Thursday, 5.45pm)

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Rangers get their Europa League campaign underway when they make the trip to Sweden to face Allsvenskan leaders Malmo on Thursday.

Philippe Clement's side have made an underwhelming start to the season, which they hope to rectify with a good showing on the continent.

We say: Malmo 1-1 Rangers

Rangers have never beaten a Swedish side in Europe in six attempts, four of which came against Malmo, and with their woeful away form an issue, this could be a more difficult fixture than it initially appears.

Malmo are running away with the title in Sweden and can start to focus on European matters throughout the autumn, and this is a good opportunity for them to get off the mark against pot-one opposition.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Ajax vs. Besiktas (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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Aiming to add a 2024-25 triumph to their illustrious European history, Ajax will start their Europa League campaign with the visit of Turkish giants Besiktas to Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday night.

De Godenzonen are coming into this clash following a lacklustre draw in the Eredivisie on the weekend, whilst the Black Eagles enjoyed a dramatic victory in the Turkish Super Lig.

We say: Ajax 2-2 Besiktas

Ajax have won back-to-back home matches by an aggregate scoreline of 8-0 recently, although the visit of Besiktas should pose a much sterner test for the Dutch giants on Thursday.

The Black Eagles are unbeaten this season, and we expect that run to extend to nine matches in Amsterdam, but it is likely that they will have to settle for a point.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Frankfurt vs. Plzen (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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Eintracht Frankfurt begin their Europa League campaign with a home fixture at Deutsche Bank Park against Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.

The 2022 winners have started their Bundesliga season in commendable form and seek to carry that into their midweek match, keen to begin positively in the revamped league format.

We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Viktoria Plzen

Frankfurt are the superior side heading into Thursday night, and we are backing the in-form Bundesliga club to notch a routine victory over a Plzen side that have typically struggled on their travels in Europe.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

FCSB vs. RFS (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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FCSB will host Rigas Futbola Skola at the Arena Nationala on Thursday for matchday one of the 2024-25 Europa League, with both aiming to get off to the perfect start to their league phase campaign.

The hosts successfully qualified for the Europa League for the first time since 2017-18, while the visitors will be making just their second appearance in a European competition.

We say: FCSB 2-1 Rigas Futbola Skola

Despite the hosts having an undeniably poor start to their league season, while the visitors have enjoyed an impressive campaign to date, FCSB remain the stronger side, highlighted by already eliminating Maccabi Tel Aviv and LASK from European competition this year.

With FCSB also boasting the advantage of playing at home, we expect the hosts to secure a victory in the opening match of the 2024-25 Europa League.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Lyon vs. Olympiacos (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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French side Lyon will hope to pick up their first win of their Europa League campaign when they host Conference League champions Olympiacos at Groupama Stadium on Thursday.

Both clubs will play eight games as part of the 36-team league phase, and after these fixtures the top-eight sides will automatically progress to the round of 16, while the subsequent 16 teams will compete in a playoff round in order to earn the right to continue in the competition.

We say: Lyon 1-1 Olympiacos

Lyon will be looking to bounce back from their defeat last time out and could begin the match intensely and may score the game's opening goal.

However, it is difficult to ignore their poor form this this season and it would not be surprising if Olympiacos managed to find an equaliser.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Roma vs. Athletic Bilbao (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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Seeking a successful return to the continental stage, Roma meet Athletic Bilbao in their Europa League opener, as they get their campaign under way on Thursday evening.

The clash at Stadio Olimpico will be the teams' first meeting in UEFA competition, coming as the hosts have switched managers and their Basque visitors have run into top form.

We say: Roma 1-1 Athletic Bilbao

Now that Ivan Juric has taken the reins at Roma, the home side should be harder to beat, so Athletic Club's wait for a win on the Italian peninsula may go on.

Both teams would probably settle for a point from one of their tougher league-phase contests, with much friendlier fixtures awaiting either side next month.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Braga vs. M. Tel Aviv (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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Braga and Maccabi Tel Aviv will kick off their Europa League league phase campaigns on Thursday, when they meet in the opening round of fixtures at the Estadio Municipal de Braga.

The hosts sealed their place in the main competition with a playoff-round victory over Rapid Vienna, while their visitors dished out an 8-1 aggregate beating in their tie against Backa Topola.

We say: Braga 3-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv certainly showed their ability in Europa League qualifying and will travel with momentum on the back of a perfect start to their latest domestic campaign, but a trip to Braga may be a step too far for the Yellows and we expect the Portuguese outfit to come out on top on home turf thanks to the superior quality in their ranks.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

Spurs vs. Qarabag (Thursday, 8.00pm)

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Tottenham Hotspur make their return to European competition when they welcome Azeri champions Qarabag FK to North London in the Europa League on Thursday.

Ange Postecoglou will have been delighted to see them drawn at home against their upcoming opponents, avoiding the long-haul trek across Europe and into the Asian border in Azerbaijan.

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Qarabag FK

Even though Postecoglou is likely to ring the changes, Spurs should still have more than enough firepower to record a routine matchday one victory here.

Qarabag rarely travel well, and their record against English clubs is damning, with six losses from six, and there is little to suggest they can arrest that run here.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Solanke to start, Son to be rested: Tottenham predicted lineup vs. Qarabag

Tottenham Hotspur get their Europa League campaign underway when they welcome Azeri champions Qarabag FK to North London on Thursday.

Ange Postecoglou's side enter this fixture on the back of a much-needed league win over Brentford on Saturday, while the visitors returned to the top of their domestic league table with a 4-0 win at the weekend.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. QARABAG FK

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Out: Richarlison (unknown), Wilson Odobert (thigh)

Doubtful: None

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Forster; Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner

QARABAG FK

Out: Kevin Medina (suspended), Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev (unknown)

Doubtful: Marko Vesovic (muscle)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kochalski; Matheus da Silva, Mustafazada, B Huseynov, Cafarquliyev; Romao, Patrick Andrade; Leandro Andrade, Benzia, Zoubir; Juninho

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

Tottenham Hotspur make their return to European competition when they welcome Azeri champions Qarabag FK to North London in the Europa League on Thursday.

Ange Postecoglou will have been delighted to see them drawn at home against their upcoming opponents, avoiding the long-haul trek across Europe and into the Asian border in Azerbaijan.

Match preview

It has been something of an underwhelming start for Tottenham in both league and cup so far this season, as they sit in mid-table after five Premier League games.

Spurs have won the games they were fully expected to come out on top in, at home to Everton and Brentford, but have struggled against opponents above that level.

Postecoglou's side struggled to lay a glove on North London rivals Arsenal, while profligacy in front of goal cost them dearly in trips to Leicester City and Newcastle United.

Even the win against Brentford at the weekend definitely could have gone either way, but Spurs got over the line to win 3-1 and take their tally to seven points.

While the home faithful will be glad to have European football back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Champions League is what they desired, so losing out to Aston Villa was a huge disappointment, especially given the start they made to last season, with 26 points from their opening 10 games.

Even though Postecoglou remains adamant he only chases titles, and not solely the top four, that is where Spurs will hope to finish this time around, meaning the clash with Manchester United on Sunday is set to take priority over this clash.

The Spurs boss has promised silverware this season though, as he bluntly stated he always wins trophies within two years no matter where he works, therefore placing huge importance on this competition, and they must avoid any potential early slip-ups.

Concerningly though, since reaching the 2019 Champions League final, Spurs have been woeful on the continent, failing to score in either leg of their last 16 defeat to AC Milan in the 2022-23 Champions League.

The season previous, Spurs were eliminated in the Conference League group stage, just months after being knocked out of the Europa League by Dinamo Zagreb, despite leading 2-0 from the first leg.

Before that collapse in Croatia, Spurs did show promising signs in the Europa League, meaning they come into this clash having lost just one of their last eight games in the competition, which was that defeat to Dinamo.

While Spurs focused solely on domestic matters last season, Qarabag had their best European campaign to date, and they were just minutes from a historic win to reach the quarter-finals of this competition.

Bayer Leverkusen stole the headlines across Europe for their incredible unbeaten run last season, but no team came closer to ending that run than Qarabag, who led 2-0 in both legs of their last 16 tie, and were also heading through entering the 93rd minute of the second leg.

However, a last-gasp double saw the tie switch hands and the Germans progressed, leaving knockout debutants Qarabag heartbroken.

That was the first time the Azeri's had progressed past the group stages in the Europa League in eight attempts, taking 10 points off Hacken and Molde to progress.

In the new format, 10 points should be enough to see them into the knockout stages again, but they have often struggled to perform once reaching the competition proper in Europe.

Qarabag have lost all six of their previous meetings against English clubs, including two against Spurs back in 2015, when they led at White Hart Lane, but eventually fell to a 3-1 defeat.

Despite facing one of the favourites in Tottenham, according to coefficient, Qarabag have the second-easiest draw of any team in the league phase, as games against Malmo, Bodo/Glimt, FCSB and Elfsborg will certainly be targeted as they aim for the top 24.

A strong start to September with three wins from three mean Qarabag have returned to the summit after underperforming in August.

Alarm bells may have started ringing when they went 4-2 down on aggregate with 45 minutes to play against Ludogorets Razgrad in Champions League qualifying, despite going on to win 8-4 in a remarkable encounter.

Qurban Qurbanov's side would go on to lose heavily to Dinamo Zagreb in the next round though, and they also suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Turan when they were resounding favourites, but those recent wins mean they are a point clear at the top of the Premyer Liqasi.

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Qarabag FK form (all competitions):

Team News

Postecoglou is likely to rotate heavily with the Man United encounter on its way just three days after this one, as the whole front four could change for Tottenham.

Dominic Solanke, who did start in their recent cup win over Coventry City, is the most likely player to keep his place, given the lack of other options up front, and the fact that another goal here could help him settle in more after his move from Bournemouth.

Attack is where Spurs are weakened by injuries at present, with Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, who was forced off early in the EFL Cup last week, both currently sidelined.

Son Heung-min scored the first two of his 164 Tottenham goals against Qarabag back in 2015, but the South Korean is likely to be held in reserve here and kept fresh for the weekend.

Qarabag defender Kevin Medina's sending off against Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League playoff means he will serve a one-match European ban here.

Marko Jankovic was the only injury concern for the visitors, but he returned as a late substitute in their 4-0 win over Neftci Baku on Friday.

Juninho is their key man in Europe, as he scored in both of their ties with Leverkusen last season, contributing to the six goals he managed in the Europa League, while the Brazilian also netted six in six UCL qualifiers during the summer.

Naturalised Azerbaijan international Richard Almeyda scored Qarabag's opener at White Hart Lane nine years ago, but the veteran midfielder is likely to start as a substitute here.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Forster; Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner

Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:

Kochalski; Matheus da Silva, Mustafazada, B Huseynov, Cafarquliyev; Romao, Patrick Andrade; Leandro Andrade, Benzia, Zoubir; Juninho

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Qarabag FK

Even though Postecoglou is likely to ring the changes, Spurs should still have more than enough firepower to record a routine matchday one victory here.

Qarabag rarely travel well, and their record against English clubs is damning, with six losses from six, and there is little to suggest they can arrest that run here.

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

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Ange Postecoglou takes charge of his first European game as Tottenham Hotspur boss on Thursday night, as the Lilywhites host Qarabag FK in their Europa League league phase opener.

Spurs returned to the second tier of continental football thanks to their fifth-placed finish in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, although they came agonisingly close to sneaking into the top four and earning a Champions League ticket.

The North London giants have endured a mixed start to Premier League proceedings this season, but they returned to triumphant ways at the weekend, coming from behind to sink London rivals Brentford 3-1.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Qarabag, who won the Azerbaijan Premier League title for the third season in a row last term.

Wilson Odobert

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Wilson Odobert was taken off with a significant hamstring injury in Spurs' EFL Cup win over Coventry City last week, and Postecoglou has conceded that he does not expect the attacker to be available in the near future.

Richarlison

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Status: Out

Type of injury: Unspecified

Possible return date: Unknown

Richarlison's unspecified training injury is proving difficult to overcome, and Postecoglou admitted before the Brentford game that there was no point in the media asking for updates on his availability, as the Brazilian is still not back in full training.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Cristian Romero

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Return date: September 29 (vs. Manchester United)

During Tottenham's most recent European game against AC Milan in March 2023, Cristian Romero was sent off for two bookable offences as Spurs crashed out of the Champions League. Despite that incident coming 18 months ago, suspensions are not wiped in UEFA competitions at the start of a new season, meaning that Romero will finally serve his ban in Thursday's fixture.

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What some expected to be a snoozefest between Manchester City and Arsenal ended up being one of the most absorbing Premier League matches of the season so far, as last season's top two contested a manic 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon.

City's point - which only came in the 98th minute thanks to the boot of John Stones - just about kept them at the summit ahead of Liverpool, who put three past Bournemouth without reply on Saturday, while Aston Villa fought back to sink Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also enjoyed successful outings in London derbies, as the Blues eased past a pitiful West Ham United 3-0, while Spurs ensured another early Brentford goal would prove meaningless in a 3-1 win.

However, Manchester United were thwarted by a former flame in a goalless draw with Crystal Palace, and Newcastle United lost their unbeaten streak in a 3-1 beatdown versus Fulham.

Elsewhere, Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest contested a fiery 2-2 stalemate - which saw both managers sent off at the end - Everton and Leicester City remain winless after a 1-1 draw, as do Southampton and Ipswich Town courtesy of their identical stalemate.

Here, Sports Mole picks its Team of the Week for the latest round of Premier League fixtures.

DEFENCE

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Not for the first time this season, we were spoiled for choice in between the posts, as Andre Onana, Robert Sanchez and David Raya all shone in gameweek five. However, Crystal Palace's Dean Henderson - whose time at Man United ended acrimoniously - enjoyed the performance he likely dreamt about against the Red Devils. Five of his seven saves came in the first half, where he prevented 1.31 Expected Goals (xG), while he also made three high claims and two successful run-outs to keep his old team at bay.

Hardly known for his proficiency in the opposition's penalty box, Aston Villa man Ezri Konsa found a clinical touch just when his side needed it most, volleying home at the back stick to complete the Lions' late comeback versus Wolves. The England international also put in two tackles and completed 97% of his passes on the day, as he continues to prove his worth as a cornerstone of Unai Emery's side.

However, Villa only found joy against the Wolves backline after Yerson Mosquera was forced off on a stretcher, as the Old Gold collapsed following the 23-year-old's crushing injury blow. Before being carried away, Mosquera came up with five clearances - including one off the line - three interceptions and two blocks, as well as completing eight of his 10 long passes, and Gary O'Neil can only pray that his problem is not as serious as first feared.

This weekend's central pairing hails from South America, as Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes finds himself in the rearguard for the second time in a row. The Gunners experienced deja vu twice versus Man City, one for the Leandro Trossard red card and the other from the Brazilian nodding in Bukayo Saka's brilliant corner to give Mikel Arteta's men an unexpected lead, and he was key to the valiant defensive effort which so nearly saw the visitors end their Etihad hoodoo.

Arsenal were not the only team to concede a crushing injury-time equaliser at the weekend, sharing that fate with newly-promoted Southampton as the Saints were left to rue what could have been against Ipswich Town. However, Charlie Taylor put in an exemplary display on the left, with 11 clearances, two tackles and a 100% aerial success rate from three duels off the ground.

MIDFIELD

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The James Maddison of late 2023 was on show in Tottenham's victory over Brentford, just when Spurs were crying out for some creativity. The Englishman was alert to an Ethan Pinnock mistake and claimed the 'assist' - at least in Fantasy Football terms - for Dominic Solanke's first Tottenham goal, before calming any late nerves with a sublime second-half chip to cap off a midfield masterclass.

One of two former Leicester City lynchpins to man the midfield this week, Maddison is joined in the engine room by Youri Tielemans, whose playmaking skills stole the spotlight against Wolves. After providing a delightful cross for Konsa to finish - one of two big chances he created - the Belgian also produced a slick turn in the build-up to Jhon Duran's insurance goal; not a bad week for a player who also won the Man of the Match prize in Villa's Champions League win over BSC Young Boys.

While one team in claret revelled in victory at the weekend, West Ham were carved open at will by Chelsea, who had Moises Caicedo to thank for a lot of everything that went right. The Ecuadorian's inch-perfect through ball for Nicolas Jackson took out the entire Irons' backline and non-existent midfield, while he also put in an astounding eight tackles in one of his best displays in Chelsea blue so far.

ATTACK

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Moving into the top 20 for all-time Premier League assists, Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min now sits on 64 for his English top-flight career thanks to his helpers for Maddison and Brennan Johnson, which came from a staggering seven chances he created throughout the triumph over Brentford.

As Son grabbed a pair of assists on Saturday, Liverpool wing wizard Luis Diaz extended his prolific Premier League streak to move onto five strikes for the season already, capitalising on Kepa Arrizabalaga's decision to venture out of his goal for his first before an ice-cool finish through the legs of the Spaniard.

Erling Haaland's 100th goal for Man City is worthy of a shout-out, but the Norwegian was outshone by rejuvenated Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who had a hand in all three of his side's goals at the London Stadium. From a composed strike at Alphonse Areola's near post to a slick outside-of-the-boot finish, the Senegalese striker then turned provider for Cole Palmer to rubber-stamp all three points on a day of derby delight for Enzo Maresca.

SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK

Tottenham Hotspur survived a huge early scare to end a two-game losing run in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over London rivals Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After Bryan Mbeumo needed a matter of seconds to break the deadlock, first-time scorer Dominic Solanke and the revitalised Brennan Johnson replied in the first half, before James Maddison laid any doubts to rest with a few minutes remaining.

During a weekend of dramatic thunderstorms across the UK, lightning appropriately struck twice for Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the first half of their loss to Manchester City last week was replicated almost to a tee.

Indeed, Mbeumo left the home crowd dumbfounded with a stunning volley after just 23 seconds of the match, but the Cameroonian had inadvertently poked the Ange Postecoglou bear, as Spurs fired back through two popular scorers.

Solanke's first goal for the Lilywhites - a straightforward tap-in - preceded Johnson's second in as many matches, and there was often no way out for Thomas Frank's side before the half-time whistle blew.

The hosts could and probably should have put the game to bed in the first 45, and they were incredibly fortunate not to lose goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario early in the second half, as the officials missed the Italian handling the ball outside the area.

To rub salt into the wounds, Vicario then made a couple of crucial saves to preserve Spurs' slender lead, before Maddison - who had been terrific all afternoon - produced a delicate dink to wrap up a much-needed win for Tottenham.

Spurs' victory temporarily lifts them back into the top half of the table in 10th place, leapfrogging Brentford in the process, as the Bees slip to 12th but will certainly have a thing or two to say about the Vicario incident.

TOTTENHAM VS. BRENTFORD HIGHLIGHTS

Bryan Mbeumo goal vs. Tottenham (1st min, Tottenham 0-1 Brentford)

Death, taxes, and Brentford scoring within the first minute of a match! After Yoane Wissa - out of Saturday's game through injury - needed just 22 seconds to break the deadlock against Man City, his partner in crime Mbeumo now takes a mere 23 to silence Spurs!

Frank's side waste no time in attacking the Tottenham defence, and Keane Lewis-Potter sends in a terrific cross into the Spurs box, where Mbeumo wraps his left foot around the ball and fires in an exquisite volley into the top corner.

Micky van de Ven certainly could have got tighter to the Cameroonian, but take nothing away from the astounding finish. A penny for Postecoglou's thoughts...

Dominic Solanke goal vs. Brentford (8th min, Tottenham 1-1 Brentford)

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Taking a leaf out of Manchester City's book, Tottenham waste no time in getting back on level terms after Brentford's first-minute opener, and Solanke finally opens his Lilywhites account.

Maddison picks up a poor pass from Ethan Pinnock and forces a save from Mark Flekken, who can only parry the ball into the path of Solanke, and the £65m could not have wished for an easier first Tottenham goal.

Brennan Johnson goal vs. Brentford (28th min, Tottenham 2-1 Brentford)

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Deja vu for the visitors, delight for the Lilywhites! After his critical goal for Spurs in their midweek EFL Cup win over Coventry City, Johnson again completes the Tottenham turnaround.

The Welshman comfortably evades the attention of Nathan Collins on the right-hand side, and his low strike fizzes into the far side of the net. No matter who you support, it is hard not to smile at Johnson's brilliant week after his extremely tough time.

Guglielmo Vicario possible red card vs. Brentford (58th minute, Tottenham 2-1 Brentford)

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Guglielmo Vicario is a lucky, lucky boy. The Tottenham goalkeeper makes a real meal of trying to pluck the ball out of the air and appears to deliberately handle outside the area during a desperate flapping episode.

However, referee John Brooks does nothing - apart from booking Frank and Kristoffer Ajer for their protests - and there is no intervention from the VAR room either.

James Maddison goal vs. Brentford (85th minute, Tottenham 3-1 Brentford)

You could have cut the tension inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a knife, but playmaker-in-chief Maddison puts the result beyond any reasonable doubt with five minutes of normal time remaining!

Spurs turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye, and a rapid counter-attack ends with Son Heung-min teeing up Maddison to calmly chip the ball over the onrushing Flekken. Three points in the bag.

MAN OF THE MATCH - JAMES MADDISON

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Both Maddison and Son - who ended the derby with two assists to his name - were standout candidates for the man of the match prize, but the Englishman just shades it on this occasion, having looked more like the player he was 12 months ago.

In addition to his well-taken goal, which calmed growing nerves in North London, Maddison created three chances, drew four fouls and won 10 ground duels in a masterful midfield performance, just when Spurs were crying out for some creativity.

TOTTENHAM VS. BRENTFORD MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham 48%-52% Brentford

Shots: Tottenham 23-6 Brentford

Shots on target: Tottenham 10-6 Brentford

Corners: Tottenham 9-4 Brentford

Fouls: Tottenham 11-9 Brentford

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Continental matters now take centre stage for Tottenham, who host Qarabag in Thursday's Europa League opener before resuming Premier League action with a blockbuster meeting against Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 29.

Meanwhile, Brentford have a full week to rest up before they go again in another London derby, hosting West Ham United at the Gtech Community Stadium next Saturday.

No Data Analysis info

On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur Women will kick off their Women's Super League campaign with a home clash against Crystal Palace Women.

The Eagles are making their first appearance in the WSL after winning promotion from the Women's Championship last season.

Match preview

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Tottenham Hotspur would have been satisfied with their work in Robert Vilahamn's first season in charge after they achieved a sixth-place league finish and made an appearance in the Women's FA Cup final.

Unfortunately for the Spurs, their cup journey ended in disappointment as they fell to a heavy 4-0 defeat against Manchester United at Wembley.

After laying some positive foundations last season, Tottenham will be looking to kick on with a squad that has been bolstered by the additions of Katelin Talbert, Clare Hunt, Amanda Nilden, Ella Morris, Anna Csiki, Maite Oroz and Hayley Raso.

One of Tottenham's targets for the new season will offer a greater attacking threat on home turf after they scored more than one goal in just two of their 11 home league matches last season.

Spurs will hope to showcase their firepower in their first meeting with Palace since November 2019, and they will fancy their chances of claiming all three points after winning their last four competitive head-to-head matches.

Meanwhile, Palace have replaced Bristol City in the top flight after they held off the likes of Charlton Athletic and Sunderland to secure promotion last term.

The Eagles won 14, drew four and lost four of their 22 league matches to finish top of the standings and one point clear of second-placed Charlton.

As the only new side in the WSL, Palace's main aim will be to avoid an immediate return to the Women's Championship.

In an attempt to stave off relegation, Laura Kaminski has strengthened her squad with 14 new additions, including Brooke Aspin, Poppy Pritchard, Lily Woodham, Mille Gejl, Ashleigh Weerden and Katie Stengel.

Kaminski, who previously worked as an assistant coach at Spurs, will hope her new-look squad can spring a surprise to claim a win in her first match as a WSL manager.

Tottenham Hotspur Women form (friendlies):

Crystal Palace Women form (friendlies):

Team News

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Vilahamn has revealed that Amy James-Turner has sustained a concussion and will be forced to miss the opening match of the season.

The Tottenham boss also confirmed that he will be unable to call upon Morris and Shuang Wang due to "small" injury issues.

Spurs captain Bethany England will offer one of the main attacking threats, having scored 17 goals in her 26 WSL appearances as a Tottenham player.

As for the newly-promoted visitors, they are without the services of Hayley Nolan and Elise Hughes due to shoulder and knee injuries.

The Eagles were dealt a significant blow in midweek after it was confirmed that Chelsea loanee Jorja Fox had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Tottenham Hotspur Women possible starting lineup:

Talbert; Buhler, Hunt, Bartrip, Nilden; Csiki, Ahtinen, Vinberg; Raso, Naz, England

Crystal Palace Women possible starting lineup:

Yanez; Atkinson, Aspin, Everett, Woodham; Riley, Potter, Gejl, Cato, Weerden; Stengel

We say: Tottenham Hotspur Women 3-1 Crystal Palace Women

Palace have certainly made an effort to prepare themselves for the top flight with a number of new additions, but the step up will still prove to be a challenge, and we think they could be given a reality check in their opening game against Spurs.

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

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