Tottenham Hotspur

Here’s everything you need to know...

What time does the match start?

The game begins at 8pm UK time.

How can I watch the game?

Monday’s game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event.

Our brand new Match Centre is once again in effect, featuring all the latest build-up to the game followed by live in-match updates from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with both text and audio commentary options available.

Video highlights and a full match replay will be available on SPURSPLAY from midnight after the game.

What is the team news?

Roberto De Zerbi has no fresh injury concerns after last weekend’s key win at Aston Villa.

Guglielmo Vicario isn’t yet ready to return, while James Maddison’s potential involvement will be carefully considered after he’s been in and around the squad over the last few weeks.

Dominic Solanke remains sidelined for Monday’s game but could be back before the end of the season, while Cristian Romero, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus are all still out.

As for Leeds, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Noah Okafor miss out, while Pascal Struijk has been struggling with a hip problem and will be assessed.

Who is the referee?

Monday’s match will be refereed by Jarred Gillett, with Neil Davies and Steve Meredith as his assistants.

Tom Kirk will be the fourth official with Craig Pawson and assistant Nick Hopton in charge of VAR.

Which kit colours will the teams be wearing?

We’ll be in our usual home kit of Lilywhite shirts, navy blue shorts and white socks, with our goalkeeper in pink.

Leeds will wear their black kit with dark blue and yellow patterns on the shirts, with their keeper in orange.

How can I get the matchday programme?

In-form goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky is the subject of our main feature interview in Monday’s official matchday programme. It’s available at various points around the stadium for the usual £4, while copies can also be ordered online for delivery direct to your door.

What will the weather be like?

It’ll stay dry on Monday night, with clear skies and a light breeze. Temperatures should be around 10 degrees.

What is the travel information?

Supporters coming to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the match live should take note of our travel information here.

What’s happening among supporters at the game?

Rob Daly, official club commentator, presenter and pundit

Pressing machines

“(Conor) Gallagher… when when he plays well, we play with 12 players,” said De Zerbi on Sunday, describing the England midfielder as “amazing”. He scored a superb goal – but primarily shone with his harassing of Aston Villa as they tried to play out - angling his runs and timing them perfectly to cause problems. On top of that, the team is working very well collectively without the ball. Opta numbers show Spurs have won possession in the final third 5.3 times per game under the new Head Coach – up from 3.7 on average prior to his arrival.

Playing Palhinha

The midfield functioned effectively in that 2-1 victory too. Rodrigo Bentancur shone again having brought stability since his return from injury, but Joao Palhinha’s inclusion was notable. The Portugal international scored the winner at Wolves the weekend prior – and hit the post at Villa Park from distance. But he also showed passion against Villa - high-fiving team-mates and celebrating after notable interventions. “I love Palhinha like this,” explained De Zerbi after a game which saw one notable moment – as he forced three Villa players into a blind panic by charging at them in build-up before the ball was put out for a corner. His challenge on Ross Barkley before dribbling away caught the eye too – with Palhinha now ranking second in the Premier League for total tackles made (100). But in build-up he often appeared as a right-sided centre-back of three, forcing passes forward down the line, infield to Bentancur or high across the pitch to Mathys Tel to stretch the game.

Stopping Leeds' attack

After picking up 10 points from their last four games, Leeds have steered themselves away from trouble. The stand-out result was a Monday night victory at Manchester United – with a 2-1 scoreline that flattered the hosts. Rapid forward Noah Okafor got both goals that night and is an in-form threat, scoring six times across his last 408 minutes of action. He can play in a front two or three with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is excelling with his robust centre-forward play. Back in the England fold, the summer signing from Everton is proving to be an excellent out-ball and has scored 12 league goals this season in a formation that works very well for Leeds.

Switch a system, save a season

Back in November, 2-0 down to Manchester City, Leeds looked in trouble, but Daniel Farke switched formation at half-time – to 3-5-2, having used 4-3-3. Leeds roared back and got level before Phil Foden won it in added time but, regardless of the loss, the system stuck, with any two of Jayden Bogle, Gabriel Gudmundsen and James Justin providing a threat at wing-back. Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu provide Leeds their protective midfield base, with former Spurs man Joe Rodon amongst the options to play one of the centre-back roles.

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

Bethany made a personal commitment to support the Foundation in driving healthier and happier lifestyles at the start of this season, going on to help deliver the Shape Up with Spurs programme for cancer patients in Enfield, as well as the Active Memories programme at Lorenco House care home, near Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Her support has extended to bringing along teammates to sessions, personally collecting and donating new exercise equipment for participants, hosting them for a memorable visit to our Training Centre and bringing them pitchside ahead of a Spurs Women game at the Stadium.

During a visit to the cancer exercise group this week, there was an exclusive screening of a video marking Bethany’s support across the season, with participant Susan Finn alongside Patricia Stephani, a Lorenco House resident, then surprising Bethany with her award.

In the video, Bethany says: “Communities help bring people together and know they’re not alone. Being at such a big football club, we obviously know we’ve got fans, but we don’t know what’s going on in those fans’ lives. Considering what they bring towards helping us on the pitch, it’s about how we can give back and help them off the pitch.

“Going into the community and seeing these people, whether they’re struggling, whether they need help in different areas, if I’m in a position to help, I will always want to.”

Susan said: “Knowing Beth’s coming along to our sessions gives us an enormous morale boost. We watch and support her as she gets involved, and it makes us think that we’re going to do our best for Beth. It’s been great!

“The session was more ‘sit and move’ when Beth first came along, but thanks to her support and the brilliant team at the Foundation we now rarely sit and do exercises as most of it we can do standing.

“Beth visiting us has also given us a keen interest in football. We were really excited to watch her play and I’m going to Brighton to watch her and the team next week.”

The Foundation is dedicated to tackling health inequalities across Haringey and Enfield. Bethany has been spurred on to support that work by her own experience of caring for her grandmother and having seen the impact of cancer on other family members.

Adam Millar, Foundation health and wellbeing programme coordinator, said: “Seeing Bethany recognised in this way means a huge amount to everyone involved in our programmes. Her genuine commitment to supporting people in our community has made a real, lasting difference. She doesn’t just show up; she connects, motivates and inspires. This award reflects the impact she’s had on individuals who have grown in confidence, improved their wellbeing and felt a stronger sense of belonging thanks to her support.”

The Foundation’s Shape Up with Spurs and Active Memories programmes are made possible by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Fund.

Administered through the Premier League Foundation, the funding helps football clubs tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.

Support also comes from the Postcode Lottery and individuals who fundraise for the Foundation.

To find out more about how you can help, click here.

Watch the full video here

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

In a tough battle, we were undone by two set-piece goals, Noel Atom lashing home to open the scoring just prior to the half-hour mark before substitute Kofi Shaw nodded in from close range to complete the scoring just over 10 minutes from time.

In between, the Seagulls had gone 2-0 up when Shane Nti rolled into an empty net 11 minutes into the second period, but Melia won and converted a spot-kick almost immediately to keep us in it at 2-1.

Having missed first-half chances through captain James Rowswell and Reiss Russell-Denny, we couldn’t find a way back and slipped to our first-ever Under-21 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the visitors advancing to face Manchester United in next week’s play-off final.

The teams seemed well-matched in the first half as they locked horns in search of a way through, Harry Howell drilling just wide and Nti just missing a header in the middle of the box for Brighton while Leo Black fired just off-target for us before a big chance for Rowswell on 25 minutes, the captain coming in from the right on the overlap with space to shoot but seeing his angled effort superbly blocked by covering full-back Zane Albarus.

It was Brighton who forged ahead on 29 minutes as we couldn’t deal with a corner and Atom was on hand to blast high into the net from inside a congested area, with Rowswell preventing Nehemian Oriola from making it two when he blocked the winger’s effort behind at the near post moments later.

Russell-Denny, a star of last week’s quarter-final win at Chelsea, was left kicking himself after going through on goal on 34 minutes, only to fire agonisingly wide, while both he and Leo Black saw shots charged down in the Brighton box during a spell of heavy pressure. Howell, though, almost netted a bolt from the blue for Albion in first-half stoppage time, but his curler came back off the post with Oriola sending the rebound over the bar.

Russell-Denny’s half-volley was deflected over at the start of the second period, but on 56 minutes we suffered a sucker punch by conceding a second goal, Oriola advancing down the left flank onto a monster of a kick from goalkeeper Steven Hall and leaving the advancing Carey Bloedorn stranded at the corner of his box as he slid a pass across for Nti to convert into the empty net from a tight angle on the other side.

Within moments, though, we had one back as Melia was fouled in the box by Ben Barclay after latching onto James Wilson’s pass, the Irish striker dusting himself down to blast the resulting penalty emphatically into the top corner with 59 minutes on the watch.

Bloedorn made an excellent reaction same from Barclay’s header while Wilson couldn’t quite pull Black’s forward ball under control at the other end, but on 79 minutes the Seagulls restored their two-goal lead as a corner was headed back across goal and Shaw nodded in from close range. Unfortunately, there was no way back from there as our season at Under-21 level came to a disappointing end.

‘We conceded at disappointing times’

“When you get this far, it’s disappointing not to get to the final,” conceded Under-21s Coach Wayne Burnett in his post-match interview on SPURSPLAY. “The players have given full effort and application and I can’t fault their work ethic because they’ve really tried to have a go this evening, but we’ve just fallen short.

“I thought it was a close game but we conceded goals at really disappointing times. Once we got our first goal the momentum swung our way, but then we gave a goal away from a set-piece – it was two tonight, which is really disappointing from our point of view. Both teams had chances, certainly we had a couple of chances in the first half, they hit the post, but it’s really disappointing in the end.”

With the season at this level now at an end, Wayne reserved praise for our supporters, adding: “I can only thank our fans – their support is invaluable and the players really do appreciate that. They’re part of our team, they’re part of what we do and we value them highly, so I’d just like to thank them for their support.”

Line-ups

Spurs: Bloedorn, Rowswell (c), Logan, Cassanova, Hardy (Furnell-Gill 80), Kyerematen (Lehane 80), Wilson, Black, Melia, Russell-Denny (McFadden 90+4), T Thompson (Adewole 80). Substitute (not used): Archer.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Hall, Albarus, Keogh, Barclay, Atom, Middleton, Silsby (West 89), Robertson (c) (Mackley 64), Nti (Shaw 72), Howell, Oriola. Substitutes (not used): Jensen, Belmont.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Melia 59 (pen); Brighton & Hove Albion – Atom 29, Nti 56, Shaw 79.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Black 27, Hardy 50.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Clear sky, gentle breeze, 15 degrees.

Attendance: 972.