Tottenham Hotspur

Ben Haines, club TV presenter and women’s football presenter, will sit down with us ahead of every WSL home game this season to provide his insight on the upcoming fixture and the news around the league.

It’s good to be back! It’s always really special to get to see so many of our squad featuring for their nation but there’s always a little Spurs shaped hole in the weekends when we don’t play. One of the things about the international break that tends to go under the radar is that whatever result you finish on, it seems to take on double the significance because of the amount of time before you can get back out on the pitch. So, fantastic news for Spurs fans that we’re in such brilliant form and ended on a strong win against Birmingham City last time out

Holdt’s tremendous start

It’s so tough to pick players to watch out for this weekend given how many outstanding performers we’ve had so far this season, but we have to talk about Olivia Holdt. Her two finishes last time out were just outrageous. She showed so much composure and class on both of those, sitting the goalkeeper down both times and finishing with the sort of confidence that has us all buzzing to watch her once again.

Another clean sheet

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think we also need to talk about our defence again. Tōko and Clare are building a formidable partnership at the heart of defence and it was brilliant to see our full-backs flying as well. Josefine Rybrink made an impressive return to the backline and it was fantastic to see Amanda Nilden on the scoresheet with that gorgeous right footed curling finish.

The threat Liverpool still pose

In terms of our opponents this weekend, it’s not been an easy start for them. If you saw their first game of the season against Everton, or against London City Lionesses or even their defeat at the hands of Man City, they were all incredibly tight games. They’re a side eager to be in possession and to play out from the back but at times, though, that’s left them vulnerable to a counterattack or an error that has opened up opportunities for opponents.

Against Everton on matchday one, they were the better side for large parts of the game but found themselves on the receiving end of some ruthless counterattacking. Against London City Lionesses, that eagerness to play out from the back left them with no room for error and ultimately conceded very late on. It’s those fine margins going the wrong way that have left them currently 11th in the table - although they have played a game less than West Ham - and desperate for some momentum.

A look ahead to Sunday's clash

However, they are coming to Brisbane Road to face a Spurs side that has been incredibly resilient at the back, with three clean sheets in the league so far while, at the other end, we’re starting to click going forward. Fingers crossed we can pick up from where we left off.

Finally, I wanted to send lots of love and support to Maite Oroz who has started her journey to recovery from an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. Everyone is behind you Maite and we’re keeping everything crossed for a full and speedy recovery.

New for this season, our Official Matchday Programme brings fans a collection of photos sourced from a deep dive into our Mirrorpix photography archive, most of which have never been seen before.

We'll bring you a taster of the gallery here on tottenhamhotspur.com...

Next up, Chelsea in the 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday.

Above - Pure emotion on the face of Mark Falco as White Hart Lane erupts after his goal in our 1-1 draw in November 1984...

Voting for October's Goal of the Month is now open!

Eight stunning strikes across the month of October have been shortlisted - all you need to do is pick which one you think should come out on top...

We take on Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday - 5.30pm kick-off. If you’re joining us for this fixture, please read our travel update ahead of planning your journey to N17.

The event day shuttle bus will not call at Alexandra Palace due to an evening event in the area. The service will only call at Wood Green, where supporters can connect for Piccadilly Line services.

Frequent services are anticipated through White Hart Lane, Northumberland Park, Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale before and after the game.

A reminder that parking enforcement measures are in place on matchdays. An extended Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) operates in Haringey and Enfield, so supporters are strongly encouraged to use public transport to travel to the stadium.

Supporters can stay up to date with the latest travel news via TfL.gov.uk and nationalrail.co.uk, and receive real-time updates via the Spurs Matchday Info channel on WhatsApp.

Reminder - Regional Coach service available

Our Regional Coach service, operating from a number of destinations including routes within Spurs supporter heartlands, is available for all home matches.

Book now…

Stay up to date - Spurs matchday info on WhatsApp

You can stay up to date with important matchday information – including real-time travel updates – by following our Spurs Matchday Info channel on WhatsApp.

Simply click here or search for Spurs matchday info in your WhatsApp Updates section.

Stations

Please note that Bruce Grove and Silver Street stations will be closed for two hours post-match on Saturday.

White Hart Lane

On the Weaver line, 6 services are expected to call at White Hart Lane in both directions before and after the game. Services operate between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town/Cheshunt.

Supporters travelling to Liverpool Street post-match are reminded that Northumberland Park services have greater capacity and frequency to those at White Hart Lane, and the journey time should be shorter as there are fewer stops.

White Hart Lane is a fully accessible station.

CLICK HERE to view the northbound London Overground timetables...

CLICK HERE to view the southbound London Overground timetables...

Northumberland Park

If travelling on Greater Anglia services, we recommend using Northumberland Park as it is a shorter distance to the stadium than Tottenham Hale.

Northumberland Park is also recommended for supporters heading to Liverpool Street after the game as it will have a higher train capacity than White Hart Lane.

The following services will be in operation through Northumberland Park on Saturday evening:

Pre-match northbound: 7 trains per hour

Post-match northbound: 7 trains per hour, including 2 Stansted Express services

Pre-match southbound: 10 trains per hour, including 4 Stansted Express services

Post-match southbound: 8 trains per hour, including 4 Stansted Express services

CLICK HERE to view the full Greater Anglia timetable...

Tottenham Hale

Tottenham Hale is a fully accessible station and is served by the Victoria line and Greater Anglia services.

Supporters travelling on the Victoria line are encouraged to use Tottenham Hale rather than Seven Sisters as it is a shorter journey to and from the stadium. Victoria line services will operate every 2-3 minutes in both directions before and after the game.

There will also be 12 Greater Anglia services per hour operating in each direction through Tottenham Hale, including 4 Stansted Express trains each way. We recommend using Northumberland Park for Greater Anglia services as it is a shorter distance to the stadium than Tottenham Hale.

Seven Sisters

Victoria line services will be operating every 2-3 minutes in each direction before and after the game.

Pre-match, a diversion route will be in place at Birstall Road for pedestrians entering Seven Sisters station for interchange between the Victoria line and London Overground services. This is to avoid congestion on the northbound platform.

We encourage supporters to consider using Tottenham Hale for Victoria Line services as it is a shorter distance to the stadium than Seven Sisters.

Queue management

Queue management systems will be in place at all stations for the safety of all passengers and staff.

At each station, the queue management staff are in contact with the Station Managers who will confirm when platforms are clear to enable more passengers to enter the station. For the safety of all passengers and staff, supporters are kindly asked to cooperate with station staff and always follow their instructions.

Shuttle buses

The Club’s free shuttle bus will run an amended service on Saturday. Due to an event in Alexandra Palace in the evening, services will only operate between Wood Green and the stadium.

Supporters travelling via Wood Green can connect to the Piccadilly Line, which is expected to operate with services every 2-3 minutes in both directions throughout the evening.

CLICK HERE to book your place on a Shuttle Bus...

Cycling

Extra parking facilities for dockless bikes are available in the surrounding area, making cycling to the stadium easier than ever. Here’s a list of locations where you can start and end your journey:

High Road

Cedar Road

Ruskin Road (North)

Ruskin Road (South)

Church Road

Brereton Road (North)

Brereton Road (South)

White Hart Lane

Vicarage Road

Lansdowne Road

Scotland Green

Pembury Road (North)

Pembury Road (South)

Bike stands also remain available at Tottenham Community Sports Centre and St Francis De Sales School, which are both located on the High Road. Dedicated bicycle parking is also available on-street around the stadium.

Although our Bag Policy still applies, stewards will be briefed regarding cyclists’ need to carry helmets, puncture kits and removable seats into the stadium.

CLICK HERE to read our Bag Policy...

Controlled Parking Zone

A reminder that parking enforcement measures are in place on matchdays. An extended Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) operates in Haringey and Enfield, so supporters are strongly encouraged to use public transport to travel to the stadium.

Supporters with Blue Badges can park within the CPZ – but are reminded that the Blue Badge Holder must be present with the badge. Haringey Council staff actively check Blue Badges at all games, and invalid badges can result in a Penalty Charge Notice or your vehicle being towed.

Please see here for further details.

Road closures

Please note, our major event day road closure measures will be in place.

TfL bus services will return to normal operation as soon as possible after the local road closures are lifted.

How's Your Touch? | Tandberg, Kop, Graham & Dennis  Tottenham Hotspur

Guglielmo Vicario has been shortlisted for the Premier League's Save of the Month award after his remarkable save to deny Iliman Ndiaye in Sunday's 3-0 win over Everton.

Making a number of incredible saves in the game, his 72nd-minute stop to deny the Toffees attacker has been nominated for October's prize.

Having also denied an acrobatic effort from Beto earlier in the second half with an instinct reactionary save which would have surely been in the running for the award, but then our number one produced an even more incredible stop to deny the Senegal international from the edge of the area.

Firing towards goal with a first time effort, the shot first took a deflection off Palhinha, then change direction once again with a touch of Kevin Danso before skidding off the wet surface at Hill Dickinson Stadium forcing Vicario to adjust a number of times in a split-second but incredibly, our shot stopper managed to get down to the strike and turn it away.

Watch Vicario's stunning save

How would you sum up Liverpool’s start to the season?

Emilie: “I think it’s fair to say Liverpool’s start to the season has been far from ideal. They’ve faced a mixed run of fixtures in terms of difficulty on paper, but are yet to pick up a single point, leaving them second from bottom on goal difference.

“Their campaign began in disappointing fashion with a home defeat to Everton at Anfield, which was hardly the ideal way to set the tone for the season. Since then, results have continued to go against them. While defeats to Manchester United and Manchester City might be forgiven given the quality of opponent, the performances against Leicester and London City Lionesses will have left fans frustrated.

“However, they lost their biggest threat in Olivia Smith to Arsenal in the summer, had an injury to Leanne Kiernan to deal with, and now both Marie Höbinger and Sophie Roman Haug are out of action having torn their Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). All of these have been major blows to Liverpool’s personnel.”

Good performance against City last time out – just what has been missing so far?

Emilie: “Despite their struggles, Liverpool have shown flashes of promise that suggest there’s still something to build on. Their second-half performance against Manchester City before the international break, in particular, was a sign of the resilience and energy the side can produce.

“They’ve conceded 10 goals in their opening five matches, fewer than both West Ham and London City Lionesses, but I would say their main issues have been at the other end of the pitch. Creativity has been lacking and they’re missing that cutting edge in the final third. They’ve managed just two goals so far in the WSL, both scored by Cornelia Kapocs in their first and most recent fixtures.

“I think they need to be braver going forward and take more risks in and around the box if they want to turn things around. Since taking charge, Gareth Taylor has introduced a possession-based approach, and while they have done well to hold the ball in several matches, that control hasn’t always translated into real attacking intent. Taylor has noted this is something they’re actively working to fix.”

Who would be your ‘one to watch’ on Sunday?

Emilie: “As scorer of both Liverpool’s league goals so far this campaign, Kapocs is perhaps the most obvious player to watch out for. The Swede’s header against Manchester City was the perfect example of her excellent finishing abilities. She has a knack for impactful moments and also opened the scoring in Liverpool’s in 3-2 win over Spurs in this same fixture last season, producing a stunning lob from distance.

“However, Ceri Holland has arguably been their most valuable attacking player so far. She’s usually known for her tireless work-rate, acting as the central engine of Liverpool’s midfield, but since his arrival, Taylor has chosen to deploy her on the right. Her dangerous delivery from this position provided the assist for Kapocs’ goal against Manchester City and she found the net herself in Liverpool’s recent cup match against Durham. It was an impressive contribution considering she’d only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes.”

How has Gareth Taylor settled into his new role?

Emilie: “As I said before, Taylor is known for his possession-based approach, and this is definitely starting to show in Liverpool’s performances. But considering his appointment didn’t come until very late in pre-season in August, there hasn’t been much time for Taylor to fully embed his ideas within the squad. There are definitely signs of progress, but after five consecutive league defeats, the pressure is starting to build up. You’d expect that eventually results will have to be prioritised over building his style.”

What can we expect from Liverpool this weekend?

Emilie: “I think you can expect Liverpool to set up in their usual 4-1-4-1 formation that they’ve been regularly playing in under Taylor. More injuries out wide mean their full-back options have been pretty limited in the early stages of this season, and on occasion, they’ve even had four centre-backs lining up on the back line.

“At times this has stunted their ability to create chances on the flanks, but it also means they’ve been more of a challenge to break down. Liverpool certainly frustrated Manchester City when they made the trip to Anfield, and it will be interesting to see how Spurs tackle their defensive wall.”

Last time out against the Reds

We can confirm that Malachi Hardy and Elijah Upson have been added to England’s squad for the upcoming Under-17 World Cup.

The defensive duo were named on the standby list when the initial squad was announced earlier this month and have now been called into the group as part of a handful of enforced changes made by coach Neil Ryan.

Unfortunately, as part of these, Jun’ai Byfield and Tynan Thompson – who were both named in the initial squad – have had to withdraw from the tournament.

Malachi has been a regular in the England youth set-up over recent seasons and captained the Under-17s last year.

Fellow centre-back Elijah earned his first international call-up at Under-18 level just this month and memorably marked his debut with the winning goal in a friendly against France.

The pair have joined Luca Williams-Barnett, who remains in the squad from the originally-announced list, in reporting for duty in Qatar.

England’s campaign begins on Tuesday 4 November against Venezuela (3.15pm UK) before they face Haiti (Friday 7 November, 12.30pm UK) and Egypt (Monday 10 November, 3.45pm UK) in Group E.

The top two finishers in each group will progress to the knockout stages, beginning with the round of 32, as will the eight best third-place finishers. The final is scheduled for Thursday 27 November at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.

All of the Young Lions’ games will be televised live in the UK on ITV.

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at St. James’ Park after our 2-0 loss against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night.

Here’s what he had to say...

What did you make of the performance?

Thomas: “I think it was a very even game. I think it was small margins that decided it. I think our performance was good. I think the way we played the game, especially how we built it from behind, phase one, especially phase two, I think we controlled the game much more. I think we had some short connections in the middle of the pitch. I think we found Lucas and Xavi in good positions. So, I think that was one of our better offensive performances for the season. You could say it was not like we created five 100% chances, but we created some really big chances. I think Ramsdale had some really good saves and we had six or seven very good moments where Richarlison arrived a second too late, or the final pass could have had even more cutting-edge quality to have created even more. So, overall, I'm happy with the performance. Of course, I'm super disappointed that we lost. I’m also super disappointed that we're out. We would love to progress and be in the draw tonight.”

It seems like a different system in the past couple of games, freeing up players a little - is that encouraging?

Thomas: “Yeah, definitely. I think both games, Everton and Newcastle, both games looked much better in the structure we tried to build, to hit players in the space between lines, if that opened up, or course around if it's too close. You're right, I think first half against Everton had it and throughout this game, I think we found good positions.”

Was Vicario out left for the same reason as Doncaster (in the last round)?

Thomas: “He had a small thing that had to be done. He’s ready for Chelsea.”

And Odobert?

Thomas: “Odobert had a side strain, unfortunately, that kept him out for this game. Also, we need to assess him, but he could look positive for Chelsea.”

Are you concerned with a few injuries starting to build up?

Thomas: “Of course, I would like to have everyone fit and available, but we know injury is part of it. It's up to me to find solutions. I think some of the ones we had is relatively, how can I say, unlucky. It's how quick we get them back, but contact injuries to Maddison, Bissouma, the knee with Destiny, can’t do too much about that.”

You saw how many changes Newcastle made - how difficult was it to pick your team today?

Thomas: “Yeah, it was very difficult, to be honest. Newcastle made eight, we made four, but we made four because we wanted to compete. I think we competed. Unfortunately, we just dropped out on the wrong end of it. So, of course, as you said, it's a busy schedule. It's a balance to make a very competitive team that can perform, tactically can still hit the criteria we want it to hit. Everton, it was four changes. Newcastle, four changes. Now Chelsea on Saturday. So, some you need to rest, others you need to be at it too. I'm very disappointed we couldn't continue. We have 5,000 fans travelling. So, we're more than pleased, happy that they're travelling this long way on a late night and give us all the backing. It’s unfortunate we couldn't give them back with a win.”

Just on Archie - is that a training injury?

Thomas: “He would have started. He got a contact to the calf in Monaco and probably in there or whatever also picked up a calf strain.”

Thomas Frank felt our Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United was decided by ‘small margins’ as the home side ran out 2-0 winners at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.

Newcastle’s goals came via two headers - Emil Krafth’s from a corner on 24 minutes, Nick Woltemade getting to Joe Willock’s cross ahead of Antonin Kinsky five minutes into the second half.

We certainly held our own in general play. Richarlison was unlucky not to get onto two crosses in front of goal in the first half and Xavi Simons fired just over, then Aaron Ramsdale saved well from Pape Matar Sarr and Richarlison in the second half.

Speaking to us afterwards, Thomas reflected: “It's always disappointing to lose, and it's always disappointing to be out of a tournament where we'd like to progress to the next round.

“To look at it from a bigger perspective, I think our performance was good. I think we come to St. James’ Park and created more shots than them. We looked much better in phase one and two and looked more clear in our attacking ways. We had some good situations and really tested Ramsdale at times. He made some fantastic saves.

“We also had six or seven situations where if we arrive at the right moment we hopefully score. So, that’s the positive. I also think our mentality was good.

“Football sometimes is margins and I think in a tight game it was margins. I think the first one, a set-piece, where we normally have been very good, always things we need to look at. It happens. The second one, we lost the ball, then we have to defend the box. Then it happens again, but Toni shouldn't go for the ball, just stay in there and I actually think he would have caught it, but that's a decision you need to make and it happened.”