Express

Tottenham Hotspur's manager Ange Postecoglou has hinted at a busy January transfer window for the north London club. Spurs have been grappling with an injury crisis that has left them with a limited number of first-team regulars.

Key players such as Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have spent time in the treatment room, forcing Postecoglou to field a makeshift backline in crucial matches. However, relief is on the horizon as Ben Davies, Mikey Moore and Richarlison are nearing full fitness after their respective injuries.

Having been active in the January market earlier this year, bringing in Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner, Tottenham will need to bolster their squad next month to compete across all competitions. With a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals and a strong position in the Europa League, Postecoglou recognises the importance of new signings as the team's packed schedule continues in their quest for silverware.

Postecoglou, in his pre-match press conference, stated: "I think, yeah, reinforcement. Like I said a while ago, we've been planning. A lot of it was going to be around where we're at around this time," and "Fair to say we're still a little bit short in a couple of areas and we need to reinforce. But January's trickier in terms of what sort of players you can bring in.

"For us, ideal - for any club, I guess - you want to bring in people who are going to make you stronger. I think the fact that, obviously, we're still in the Carabao Cup semi-final, still got Europe, FA Cup, we're in all the competitions, it's not like our schedule's going to ease up at any stage. So I think it makes sense. We will try and reinforce where and what number we'll have to wait and see."

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is gearing up for a thrilling encounter as his team sets sights on Tottenham's visit on Boxing Day. Spurs, known for their goal-scoring flair this season with a league-leading 39 goals, have struggled defensively, managing just four clean sheets.

Forest, in contrast, are riding high on a three-match winning streak and made headlines as the first to prevent Brentford from scoring at home this term. When quizzed about the upcoming fixture, Nuno remarked: "You never know what’s going to happen in the game. " He noted that despite the unpredictability, his analysis revealed "good players, a lot of goals, also conceding goals."

"The result was a little bit unexpected but what we are preparing is a new game, new situations will happen and we are facing a very good game."

Nuno, who successfully deployed a back three comprising Morato, Murillo, and Nikola Milenkovic against Brentford, may consider a similar strategy to curb Tottenham's attacking threat. He felt confident about the formation, stating: "I think it worked OK. We were good in the game.

"Defensively we had to be aware that Brentford were very offensive, a lot of goals and situations and one of the reasons was that.

"But before, we did it against (Manchester) City and many games before so it’s a shape the players knew, the routines were there and we decided to go with this game, let’s see."

Forest have two crucial matches before the January transfer window beckons, potentially providing the opportunity for further squad improvements with an eye on European contention. Nuno remains resolutely focused on the immediate challenges at hand with Tottenham, stating: "We have two games to go and this is what we are focused on. Of course there’s work to be done but in the right moment, we will do it.

"Right now the focus is on Spurs and how we can compete well. This is what we have to be ready for."

Addressing the nuances of the January transfer period, he noted, "Each part of the club has to be responsible for that situation (January window) and the window is a tricky one in terms of recruitment, in terms of creating an unbalance in our own squad. " Finally, he highlighted the dedication of his team, declaring, "You just have to be ready but more than anything, the players are focused and committed on their tasks."

Bruno Fernandes reportedly cried when his transfer to Tottenham was called off in the summer of 2019. The now-Manchester United captain was desperate to play in the Premier League and hoped that Sporting would negotiate a deal with the north Londoners.

Fernandes had emerged as one of Europe’s top playmakers in the late 2010s. Keen to build on their Champions League final appearance under Mauricio Pochettino, the Portugal star had been identified as someone who could make Spurs title contenders.

It is widely understood that Spurs successfully negotiated a fee for Fernandes. However, the structure of the deal was never agreed and the midfielder remained in Portugal for six months.

The following January, Fernandes joined United and the rest is history. But there was a time when he was crestfallen over his failed move to Spurs. Some sources at Spurs claim that he cried in his chairman’s office when he realised that the transfer would not go through.

“That felt a bit typical at the time,” an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation told the Daily Mail. “When push came to shove, the club didn’t get it done. Then the same thing happened with Luis Diaz at Porto. He ended up at Liverpool.”

Fernandes quickly became a fans’ favourite at Old Trafford after sealing a £60million switch to United in January 2020. He has been one of only a few Red Devils stars who might have fit into the Premier League-winning teams of the past five years.

The 30-year-old has made 259 appearances for United, scoring 85 goals and providing 76 assists. An outspoken leader and a fiery character on the pitch, Fernandes has split opinion among pundits and fans of other clubs.

Fernandes inherited the captaincy from Harry Maguire at the start of the 2023-24 season. He was a rare consistent performer under Erik ten Hag and built an excellent relationship with the Dutchman. The United No. 8 even suggested that he and his team-mates should take responsibility for Ten Hag’s sacking in October.

It remains to be seen where Fernandes fits into Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation in the long term. He has been used as a central midfielder in a double pivot, and as one of the two No. 10s behind the centre-forward.

Neither role seems an entirely natural fit for Fernandes, but it remains the case that he will view his failed move to Spurs as a sliding-doors moment. He has been United’s best player for five years.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has called for humility from his squad as they enjoy a spot in the top four over Christmas.

The Reds are set to host Tottenham at the City Ground on Boxing Day, seeking their fourth consecutive victory after triumphs against Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Brentford.

Despite their impressive position in the league, Nuno emphasised that the journey is far from over, stating: "I’m always confident since the beginning and even last season.

"Always confident the good work and dedication and commitment can achieve good results and I’m very proud of the players – the way they work every day, staying humble and recognising we have a lot of things to improve and a long way to go.

He gave credit to his players for making success happen, saying: "They make the things happen, the players make it happen. You can try and do what you want and the detail, but they are the ones that make it happen so credit to them."

The upcoming opponents, Tottenham, despite being the Premier League's top scorers, find themselves in the lower half of the table following a 6-3 defeat to Liverpool. Their manager Ange Postecoglou has faced scrutiny for not changing his offensive strategy.

However, Nuno expressed his respect for Postecoglou's decisions: "Every team has their own decisions to make.

"What I have is a lot of respect for Ange, he’s a gentleman in football, a good manager and what he has is a good squad and he wants to implement his own ideas, own decisions. It’s up to them.

"There are so many things that can happen and change through the course of the game. What we need to do now is prepare for the game and then throughout the game it’s matter of questions and answers continually."

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will have the pick of several options to replace Ange Postecoglou if he decides to make a change over Christmas.

The charismatic Aussie is under growing pressure after overseeing a frustrating start to the campaign. The north Londoners suffered their eighth defeat of the campaign on Sunday, with Liverpool scoring six times in a nine-goal thriller.

As of right now, there is nothing to suggest that Levy is thinking about appointing a new manager. However, the Spurs chairman is known for his trigger-happy approach, which suggests a change cannot be ruled out.

Express Sport looks at four potential candidates to replace Postecoglou if he is given the boot...

Graham Potter

The former Chelsea boss would likely be interested in taking the Tottenham job, but whether or not he would be among the candidates is another question.

He has been out of work since leaving Chelsea two years ago, instead choosing to bide his time and wait for the right opportunity to present itself.

A move to Tottenham is probably the best job that he would realistically get, but his nightmare spell at Stamford Bridge could put him out of contention.

Kieran McKenna

A manager who already knows the club well, McKenna's stock has been rising exponentially over the last few seasons. He spent the entirety of his brief playing career at Spurs before he was forced to retire with a hip injury at the age of 23.

After turning to coaching, he refined his trade with the club's under-18 side before moving to Manchester United. He has long been tipped to manage at the highest level and could make the next logical step in his career at Spurs.

However, his decision to sign a long-term deal at Portman Road in the summer may complicate things, given that his new agreement is said to include a bumper release clause.

Andoni Iraola

Perhaps the ideal appointment for Tottenham, the Bournemouth boss has proven himself as an astute tactician in the Premier League since replacing Gary O'Neil at the Vitality Stadium.

He has successfully guided the Cherries to the division's top five, a remarkable achievement for a club of their size, and has shown his eye for talent by overseeing a number of exciting signings.

Iraola would be a strong option for Spurs but, like with McKenna, they would probably have to pay a significant fee to prise him away from Bournemouth.

Gareth Southgate

England's most successful manager since the great Sir Alf Ramsey would offer some much-needed stability, while his renowned man-management skills could work wonders at Tottenham

However, it seems unlikely that he would consider any offers after suggesting last month that he could quit football altogether.

In a post on LinkedIn, Southgate wrote: "I'm not limiting my future options to remaining as a football coach. It's my intention to identify people I want to work with and projects and passions I want to work on."

Liverpool embarrassed Tottenham as they thrashed their Premier League rivals 6-3 in north London to move four points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table. Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine header midway through the first half before Alexis Mac Allister headed in a second for the visitors.

James Maddison pulled a goal back for Spurs as he curled the ball past Alisson from the edge of the area, before Dominik Szoboszlai restored the Reds’ two-goal advantage at the end of the first half.

The goals continued to flow after the interval as Mohamed Salah popped up with strikes either side of the hour mark to put Liverpool 5-1 ahead. Dejan Kulusevski got his name on the scoresheet for Spurs with 18 minutes remaining, with Dominic Solanke adding a third for his team. But Diaz wrapped up the win for the hosts with a sixth just before full-time.

And Express Sport provides the Tottenham and Liverpool player ratings after an enthralling Premier League encounter.

Tottenham

Fraser Forster: 2

Almost gifted Liverpool an opening goal minutes into the match as he passed the ball straight to Salah. Was beaten to the ball in the air in his own six-yard box by 5ft 9in Mac Allister for the Reds’ second and was caught in no man’s land when rushing out to close down Diaz late on. Couldn't stop the goals going in and can’t be trusted by Postecoglou.

Pedro Porro: 2

Should have followed Diaz’s run for the opening goal as he allowed the Colombia international to steal in and head the ball into the back of the net. Diaz kept getting the better of him and he allowed too many crosses into the box. Looked to thread balls through the Liverpool backline when in possession but was dreadful in defence.

Radu Dragușin: 2

Was well off the pace as he was pulled from pillar to post by Liverpool’s attacking trio. Allowed the ball to float over his head for the opener as he was dragged too far over to the left. Poor defending for Szoboszlai’s goal and had another afternoon to forget.

Archie Gray: 4

Had the unenviable task of dealing with the Liverpool forwards at the tender age of 18. Started well but was no match for Salah and co as the visitors looked like scoring every time they went forward.

Djed Spence: 4

Started well and looked comfortable on the ball. Blocked a couple of efforts at goal midway through the first half but was beaten to a header by Szoboszlai in the lead up to Mac Allister’s goal and his afternoon soon headed south as Liverpool ran riot.

Pape Matar Sarr: 4

Struggled to protect the Spurs backline and lacked ambition on the ball. Wasn’t able to drive his team forward as Tottenham were overrun in midfield.

Yves Bissouma: 4

Attempted to stamp his authority in the early stages but was a passenger for most of the encounter as Liverpool cut through the heart of the Spurs team.

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Dejan Kulusevski: 7

Barely got a sniff of the ball in the first half but was Spurs’ brightest player after the interval. Produced a subline finish for Tottenham’s second.

James Maddison: 6

Has been Tottenham’s most effective attacking player this season alongside Kulusevski and found the back of the net for the eighth time this season courtesy of a sumptuous curling effort.

Son Heung-min: 3

Was flat throughout the match and struggled to find an end product. Wasn’t anywhere near the standards he found last weekend against Southampton where he bagged a goal and two assists in 45 minutes.

Substitutes

Brennan Johnson: 5

Lucas Bergvall: 6

Timo Werner: 6

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Liverpool

Alisson: 6

Was rooted to his spot move for Maddison’s goal and will be disappointed to concede three goals.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: 8

Produced another tantalising cross into the box to tee up Diaz’s opener as he illustrated his prodigious ability on the ball. Has so much talent, Liverpool need to keep him.

Joe Gomez: 6

Had to be on his toes when Tottenham did get the ball. Stood up well to most things thrown at him but was still part of a leaky defence.

Virgil van Dijk: 6

Was never able to relax with Kulusevski, Maddison and Son to consider. Led from the back but the Reds were exposed at times.

Andy Robertson: 6

Whipped in a lovely cross to set up Liverpool’s second goal as he looked to push forward. Will be eyeing up a decent run of performances to show he is still an elite left-back.

Alexis Mac Allister: 7

Took his header well to double his side’s lead but lost possession ahead of Maddison’s goal to let the hosts back into the match.

Ryan Gravenberch: 7

Was calm and composed during the showdown. His attacking team-mates will take the plaudits but he made sure he could be counted on throughout.

Dominik Szoboszlai: 9

Dictated play and looked assured in possession as he moved his side up the pitch. Took his goal well and created Salah’s second. One of his finest performances in a Liverpool shirt but missed a few chances in the second period.

Mohamed Salah: 10

Danced his way through the Tottenham defence before crashing an effort against the crossbar in the first half. Showed good vision to tee up Szoboszlai and bagged another two goals to take his tally for the season to 18 in all competitions, also assisting Diaz's late goal. Unplayable at times.

Cody Gakpo: 7

Was full of running but wasn't ruthless enough in front of goal. Will be disappointed not to get his name on the scoresheet.

Luis Diaz: 9

Looked up for the match from the outset as he caused Pedro Porro all sorts of problems. Ran his socks off and took his goals well as he drifted into the perfect positions. Should have scored a another late on before eventually adding his second.

Substitutes

Curtis Jones: 7

Diogo Jota: 6

Darwin Nunez: 7

Harvey Elliott: 6

Tottenham have reportedly offered Lucas Bergvall to Espanyol as the Spanish club look to sever ties with Spurs youngster Alejo Veliz. Bergvall has featured 10 times in the Premier League this season after joining the north London giants from Swedish outfit Djurgarden in the summer.

Bergvall only turned 18 in February but was handed his first league start against Southampton last weekend as Spurs cruised to a 5-0 victory.

The teenager has also started four Europa League matches this campaign and has bagged two assists in the competition.

Veliz, meanwhile, joined Spurs from Argentinian club Rosario Central in the summer of 2023 but has only been given 45 minutes of game time for his parent club, with those minutes spread across eight league games last season.

The 21-year-old striker was shipped out to Espanyol in August after spending the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla.

But he has failed to ignite the Spanish league as he has found the back of the net just once in 13 La Liga appearances this term.

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He did score a hat-trick in a Copa Del Rey match against sixth tier San Tirso at the end of October as Espanyol thrashed their opponents 4-0.

But those strikes haven’t endeared the player to Espanyol chiefs as he has lost the trust of his manager Manolo Gonzalez, according to La Grada Radio.

Veliz, who has been capped 10 times by Argentina at under-20s level, failed to make it off the bench in four of Espanyol’s previous six La Liga matches before this weekend. And he is willing to leave the club in the new year.

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Espanyol need to make room in their squad and cut their wage bill to bring in new players and the club have ‘practically closed’ Veliz’s exit.

Spurs are said to have ‘proposed’ Bergvall to Espanyol as an alternative to Veliz, but it is unclear whether the Sweden international would be open to the idea of moving to Spain after breaking through at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Espanyol could turn down a move for Bergvall anyway as the club’s sporting director Fran Garagarza is keen to focus on the Spanish market instead.

Espanyol started the weekend in the relegation zone after winning just four of their first 17 league matches. They were four points above basement side Valencia and a point behind 17th-place Alaves.

Tottenham, meanwhile, began the weekend positioned in 10th place in the Premier League table ahead of their showdown with Liverpool on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford has not travelled with the Manchester United squad ahead of their League Cup tie at Tottenham tomorrow. Having been omitted by new manager Ruben Amorim for the win at derby rivals Man City on Sunday, the forward was ordered to train at Carrington that morning alongside Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentinian was also left out of the 20 to go to Etihad, but appears to have been recalled after being seen at the airport car park and then Stockport Station.

Rashford reportedly missed training on Monday, citing illness, before giving a bombshell interview to football journalist Henry Winter 24 hours later.

He claimed he was ready to leave the club and would have "no hard feelings" once he departed, throwing huge doubt over his future. And now according to the Manchester Evening News, there was no sign of the star as players congregated for the trip to London.

After United's dramatic 2-1 win over the champions, Amorim explained that neither Rashford or Garnacho were being punished and remained available for selection. "It is important to say why, it was not a disciplinary thing," said the Portuguese boss.

"Next week, next game new life, they are fighting for their places. But for me it is important the performance in training, the performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, they way you engage with your teammates, the way you push your team-mates.

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"We have to put the standards really high. For that, they have to fight for their place in the team and today the team we proved we can leave anyone outside the squad and manage to win if you play together."

United have not issued any club statement over Rashford's fitness, suggesting a decision not to pick him isn't enforced. His fall from grace under Erik ten Hag's successor has been rapid, considering he scored just moments into the 39-year-old's first game in charge at Ipswich.

He followed that up with a brace in the 4-0 win over Everton. But he's started just one game since, at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League last Thursday, and was hauled off before the hour mark.

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Overall, 22 United players reportedly made the trip to the capital. The matchday squad from Sunday have all been retained, with keeper Tom Heaton and defender Jonny Evans also travelling.

Amorim is expected to take the tie seriously, being just three games away from securing his first silverware with the Red Devils. Their clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be the last of the four quarter-finals to take place.

Marcus Rashford was sent home from Manchester United training with an illness a day before announcing his plans to leave the club, according to reports. The 27-year-old's efforts to fight for his place in Ruben Amorim's plans were disrupted on Monday when he couldn't join his team-mates on the grass at Carrington.

On Tuesday, a day off for United's first team, Rashford was in good enough condition to visit his old Wythenshawe primary school, Button Lane.

The Red Devils No. 10 gifted all the pupils he visited with 420 Christmas presents during a long-planned event, where he spoke to journalist Henry Winter.

As part of the interview with Winter, who has covered multiple of Rashford's charity ventures, Rashford confirmed that he was ready to walk away from Old Trafford.

"For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps," Rashford explained.

"When I leave, it's going to be 'no hard feelings'. You're not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That's me as a person.

"If I know that a situation is already bad, I'm not going to make it worse. I've seen how other players have left in the past, and I don't want to be that person.

"When I leave, I'll make a statement, and it will be from me. Yes [I'll always be a Red]! 100 per cent. 100 per cent."

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Mail Sport report that a day earlier, Rashford didn't take part in training less than 24 hours after United's incredible 2-1 victory against Manchester City.

Amorim excluded Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from his matchday squad due to poor form in matches and training, making it clear that he wasn't ready to shoulder any slackers during his rebuild.

The report claimed that Rashford followed the correct protocol by attending Carrington, where a doctor assessed him.

He was deemed to have a high temperature before being instructed to leave the training complex and recover at home.

On Thursday, United travel to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in search of back-to-back away wins against 'Big Six' rivals.

Given that Rashford was absent from training on Monday and had a day off the following day, it seems unlikely he will return to action in north London.

It's up in the air whether the academy graduate will play for the club again after his public comments. Amorim may understandably focus on players who fit his long-term vision.

Either way, an emotional farewell is on the cards as early as next month.

Tottenham Hotspur has been tipped as the ideal destination for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish. The £100million star has struggled to find his best form this season and Troy Deeney believes a move to Spurs could rejuvenate his career.

The winger flourished during his time at Aston Villa and became a key player in City's treble-winning side in 2023. Pep Guardiola's side have fallen below their usually impeccable standards this term and there is a chance that Grealish could be part of an impending squad overhaul.

Despite only making five league starts this term, Deeney is confident that Grealish would easily overtake Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison in the club's pecking order. While Spurs have not ben linked with a move for Grealish, the pundit feels the move would be a huge boost to both parties.

"Spurs, he walks into that team in every position. Whether that's as a winger, No.10 or No.8," Deeney said on talkSPORT. “Arsenal, no, I don’t think he works at Arsenal. Liverpool, he doesn’t at Liverpool. He’s obviously not going to go Manchester United, but he’s better than what they’ve got.

“Newcastle, easy. There’s loads of teams, anyone outside the top four, I’d argue he’d do well at Chelsea, but they’ve got about 75 wingers. He’s probably too cheap for them at £100m to be fair, they’d want to waste a bit more money!

“Anyone outside the top four, he would easily go into and dominate, if he went to Newcastle, it would be considered a massive step down for him. But it’s a great club with a great fanbase and I think Jack needs to feel that again, feel that he’s loved, feel that the fanbase love him, but also he’s the man to drive them forward.”

Birmingham City fan Deeney dismissed the idea of Grealish returning to Villa, partly because of club rivalry but also to remove the potential pressure of living up to his past glories at Villa Park. While the former Premier League striker is confident that Grealish can still be a star player in the top-flight, Deeney acknowleged that the England is approaching a key moment in his career.

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“I think he is in danger of having his legacy ruined,” Deeney said. “And what I mean by that is, I don’t think you can say he hasn’t lived up to his potential, because look at what he did at Villa and he did it for a sustained period of time.

“What’s happening now is, in football, it’s, ‘What have you done lately?’ and he hasn’t done a great deal lately due to injuries and being out of the team.”

“I think a fresh start would be great for him and somewhere where he’s the main man again and everyone is giving him the ball,” Deeney added. “Because people like Jack, they need to have the ball every couple of minutes – and not being stood on the side and when they get it, run a little bit and pass it back.

“But I think you’re going to see a new role for him at City, I think you’re going to see him as a No.8 – just driving out of midfield. I think he can handle that position really well, and that’ll be good for England as well.”