Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is still sweating over the fitness of both of his strikers for Sunday's Premier League North London derby at home to Arsenal.

The Lilywhites were without both Dominic Solanke (ankle) and Richarlison (unspecified) for their 2-1 loss to Newcastle United two weekends ago, and the latter will not return for another couple of weeks.

However, there is slight hope that £65m man Solanke will be able to make his North London derby debut from the first whistle, which would lead to a rejig in the final third for the hosts.

James Maddison and Son Heung-min - who has scored eight times against Arsenal in the past - are shoo-ins, leaving Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert to battle for the final offensive spot, a head-to-head that the more experienced former may win.

Spurs suffered a scare over the fitness of Yves Bissouma during the international break, but Postecoglou has a ready-made replacement in the shape of Rodrigo Bentancur, who could now partner Pape Sarr in the middle.

There is more optimism over the fitness of Micky van de Ven, whose knee problem is expected to settle down in time for him to displace Radu Dragusin alongside Cristian Romero.

Van de Ven's comeback would allow Postecoglou to put out a first-choice backline, as Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro also form part of Guglielmo Vicario's four-man barrier.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke

> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for the North London derby

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This weekend's Premier League main event comes from a raucous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Ange Postecoglou's Spurs and Arsenal clash in the first North London derby of the season on Sunday afternoon.

The Lilywhites entered the international break on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United, while the Gunners lost their perfect start in a controversial 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Match preview

The St James' Park curse continues to haunt Tottenham, who have at least managed to reduce their margin of defeat on Newcastle's turf each season, from 6-1 in 2022-23, 4-0 in 2023-24 to a narrow 2-1 loss in the third gameweek of the 2024-25 campaign.

Strikes from Harvey Barnes and Alexander Isak either side of a Dan Burn own goal condemned Postecoglou's charges to their first defeat of the Premier League season, one in which a familiar tale in front of goal arose for Tottenham, who were once again punished for not making the most of their dominance.

A 4-0 thumping of Everton had seemingly dusted off the cobwebs from gameweek one, where Tottenham's wastefulness on the road cost them in their draw with Leicester City, but a lack of ruthlessness is still prevalent in the Spurs ranks if their Newcastle exploits are anything to go by.

Lying smack-bang in the middle of the table in 10th place, Tottenham will also endeavour to end a particular pattern of home results in the Premier League, having followed a win-loss sequence since the beginning of April.

Having crushed Everton in their first home contest of the season, the omens are not exactly promising for Postecoglou's side if that streak is to continue this weekend, but the Lilywhites could arguably not be facing Arsenal at a more opportune time.

When Brighton defender Joel Veltman took a wild swipe at Declan Rice in Arsenal's showdown with Brighton, the vast majority of supporters inside the stadium expected the Dutchman to receive punishment. Instead, the Emirates crowd were left aghast when Chris Kavanagh sent the equally bewildered Rice for an early bath.

Already on a yellow card, Rice lightly tapping the ball away from Veltman as he was lining up a free kick triggered the Englishman's second yellow, allowing the Seagulls to fight back through Joao Pedro after Kai Havertz's delicate first-half lob.

As Arsenal and Mikel Arteta were left to lament Rice's highly controversial sending-off - which came after Pedro escaped a booking for kicking the ball away in the first half - the Brighton faithful were bouncing all the way home after denying the Gunners a third win from three matches in 2024-25.

Saturday's visitors therefore occupy fourth place in the Premier League table at present, two points worse off than Manchester City and Liverpool ahead of their games on Saturday, but Gooners at least received one piece of good news this week with Arteta's new contract signing.

Solace can also be taken from their last two Premier League wins away to Spurs in 2023 and 2024, but they have never triumphed against the Lilywhites in three straight road matches in the Premier League era and head to their rivals' home without arguably their first-choice midfield.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Arsenal Premier League form:

Team News

Tottenham's offensive efforts against Newcastle were not helped by the absences of their two main strikers in Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, but only the latter is guaranteed to miss out; there is a good chance that Solanke will be available.

The Lilywhites were handed a scare over the fitness of Yves Bissouma during the international break after the Mali midfielder suffered a heavy knock, but Postecoglou is keeping his fingers crossed that Micky van de Ven's knee issue will settle down in time for the weekend.

Bissouma's blow means that Rodrigo Bentancur - who is at risk of a lengthy ban after being charged by the FA over his comments about South Koreans - could be tasked with anchoring the Tottenham midfield, while Son Heung-min is out to make the net ripple against Arsenal for the ninth time; only three players have ever scored more in the history of the NLD.

Tottenham's one midfield concern pales in comparison to Arsenal's crisis, though, as alongside Rice's suspension and Mikel Merino's shoulder injury, captain Martin Odegaard sprained his ankle while on Norway duty and apparently faces at least three weeks on the sidelines; Arteta's suggestion that he could be fit may have just been mind games.

Odegaard's absence will likely force Arteta to drop Havertz into a three-man midfield also reinforced by Jorginho, although if Gabriel Jesus is not back from a groin issue in time for the derby, either Leandro Trossard or potential debutant Raheem Sterling could lead the line; the Brazilian is training again, though.

Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are definite absentees too, while Riccardo Calafiori hurt his calf in a bizarre incident while playing for Italy but would not have made his first Premier League start here either way.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Havertz, Partey, Jorginho; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal

Merino-Rice-Odegaard would have been the perfect Arsenal midfield for Sunday's blockbuster derby, but the Gunners now face being overrun in the engine room while also losing Odegaard's invaluable ingenuity in the final third.

Arteta's troops can still expose Spurs' frailties at the back, but we cannot see a way for the visitors to earn the derby bragging rights with their current selection crisis; North London should be lilywhite this weekend.

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

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Not long after it was reported that Raheem Sterling's proposed deadline day move to Arsenal was a non-starter, the Gunners pulled off the marquee loan signing of the ostracised Chelsea attacker in the early hours of the morning of August 31.

Having been brutally ejected from Chelsea's senior squad by new manager Enzo Maresca, Sterling was handed a Premier League lifeline by former Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta, who saved him from a few months out in the cold.

The 29-year-old was in attendance at the Emirates to watch Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on the same day that his move was announced, having not been registered in time to make his debut in the clash with the Seagulls.

Sterling watched on as his former Chelsea teammate Kai Havertz opened the scoring in delightful fashion, but Declan Rice's controversial red card preceded an equaliser from Joao Pedro, who was not booked for a similar incident that earned Rice his second yellow.

Rice's misdemeanour means that the £105m midfielder is now suspended for this weekend's North London derby away to Tottenham Hotspur, where Sterling could play his first game for Arteta's side, and the ramifications of Rice's red could extend to the Chelsea loanee.

Why Sterling might be the solution to Rice and Odegaard blows

In an ideal world, Arteta would have simply swapped the banned Rice out for another new signing in Mikel Merino, the Euro 2024-winning Spaniard who excelled in the number eight role for Real Sociedad.

However, the 28-year-old suffered a bizarre injury in his first training session with the Gunners, fracturing a bone in his shoulder after Gabriel Magalhaes fell on him, which could keep him out until late October in the worst-case scenario.

Arteta will therefore be forced into a critical rethink, and the Arsenal boss has not been shy to move Havertz into midfield when the need arises, in spite of the fact that the German is far better suited to the number nine role.

Havertz did play in the engine room a couple of times in pre-season, though, suggesting that Arteta feels he can still do a job there, and his tall frame would mimic that of both Rice and Merino to offer a physical presence in the middle of the park.

With Martin Odegaard also guaranteed to miss the North London derby and likely a few matches afterwards due to the ankle sprain he suffered while playing for Norway, Arteta may feel that he has no choice but to drop the German deeper.

Havertz moving into midfield would leave the striker spot vacant, and while Gabriel Jesus would normally be the first port of call, the Brazil international is nursing a groin injury and is not guaranteed to be fit for the trip to Tottenham.

As a result, Sterling - who has looked sharp in training since joining up with the Gunners - is a genuine option in the number nine position, and he is no stranger to such a role, playing 62 matches and scoring 25 goals up front according to Transfermarkt.

Whether Tottenham's Micky van de Ven recovers from his own knee injury in time for the derby remains to be seen, but should the lightning-fast Dutchman be fit, Arsenal could certainly use an injection of Sterling's pace.

What other options does Arteta have?

Havertz moving into midfield and Sterling starting up front is just one possible solution of many; Arteta could also persist with Havertz in the number nine slot and just introduce Jorginho and one wild card option as Rice and Odegaard's replacements.

Teenage duo Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly represent those wild card options who could plug any midfield gaps, but the youngsters are only emergency solutions, while Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli can also act as makeshift strikers.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Monaco defender Vanderson.

The 23-year-old has impressed in Ligue 1 since making the switch from South American side Gremio during the January transfer window of 2022.

Vanderson quickly cemented his place in the first XI at Stade Louis II, featuring in 39 competitive matches during his first full campaign in Europe, including two in the Champions League.

When fit, the right-back was the first-choice option for Monaco in Ligue 1 during 2023-24, starting on 20 occasions and providing four goal contributions in the process.

The defender also possesses relative international pedigree, having earned two caps for five-time World Cup winners Brazil across the course of 2023.

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Man United, Tottenham, Chelsea want Vanderson?

According to CaughtOffside, a trio of Premier League heavyweights are eyeing up moves for Monaco's Vanderson ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims that Man United, Chelsea and Tottenham are all interested in securing the services of the 23-year-old defender in the near future.

It is understood that Enzo Maresca's Blues hold a strong interest in Vanderson, who is approaching his three-year anniversary at Monaco.

As well as the West Londoners, it is believed that that both the Red Devils and Spurs are monitoring the progress of the right-back with a keen eye.

With a host of Premier League vultures circling, Monaco are supposedly aiming to pocket at least €35m (£29.5m) from the sale of Vanderson.

© Reuters

Do Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham need Vanderson?

A regular on the Ligue 1 and continental scenes for Monaco, Vanderson has proven his credential as a capable top-flight right-back in recent years.

Also on the fringes of Selecao selection, the 23-year-old arguably has the potential to develop into a world-class full-back at a Premier League giant.

That being said, it is not immediately obvious whether Vanderson would be an clear upgrade on any of the potential suitor's current options in that position.

Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur could be facing a lengthy ban as the midfielder has been charged by the Football Association for using a racial slur about teammate Son Heung-min.

Bentancur issued an apology in June after he appeared to suggest that all South Korean people "look the same" in an interview with a Uruguayan TV station.

Asked by a presenter, prior to Uruguay's Copa America campaign, if he could obtain a shirt from Son, whom the journalist referred to as "the Korean one", Bentancur replied: "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."

Bentancur's ill-judged comments understandably drew widespread criticism online and the 27-year-old has since been handed an FA charge.

A statement from the FA said: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.

"It's alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

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Bentancur cleared to face Arsenal, but ban could follow

"It's further alleged that this constitutes an "aggravated breach" which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."

According to talkSPORT, all 'aggravated breaches' that are a first offence bring a recommended match-based sanction of six to 12 matches.

Bentancur, who has until Thursday, September 19 to respond to his FA charge, will then have the opportunity to accept or deny any other punishments received.

The FA's decision to charge Bentancur comes just a few days before Tottenham travel to the Emirates Stadium for the North London derby against Arsenal in the Premier League, but the midfielder has been cleared to play in this fixture.

Bentancur and Son have been teammates at Tottenham since the former moved to North London in January 2022 after a four-and-half year spell in Italy with Juventus.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly viewed as the frontrunners in the race to sign Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu.

Having made the switch from Nordsjaelland in 2022, the 19-year-old has quickly established himself as one of Lecce's most important players.

Despite his age, Dorgu has already made 38 appearances for the Serie A outfit, contributing two goals and one assist from the left side.

While the youngster found himself in and out of the team during 2023-24, he has since made three starts in Italy's top flight this season.

Dorgu's rise has already led to him being called up to the Denmark senior squad with his first two caps being earned in the recent UEFA Nations League victories over Switzerland and Serbia.

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Premier League interest growing in Dorgu

He marked his debut with a goal in the first of those games, Lecce hoping that Dorgu will now be able to kick on once he has served a suspension for a recent red card.

Nevertheless, despite possessing a contract until 2027, it remains unclear whether his long-term future will be at I Giallorossi or a bigger club.

According to La Gazetta dello Sport, Chelsea and Spurs have moved into pole position to secure a deal for the prospect.

The report suggests that Dorgu's valuation could now be in the region of €40m (£33.78m) given the speed of his progression on the domestic and international front.

Lecce had previously set an asking price of €30m, it viewed as a natural move to increase that based on his emergence for Denmark.

Although club officials are ready to present Dorgu with a new contract, the player's representatives may plausibly insist on a release clause for that to come to fruition.

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Who would be best fit for Dorgu?

With Chelsea having omitted England international Ben Chilwell from their plans, it is clear that they are prepared to place faith in Marc Cucurella and Renato Veiga at left-back.

From Spurs' perspective, they have Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies and Sergio Reguilon as their options, but the long-term future of the latter duo is far from certain.

Manchester United have previously been linked with a move for Dorgu with Erik ten Hag desperate to strengthen in that area courtesy of the long-term fitness issues of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

However, the Red Devils may not be in a position to spend the aforementioned fee on a player with limited experience after their splurge on fresh talent in the summer.

Arsenal will put their unbeaten 2024-25 Premier League streak on the line on Sunday afternoon, when they make the short trip across the capital to meet Tottenham Hotspur in the first North London derby of the season.

Mikel Arteta's men have accrued seven points from their opening nine matches of the season, although they lost their 100% record in a frustrating 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break.

That stalemate means that the Gunners trail Liverpool and Manchester City by two points at this early stage, and Arteta is working around a midfield selection crisis for Sunday's battle.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with Spurs, who went down 2-1 to Newcastle United in gameweek three.

Martin Odegaard

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: October 1 (vs. Paris Saint-Germain)

Victim of a nasty ankle sprain during Norway's Nations League showdown with Austria, captain Martin Odegaard is expected to spend three weeks minimum on the sidelines, leaving Arsenal without their skipper for the derby and a few games beyond.

Riccardo Calafiori

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Calf

Possible return date: September 15 (vs. Tottenham)

Arsenal's second casualty of the international break, Riccardo Calafiori sustained a bizarre calf injury when France's Ousmane Dembele unintentionally whacked him after being tackled himself. The ex-Bologna man withdrew from the Azzurri squad a day later, but that was thought to have been more precautionary than anything else, and he could make the cut here.

Mikel Merino

Status: Out

Type of injury: Shoulder

Possible return date: Unknown

Speaking of freak injuries, Mikel Merino fractured his shoulder in his first Arsenal training session after feeling the full force of Gabriel Magalhaes landing on him, and it will be a few weeks before he is considered for a debut.

Gabriel Jesus

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Groin

Possible return date: September 15 (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)

Fitness problems have reared their ugly head once again for Gabriel Jesus, who has missed the last two matches with a groin injury, but Arsenal are keeping their fingers crossed that he will shake off the issue in time for Sunday.

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

The equally luckless Takehiro Tomiyasu has been in the treatment room with a knee problem since the start of pre-season, and as he is still yet to return to training, there is no timeframe on his return.

Kieran Tierney

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Likewise, Kieran Tierney - who was expected to leave in the summer - is still recovering from the hamstring problem he picked up at the Euros, and it is not clear when he might be back in action.

ARSENAL'S SUSPENSION LIST

Declan Rice

Return date: September 19 (vs. Atalanta BC)

Tottenham Hotspur have the honour of hosting the first North London derby of the season on Sunday, when they welcome bitterest foes Arsenal to their capital home.

Ange Postecoglou's men have one win, one draw and one defeat on their 2024-25 report card so far, most recently suffering a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United before the international break.

Also thrashing Everton and playing out a 1-1 stalemate with Leicester City in the opening weeks of the campaign, Tottenham are smack-bang in the middle of the table in 10th place, three points worse off than their visitors.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Arsenal, who drew 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion in their most recent affair.

Dominic Solanke

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: September 15 (vs. Arsenal)

Dominic Solanke has sat out Spurs' last two matches with the ankle injury he picked up in the opening game of the season, and there is still no guarantee that the £65m striker will be able to lead the line in the derby.

Micky van de Ven

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: September 15 (vs. Arsenal)

A knee injury prevented Micky van den Ven from facing Newcastle and representing the Netherlands during the international break, but there is optimism that the defender will be back in action in time for the derby.

Yves Bissouma

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Knock

Possible return date: September 15 (vs. Arsenal)

Spurs did not come through the international break unscathed, as Yves Bissouma was withdrawn in Mali's win over Eswatini after suffering a heavy challenge, and the Lilywhites are anxiously awaiting updates on his condition.

Richarlison

Status: Out

Type of injury: Unspecified

Possible return date: September 26 (vs. Qarabag)

Prior to the loss to Newcastle, Postecoglou revealed that Richarlison had sustained an injury in training, which will rule the Brazilian out for a few weeks.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Manchester United were reportedly one of three clubs who made a summer swoop for Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed a success-laden time over the past two years on the international scene, lifting the World Cup in Qatar and Copa America in the United States.

On the club stage, Romero has formed an excellent partnership at the heart of the Tottenham backline with Micky van de Ven, who joined the club last summer.

Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Argentina man has netted six times in the Premier League, more strikes than any other defender over that period.

During his first three years in North London, Romero has made 101 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions, scoring on seven occasions.

Man United wanted Tottenham's Romero?

According to Argentinian news outlet TYC Sports, there were three clubs who enquired about the availability of Tottenham's Romero during the summer transfer window.

The report states that Spurs' Premier League rivals Man United were exploring the possibility of a deal for the 26-year-old, who has also been on the books of Atalanta BC, Juventus and Genoa in Italy.

As well as the Red Devils, it is understood that Champions League holders Real Madrid and French champions Paris Saint-Germain were also keen on a swoop for Romero.

With Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou desperate to keep hold of the defender, the North Londoners did not enter negotiations with any of the interested parties.

It is believed that Man United were serious in their fondness of Romero, enquiring about the centre-back at the start of the summer window in June.

Man United moved on

With Tottenham rejecting Man United's advances for Romero early in the summer, the Reds Devils were seemingly forced to move onto secondary targets.

Erik ten Hag's troops recruited two players at centre-back including Leny Yoro, who is yet to make his competitive debut for the club due to an injury sustained in pre-season.

On the contrary, fellow summer arrival Matthijs de Ligt has featured in all three of Man United's Premier League fixtures before the international break.

Arsenal have revealed that they will not be able to play in their traditional red home kit in Sunday's North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur due to a possible kit clash.

In seasons gone by, the two bitter rivals have usually sported their home jerseys in both Premier League fixtures, with Arsenal wearing red at White Hart Lane down the years and Spurs donning their recognisable white at the Emirates.

However, Arsenal's 2024-25 home kit features white sleeves and a large strip of white down the sides of the shirt, as well as the same colour on the shorts, which the Premier League feared could lead to a potential clash.

As a result, the Gunners will make a rare change to their black away kit for Sunday's trip to Tottenham, which they have already worn once this campaign in their 2-0 win away to Aston Villa.

Arsenal revealed in a statement that they had raised the idea of wearing both red socks and red shorts at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the Premier League and PGMOL still upheld their decision.

The ruling also means that Tottenham will have to wear their light blue away strip when they visit the Emirates for the second North London derby of the season on January 14.