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Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo will not feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after picking up a knock in training, according to The Athletic.

The England international was not spotted with the Man United squad that travelled today, but the injury is not a serious one.

Mainoo has yet to start a Premier League game for the Red Devils this term, with all his seven appearances coming off the bench.

The 20-year-old started the Carabao Cup game against Grimsby Town, weighing in with an assist, but Man United head coach Ruben Amorim prefers others ahead of him in his main starting XI.

It is a huge blow for a player trying to force his way back into first-team reckoning, and he will be desperate to leave Man United for regular playing opportunities elsewhere in January.

Reports from earlier this week claim that his representatives are in talks with Napoli over a loan move ahead of the second half of 2025-26.

Mainoo believes playing under Napoli manager Antonio Conte can get the best out of him, and he will be hoping Man United will allow him to leave after holding on to him in the summer.

The Red Devils have won three and drawn one of their last four games, but their academy graduate has played just 38 minutes across those games.

Amorim is clearly not a fan of his style of play as it does not suit his system, and it makes sense for both parties to part ways temporarily or permanently in January.

Mainoo wants to prove himself at another club after breaking into the England national team at Man United.

Failure to secure a much-needed exit from his childhood club in the coming weeks means he will not be going to the World Cup next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is sweating over the fitness of Mohammed Kudus ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Manchester United.

Frank’s side welcome the Red Devils to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, hoping to end their woeful run of form on their own turf. However, Kudus faces a race against time to be fit for the game.

Tottenham have struggled in the final third on their own soil this season, scoring just five goals from as many home league games.

That statistic already makes for grim reading, so losing one of their biggest attacking threats right before a crunch six-pointer would be another kick in the teeth for Frank and his troops.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Frank confirmed that Kudus is ‘touch and go’ for Saturday’s outing after picking up a knock in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea last weekend.

The 25-year-old was left out of the Tottenham squad in the 4-0 demolition of Copenhagen in the Champions League, but Frank is hoping to have the Ghanian back in time to face United.

During his pre-match press conference, Frank confirmed that ‘everyone came through okay’ when asked for a fitness update following the morale-boosting Champions League win.

Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie are available, but Lucas Bergvall is expected to miss the game as he continues to follow concussion protocols following his early withdrawal in the defeat to Chelsea.

Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, Archie Gray, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai and Ben Davies are all sidelined.

Frank will have been delighted with his side’s response to last weekend’s setback and will demand more of the same as they look to reclaim a spot in the top four.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank would be open to bringing striker Ivan Toney back to the Premier League in January, according to talkSPORT.

Spurs are in dire need of attacking firepower following a long-term injury to Dominic Solanke.

Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel have both been struggling, and the club have recently been linked with Juventus striker Jonathan David.

Frank would prefer someone proven in the Premier League to lead his attack, and Toney fits the bill following the return of 36 goals in 83 English top-flight games under him at Brentford.

The 29-year-old has notched 41 goals in 59 appearances for Al-Ahli since moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) club in 2024, with 11 of those coming in 15 games this term.

Toney is currently enjoying a £400,000-a-week tax-free deal in the Middle East, but a return to England in January could appeal to him because of the World Cup.

He was recalled to the Three Lions by manager Thomas Tuchel in May, featuring in the friendly against Senegal in June, his first international appearance since 2024.

The German gave Phil Foden a rest, but there are no guarantees that Toney will be included in the World Cup squad given the quality of the SPL.

However, a move to Spurs in January could give Toney a chance of making it to the tournament if he impresses during the second half of the campaign.

Al-Ahli will be reluctant to let him leave given his importance to their plans, but he could push for a move if he is desperate to play at the World Cup for the first time.

Tottenham Hotspur star Destiny Udogie is the player allegedly threatened at gunpoint by a football agent last month, according to the Guardian.

The Italian international was out with a friend on the night of September 6 when the incident happened in London.

Tottenham have provided him with much-needed support after the incident.

There is no suggestion that the agent involved is his, and he has not been charged with any offence after being bailed.

The police arrested a 31-year-old on suspicion of possession of firearms with intent, blackmail and driving without a licence after they were called.

The suspect was also investigated for allegedly blackmailing and making threats against Udogie’s friend.

It has been claimed that the row escalated after he chose not to use the agent’s services.

The agent represents a couple of stars, including an England international, and he was arrested two days after the incident when police swooped on his Hertfordshire home.

He was given bail on September 9 with the condition that he did not contact the Tottenham defender, while he has been banned from visiting the club’s training ground.

The left-back has featured in ten games across all competitions for Tottenham this season. He made 36 appearances last term and helped the club win the Europa League.

Udogie joined Spurs from Hellas Verona in 2022, spending the 2022-23 season on loan with Udinese before moving to London in the summer of 2023.

He featured in 30 games in his debut campaign and was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season Award.

Udogie was included in the 27-man squad announced by manager Gennaro Gattuso for the October World Cup qualifiers, and he is expected to be invited to the national team this month.

Inter Milan centre-back Yann Bisseck would be open to joining Tottenham Hotspur after a move to West Ham United fell through in the summer, according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport.

The one-cap Germany international wants to test himself in the Premier League, and the prospect of moving to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium excites him.

West Ham offered €25 million for Bisseck, but a move did not happen. The Hammers continue to monitor him as they could do with more solid defensive options.

However, the 24-year-old would prefer to join Spurs, and Inter are already preparing for his potential departure.

The Serie A club have been scouring the Italian top-flight for young defenders capable of replacing Bisseck.

The speedy German has been compared to Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven due to their similar playing styles.

Bisseck is a ball-playing centre-back who enjoys playing short passes and regularly links the defence with the attack.

The 6ft 5in defender also loves to dribble, and Spurs could do with his ability on the ball.

Inter would be open to selling him for the right fee, and the player and his representatives will hope Tottenham come calling.

He will not be short of suitors in the future, but whether Spurs have him on their radar is unknown.

They signed Croatian centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split this summer, and he is currently impressing on loan with Hamburger SV.

Japan international centre-back Kota Takai is also an option for Frank and could prove his quality once he returns from injury.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres is expected to miss the Premier League game against Sunderland on Saturday after he missed out on the trip to the Czech Republic to face Slavia Prague today, according to The Athletic.

However, the Gunners are hoping to have the Sweden international, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard back for the Tottenham Hotspur game at Emirates Stadium after the November international break.

Gyokeres played the first-half to help Arsenal to a 2-0 win over Burnley at the weekend before Mikel Merino replaced him for the second-half.

He was not seen in training yesterday and was not part of the Gunners squad that travelled later in the day for the Champions League match later today.

He is all but out for the Sunderland game at the Stadium of Light this weekend, but Arsenal are hoping he will be ready for the North London derby on November 23.

Martinelli has been out of action since picking up a muscular injury during Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on October 26 and was not included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the November internationals against Senegal and Tunisia.

Madueke last played when the Gunners took on Manchester City on September 21.

Odegaard has not featured since the 2-0 win over West Ham United on October 4, while Havertz got injured in the first season of the game against Manchester United.

Arsenal have missed the four players but have managed to win without them and are currently top of the Premier League table after ten games.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta could do with them for the Spurs game and he will be hoping to have them and Gyokeres available for such a high-profile match.

Tottenham Hotspur have managed just three wins in their past 19 games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and head coach Thomas Frank has made the worst home start of any Spurs manager since Andre Villas-Boas.

Villas-Boas started his Tottenham managerial career with just two wins from his first seven home games, with his side scoring eight goals.

Spurs have the best away record of any Premier League team under Frank, with four wins and a draw under their belt.

However, the North London club have won just once at home in the league so far in 2025-26, drawing another and losing the remaining three.

Tottenham have lost 41 Premier League home games since moving into their new stadium in 2019, winning 70 and drawing 13.

Some with inside knowledge of Spurs believe the high ticket prices have contributed to their woeful home form, according to the Daily Telegraph.

They believe the period spent at Wembley, coupled with the inflation in ticket prices, which happened after moving to their new stadium, have contributed to a number of traditional home supporters walking away or steadily losing interest.

Tottenham have the third-most expensive average season ticket in the Premier League, and a high number of corporate visitors and day-trippers have replaced traditional fans at home games.

As a result, the atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could sometimes be flat.

It has been claimed that playing at their home ground could sometimes feel like playing on the road when the home crowd are not engaged and fully behind their team.

Frank has a huge headache, and getting the best of his team at home could make all the difference in their bid to win silverware this term and finish in the top-four.

Spurs host FC Copenhagen later tonight in the Champions League before another home game against Manchester United in the Premier League before the international break for November.

They could do with back-to-back wins ahead of the North London derby away from home after the break, and Thomas will be praying his men can deliver.

Tottenham Hotspur have inquired about the conditions for a potential winter transfer deal for Juventus striker Jonathan David, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Spurs are open to bolstering their attacking ranks for the second half of 2025-26 following a long-term injury to Dominic Solanke.

David has struggled to secure regular game time since joining Juventus this summer, and his representatives have contacted Tottenham over a potential January deal.

They have also reached out to Bayern Munich. Both clubs are keen to know what it would take to sign the 25-year-old Canadian international when the winter transfer window opens.

David notched 25 goals and 12 assists in 49 games for Lille last season, but he has bagged just one goal and one assist in 12 appearances since moving to Serie A.

It is unclear what the future holds for him at Juventus following a change in the dugout last week, but suitors are monitoring his situation.

Tottenham have won just one of their last five games across all competitions, failing to score in three of them.

Manager Thomas Frank needs to strengthen in the final third for the second half of the campaign if he wants to win silverware and finish in the top four.

There are no guarantees David will hit the ground running in the Premier League if Spurs sign him, but taking a punt on him could be worth it given his record in the French top-flight.

Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel have been below par this season, and Tottenham could do with reinforcements in the position.

Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up for this weekend’s box-office Premier League showdown as they take on Chelsea in a highly anticipated London derby on home turf.

Spurs will hope to get some reprieve at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially after the result of their most recent trip to Tyneside.

Tottenham were eliminated from the League Cup in the fourth round by Newcastle United. They’ll be looking to bounce back against Chelsea, but that’s also an uphill task.

Spurs have only managed one win from their last seven Premier League meetings with Chelsea (D1, L5), losing the previous four in a row.

When stretched across all competitions, Tottenham’s numbers against Chelsea are even worse.

The 2-0 win back in February 2023 remains Tottenham’s only victory over their London rivals in their last 17 meetings in all competitions.

Spurs have also only recorded one win from their last six home games against Chelsea.

Turning those statistics on its head won’t happen overnight, but Tottenham could take a significant step in the right direction if they end their winless streak against the Blues this weekend.

How Tottenham could line up

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will likely make up to seven changes for Saturday’s six-pointer.

Spurs are dealing with an alarming number of injuries. During the 2-0 defeat against Newcastle, Frank was without a staggering 12 players due to injury.

However, those numbers have dropped slightly ahead of this weekend’s must-win clash, so he should have a decent enough squad to give the world champions a run for their money.

Antonin Kinsky didn’t have his best game against Newcastle and will likely vacate his spot for first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Frank will finally be able to field his preferred centre-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro as full-backs.

Romero is expected to return to the XI for the first time in a month.

After slotting into defence in midweek, Joao Palhinha returns to his more familiar midfield role alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall.

Randal Kolo Muani could be given a chance to lead the line, flanked by Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus.

Predicted Tottenham starting XI

Chelsea will make the short trip north of the capital to face rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s box office Premier League London derby showdown.

After last weekend’s shocking 2-1 defeat against Sunderland, the Blues got back to winning ways with a chaotic 4-3 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup fourth round.

Despite punching their ticket to the quarter final, manager Enzo Maresca was left fuming with a second-half performance that saw Chelsea come close to relinquishing a three-goal cushion.

While the Blues came through the tie by the skin of their teeth, Maresca will demand a much-improved performance when they visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Chelsea are on a decent run of form in all competitions. However, their form becomes more shaky when the metrics are narrowed to the Premier League alone.

Maresca’s side have won just two of their last five league games, and another setback could be catastrophic for their ambitions this season.

How Chelsea could line up

Chelsea will face Tottenham with no fresh injury issues, but Maresca is expected to make a plethora of changes from the side that faced Wolves in midweek.

Blues skipper Reece James will reclaim his place at right back, with Marc Cucurella returning on the left.

However, there could be changes at the heart of the backline, with fast-rising academy talent Josh Acheampong holding down the fort alongside Wesley Fofana.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will likely anchor the midfield, with Jamie Gittens, Estevao, and Pedro Neto lining up in the attacking positions.

Gittens will be pushing to keep his place ahead of Alejandro Garnacho after his exceptional performance against Wolves, where he bagged a brace of assists along with a goal of the tournament contender.

Garnacho also got his first Premier League goal against Sunderland, but his English counterpart could get the nod this weekend.

Meanwhile, Liam Delap’s much-anticipated return to action only lasted 26 minutes as he was sent off for two needless fouls in the win against Wolves.

He will serve a one-match suspension against Tottenham, leaving Joao Pedro to lead the line, desperate to end his eight-match goal drought.

Predicted XI;