Tottenham Hotspur

Academy graduate James Rowswell became the latest player to make his senior competitive debut for the club during Sunday’s dramatic 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

The 19-year-old defender came on in stoppage time for Richarlison just moments after the Brazil international forward had netted a 90th-minute equaliser to help us get over the line and secure a precious point at Anfield.

In doing so, James earned Legacy Number 904, joining the exclusive list of players to have represented our men’s first team throughout our history.

Sunday’s outing was the 12th time the teenager has been named in our first team squad this season.

He joined Under-21s team-mate Callum Olusesi on the pitch, after the midfielder came on for his Premier League bow and second appearance in our colours earlier in the second period.

Legacy Numbers were introduced in October, 2023, as a way of recognising every player that has played their part in our history. Each person to have represented our men’s first team in a competitive game has their own unique number, which appears on the back of the collar of their match shirts.

Watch | Rowswell and Olusesi on their Premier League debuts at Anfield

Our Under-18s’ home league fixture against Chelsea on Tuesday (17 March) will now kick off at the later time of 5pm.

Initially scheduled to be held in the morning, the game remains at Hotspur Way – supporters will be able to watch the action live on SPURSPLAY as usual.

It looks set to be a key clash in the race for the Under-18 Premier League southern division title, with the teams in first and second place respectively heading into the contest. We’re four points ahead of the Blues, but they have two games in hand.

Jamie Carr’s side registered an impressive 4-1 home win over Southampton on Saturday, with Reiss Elliott-Parris scoring from inside our half.

Highlights | Under-18s record impressive win over Saints

Igor Tudor spoke to the media at Anfield after our 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

Here's what he had to say...

It's your first point in the Premier League - how does that feel?

Igor: "Nice! Nice, some fresh air, some good things for the confidence of the players, everyone again around the club and especially the fans. Good team spirit, seeing the circumstances the team was in today, coming here to Anfield with 12 players, what we already know. So, this is something big. We stayed in the game, we believed, I felt that we could score the goal, the players also felt it, so, okay, it's nice."

Sometimes when a team is on a downward spiral, you need that one moment that just picks you back up again, could Richarlison's goal be the moment?

Igor: "We hope, you know. It's a long way to our goal, which is to stay in the Premier League, still a lot of games to play, but today was important to show what they showed today, independently of the result. When you are honest, you need to be honest, give everything, then the football will give you back. That was my words before the game, so this happened today. As I said, it was not easy, and now we need to see now what to do in these two games, in front of us, to see who is able to play, who is not able to play, who is injured, who is not injured, so it's not easy. We continue to have problems from that point of view, the numbers, but that's why this result is even more important."

You've spoken about needing a small team mentality in recent weeks, do you think they showed that mentality today?

Igor: "Yeah, today, with the ball, as I said, simple things, our possession with the ball, simple things, second balls, fight, because it's like a moment like that deserves to do simple things, so starting with good team spirit, good defence, and fight, and they showed this, it's a good start, let's say."

You changed your system today with four at the back and Souza on the right?

Igor: "We were preparing one training session with Conor in the middle, and other solutions, but we needed to change today, so it was a system, it was a team put in without training, let's say, two, three positions were changed, because it totally happened like this, you know, you prepare two trainings, then in the morning the team you didn't prepare, because someone is out. So, this, again, to repeat, is even more value of this victory to the guys. Congratulations to the guys, they were happy there also, you know, team spirit, that was the key of this point."

Does this game show that the players are fighting for you and listening to what you're saying?

Igor: "When you analyse of any kind of coach, you need to see what were the games. So, when I watched last two games, and I'm here, it was four games, let's see, first two games, and then other two games, when you watch the games, I think there is nothing to comment from the football point of view, when I watch our two games, and I need to have comment of the coach, I cannot say nothing, so there is nothing to comment when you get red card, you have 1-0, and what happened last game. So, all those who are speaking and comment, what you can say, if you are honest with you, make analysis of the coach, think after these two games, what can I say, there is nothing to comment, there is nothing about football, there is nothing about football, you know. So, job of a coach, you know how it is. I am coaching 15 years, never was thinking one second about my future, one second even, I never think about my future, my past, I always think about training tomorrow, how to help the players, don't read nothing, don't watch nothing, future is just imagination, future don't exist, it's a constant thing, of today, of tomorrow, training, so you, I don't know, just losing energy, thinking what will happen, don't give you nothing, never, this job in football, in life, nothing, just focus on now, here, that's the key. For the players even, you can get away from the fever in this way, what is thinking, what will happen, bring you in a state of mind, which is not, give you nothing. So, stay now, be focused, what you can change, that's what every coach is doing."

You had two very young midfielders in Sarr and Gray - what did make of their performances?

Igor: "I like them very much in the Atletico game as well, in the middle. They have both things, good energy, running, even quality. I would like to have this consistency with the team, you know, like other coaches. Today, seeing the bench of Liverpool, it's like, makes you feel different. So, without having a complete squad at the time, you can't work on a daily basis, everything is almost impossible. The job is hard to do, sometimes maybe you cannot even imagine, because you are outside, how difficult is the job to do here, and in the end, it is always about results. So, if there are no results, you know, it's always like someone who is charged, he's not probably, he's not working good, he's not good enough, but, okay."

Igor Tudor said it was all about staying in the game as we earned ‘an immense point’ with Richarlison’s late equaliser at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.

Trailing to Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick on 18 minutes, we competed throughout, created chances and, as the game turned into a basketball-style end-to-end affair in the final quarter, finally had that golden chance fall the way of Richy – and he made no mistake in front of the Kop.

With 90 minutes on the clock, Guglielmo Vicario cleared long, Randal Kolo Muani competed and came out with the ball before finding Richy, who tucked way from close range.

Speaking to us afterwards at Anfield, Igor said: “We stayed in the game until the end. We believed that we could do it. I felt that the players believed. So, that was the key - staying in the game, be as a team, work hard against the stadium here. The circumstances we have at this moment - we came here with 12 players, so that's an immense point.”

Igor lost Cuti Romero and Joao Palhinha to injury and Micky van de Ven to suspension for this game and problems mounted further when Conor Gallagher, fighting against illness in the week, couldn’t make the matchday squad.

Igor added: “As I said before, don’t cry, try to do your best, and be focused, let's say, on the simple things. That was today, the spirit, the fight. Let's say we start, when the players come, when we have time, to work on something else, some structure of attacking or something else, but in this moment, it's impossible.”

Asked what this late point earned could do for the squad, Igor added: “Confidence, a little bit of fresh air for the guys who suffer with the fans together. I was really happy for them and for the fans, for everyone.”

A dramatic late goal from Richarlison gave us a huge morale-boosting draw at Anfield as we ended a six-match losing run against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazil international forward had an ongoing battle with compatriot Alisson in the Liverpool goal, who thwarted him three times with big saves until the 90th minute, when Richarlison finally got the goal he richly deserved to cancel out Dominik Szoboszlai’s excellent first-half free-kick.

Despite a long injury list and arriving at Anfield with only seven substitutes, which included two goalkeepers and three teenagers, we more than matched the home side and produced a real battling performance to give Head Coach Igor Tudor his first point in his fourth Premier League game in charge.

There were a couple of milestone moments for our Academy as well – Callum Olusesi making his Premier League bow while James Rowswell became Legacy Number 904 when he came on in injury time for his senior debut.

We made a bright start on Merseyside and almost took the lead with two chances falling to Souza in the 11th minute. Playing in an unfamiliar position off the right flank, he couldn’t quite get on the end of Dominic Solanke’s ball into the edge of the six-yard box before, just seconds later, he let fly with a 25-yard left-foot rocket that Alisson did well to push over the crossbar.

However, there was obvious danger when Liverpool were awarded a free-kick 22 yards out and sure enough, Szoboszlai’s right-foot effort beat our wall and Guglielmo Vicario’s dive, even though he got a good hand to the ball, to give the home side the lead with 18 minutes gone. They nearly added a second on 35 minutes but this time Vicario’s hand did save the day, an excellent diving stop down to his right to tip Cody Gakpo’s shot from the edge of the area onto the post.

We’d been second best since the goal but went so close to levelling it up twice in the final stages of the first half. Both were Richarlison headers from Mathys Tel crosses, the first nodded just past the post and the second moments later needed another good stop from Alisson to preserve Liverpool’s lead as we trailed at the interval.

The first opportunity of the second period was a half chance for Rio Ngumoha, who curled wide from a right-foot shot and then hit a similar effort straight at Vicario. But again, Richarlison found himself with a good opportunity at the other end, latching onto a long ball and holding off Virgil van Dijk before getting a shot away which Alisson pushed away for a corner.

It became quite an end-to-end game, both teams with good possession in the final third if not fashioning clear-cut chances although Richarlison tested Alisson once again with a fine effort from 20 yards while substitutes Liverpool substitutes Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike fluffed their lines on a swift counter by the home side. The near misses kept coming, Ryan Gravenberch’s deflected shot looping up into Vicario’s arms before Archie Gray’s cross from the left was just centimetres too high for Richarlison unmarked in the box.

As the game entered its final few minutes, Xavi Simons cut in onto his right foot but his low curler was saved by Alisson. Then, in the 90th minute, Randal Kolo Muani gathered a poor clearance from Andy Robertson, moved into the area and laid the ball off for Richarlison to finally get the goal he deserved, rolling into the far corner to beat Alisson.

The five minutes of stoppage time were crazy, both sides going for the winner and both having promising counter-attacks which fizzled out to nothing when a better pass would have probably won the game. In the end though, we settled for the point – and it could be huge for morale and confidence for the rest of the season.

We can now confirm the starting XI and substitutes for our Premier League clash with Liverpool (4.30pm UK).

Igor Tudor has made four changes to the side that started Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Guglielmo Vicario returns to the starting XI in place on Antonin Kinsky while Radu Dragusin and Souza come into the side with Cristian Romero sidelined and Micky van de Ven suspended.

Dominic Solanke also returns to start with Randal Kolo Muani taking a place amongst our substitutes.

Pedro Porro captains us for the first time in the Premier League.

Starting XI: Vicario, Dragusin, Danso, Richarlison, Tel, Gray, Solanke, Pedro Porro (c), Spence, Sarr, Souza.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Austin, Xavi, Kolo Muani, Olusesi, Rowswell, Wilson.

Martin Ho says ‘we were nowhere near our level’ as we suffered a 2-1 defeat to Everton in the Women’s Super League on Sunday afternoon.

We were punished after a slow start at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Yuka Momiki picked out the bottom corner with a low, left-footed drive and the visitors, who arrived in north London on the back of three consecutive wins in the WSL, kept us at bay to limit us to very few opportunities while Lize Kop produced a number of key saves to keep us in the contest.

However, on 76 minutes, a moment of quality from Signe Gaupset brought us back on level terms but, despite the momentum shift in our favour, the visitors regained the lead with seven minutes left on the clock, Kelly Gago tapped home from close range.

Returning from a three-week absence of action due to the international break, our Head Coach acknowledged the performance wasn’t what is expected from his group of players.

“We were nowhere near our level that we need to be,” Martin Ho told us, speaking to SPURSPLAY after the game. “I need to dissect that and make sure that I look at that performance with a really, really close eye because of how we set up and the way we do things tactically - that's my responsibility.

“We have to make sure that physically, technically, we need to be a lot more clean with those actions. Usually, our pressure and our aggressiveness defensively is there but, today, we just didn't get up to the levels we expected.

“They've kept a lot of clean sheets. They don't concede many and they've come off the back of three straight wins. We need to make sure that when we're in these games, we know it's going to be competitive, the fine margins matter.

“When we have our chances in and around the box, we need to be more ruthless. Signe took her goal really well but, in the game, in both phases, we weren’t where we need to be and we were not near the level we needed to be. If you're not at that level, you won't be able to perform at the top level.

“We were nowhere near the level and that's my responsibility. We need to make sure that when we go into this Manchester City game now, we can repay that faith in the fans.”

We now face Manchester City at Joie Stadium next weekend to start a run of three consecutive away games against the three of the top four – Arsenal and Chelsea in the FA Cup – and Martin is clear he wants to see a reaction from the defeat in north London.

“We should see a response now,” Martin added. “There should be a raising character and intensity going into the training week. There should be a real clear eye on individual reflection for myself, for every player, for staff, and we need to make sure we go into that Manchester City game with the right mindset and with a positive mentality to make sure we can push the game.”

Kelly Gago’s 83rd-minute goal consigned us to a 2-1 Barclays Women’s Super League defeat to Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday lunchtime.

Having trailed inside 12 minutes to a precision strike from Yuka Momiki, we fought hard in search of a leveller but couldn’t come up with much of a cutting edge in the attacking areas until substitute Olga Ahtinen teed up Signe Gaupset to drill home with just under a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

Instead of spurring us on to victory, though, that goal only kicked Everton into another gear and they restored their lead seven minutes later when Gago finished off a devastating counter-attack, while it was only some sharp saves from Lize Kop to deny Melissa Lawley and Inma Gabarro that prevented the Toffees from adding to their side of the scoreline.

We took to the field in what was our first WSL outing for a month without the services of three of our regular back four this season, the virtually ever-present centre-half duo of Clare Hunt and Toko Koga away at the Asian Cup and left-back Amanda Nilden suspended after an accumulation of yellow cards. Young forward Lenna Gunning-Williams, meanwhile, came in for her first WSL start as one of two changes from the Women’s FA Cup win over London City Lionesses last time out.

Only 59 seconds were on the clock when the threatening Toni Payne broke forward into space down Everton’s right, but Kop stood strong to block her attempt with the pair subsequently colliding at the near post. Cathinka Tandberg’s looping header was gathered at the other end by Courtney Brosnan but on 12 minutes we fell behind when Zara Kramzar attacked down the left before finding Momiki, who arrowed a fine low strike into the far bottom corner from 18 yards out.

Payne fired just off-target and then shot straight at Kop as Everton continued to threaten, but while we produced some clever bits of play at times, not least a wonderful turn on the ball in the visitors’ area by Olivia Holdt in the run-up to the interval, we couldn’t pose any serious problems for Brosnan.

Bethany England added some attacking impetus when she came off the bench as part of a triple substitution by Martin Ho just prior to the hour mark, planting a header wide and then driving in from the left to set up Gaupset, whose shot across the face of goal was claimed by Brosnan, while Maz Pacheco’s header for Everton landed on the roof of our net before we finally found a breakthrough in the 76th minute, Ahtinen coming in off the right and setting up Gaupset, who found the far corner with a clinical finish from the right angle.

Unfortunately for us, we couldn’t capitalise and after Gabarro steered a shot over the bar, the visitors scored on the break with 83 minutes gone, Gabarro racing onto a ball down the left before squaring for Gago to convert from close range. Everton’s substitutes had really made a difference for them and another of those – Lawley – was left wondering how she hadn’t scored when her angled volley from the right was superbly touched onto the near post by Kop. Gabarro was then denied by our Netherlands international stopper at her other upright, as we were left frustrated at the end of the game.

We are back in Barclays Women's Super League today (kick-off 11.55am UK) as we take on Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

You can watch the game live below via WSL's Official YouTube Channel...

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our Women’s Super League encounter against Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon (kick-off 11.55am UK).

Returning to action after the latest international break, Martin Ho has made two changes to the team that tasted success in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup at London City Lionesses last time out.

One of those sees Academy graduate Lenna Gunning-Williams come into the starting XI and is handed her first start in the WSL, replacing Maika Hamano who is currently involved in the Women’s Asian Cup for Japan.

The other change comes in the backline with Josefine Rybrink coming in for Toko Koga, while Molly Bartrip will wear the captain’s armband for this afternoon’s fixture.

Among the substitutes, Drew Spence returns to the matchday squad after serving her three-game suspension. Amanda Nilden is unavailable for selection as she serves a one-game suspension after accumulating five yellow cards.

Here's how we line-up...

Starting XI: Kop, Bartrip (c), Gaupset, Holdt, Rybrink, Vinberg, Gunning-Williams, Tandberg, Wijk, Summanen, Blakstad.

Substitutes: Heeps, Jackson, Grant, England, M. Nilden, Ahtinen, Spence, Dennis.