Hotspur HQ

Tottenham return to Premier League action on Monday night when they face Coventry City at home. Spurs are still searching for their first win after six games, and there will be an expectation for them to get it here, playing at home against a newly-promoted team.

Coventry have won two of their first six games, and that includes a big home win over Newcastle United last time out. Here we round up the injury news surrounding Spurs and Coventry.

Aurele Amenda - Out

Lampard confirmed last week: "Aurele is working away. It's a sort of up to a three-month injury, so we're working through that."

Haji Wright - Out

Lampard said of Wright at the same time: "A little bit longer as well, but working hard and getting there... Hadji won't be back till into November, at best. I don't want to put pressure on because it's an awkward injury."

Josh Eccles - Out

Lampard said on Thursday ahead of this one: "Josh, not yet - he had a baby girl last week. He's got a little bit of an issue with his ankle - the calf is fine - so he's not on the training just yet. We hope so in the next 2-3 weeks to progress."

Luke Woolfenden - Out

Lampard added in his Thursday address: "And Woolfenden is a little bit longer than that (2-3 weeks)."

Xavi Simons - Out

Simons remains out until the new year due to a serious knee injury suffered last season.

Wilson Odobert - Out

Odobert is also working his way back from an ACL tear, and he is hoping to be back by December.

Rodrigo Bentancur - Out (Suspended)

Bentancur is out as he serves a red card suspension.

Pedro Porro - Doubt

De Zerbi says Porro's issue isn't serious. He will be a doubt here.

Mykhailo Mudryk - Out

Mudryk will be out until at least after the next international break. De Zerbi has said the winger is still 'many games' away.

Dejan Kulusevski - Doubt

It's hard to say when Kulusevski will return, but he is getting close, so we will keep him down as a doubt. De Zerbi said last week: "He is working well - tomorrow he comes with us, also Porro. I want all players tomorrow, tonight and tomorrow, but he is working very well. I think he is an example for everyone... how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, a reference for everyone."

Tottenham remain winless in the Premier League after six games and 19th in the table, yet the resolve shown at Old Trafford has offered great encouragement.

Spurs have ultimately performed better than their points tally suggests. We sit 12th in FotMob's 'expected points' table, with eight to our name rather than three. The frustrating theme of underperformance in front of goal continued last weekend, and our misfortune looked set to continue when Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off after Bryan Mbeumo's opener.

But a wretched Man Utd team failed to capitalise on their distinct advantages and Roberto De Zerbi's side never went away. We'd been dominant for an hour, and Dominic Solanke's stoppage-time header was just reward for our efforts.

While the majority have seized upon the club's slow start after a big splurge in the summer, there's a prevailing sense that everything will be okay in north London. However, the apparent progress made at the Theatre of Dreams will count for little if the Lilywhites don't secure their first win of the season at home to Coventry City on Monday night.

Alan Shearer backs Spurs for relegation battle if winless start continues vs. Coventry

Frank Lampard's Coventry have found life on either side of the break after a woeful start upon their long-awaited Premier League comeback. Back-to-back wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United has seen the newly-promoted side leapfrog Spurs in the table.

A few weeks back, we all pinpointed this as the fixture where De Zerbi's new-look outfit would put things right. This was the occasion where we'd cash in on our early-season misfortune, and ignite our campaign with an emphatic victory.

Now, though, Coventry's visit suddenly looks a little tougher, with confidence exuding from Lampard's side. They'd looked out of their depth during the first month of the season, but must feel like they belong at the highest level. Former Chelsea star Lampard will be desperate to stick it to us again, too.

There's no denying that this is a huge game for Spurs. If you can't beat a newly promoted side at home under the lights, many will wonder where the heck the wins are going to come from.

Thus, an ominous prediction has arrived from mainstream media pundit Alan Shearer, who believes the Lilywhites will be in for another relegation slog if they fail to win on Monday night.

"I've always said the time to worry is when you're not creating the chances, and that wasn't the case at Old Trafford. They created plenty. So, if that were to keep on going, they could have a little bit of hope, but they desperately need that win," he said (via Hotspur Lane on X).

“If they don't beat Coventry on Monday, then I think they'll be in a massive relegation battle, and I think that's how big a game it is.”

I don't disagree; this is a big game, especially with a trip to Stamford Bridge on the horizon. However, I also don't think we need to build up this fixture as if it's life or death.

Tottenham Hotspur are still struggling to score goals. They barely found the back of the net very late against Manchester United on Matchday 6 of the 2026/27 Premier League season, drawing 1-1 with the Red Devils despite creating several clear chances in the first half of the match. Dominic Solanke, who scored the tying goal in the end, flubbed several great chances and continued to play a poor all around game in terms of helping the wingers get in on goal, too.

Spurs are creating chances and dominating possession, but they are not scoring many goals - only three in six games with zero wins in the Premier League - for two distinct reasons. In addition to struggling with finishing their chances, Spurs are also not creating enough clear cut scoring chances, with only the new winger Savio consistently producing from that stand point.

Now, fortunes will be changing for Spurs soon. James Maddison is going to return to the starting lineup, presumably on Matchday 7 against childhood club Coventry. And now, Spurs are awaiting the even more anticipated return of Dejan Kulusevski, who was out for 18 months with an even more serious, career threatening injury than Maddison's own ACL tear in the 2024/25 season.

Dejan Kulusevski can step in where Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush are failing

Kulusevski is a right winger and a playmaker at heart, and Roberto De Zerbi has already told reporters that he mostly sees the Swedish national team star as an attacking midfielder in his system. He will likely rotate for minutes with Maddison, and he surely won't be starting full games for a while, even if he does return, as is tentatively expected based on his recovery course, in November.

But with Tottenham Hotspur struggling to get any production out of the No. 9 position, their biggest problem in the starting 11 could be a solution filled by Dejan Kulusevski. Because if Dominic Solanke continues to struggle badly with scoring and remains a non factor in terms of his dribbling and chance creation and if Roberto De Zerbi still does not see Omar Marmoush as the ideal center forward solution, then Kulusevski as a false nine becomes an alternative worth thinking about.

Kulu has had four seasons in his career between Serie A and the Premier League with double digit goal contributions, and while he hasn't hit double digit goals since early in his career in 2019/20 when he was on loan at Parma - and the Italian top flight's Young Player of the Season - the quality has always been there. And he could be more decisive in that false nine role, especially since he can bring others into play and excels at that. It's far from the ideal solution, but if Marmoush and Solanke can't step up by the time Kulu is ready to play meaningful minutes in the winter, he could be a bridge to a real striker in the January market.

Tottenham may have splashed £185m on two midfielders in the summer, but that hasn't deterred supporters' desire to acquire a Spurs-supporting star this winter for a mammoth fee.

Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali were signed to overhaul Roberto De Zerbi's engine room. Both were signed for club-record fees, and Tonali could cost as much as £100m if add-ons are met.

These are players we're committing to for the long haul, expecting them to be at the forefront of De Zerbi's project—one yet to get off the ground after survival was just about secured last season.

While two came in, Spurs allowed Pape Matar Sarr to leave for Juventus on loan, and the club was undoubtedly tempted by offers for Lucas Bergvall before the young Swede signed a contract extension.

Bergvall has featured sporadically at the start of the new season, with Rodrigo Bentancur enjoying a strong opening before his dismissal at Old Trafford. Even Conor Gallagher has impressed in spurts. The newbies are finding their feet, but Tonali's display at the weekend was hugely encouraging.

The midfield is still figuring itself out, with the absence of a fully fit playmaker inhibiting the balance. Teething issues are lingering, but that doesn't mean we need to splash another £100m to fix it.

Tottenham have missed the boat with Alex Scott pursuit

Look, I get it. Alex Scott is a wonderful footballer who's fully COYS. The appeal is obvious.

We've been tenuously linked in previous windows, and undoubtedly would've been recommended to the club while he was purring with Bristol City had David Pleat still been around. Instead, Scott joined Bournemouth in August 2023 for £25m and are now set to sell him for roughly quadruple that in 2027.

Fabrizio Romano reports that the Cherries are open to proposals for the dynamic midfielder in January, but they're likely to only entertain bids in the region of £100m. Right now, Chelsea and Liverpool are the two clubs leading the race.

And we're going to have to let them slug it out, folks. Spurs won't be getting involved after their summer splurge.

Scott would be the perfect addition, primarily because of his adoration for the club. He's a thrilling midfielder to watch, too, but this is a player we no longer desperately need. Once Fernandes is up to speed and playing in a deeper role every week, our longing for Bournemouth's No. 8 will soon fade.

We'd be foolish to even consider the possibilty, given our needs in other areas of the pitch. Scott is many things, but he's no goalscorer.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke scored this past weekend in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, rescuing a point with a header in the second half of stoppage time. But he did not earn many plaudits from the Spurs faithful despite the backing of the manager Roberto De Zerbi, as Solanke messed up two golden opportunities to score in the first half. And had he been more sharper in the final third, Spurs would have beaten a listless Man United at Old Trafford.

Everything but the goals has been there for Tottenham, who are one of the worst teams in the Premier League table yet again after six Matchdays but are regularly outplaying their opponents since two rough Matchdays to start the season against Brentford and Newcastle United.

Solanke has not been the only failure in the Spurs attack, as new signing Omar Marmoush has also been sub standard in the starting 11. But Solanke has had lower lows than Marmoush without the same creative spark, struggling with his all around play.

Tottenham can only wonder if they'd be better with Will Lankshear

Tottenham Hotspur fans can't help but wonder if Will Lankshear would be doing a lot better even with a jump up in competition in the Premier League. Spurs sold him for a hefty fee to Middlesborough this summer transfer window, and while they were not initially thinking about a permanent sale, they realized that 10 million pounds with a potential 10 million pounds in add ons was too much to pass up on.

Now, though, Tottenham are regretting the sale, and Lankshear scored again, putting another crucial goal past an EFL Championship keeper in a 3-2 win for Middlesborough over Stoke. Lankshear has been showing up Solanke all season long in terms of his clinical nature, and even though the EFL Championship is obviously not the Premier League, the traits he is showing with his finishing and instincts are that of a true No. 9 - something that Spurs very obviously lack.

Dominic Solanke is on his last legs as a starter for Tottenham. Roberto De Zerbi banished Richarilson out of the squad after a late transfer window squabble, and he has even foregone blockbuster signing Omar Marmoush for the 2024 transfer flop. But unless Solanke scores and scores soon, he is going to have to sit on the bench, no matter what De Zerbi wants to think.

And Will Lankshear now sitting on 8 goals in 10 Championship games does not reflect well on Big Dom either. Lankshear's latest goal is another shot across the bow for Solanke, and he has no excuses if he starts next week vs. Coventry.

Tottenham Hotspur have not won a single game this season despite outplaying all of their opponents since Matchdays 1 and 2, as they drew this past weekend against Manchester United 1-1. But they are no longer 20th out of 20 Premier League teams after Matchday 6, as local rivals Fulham lost 2-1 to newly promoted Ipswich Town to stay on two points and move behind Spurs after previously being just barely ahead on goal difference.

Spurs are recovering from the disastrous reign of Thomas Frank, who took over a team that was already in 17th in the Premier League from the 2024/25 season but had won the Europa League. And he made Spurs demonstrably worse. He was definitely hurt by terrible recruitment, but Frank had even Spurs best players doubting themselves and hating football, with stars like Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro looking like shells of themselves.

Roberto De Zerbi came in and saved the day, sparing Spurs relegation blushes after Frank did his best to bury them into the sand. And the difference between how Tottenham Hotspur play under De Zerbi and the awful, negative football they played under Frank is so apparent that any self respecting Spurs fan has to remember to give De Zerbi that credit for the turn around. Because it was not easy.

Fulham are looking at Thomas Frank

But the media and other clubs do not pay attention to the plight of Tottenham and seem to think that everything is Spurs fault. So Thomas Frank continues to have backers and admirers, even as another old club of his, Brentford, are also clearly better off without him.

According to a new report from Alex Crook of talkSPORT, talented young manager Alvaro Arbeloa of Real Madrid fame is already facing pressure of his own at Fulham after six matches, which is to be expected since the Cottagers are dead last in the Premier League after previously being European sleepers under Marco Silva. And the leading candidate to replace Arbeloa is Thomas Frank.

But any Tottenham fan can tell you that just looking at the results after a few weeks is misleading. For example, Frank had a great start to his career at Spurs and turned out to be a total dud. De Zerbi and Arbeloa are struggling, but anyone can see that they have great ideas tactically compared to Frank.

Fulham hiring Frank would be a gift to Spurs, because he was beyond awful last season at N17. If Fulham hire him, that could be another rival joining West Ham United in being gone from the Premier League and vindication for Spurs fans as to how terrible Frank is if that happens. They will be rooting, out of pure schadenfreude, for Fulham to make this misstep.

Tottenham Hotspur star attacking midfielder Xavi Simons is unmistakably the team's most talented player and was legitiamtely a Bundesliga Player of the Season caliber midfielder for RB Leipzig before his move to Spurs, and in the brief period of time he and Roberto De Zerbi worked together at the end of the disastrous 2025/26 Premier League season, he looked like he was well on his way to becoming one of the best attacking midfielders in the league before an untimely ACL tear during the relegation fight.

Simons is expected to be out until the winter as he rehabs from the injury. After the terrible Dejan Kulusevski knee injury, Tottenham fans are especially wary about all updates regarding their latest star playmaker's knee issue, so they were on the alert when a report from the Netherlands began to circulate with some pessimism regarding his injury status and a potentially delayed recovery course.

Xavi Simons is not having issues thus far

That rumor, however, does not appear to be substantiated. Because a far more reliable source of Tottenham Hotspur news is saying something different. Alasdair Gold of Football.London is reporting that while Xavi Simons will not be traveling with the rest of his Tottenham teammates for the bonding trip to Marbella, Spain, he is recovering well. He has been working "at speed" on the grass with his boots on over the past two weeks. Gold says that he is still on track for the usual return timeline from an ACL tear in late January.

So as per usual, an outsider's information on a Tottenham player appears to be uninformed and much ado about nothing. There is no need to be playing the sirens or fretting about Simons, though Spurs fans have built up enough cynicism over the years regarding injuries that there will still always be worry about a star player until they are back on the pitch.

Simons and Dejan Kulusevski, who is inching closer and closer to his return after 18 months out with an even more serious knee injury than an ACL tear, are two players Tottenham fans are begging to see in the attack to add creativity, quality, and even goal scoring to a Spurs side desperate for end product. And soon, James Maddison will also be able to start for the first time since his own torn ACL at the end of the 2024/25 season. Tottenham's playmakers are healing, and that includes their young Dutch international.

Despite signing three new centre-backs in the summer, Tottenham seemingly regard Brazilian teenager Arthur Dias as a talent they simply can't pass up.

Dias made his first international appearance for the Seleção during the recent international break, marking a key milestone in his rise to mainstream prominence back home.

An imposing presence, given that he stands at 6’5", Dias possesses throwback attributes but is blessed with enough talent on the ball to appease the archetypal modern-day coach. A breakout 2026 in Brazil means plenty believe it's time for Dias to take the plunge and showcase his talent to European audiences.

And it looks like there will be a fierce battle for his signature next year.

Barcelona among clubs Spurs competing against for Arthur Dias

Spurs shouldn't be actively in the market for a centre-back, but Dias, as a result of his sky-high potential and meagre valuation, is one the club is keeping an eye on. Reports out of Brazil suggested the Lilywhites made a move for the teenager in the summer, but had an £18m offer rejected by Athletico.

Now, Dias is being linked with a £10m move to Barcelona in 2027. Spanish outlet SPORT writes that Barça are just one of several clubs monitoring the defender's situation at Athletico, with sporting director Deco looking at an array of option to bolster the left side of Hansi Flick's defence.

The back-to-back La Liga champions curiously opted against signing a centre-back in the summer, having failed to replace Iñigo Martínez the previous year. Gerard Martín has filled in ably alongside the outstanding Pau Cubarsí, but Flick would surely want greater security in reserve.

If Spurs are in the race for the 19-year-old, which I'm quite skeptical about, it may take a drastic surge up the Premier League table to catch Dias' attention. The Brazilian recently spoke about his desire to play at the highest level in Europe, and Champions League football is something we currently can't guarantee him.

“Every player dreams of playing in the Champions League one day, of competing in a massive tournament," the young defender said.

“I’m very happy that there are clubs interested in me. That means I’m doing a good job on the pitch, but I always say that without my teammates and coaches, I wouldn’t be where I am."

Dias insisted he's content at Athletico, but the teenager certainly wouldn't be the first or last to be smitten by a major European proposal.

The pressure on Roberto De Zerbi's back from the national media has eased after the likes of Gary Neville watched Tottenham Hotspur play against another one of the biggest clubs in English football, and even though Spurs barely drew 1-1 with Manchester United, anyone could see that they were playing the better football, with even United fans booing their own at the half after watching Spurs own them in possession.

Despite all the positives Tottenham have shown in terms of their ability to dominate the ball and move it up the pitch tactically, Spurs are still 19th in the Premier League, just one point ahead of Fulham, because they cannot score. Dominic Solanke missed a few sitters, as did Mohammed Kudus, and Spurs did not score until the 92nd minute to tie the game despite having way more opportunities on the ball.

The match against Manchester United was a reminder that if De Zerbi has a problem and will ultimately face pressure for his job if results do not improve, then it will have nothing to do with his actual coaching. Because the Italian international's tactics and ideas are largely phenomenal, which is why Spurs are so dominant and have improved greatly in terms of how they play from their last managers, including polar opposites Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank.

Roberto De Zerbi left something on the table in the transfer market

But as a general manager, Roberto De Zerbi leaves a lot to be desired. The players he signed were not necessarily bad. Savio is awesome. Mateus Fernandes is a future star in the making, while Jan Paul van Hecke, Omar Marmoush, and Sandro Tonali are good footballers. And as far as veteran free agent signings go, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi aren't terrible either.

The thing is, Tottenham Hotspur spent a lot of money and have nothing to show for it so far in terms of tangible improvements in the table. If anything, they are literally worse, and while it's too early to make that sweeping statement on how they will do this season, it is enough to state that the additions haven't really helped enough so far.

At the crux of it all, Tottenham knew they needed goals and a top striker. They did not sign the right personnel to score more, and De Zerbi had the carte blanche to do whatever he wanted with the players he signed; hence why Spurs signed so many of his personal favorites for admittedly inflated fees like Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke. So De Zerbi's undoing may ultimately be his lack of ability on the transfer market, rather than any coaching flaw.

Tottenham Hotspur signed teenage winger Yang Min-hyeok from Gangwon FC in South Korea during the 2024 summer transfer window, and while most of the attention among young attacking midfielders and wingers at Spurs has gone to Mikey Moore, who is now on loan at FC Koln after a very successful 2025/26 season with Rangers, the now 20 year old South Korean youth international is also a player definitely worth watching.

Another potential Johan Lange gem from out of left field, Min-hyeok played really well for Portsmouth last season and earned a new loan to a more attacking Coventry during the 2025/26 EFL Championship season, but the ambitious move to join a bigger side in the second division - one that has now been promoted to the Premier League and will be facing Spurs very soon - did not pay off. Min-hyeok only played in three games and totally fell off the radar after his loan to Coventry proved to be a bust.

Now, Min-hyeok is getting experience in a top flight league, and while it is not a top five league, the Belgian division is becoming an even bigger haven for top talents - just look at what Christos Tzolis is doing immediately after joining Tottenham's arch rivals Arsenal from Club Brugge.

Yang Min-hyeok scored a worldie for Westerlo

Min-hyeok isn't playing for as big of a club, but the U21 winger is already make a statement at Westerlo that he deserves far more minutes than what he got at either Coventry or even Portsmouth. In his third substitute appearance of the 2026/27 Belgian season - he has not started yet - Min-hyeok scored this incredible left footed goal to the far post from the edge of the box on the counter with an insane Cristiano Ronaldo style chop.

Westerlo already had the game, a 5-1 win over Royal Antwerp, in the bag, but the moment of magic itself from Yang Min-hyeok was one of the best goals by a winger in European football this week and displayed a level of skill, composure, technical quality, speed, and finishing that Tottenham Hotspur are desperate to see.

The comparisons to a certain South Korean Spurs legend are inevitable, but it is best to temper them. That being said, Min-hyeok is a serious talent whom Spurs signed for a reason, and with Luca Williams-Barnett and Mikey Moore having strong moments so far this season, Min-hyeok looks like he is telling everyone that his time is next. Watch out.