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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said Dominic Solanke is gradually reaching the levels expected of him after the striker scored one and set up another in its 3-0 Europa League victory over Azerbaijan’s Qarabag on Thursday.

Solanke, signed from Bournemouth in a deal worth up to 65 million pounds (USD 87 million), has had a slow start to the season and missed two games after making his debut due to an ankle injury.

The 27-year-old’s 68th-minute strike against Qarabag was his second in as many games following his goal in a league win over Brentford and wrapped up a comfortable win for 10-man Spurs.

“He’s getting there. He didn’t do pre-season with us and then he has one game and then he’s out for two weeks, while the other guys were building up their match fitness,” Postecoglou told reporters.

“Great for him to get another goal but his all-round performance was really strong. When you’re down to 10 men, you need your striker to be able to hold up the play and do some hard running,” he added.

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Postecoglou also praised 23-year-old attacker Brennan Johnson, who has scored in three straight games since Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.

“Brennan was really important for us, particularly today going down to 10 men pretty early, we’re going to need some attacking outlet,” Postecoglou said.

“Brennan’s been good at taking up those positions and him and Dom have a good little sort of relationship there in terms of working off each other and he took his goal well,” Postecoglou added.

HIGHLIGHTS

Everton manager Sean Dyche said he faces an early-season selection crisis with only 14 recognised first team players available for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite generating some 70 million pounds (91 million USD) from the sales of Amadou Onana, Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey, Dyche says Everton may also have to consider offers for striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

“We are stretched, unfortunately,” Dyche told reporters on Thursday. “We are down to around 14 recognised first-team players at the minute - that is not perfect.”

Injuries have hit the squad hard but Everton, who have spent around 40 million pounds on new signings, do not have the funds to bring in new faces.

“We have not got much financially to correct the situation,” added Dyche. “We have just got to work with the players and hope their fitness gets back to being fully fit and then staying fit.”

Everton may also have a big decision to make over Calvert-Lewin should a big offer come in.

“Any offer of a certain level would have to be looked at by the club. We are in a better position because of player trading and how much we have lowered the wages but it is not solved,” said Dyche.

Everton managed to escape relegation last season despite having points deducted twice for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Everton’s takeover agreement with prospective owner 777 Partners expired in June while the Friedkin Group abandoned its plans to purchase a majority stake in the club last month.

Everton was beaten 3-0 at home by Brighton & Hove Albion in their Premier League opener.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Tottenham Hotspur will be without new signing Dominic Solanke for its Premier League home game against Everton after the striker picked up an ankle injury, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday.

Spurs signed the 26-year-old England international from Bournemouth for a reported fee of 65 million pounds ($85.25 million) this month and he played in its Premier League season opener against promoted Leicester City on Monday.

Spurs, which finished fifth last season, drew 1-1 at Leicester.

“Dom picked up a knock in the last game,” Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Saturday’s match. “He got through the game, but it flared up the day after, and he’ll miss the game tomorrow.

“It’s an ankle injury. He copped it really early on, someone went across his ankle.”

Solanke scored 19 Premier League goals last season to help Bournemouth achieve its highest points total in the top flight.

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Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is also unavailable for the fixture as he follows concussion protocols.

Yves Bissouma will be available, however. The 27-year-old Mali international was suspended for the Leicester game after a video showing him inhaling nitrous oxide was posted on social media.

“Biss is available but we’ve got some options there. The whole idea of trying to bulk up the squad is for these situations. He’s available for selection. The bridge building continues,” Postecoglou said.

Spurs could still change its squad.

“There’s probably a couple more who will go out but we’ve done a fair bit of work over the past 12 months and we’ve brought down the demographic a fair way and brought in players in line with how we want to play but there’s still a fair bit we want to do,” Postecoglou said.

Tottenham Hotspur takes on recently promoted Leicester City in its opening game of the Premier League 2024-25 season on August 19.

Ange Postecoglou’s side will face arch rival Arsenal for the North London derby on September 14 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and January 14 at the Emirates.

Postecoglou’s men were not able to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, as they lost its fourth place to Aston Villa due to an extremely lean second half of the season.

Here is the list of Tottenham Hotspur’s fixtures for the upcoming 2024-25 Premier League season: (all timings in BST)

Tottenham, fifth in the league standings, next travels to face seventh-placed West Ham United in a league match on Tuesday.

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Tottenham Hotspur has been boosted by the return of Micky van de Ven for its Premier League clash against Luton Town after the defender recovered from a hamstring injury, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday.

Tottenham Hotspur has been boosted by the return of Micky van de Ven for its Premier League clash against Luton Town after the defender recovered from a hamstring injury, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday.

The match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could also see the return of former Spurs defender Eric Dier who joined the six-times Champions League winners in January.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou will return home when his side plays Newcastle United in a friendly in Australia on May 22 in Melbourne, the London club announced on Monday.