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LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur got their Europa League campaign off to the perfect start on Thursday as they overcame Qarabag 3-0 at home, despite being forced to play the majority of the match with 10 men after defender Radu Dragusin was shown an early red card.

Brennan Johnson's third goal in as many games put Spurs ahead before Pape Matar Sarr and Dominic Solanke made the points safe in the second half.

Tottenham's victory came after kickoff was delayed by 35 minutes due to "severe travel disruption" in the local area. The Qarabag team was caught up in the chaos caused by heavy rain that caused the MetOffice to issue a "yellow weather warning."

Having waited for more than half an hour for the game to start, fans didn't have to wait for long for the on-pitch drama to begin.

Dragusin was shown a straight red card in the seventh minute for hauling down Juninho as the last man after the Qarabag forward robbed him of possession deep inside the Spurs half.

The Romania international's red card prompted Postecoglou to swap midfielder Lucas Bergvall for Destiny Udogie as he sought to restore some balance to his team.

"The red card was not ideal, we started really sloppily but the reaction afterwards was good," Postecoglou told TNT Sports. "We wanted to press high, even with 10 men."

Whether by fortune or design, it took Spurs a matter of seconds after the substitution to open the scoring. Solanke set up Johnson to score in his third successive game, finishing confidently across Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski.

Postecoglou's team showed little willingness to follow Arsenal's lead from their draw with Manchester City on Sunday as they continued pressing high up the pitch despite being a man light. Their high defensive line left space in behind that was almost exploited by the lively Juninho, but the Qarabag forward sent a presentable chance wide of Guglielmo Vicario's goal in the 40th minute.

Sarr doubled Spurs' lead shortly after half-time, punishing Kochalski for a weak punch clear by volleying an effort into the bottom corner despite the best efforts of a man on the line to keep it out.

Spurs rode their luck six minutes later after Yves Bissouma gave away a penalty for a lunge on Elvin Cafarquliyev inside the box.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Tural Bayramov saw his spot kick clip the top of the crossbar on its way over Vicario's goal.

Solanke scored his second Spurs goal to put the result beyond doubt in the 68th minute. Similar to his maiden strike for the club against Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, the Spurs No. 19 was presented with an open goal to finish into after a teammate -- Son Heung-Min this time -- saw an effort parried by the goalkeeper.

It proved to be Son's final involvement in the game as he limped off the pitch after receiving treatment from the physio.

Despite the scoreline, Qarabag continued to pose a threat. Juninho saw a header narrowly ruled out for offside either side of two fine saves from Vicario to deny goal-bound strikes from Yassine Benzia and Cafarquliyev.

Postecoglou delighted the home crowd by introducing much-hyped 17-year-old Mikey Moore for the closing stages, but he struggled to get involved in the game as Spurs played out the last few minutes without major incident.

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

In this week's VAR Review: Why Jurriën Timber's challenge differed from Curtis Jones' red card at Tottenham Hotspur last season. Plus, why Crystal Palace's onside goal could be offside in a few weeks, and Aston Villa's slice of luck against Everton.

Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal

Possible red card: Timber foul on Porro

What happened: The game was in the 37th minute when Timber challenged Pedro Porro. The Arsenal defender made contact with the ball then caught Porro. Referee Jarred Gillett showed the yellow card to Timber, and it was checked by the VAR, Stuart Attwell, for a potential red card.

VAR decision: No red card.

VAR review: It's almost exactly a year since Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was sent off at Tottenham through a VAR intervention for a similar challenge on Yves Bissouma -- yet there were crucial differences to explain why one was a yellow card and the other a red.

There are a number of factors that a referee, and the VAR, will take into account. Primarily it's about force, but also the way a player is making the tackle and how they make contact with the other player.

Jones was stretching into the tackle, and with the angle he went into it, he caught his opponent with studs leading into his shin, which created a buckle effect on Bissouma's leg. That's one possible indicator of level of force. The buckle doesn't need to be present for a red card, nor is it necessarily a smoking gun; it's one possible aspect that might be used to come to a decision.

The nature of the follow through off the top of the ball from Timber was very different. There was only minimal contact, and Timber's studs were pointing to the ground when he made contact with Porro. There was no force or leading studs, so a yellow card won't be seen as an on-field error.

It might appear to be a subtle difference, but it's a textbook comparison between yellow and red card situations when a player goes over the top of the ball and catches an opponent with the follow through.

Possible penalty: Handball by Romero

What happened: Kai Havertz got a header on goal from close range in the 18th minute. It was saved by Guglielmo Vicario, and rebounded on to the arm of Cristian Romero. Could it have been a penalty for handball (watch here)?

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: There's two reasons why this wouldn't be a penalty through a VAR intervention. Firstly, Romero has his arm in a position which is explainable for his body movement, and secondly the ball hits him after being played by a teammate -- both are exemptions against a handball penalty.

Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester

Possible offside: Mateta when scoring

What happened: Crystal Palace thought they had found a way back into the game in the 47th minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta turned home a pass from Tyrick Mitchell, but the assistant's flag went up for offside. The VAR, Andy Madley, checked the decision.

VAR decision: Goal.

VAR review: The decision to award a goal to Palace angered Leicester City boss Steve Cooper, as his side were 2-0 up at the time and ended up drawing 2-2 after conceding a penalty two minutes into stoppage time.

"I really want to see the absolute offside image of the first goal," Cooper said afterward. "If it is, no problem, we'll hold our hands up, but we can't be calling offsides on suggestions, which is only what we've seen at the moment. We need to get that image quickly off the Premier League. If it is, I'll accept it."

Cooper's comments are pertinent, as issues visualising offside decisions from tight camera angles have always been problematic with this technology. It will change when semiautomated offside comes in after one of the international breaks in October or November, as we'll get an animation that moves to the offside line to clearly show the position of the players. But at the same time, things will change slightly soon (as explained below), though that will be no use to Leicester now.

Until we get semiautomated offside, we are stuck with what we have. And at grounds like Selhurst Park, which don't have great camera angles, it's especially difficult.

Cooper said he would be asking the Premier League for the "absolute offside image," though we do already have these. The Premier League released two images, one from the regular broadcast camera which includes the ball being passed by Mitchell, and the goal-line camera which is intended to show that Mateta was behind the offside line.

Neither are great and you have to know the intricacies of the system to understand what you're looking at.

If a single green line is displayed, that's only to the defender and tells us that the decision is so close that the tolerance level has been applied. That's basically a 5-centimeter benefit of the doubt to the attacker, who might be offside, but the inaccuracies in this technology allow him a little bit of leeway. If the lines to the defender and the attacker are touching, the striker is given onside.

Yet if no line is displayed to the attacker, it can add to the confusion. The goal-line camera angle is supposed to be telling us Mateta is behind it, but without a line to him, it doesn't really illustrate that.

And then we have the other aspect of semiautomated offside, which effectively creates a two-tier system within the same season. This technology has the tolerance level; semiautomated offside does not due to increased accuracy.

What does that mean? Well, as Mateta was onside within the tolerance level of this technology, he may well be offside with semiautomated. We have a goal for Palace that was ruled onside through VAR in September, yet may well be offside in October.

It raises obvious questions about having two different offside systems in the same season, but the Premier League clubs unanimously voted to bring in the new technology as soon as it's available, rather than wait until next season. Serie A also introduced semiautomated offside midway through the 2022-23 campaign.

Aston Villa 3-2 Everton

Possible offside: Digne on Watkins goal

What happened: Aston Villa equalised in the 58th minute when Ollie Watkins pounced on an error by Jack Harrison to make the score 2-2. But was there an offside in the buildup?

VAR decision: Goal stands.

VAR review: The move began when Youri Tielemans played a ball over the top to find the run of Lucas Digne down the left side. Digne was being tracked by Harrison, and the Villa player might have been marginally offside when Tielemans made the pass. The goal then came about because Harrison stretched to make an interception and inadvertently played the ball to Watkins.

It's a niche and often controversial area, where the referee and the VAR have to determine whether an offside player is having a direct impact on a defender. The fact that the offside player is the intended recipient of the pass isn't enough.

It was decided that Digne wasn't close enough to Harrison to force him into the error. The goal shows how a defender can be deemed to have simply made a mistake in trying to intercept, even if it seems wholly unfair that the attacking team can effectively benefit from the offside player.

It could have been a different outcome had Harrison touched the ball to Digne -- as Digne becomes active for offside if Harrison hasn't made a "deliberate play" of the ball by stretching for it. As the ball runs to a player who was always onside, the only question is around direct impact by Digne on Harrison, and that was cleared by the VAR as not being a "clear and obvious" error.

Southampton 0-3 Man United

Possible red card overturn: Stephens foul on Garnacho

What happened: Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th minute after bringing down Alejandro Garnacho as the Manchester United player looked to break down the wing. It was checked by the VAR.

VAR decision: Red card stands.

VAR review: At first, a red card seemed a surprising decision from referee Stuart Attwell, but the replay proved it was correct.

Stephens may not have made a great deal of contact on Garnacho, but the challenge was high, catching the forward on the knee with studs leading.

Man City 2-1 Brentford

Possible red card: Kovacic challenge on Wissa

What happened: Mateo Kovacic was booked in the 42nd minute for a foul on Yoane Wissa, which forced the Brentford player off with an ankle injury. It was checked by the VAR, Darren England.

VAR decision: No red card.

VAR review: It's not a great challenge by Kovacic, who goes through Wissa from behind in an attempt to win the ball, though it's not strong enough for a VAR red card.

Wissa's injury came from his foot getting caught under the Manchester City player's hip as he landed on the ground, rather than the nature of the tackle itself, so he's very unfortunate.

Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea

Possible red card: Sanchez foul on Evanilson

What happened: AFC Bournemouth were awarded a penalty in the 36th minute when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez collided with Evanilson, who had latched on to a poor backpass by Wesley Fofana and attempted to lift the ball past the goalie. Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and produced a yellow card, and it was checked for a possible red card by the VAR, Peter Bankes.

VAR decision: No red card.

VAR review: The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has relaxed the guidelines around a red card when a penalty has been awarded several times in recent seasons, so much so that it has to be a reckless tackle, or a deliberate handball, if a player is going to be sent off.

If there is any explanation that a player has made a genuine attempt to either play the ball or challenge an opponent for the ball, there is only going to be a caution.

Sánchez comes out and raises an arm to anticipate that the ball would be played high, so there would always be a natural collision as a result of the goalkeeper trying to stop the ball.

Added to that, Chelsea's Axel Disasi was the covering defender and might have gotten to the ball before Evanilson had lifted it over the goalkeeper.

Fulham 1-1 West Ham

Possible penalty: Foul by Kilman on Traore

What happened: Adama Traoré broke into the box in the 15th minute and went down under a challenge from Max Kilman. Referee Tim Robinson wasn't interested in a penalty and it was checked by the VAR, Paul Tierney.

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: Kilman put a hand on the back of Traore, but there was no real challenge on the Fulham winger.

Fulham boss Marco Silva was incensed on the touchline and ended up receiving a yellow card for his protests, but there didn't appear enough for the VAR to get involved and overturn the referee's call in a 50-50 situation.

Some factual parts of this article include information provided by the Premier League and PGMOL.

Gabriel earns Arsenal win at Spurs in feisty derby

Gabriel's second-half header earned Arsenal a crucial 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in a feisty North London derby on Sunday to keep pace with early Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Sep 15, 2024, 05:41 pm - Reuters

The latest installment of one of the fiercest rivalries in the English Premier League kicks off Sunday, as Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal in the first north London derby of the season. With their home stadiums separated by about 5 miles, both sides traditionally wear their home kits during the match. But Arsenal will don their away uniform in the upcoming clash due to their red-and-white home kit featuring "too much white," according to the club. Arsenal last wore their away kit in the fixture 38 years ago. Tottenham look to capture their first win in the series since May 2022 (3-0).

Here are key facts about the upcoming match.

When is the north London derby?

The match is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. BST (9 a.m. ET).

Where is the north London derby?

The match will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Who leads the north London derby all-time series?

Sunday will mark the 196th meeting between Tottenham and Arsenal, with Arsenal leading the series 82-61-52. Sunday will also mark the 65th meeting between the two clubs as members of the Premier League.

When was the first north London derby?

The first meeting in the north London derby was Dec. 4, 1909 (Arsenal defeated Tottenham 1-0).

Who won the last north London derby?

Arsenal held on to defeat Tottenham 3-2 on April 28 after jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first half.

Which club has had the most recent success in the north London derby?

Arsenal are 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings since the start of 2021, including wins in each of the past two games at Tottenham. A win Sunday would mark their longest road winning streak in the series since 1987.

Where can fans find more soccer coverage from ESPN?

Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal in the first north London derby of the season on Sunday in the latest instalment of one of the Premier League's fiercest rivalries. The visitors will likely have to do without captain Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori for the crunch clash, while Spurs are looking to record their first win in the fixture since May 2022.

Ange Postecoglou's team will be hoping to put a dent in their near-neighbours' title credentials while re-establishing themselves as contenders for a spot in next season's Champions League after managing just one win from their opening three games and losing both star summer signing Dominic Solanke and Richarlison to injury in August -- more details on team news, how to watch, the form guide and more below.

Key details:

Date: Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. BST (9 a.m. E.T.)

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Referee: Jarred Gillett

VAR: Stuart Attwell

How to watch:

The game will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and NBC Sports in the United States. You can also follow along live with ESPN's live updates.

Team news:

Tottenham will be hoping £65 million summer signing Solanke can return to the starting line-up after he missed their win over Everton and defeat to Newcastle with an ankle blow he suffered during the team's opening-weekend fixture against Leicester.

Micky van de Ven did not travel with Netherlands for the international break after hurting his knee in the Everton match and should be fit after he too missed the game at St. James' Park, though Richarlison is set to miss a few more weeks after picking up a knock in training before the break.

Arsenal's build-up to their biggest game of the season so far has been dominated by confirmed and potential absences from the clash, with Declan Rice's controversial red card in the second half against Brighton ruling him out, while Calafiori and captain Ødegaard both suffered injuries while away with Italy and Norway respectively over the international break.

Calafiori, 22, who joined Arsenal from Bologna this summer, was hurt when Ousmane Dembélé caught him on the back of the leg with his studs after being tackled by another player during Italy's victory over France.

Ødegaard, meanwhile, covered his face with his hands while being treated on the field midway through the second half of a 2-1 Nations League win over Austria. He appeared to turn awkwardly on his left ankle in a tough challenge with Austria midfielder Christoph Baumgartner as both chased and stretched for a loose ball.

Ødegaard limped out of the game two minutes later and was consoled by his teammate Erling Haaland.

The news of both injuries will not be welcomed by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta who has already lost another new signing, Mikel Merino, to injury during his first training session.

Merino, a €32.5 million ($36m) addition from Real Sociedad, sustained a fractured shoulder when colliding with centre-back Gabriel Magalhães during practice at London Colney.

Latest news:

Arsenal home shirt deemed 'too white' for north London derby

Arsenal will wear their away kit against rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Sunday due to their red-and-white home kit featuring "too much white," the club said on Tuesday.

Both sides traditionally wear their home kits when they play each other, with British media reporting that Arsenal last wore their away kits in the fixture 38 years ago.

England boss Lee Carsley tells Ben White: Three Lions role up to you

Lee Carsley said he has no plans to contact Ben White over a possible England call-up and believes the responsibility lies with the Arsenal defender to make himself available.

Carsley's predecessor Gareth Southgate said in March that the Football Association's technical director John McDermott was told in a phone call from Arsenal sporting director Edu that White did not want to be considered for England.

After Carsley began his interim role as Southgate's successor with back-to-back 2-0 UEFA Nations League wins away at Republic of Ireland and home to Finland, the 50-year-old hinted he would look to make changes to the squad for next month's friendly matches.

"I think you will see some movement and I think it's important that we keep freshening it up, we keep moving the squad forward."

Asked about whether that could involve speaking to White about his potential availability, Carsley said: "I've not planned to [contact him], no. We spoke about this in the squad selection. Every player that's eligible to play for England is in with a chance.

"As far as I was aware, he was asked to be not contacted. So, if that changes, then that'll change."

Manager talk:

This section will be updated once each manager has spoken at their pre-match news conference.

Form guide:

Arsenal won both of their opening two matches to start the season before being held to a 1-1 draw with Brighton ahead of the international break.

Their most resounding result came away against Aston Villa, where Leandro Trossard scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute to set the Gunners on their way to a 2-0 win, aided by some heroics from David Raya.

Jarred Gillett, the Australian referee assigned by PGMOL to this weekend's game, has already angered Arsenal fans this season after failing to show a card to Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera after he appeared to grab Kai Havertz throat during an altercation between the pair in the first game of the season, a 2-0 home win for Arteta's side.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have been more inconsistent, opening with a draw to Leicester and a convincing win over Everton before falling to a defeat away at Newcastle in their last game before the hiatus owing to a late winner from Sweden international Alexander Isak.

Cutting edge has proved to be Spurs' downfall so far this term as the team has enjoyed a league-high 68.5% of possession on average but failed to convert that into meaningful chances.

That issue reared its head most obviously during the 1-1 draw with Leicester where they could have been out of sight after an impressive first-half showing, only to be pegged back by a Jamie Vardy equaliser that buoyed the King Power.

Key players:

Son Heung-Min: The South Korea star has scored eight times in 19 appearances in all competitions against Arsenal since joining Spurs in 2015 and will be confident of adding to that tally on Sunday.

Bukayo Saka: Arsenal's talisman has scored or assisted in all three of their games to start the season -- the Gunners have only lost one of the last 15 games in which he has contributed.

Key questions:

Can Ange Postecoglou's daring style of football withstand Arsenal's attacking prowess?

Postecoglou earned a plethora of plaudits for Spurs' high line and swashbuckling brand of attacking football in his debut season in the Premier League, but he also came in for criticism when that style played a role in heavy defeats -- most notably the 4-1 home defeat to Chelsea.

Arsenal's forward line will no doubt be hoping to exploit that shape with the likes of Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and new signing Raheem Sterling all posing a considerable threat on the counter attack.

Will Arsenal's midfield be able to cope without Declan Rice?

Debate around whether Chris Kavanagh was right to send Rice may still be rumbling on in the red corner of Islington, but on the pitch, focus now shifts to whether Thomas Partey, Jorginho and co. can adequately step in for the England international as he serves his ban.

Rice featured in all 38 of Arsenal's Premier League games last term, starting all but one, so whatever combination Arteta selects in his absence will be relatively untested.

Stats:

Sunday's game marks the 196th contest between Tottenham and Arsenal, and the 65th in the Premier League.

Arsenal have won 82 of the meetings, with Spurs winning 61.

Arsenal have won five of the last seven meetings between the sides since the start of 2021, losing just one.

Arsenal have won the last two games at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium; another away win would mark their longest such run since 1987.

What happened last year?

The last time Arsenal made the short trip to their north London rivals was a five-goal thriller as the away team kept pace with Manchester City in the 2023-24 season's title race with a 3-2 win.

Newcastle United's striker Alexander Isak secured a 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur with a simple tap-in as they weathered a second-half storm from the visitors to secure the points in an entertaining Premier League clash at St James' Park on Sunday.

Harvey Barnes' first-half opener for Newcastle was cancelled out by a Dan Burn own goal after the break as Spurs dominated the chances in the second period but spurned numerous openings and were beaten by a lightning-quick break from the hosts.

Joelinton's defence-splitting pass was perfect for Jacob Murphy who, after drawing out keeper Guglielmo Vicario, laid the ball on a plate for Isak to secure the three points for manager Eddie Howe's side, who remain unbeaten at home since January.

Adding to Newcastle's delight, midfielder Sandro Tonali made his first league appearance since being handed a 10-month ban for a breach of betting rules and received a rapturous reception from the home supporters.

Newcastle now have seven points from their first three games, while Tottenham remain on four.

"Generally we weren't expecting to have too much of the ball," Isak told Sky Sports. "We wanted to be dangerous on the counter-attack. It wasn't the most beautiful game from our side but we defended really well and scored two so that's good.

"You always have to be concentrated. It's easy to get frustrated. It was a tough game and tough for me -- I wasn't at my sharpest."

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was left to rue the scoreline but not the performance as his side had complete control of the contest for long periods.

"It got away from us unfortunately," Postecoglou said. "We had the chances to win the game, probably comfortably, but we walk away with nothing so it's a bitter pill to swallow."

Isak struck the woodwork with an early chance before Newcastle took the lead against the run of play after 37 minutes.

A quick throw-in allowed Lloyd Kelly to fire in a low cross from the left which was superbly guided into the far corner by Barnes.

The visitors levelled when Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope failed to deal with a James Maddison shot and pushed the ball to Brennan Johnson, whose effort was cleared into his own net by Burn.

Tottenham continued to pepper the Newcastle goal but it was the hosts who found the winner thanks to the vision of Joelinton and composure of Murphy to set up Sweden international Isak.

Real Betis announced on Friday the signing of midfielder Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham Hotspur just minutes before the end of LaLiga's summer transfer window.

The transfer fee for Lo Celso, 28, is reported to be €5 million, with Tottenham securing a priority option for United States national team midfielder Johnny Cardoso.

Lo Celso is signing a contract for the next three seasons with an option for a fourth year.

The Argentina international rejoins LaLiga after a two-year stint with Villarreal on loan. Lo Celso's return to Betis marks a full-circle moment after leaving the Sevilla side for the Spurs in 2019.

Betis president Angel Haro told reporters that he was pleased with the deal given the challenges presented with the departure this week of forward Nabil Fekir to the UAE Pro League club Al-Jazira.

In his most recent Premier League campaign with Tottenham, Lo Celso contributed two goals and two assists in 24 appearances.

Veteran striker Jamie Vardy earned newly-promoted Leicester City a 1-1 draw with a profligate Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League season opener on Monday.

Spurs dominated the first half but Pedro Porro's opener in the 29th minute was the only time they could make one of a host of good chances count.

Further clear-cut opportunities came and went after the break, with the visitors' wastefulness proving costly when Leicester skipper Vardy headed an equaliser into the net with 57 minutes gone.

Brazilian Richarlison missed a golden opening to win it at the death and Spurs had to settle for one point in a match they really should have taken all three from.

"Disappointing night for us," Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou told Sky Sports. "First half excellent and controlled the game but wasteful in front of goal. Second half was the same.

"We started off well and once Leicester scored, the crowd lifted and we lost our composure. It was an issue we had last year as well, we need to keep working hard and be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. At times we made poor decisions.

"It's not our football or effort. To get results you need to be a lot more ruthless in the final third. If we don't we won't get the rewards our football deserves."

Spurs' evening went from bad to worse when midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was carried off on a stretcher after an eight-minute stoppage in the second half, following a nasty collision.

The Uruguay international was given oxygen as he was surrounded by medical staff, but was later reported to be recovering.

A poor end to last season saw Spurs miss out on a top-four finish in Australian Postecoglou's first year in charge.

The north London club have invested in several new signings in the close season to challenge for the Champions League qualification places once again, with striker Dominic Solanke the biggest outlay.

The former Bournemouth forward, playing Premier League football again after a year back in the second tier, should have opened his Spurs account in the first half at the King Power Stadium.

Some wayward finishing from Solanke ensured Leicester were let off the hook early on, before Porro arrived on the end of a James Maddison cross to guide home the opening goal.

The second half appeared to be a matter of how many Spurs would score, with Solanke again guilty of wasting gilt-edged opportunities.

Vardy, however, made no mistake when presented with his chance to snatch a point for Leicester and the 37-year-old collected the eighth Premier League opening-day goal of his career, a tally bettered only by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

"I see age as just a number," Vardy said. "As long as I keep looking after myself and my legs keep feeling great, then I will carry on for as long as is physically possible.

"I wouldn't say I am doing anything differently playing-wise. Probably adapted a bit by dropping in but I think the main thing is I am looking after myself recovery-wise to the maximum."

Ange Postecoglou has said Tottenham have suspended Yves Bissouma for Monday's Premier League opener against Leicester City after the midfielder posted footage on social media of himself inhaling laughing gas.

The Mali international apologised after clips emerged on Snapchat showing him using the Class C drug -- also known as nitrous oxide -- and Spurs released a statement stating it would be "dealt with as an internal matter."

Speaking at a Thursday news conference, Postecoglou suggested Bissouma had failed in his responsibilities as a role model and had to rebuild trust in his teammates as he sits out the club's first game of the season.

"I've been in the game a long time, and every time situations like this arise, and they do happen, I've always tried to look at them in a couple of different ways," Postecoglou said.

"One is there's a person involved: in this case it's Biss [Bissouma], and he's made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and want to try to help him through that and as a club what we can do to make sure he doesn't make those kind of choices and decisions in the future.

"With that context, there's still sanctions involved, and some of those sanctions are education and giving him a clear understanding of how wrong it was. You always want to give people an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

"The second part of that is he is a footballer for this club. He has responsibilities. He has responsibilities to the club, he has responsibilities to his teammates, he has responsibilities to supporters and everyone associated with the club, and he's failed in those duties. There's got to be sanctions for that.

"He won't be available for Monday. We've suspended him from Monday's game. Beyond that, there's some trust building that has to happen between Biss and me and Biss and the group.

"That's what he needs to work hard at from now on, to win that back. That's got nothing to do with one game. He may be suspended for one game, but he has to earn that.

"The door is open for him, and hopefully we can help him to realise that the decisions he makes impact more than just him and allow him to make better decisions moving forward."

Nitrous oxide was made a Class C drug under the UK government's Misuse of Drugs Act last November. Possession of nitrous oxide, not used for pain relief purposes, is now an offence punishable by up to two years in prison, but it is unclear at this stage whether Bissouma will face any criminal charge.

Asked how Bissouma goes about rebuilding that trust, Postecoglou replied: "Behaviour, mate. It's quite simple. It's him making better choices moving forward and behaviour. He's obviously disappointed, and he was very apologetic, not just to me but to the club and to everyone involved.

"But that's just the first part of the process, the next part is behaviour now. Making sure that he does the things he needs to do, like for all of us. We all make mistakes. It is how you find your way back from those mistakes, and what you do is far more important than what you say."

Harry Kane received a standing ovation on his return to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday but refused to lift the preseason trophy Bayern Munich won by beating Spurs in a preseason friendly.

Kane, Tottenham's all-time leading goal scorer, left to join Bayern last summer on a four-year contract in a deal worth in excess of €100 million ($110m). He started on the bench against his former club but came on for the final 10 minutes with Bayern leading 3-2, a scoreline they maintained to win the Visit Malta Cup.

He took the captain's armband when he eventually entered the pitch but passed it on ahead of the trophy presentation and opted out of lifting the silverware in front of his former teammates and fans.

The England captain, who helped England reach the final of Euro 2024, said he only returned to training on Friday and "probably shouldn't have been playing" adding he "was always going to play 10 minutes and it was good."

"Everything was really rushed through last year, so we didn't have a chance [to say goodbye], but it was great way to say thank you to all of them," said Kane, who went on a solo lap of honour at the end of the game.

"The reception I got was amazing and great to clap them around the pitch after, those who stayed behind, and I will always be thankful for every Spurs fan for the support they've given me through my whole career. It's been incredible.

"I just appreciate them seeing me and me seeing them again."

Kane and his Bayern teammate Eric Dier, who played alongside Kane during his decade at Tottenham, both received special trophies from ex-Spurs captain Ledley King on behalf of the club after the match.