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Thomas Tuchel's first scouting mission as England's head coach will be watching Tottenham's clash against Newcastle United on Saturday, the FA have confirmed.

The German manager officially took over as Gareth Southgate's permanent successor on Jan. 1 and, while his first games in charge aren't until the end of March, he isn't hanging around before casting an eye on some of his potential charges in action.

He will be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Saturday's early Premier League kick-off as Spurs host in-form Newcastle, with England hopefuls Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall all expected to play a part.

Tuchel, formerly Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss, has also added three more members to his backroom staff as he begins his first spell as a national team coach.

Joining assistant coach Anthony Barry, who was confirmed in October, will be Hilario, Nicolas Mayer and James Melbourne.

Hilario, as previously reported by ESPN, joins from Chelsea, where Tuchel worked with him as a goalkeeping coach. The Portuguese trainer made 20 Premier League appearances in goal for Chelsea before becoming a coach, but has ended an 18-year association with the club to work with the national team.

Melbourne, an analyst, also joins from Chelsea, while Mayer is a performance coach who worked with Tuchel at PSG and Bayern.

Lee Carsley, who took over England on an interim basis across the autumn, has returned to his role with the under-21s with his staff.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Manchester City's Jack Grealish, while Premier League clubs including Manchester United could make a move for Barcelona forward Dani Olmo. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

- Manchester City attacking midfielder Jack Grealish is attracting interest from two clubs in the Premier League, according to the Daily Mail. Both Tottenham and Newcastle United are reported to be watching the 29-year-old's situation, with belief that he could be tempted away from the Etihad Stadium amid a difficult spell of form for the Citizens. Grealish is yet to score this season despite making 18 appearances across all competitions.

- Barcelona have failed with their first attempt to register forward Dani Olmo, reports Mundo Deportivo. The Blaugrana are facing a struggle to register the 26-year-old amid ongoing financial problems, and it is believed their latest arguments to register both Olmo and Pau Víctor were rejected by the Court of First Instance 47. Both Manchester City and Manchester United are keeping close tabs on the situation, and they could have the chance to sign him if a resolution isn't found soon.

- Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has agreed to leave Manchester United, according to UOL. The 32-year-old is believed to be willing to move on from Old Trafford having struggled to establish himself in manager Ruben Amorim's squad, and it is reported that Al Nassr are at the front of the queue for his signature. Casemiro joined the Red Devils from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022.

- Manchester United are keen on Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen, according to Mundo Deportivo. Manager Ruben Amorim is reported to have identified the 28-year-old as a strong fit for his system, with the Red Devils looking to reinforce their defence when the transfer window opens. Competition could come from Juventus for the Denmark international, who is set to enter the final 18 months of his contract at the Camp Nou.

- Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is on the radar of Celtic, according to Football Insider. The 27-year-old will enter the final six months of his contract in January, and it is reported that his former club is exploring a move that could see him return to Celtic Park in January or sign a pre-contract agreement that would become official in the summer. Tierney has made just one appearance for the Gunners this season, playing 69 minutes in the 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace.

- Three clubs are in the race for AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori, reports Calciomercato. Juventus are believed to have begun negotiations with the Rossoneri over a potential loan deal for the 27-year-old that would include an obligation to be made permanent, though they face competition from the Premier League with both West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion interested in his services. Tomori arrived at the San Siro from Chelsea in the summer of 2021.

- A deal has been agreed by Bournemouth to sign DC United defender Matai Akinmboni, according to the Telegraph. The agreement is reported to be worth £1 million plus add-ons, with the 18-year-old set to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed switch to the Vitality Stadium. Akinmboni currently stars for the U.S. under-20 side, and was named on the bench in the 2-1 win over France in November.

Tottenham Hotspur's injury crisis meant manager Ange Postecoglou said he was forced to field Radu Dragusin against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday despite the defender struggling with an ankle knock.

Speaking after his side's 2-2 draw in the Premier League, Postecoglou painted a grim picture of the club's plight with left-back Destiny Udogie the latest casualty.

"Well we had no choice, if Radu doesn't play, I don't know who plays. He wasn't 100%, but he felt he could get through with his ankle," Postecoglou told reporters.

Dragusin, who suffered an injury against Nottingham Forest on Thursday, is currently the only available centre-back at the club with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies all injured and still weeks away from a return.

"There's no choice, but it's not a risk. I mean it's a judgment call. It's not like it's a muscle injury, it's a knock on his ankle, but yeah, we're making decisions," said Postecoglou, whose side are down in 11th place.

"We've got no choice unless I throw another 18 or 17-year-old out there. That's the only fit players we have."

Tottenham are also missing the likes of striker Richarlison, winger Wilson Odobert and first-choice keeper Guglielmo Vicario and will be without midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur for next weekend's home clash with Newcastle United after he picked up a fifth booking of the season to trigger a one-game ban.

Udogie also went off in the 50th minute with a muscular injury, adding to Postecoglou's woes.

"I think it was a hamstring. Again, we've been relying on a core group of players because we just haven't had the ability to rotate so at some point it was going to catch up with us. Unfortunately it caught up with Destiny," Postecoglou said.

Tottenham have now won only once in their last seven Premier League games and will finish a year lower than seventh for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

They conceded early against Wolves -- the 15th time this year they have fallen behind at home in a Premier League game. But goals by Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson got them ahead by halftime, only for Norwegian substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen's late effort to deny them a much-needed win.

"It's a disappointing outcome. Obviously we went a goal down but after that I felt we controlled the game. It wasn't easy always to get openings but we did look pretty threatening every time we did get forward," Postecoglou said.

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points with a dominant but chaotic 6-3 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday thanks to doubles from Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah.

Díaz met Trent Alexander-Arnold's beautiful cross with a diving header to open the scoring before Alexis Mac Allister nodded home from close range to double Liverpool's lead.

James Maddison pulled one back four minutes before half-time after Mac Allister was dispossessed in midfield by Dejan Kulusevski to give the hosts a route back into the contest.

But Dominik Szoboszlai scored in first half added time to restore the Reds' two-goal lead and give Spurs a mountain to climb.

Salah netted twice in seven second-half minutes, passing Liverpool great Billy Liddell on the club's all-time scoring list with his 14th and 15th league goals of the season, to make it 5-1 and send some Spurs fans heading to the exits.

"I'm happy and proud, I'll just keep working hard," Liverpool's now fourth most prolific scorer, said

Kulusevski's volley was followed by Dominic Solanke's 83rd-minute goal to give Spurs hope of an unlikely comeback, before Díaz made it 6-3 two minutes later to finish a madcap contest that could have had even more goals.

"We were quite good up front but defensively we need to improve as a team," Salah told Sky Sports. "It's quite good the result, and hopefully we just keep going."

Liverpool are top with 39 points from 16 games, four points above second-placed Chelsea who have played a game more. Spurs remain 11th, with 23 points from 17 games.

Arne Slot's team constantly threatened in attack and Salah ought to have put them ahead inside three minutes when Spurs goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who made two costly errors in midweek, passed straight to him in the box, but Salah dragged his shot wide.

Salah then hit the bar after beating three defenders with some silky footwork, but the visitors deservedly took the lead in the 23rd minute with Díaz heading home at full stretch.

A second looked an inevitability and it came in the 36th minute after Andy Robertson's cross to Szoboszlai bounced kindly for Mac Allister, who nodded past the onrushing Forster.

Mac Allister was at fault for Spurs' first goal, however, which came out of nowhere and ought to have given Spurs a platform to drag themselves back into it.

But Szoboszlai made it 3-1, running onto Salah's through ball and nutmegging Forster at the end of a sweeping move.

Salah got in on the act after the break, tapping home from close range in the 54th minute and then adding another shortly after when Szoboszlai laid it on a plate.

Liverpool showed no signs of sitting back, with Forster forced into a good save to deny Alexander-Arnold, before Kulusevski and then Solanke raised the prospect of a remarkable comeback.

But Díaz placed a clinical finish past Forster with five minutes of normal time remaining to end a breathless encounter, which fell two goals short of equalling a Premier League record.

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Spurs in 6-3 thriller

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a dominant but chaotic 6-3 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Dec 22, 2024, 06:26 pm - Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur face Liverpool at home on Sunday in the marquee match of the Premier League weekend, with Arne Slot's visitors looking to maintain their lead atop the table.

Spurs will be hoping to capitalise on recent momentum after scoring nine goals in their last two games -- a 5-0 win against Southampton last Sunday and a chaotic 4-3 victory over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals on Thursday evening.

The two teams have also been drawn against each other in the semifinals of the Carabao Cup, meaning this will be the first of three fixtures between them before the first weekend of February.

Premier League table

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the game.

Key details:

Date: Sunday, Dec. 22 at 4.30 p.m. GMT (11.30 a.m. ET).

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.

Referee: Sam Barrott.

VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.

How to watch:

The match is available to watch on Sky Sports in the UK and on NBC in the United States. You can also follow live updates on ESPN.

Team news:

Tottenham

Rodrigo Bentancur, M, suspension, due back Dec. 26

Ben Davies, D, hamstring, OUT, estimated return Dec. 29

Richarlison, F, hamstring, DOUBT

Destiny Udogie, D, quadriceps, DOUBT

Mikey Moore, F/M, illness, OUT, estimated return Dec. 29

Wilson Odobert, F/M, hamstring, OUT, estimated return Feb. 15

Cristian Romero, D, quadriceps, OUT, estimated return Jan. 12

Micky van de Ven, D, hamstring, OUT, estimated return Jan. 12

Guglielmo Vicario, G, ankle, OUT, estimated return Feb. 25

Liverpool

Conor Bradley, D, hamstring, OUT, estimated return Dec. 29

Ibrahima Konaté, D, foot, OUT, estimated return Dec. 29

Kostas Tsimikas, D, ankle, DOUBT

Expected lineups:

Tottenham

GK Fraser Forster

LB Djed Spence | CB Radu Dragusin | CB Archie Gray | RB Pedro Porro

DM Yves Bissouma | DM Pape Matar Sarr

LW Son Heung-Min | AM James Maddison | RW Dejan Kulusevski

ST Dominic Solanke

Liverpool

GK Alisson Becker

LB Andrew Robertson | CB Joe Gomez | CB Virgil van Dijk | RB Trent Alexander-Arnold

DM Ryan Gravenberch | DM Alexis Mac Allister

LW Cody Gakpo | AM Dominik Szoboszlai | RW Mohamed Salah

ST Luis Díaz

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- Under-fire Ange: I love being in middle of a storm

Under-pressure Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said his team's lacklustre form means he is "in a fight" but the Australian backed himself to get the club out of their slump, adding he loves being in "the middle of a storm."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has said football management is "the hardest job in the world" and claimed those in the role are being dehumanised by their treatment.

Russell Martin and Gary O'Neil were sacked in the past three days by Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively, the former beaten 5-0 by Spurs in his final match on Sunday.

Martin completed his post-match media commitments -- during which he vowed to fight on -- only to be informed he had lost his job around 20 minutes later.

Asked to reflect on the manner of Martin's sacking, Postecoglou said on Wednesday: "Is there a good way of doing it? I really don't know. We've lost all sort of modes of respect in our society where guys are in jobs and they are putting up names of who is going to replace him while they are still working.

"We've crossed that line now -- and you can do it any way you like and nobody is going to say anything about the fact that a man whom, whether it is Russell or Gary, I'm pretty sure 24/7 has done everything in their power to ... It is not for the want of trying.

"And their families ... We're just so, as a society, we're just so quick to throw people in the trash and move on really quickly with no thought or care around it.

"I don't know if there's a good way or best way of handling it. That's why I've left before its ever happened to me. I kind of jump out before that comes my way but we've crossed that line now and I think it's open slather.

"I get people saying 'managers have always been sacked' but I just think it has gone beyond that where we forget there is a human being involved. This job is the hardest job now in any walk of life.

"You say politics, this is harder than any job because like I said, the tenure and longevity of this role means you go into it, very few are going to come out of it with any scars."

Pushed on whether the job was tougher than being Prime Minister, Postecoglou replied: "Ah yeah, come on. He has an election every few years, I have one every weekend, mate. We have an election every weekend and I either get voted in or out."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has played down the prospects of a January move for wantaway Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford.

Rashford confirmed on Tuesday night that he was "ready for a new challenge and next steps," signalling his intent to leave the club after being dropped from United's squad for Sunday's derby win at Manchester City.

Prior to Postecoglou's arrival, Spurs have been credited with an interest in Rashford but speaking on Wednesday ahead of Tottenham's EFL Cup quarterfinal tie against United, he said: "If I looked at everyone we were linked to, I'd have no time for anything else. I've got other people to do that part of the process. For us, we've been pretty disciplined in terms of what we are trying to do here and we'll continue to be so."

Pushed on whether that meant no, Postecoglou replied: "That's not on my radar. You can ask me about Marcus but you can ask me about every Premier League footballer and I'm going to say the same thing.

"[I have] no interest [in what's he said], don't care. He's a Man Utd player, a very good player. They've got plenty of good players. But I manage my players and I guess other managers will manage their own players. In terms of Marcus' situation, I have got no real desire to examine it any further."

United boss Ruben Amorim told reporters on Wednesday that he wants to keep Rashford at Old Trafford, saying he "just wants to help" him.

Spurs will be without centre-backs Micky van de Ven (hamstring) and Cristian Romero (thigh) until the New Year due to injury while Destiny Udogie is a doubt to face United on Thursday due to fatigue.

South Korean winger Yang Min-Hyeok departed Seoul for London on Monday to join Tottenham Hotspur midseason, where he will link up with fellow international Son Heung-Min.

Spurs signed Yang from Gangwon FC in July on a contract valid through 2030. The 18-year-old was initially set to join Ange Postecoglou's side in January but is now arriving a month earlier than planned.

He will still be ineligible to play for the club before Jan. 1.

Yang conceded he felt anxious before his 14-hour flight but shared his anticipation at the chance to play alongside Tottenham captain Son, the most popular sports figure in his home country and 14 years his senior.

Struggling to sleep, he spent the early hours watching Spurs' dominant 5-0 Premier League victory over Southampton, which kicked off at 4 a.m. Monday in South Korea.

"I am excited to be joining the club. It would be an honour to play with Son and I would be grateful for that opportunity," Yang told reporters at Incheon International Airport in Seoul.

"I have pictured myself in that situation. I can't wait to get there and show people what I am capable of, and have a chance to play next to him in the same match."

Yang and Son have briefly crossed paths before. In July, Yang faced Tottenham in a friendly while representing a K League All-Star team. By September, he had joined Son on the South Korean national team after earning his senior call-up for World Cup qualifiers. However, he has yet to earn a cap.

Yang scored 12 goals and registered six assists in 38 matches for Gangwon this season. In March, he became the youngest-ever goalscorer in K League 1, just before his 18th birthday.

He will be a welcome addition to a Spurs side ravaged by injury.

"I'd like to get into a match before the season ends, and hopefully score a goal or get an assist," Yang said. "Because I am joining the team in midseason, I've been focusing on rest and recovery, so that I will stay healthy going forward.

"Personally, I feel that I am ready [for Premier League debut]. I'll put on a good performance there and I hope fans will continue to support me."

LONDON -- Under-pressure Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said his team's lacklustre form means he is "in a fight" but the Australian backed himself to get the club out of their slump, adding he loves being in "the middle of a storm."

Postecoglou's future as Spurs boss has been called into question following a run of results that has seen the north London club record just one win in their last eight games.

Their struggles have caused a portion of fans to lose faith in Postecoglou's project and some of them were involved in a heated confrontation with the manager following Spurs' defeat at Bournemouth last week.

Spurs have won four away Premier League matches in 2024 and travel to face Southampton on Sunday in desperate need of a convincing victory over the division's bottom-placed club.

St. Mary's was the scene of former Spurs boss Antonio Conte's famous post-match rant in which he branded his players as "selfish" and accused them of not wanting to play under pressure after they let a two-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 with Southampton in March 2023.

Asked on Thursday if he would ever make similar comments about his own team in the way that Conte did, Postecoglou told a news conference: "Look, I don't think it's fair to comment. Antonio, like I said, is a world-class manager and has his own way of doing things, his own reasons for doing that.

"I am here, I am in for the fight. I am in a fight, for sure. For better or worse I am not going anywhere at the moment because everything is still in my power and my responsibility. I still have a real desire to get us through this stage so that people see what is on the other side. My resolve and determination hasn't wavered one little bit.

"I love a fight, I love a scrape, I love being in the middle of a storm when everyone doubts because I know what it is on the other side if you get through it. My job is to get through it."

Postecoglou's patience with some of the performance levels shown by some of the senior players within his injury-depleted squad has seemingly worn thin, with the 59-year-old saying Timo Werner's display in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Rangers "wasn't acceptable."

Earlier on Thursday, Postecoglou said he had no time for worrying about his players' "bruised egos" when he provides them with direct feedback on their performances and reiterated they need to make meaningful contributions on the pitch.

Asked whether those issues tie into the wider problems of Spurs' recent, trophy-less, past, Postecoglou said: "I'm sick of that. That's an excuse for me and that's why even with Cristian Romero's comments [about the Tottenham hierarchy], I just think that's an excuse.

"At the moment I'm here, I take responsibility. These players, we're here. If we think some mythical thing exists in this club that prevents success then change it. What's the point otherwise? Don't come here. I just don't buy into that.

"At the moment we're in a difficult situation because of kind of where we are squad-wise and team-wise. You either embrace this challenge. If you want excuses there are a million of them. There are a million excuses as to why we can't be successful but if that's what your crutch is, particularly in tough moments, then what's the point? Just move on then and go somewhere else."