GIVEMESPORT

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario's handle outside the box vs Brentford at the weekend was '100 per cent not' a red card - despite the stopper preventing the Bees from potentially getting on the scoresheet and leveling the tie.

Tottenham were leading 2-1 against their fellow London club at the time when a cross was hoisted into the area. Vicario made the brave decision to come for the cross and having spilled it, handled on the edge of the area, before another swipe way outside of the box saw Brentford players up in arms. But Gallagher claims that it wasn't a red card for the former Serie A goalkeeper in a game that Tottenham went on to win 3-1 and secure just their second win of the season in five matches.

Vicario Handball 'Not a Red Card'

The Italian was lucky to not have given away a foul

Speaking on Sky Sports' 'Ref Watch', Gallagher stated that whilst Vicario had committed a foul and that the referee should have seen the incident, it was '100 per cent' not a red card for the Italian goalkeeper. He said:

"VAR could get involved, but it's got to go through the mechanics of the decision. If you look, has he handled the ball outside of the penalty area? Definitely. The referee misses it for whatever reason.

"He loses the ball there and he flicks the ball away. The first thing is has he denied a clear goalscoring opportunity? I would say no, because the player isn't in control of the ball. Can he get the ball? Possibly, but there are a lot of players around him.

"Has he stopped a promising attack? Maybe. At maximum, a yellow card, but 100 per cent not a red card.

"It's got to have impact, it's got to impact on the outcome of that decision and as I say, it's 100 per cent not a red card. You only have to look at how many players are around him."

Vicario Must Iron Out Mistakes

The keeper has had two incidents in two weeks

Vicario has had an indifferent start to the season and this clash against the Bees did little to calm the nerves over his recent performances.

In the clash against Arsenal a week prior, Vicario was booked for a scuffle with Jurrien Timber, for which Gary Neville described the Italy international as having 'frogs in his pants' - before conceding from Gabriel's header as a derby day defeat for Tottenham left them with just four points from four Premier League games.

Saturday was no better in terms of dodgy incidents, and whilst the handball has not been ruled as a costly mistake thanks to Spurs' win on the day, he will need to do better at being able to be a trustworthy goalkeeper as he was last season if Ange Postecoglou's men are to even attempt a run at qualifying for the Champions League.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Vicario has featured twice for Italy's national team.

Seven points from five games isn't the best start, but they are only three points away from the top four, and having had tough games against Arsenal and Newcastle United in that run, they'll be hoping to pick up more in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has seen huge acclaim for his performance in the Lilywhites' 3-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon - with former star Danny Murphy labelling the 27-year-old as the 'best player on the pitch' as Tottenham downed the Bees to move into the top half of the top-flight.

Maddison grabbed his first goal of the season, though Tottenham had to come back from a goal down inside a minute when Bryan Mbeumo brilliantly steered home. But with goals from new man Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson, Tottenham toiled away and Maddison wrapped the win up five minutes from time with a deft chip over Mark Flekken - leading to Murphy waxing lyrical about the playmaker for his excellence in a deeper role, despite having played in a more advanced position in his days at Leicester City.

Murphy: Maddison Tottenham's 'Best Player' vs Brentford

The star has been in top form all season but hasn't been recognised

Speaking on Match of the Day, Murphy stated that Maddison was the 'best player on the pitch' in Tottenham's win on Saturday - and that despite their poor results so far this season, it's not the midfielder who is to blame as he looks back to his best in central midfield. Murphy said:

"I picked him out because he was the best player on the pitch. There's been some sections of media or people that have questioned his start to the season, and I think that's because Tottenham have started poorly.

"He's actually started this season very similar to the beginning of last. He was the best player on the opening day at Leicester City, against Everton he was superb when they won 4-0, Newcastle he helped them dominate the game for long periods and probably should have won.

"Today, in this deeper role that Ange Postecoglou's put him in as a central midfielder with Kulusevski ahead of him, he was absolutely outstanding."

Maddison Will be Looking to Earn England Spot

The midfielder heartbreakingly missed out on the Euros this summer

Maddison started last season in superb form, nabbing five goals and three assists in just ten-and-a-half games for Spurs before an ankle injury suffered against Chelsea put him on the sidelines for almost three months.

He struggled to pick that form up again after his injury, scoring just one goal and registering four assists in 17 games as Tottenham missed out on a Champions League spot with four consecutive losses through April and May - and that meant Maddison wasn't included for the England squad at EURO 2024, much to his disheartenment.

A decent start to life at Tottenham in a deeper role means that the Coventry-born star has been reborn again, captivated by his two assists and one goal so far this season - and with the Europa League set to start soon for Tottenham, Maddison could go on to produce some superb numbers throughout the campaign.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: James Maddison has 48 goals and 43 assists in 196 Premier League games.

With only seven England caps to his name, Maddison will want to build on that going forward and if he can play well in the deeper roles under Ange Postecoglou - where he'll eventually have competition with the likes of Angel Gomes and Kobbie Mainoo in terms of an England call-up instead of world-class stars such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, we could see the former Leicester star feature in a Three Lions shirt more often.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario got away with a clear handball during Tottenham Hotspur vs Brentford in the Premier League. It has now been explained why VAR did not get involved.

The game was finely balanced at the time with Spurs leading 2-1. The away team had taken the lead in spectacular fashion with Bryan Mbeumo netting an acrobatic finish after just 22 seconds.

However, Tottenham didn't take long to equalise with Dominic Solanke grabbing his first goal for his new club in the eighth minute. Before halftime, Brennan Johnson had then given Spurs a lead.

In the second 45, Vicario raced out of his goal to clear the ball. However, the Italian's momentum took him out of the box and with Mikkel Damsgaard lurking, the goalkeeper didn't want to pull out of the challenge.

Consequently, he then patted the ball with his hands, not once, or twice but three times. There can be no doubt that the last touch was outside the box but no foul was called.

Why Guglielmo Vicario Was Not Punished

VAR couldn't get involved

In the end, Vicario – who came under fire for his display vs Arsenal last weekend – completely got away with his blatant handball. Not only did the referee miss the foul in the heat of the moment, but then VAR failed to intervene.

When a goalkeeper makes such a clear mistake, deliberately handling the ball outside of the box, fans may expect VAR to punish the player with a red card. However, the officials evidently felt as though his mistake wasn't bad enough to warrant a dismal.

As VAR can not get involved to dish out yellow cards, no punishment was given – not even a free-kick. Indeed, the technology can only be involved in four situations: Goal or no goal, penalty or no penalty, direct red card, and mistaken identity.

Vicario's foul, in theory, probably should have warranted a free-kick and a yellow card had the referee spotted it live. As that doesn't meet any of the criteria above, VAR was not able to change the on-field decision.

Frank Unhappy with Blatant Handball

Got booked for protests

Journalist Alasdair Gold noted the mistake, while also spotting that Brentford manager Thomas Frank and defender Kristoffer Ajer both went into the book for their protests.

He wrote: "Vicario gets away with one there. He comes out to grab a ball and juggles it, the third time of trying to grab it, clearly touching it outside of his penalty area. Ajer and Thomas Frank both booked for protesting against the officials missing it."

Ange Postecoglou has named Djed Spence on the bench again for Tottenham's home match against Brentford this afternoon, despite the full-back making a significant impact in midweek against Coventry City.

With the game poised at 1-0 to the Midlands side in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, Spence slotted expertly passed goalkeeper Ben Wilson in the Sky Blues' net, two minutes from time, having been introduced at the interval. The North Londoners ultimately won the encounter with a 92nd minute goal from Brennan Johnson, with Spence impressing in his overall performance during his 45-minute cameo.

The Englishman has yet to start for the Lillywhites this campaign, and frustration may be brewing as he begins from the sidelines again this afternoon, despite making an impact against Coventry.

Spence Named on Bench For Brentford Game

The defender will be furious

Developing through Fulham's academy, Spence joined Middlesbrough in 2018, where he broke through into first team football. Making 70 appearances for Boro, the full-back caught the eye during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the 2021/22 season, thriving in the East Midlands side's promotion campaign.

Subsequently earning a move to Tottenham in a £20 million deal, Spence has struggled to garner regular minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Making just six appearances for the Lilywhites prior to this campaign, the former England under-21 international has been shipped out on temporary stints to three different clubs, failing to establish himself as the definitive first choice on all three occasions.

However, given an opportunity to remain in North London this summer, and deputise for first-choice Pedro Porro, he'd have been expecting some relatively consistent minutes. Not even entrusted to start in the EFL Cup third round, with Archie Gray given the nod, he did make a meaningful impact off the bench, operating from left-back.

The 24-year-old, who has been described as "outstanding", may have felt he'd demonstrated enough at Coventry to merit a look-in at home to Brentford, but Postecoglou appears to have opted against this, sticking with Porro and Destiny Udogie in the full-back areas. While he could yet play a prominent role as a substitute again, Spence will be concerned by the evident lack of trust in him, and could be itching for a move away from the club in January if his minutes don't pick up in the ensuing months.

Spurs Could Lose Romero

The centre-back is being linked with Real Madrid

While Spence potentially growing in frustration won't be a huge concern for Postecoglou, the Aussie may be facing the difficult task of convincing a South American player to turn down a move to Real Madrid. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Cristian Romero is a target for Los Blancos, with the Spanish club identifying him as an option to bolster their back-line.

It's understood that Spurs will stand firm in keeping their man, although the allure of the bright liights of the Beranabeu may prove too much for the 26-year-old to turn down. The World Cup winner has three years remaining on his contract, but could look to force a move if the interest becomes concrete.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristiano Romero has been linked with Real Madrid earlier this week, with the Argentine having performed well for the club for a number of years - but Ben Jacobs has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that he expects Ange Postecoglou's men to stand firm in keeping their man amid interest from the Spanish giants.

Romero has been a feared defender in the Premier League ever since his move to north London, but with Tottenham only qualifying for the Europa League, that has seen the Argentine seemingly look towards other clubs in the Champions League - seeing Real take an interest. But despite his strong performances, Jacobs believes that Romero will remain at Tottenham for the time being with his contract being heavily in the club's favour.

Reports: Romero 'Desperate' to Join Real Madrid

The Argentine has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu

Reports earlier in the week from Football Insider suggested that Romero is 'desperate' to play at the highest level possible, which could pave his way out of Tottenham having seen interest from Real blossom over the past few months.

Romero has seemingly hinted at a possible departure, though Tottenham aren't willing to sell him, and it could be another couple of years until he finds his way out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium if the clubs can reach an agreement.

Jacobs: Tottenham 'Will Stand Firm' on Romero

The centre-back won't be going anywhere for now

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated that despite links with Real, Tottenham aren't willing to sell Romero - especially with a huge amount of time left on his contract.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Romero has 38 caps for Argentina, scoring three goals.

And the journalist expects them to stay firm for the time being with no real reason to let him go. Jacobs said:

"Spurs have no plans to sell Cristian Romero despite links with Real Madrid. There is no pressure to sell, or start new contract talks, because Romero is contracted until 2027.

"Real are in the market for a centre-back because Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are both in their thirties, and the latter is out with an ACL. But Real haven't made any approach for Romero to date, and if that changes in 2025, I expect Spurs to stand firm.

"It is normal for new contract talks to start once a player has two years or less left, but right now Romero is not speaking to Tottenham or any other club, and it hasn't even crossed Ange Postecoglou's mind that the Argentine could leave any time soon."

Romero Interest From Real Is No Surprise

The former Juventus star is a superb aggressive defender

Romero was seen as a coup when Tottenham signed him from Atalanta in 2021, having only signed for the Bergamo club earlier the same day after they had activated the option to sign him from Juventus.

He's since played 102 games for the north London club, scoring seven goals in the process and being a real handful across his three seasons - and with Micky van de Ven, the two have formed a solid partnership that dragged Tottenham to fifth in the Premier League last season.

Having won the World Cup with Argentina, it's no surprise to see Romero pick up interest from Real - and with the defender's contract having three years left, it could cost Los Blancos a lot of money to prise him from the English capital.

Tottenham Hotspur star Dejan Kulusevski's introduction against Coventry City saw the Lilywhites overturn a 1-0 defeat into a late 2-1 win in the League Cup as Ange Postecoglou's side almost crashed out of the tournament in the west Midlands - and journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has stated that the Swede's brilliance is so good that he is their best player in four different positions.

Brandon Thomas-Asante put the Sky Blues one goal to the good on Wednesday evening, with Tottenham looking like they would crash out of the competition once again having failed to win the trophy since 2008 - but a late Djed Spence goal looked as though it would force penalties, before Brennan Johnson's late winner turned the game completely on its head to send Spurs through to the last 16. It's seen largely criticism for the clubs' stars as they dragged themselves to victory at the CBS Arena, but Kulusevski has emerged as one of the few players who have taken praise for the late win.

Kulusevski in Tottenham's Best Player 'in Four Positions'

Kulusevski's versatility is one of his best attributes

It was an abhorrent performance from Postecoglou's men before their substitutions were made, and although Kulusevski only came on with 15 minutes to go, it was his performance that has earned rave reviews.

These were namely from Pitt-Brooke, who labelled Kulusevski as Tottenham's 'most important player' before stating that at present, he is their best player in four different positions. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), The Athletic journalist said:

"I think this is widely accepted now but tonight underlined what everyone has known for a while: Dejan Kulusevski is now Spurs' best and most important player. They're half the team without him on the pitch.

"He's been Spurs' best right-winger for a while, he's currently their best no9 (give Solanke time though) and probably their best no8. If they played with a proper 10, he'd be their best at that too."

Kulusevski Key to Tottenham's Future Plans

The winger is arguably their most valuable player

Kulusevski can only be rivalled by Son Heung-min in terms of players who have exuded as much consistency and quality at Tottenham since he joined the club back in August 2021.

The Swedish midfielder spent time at Atalanta, Parma and Juventus before his move to England, and although he failed to fully nail down a starting spot at the Allianz Stadium, Tottenham offered him a route to first-team football. An 18-month loan with an obligation to buy for £25million sufficed, with Tottenham paying big to land him permanently - and he's been in superb form ever since.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Dejan Kulusevski has 41 caps for Sweden, scoring three goals.

Adept at playing off the right on his left-foot, 15 goals and 21 assists in a generally creative role is a great return for Kulusevski - and as Pitt-Brooke says, once he is out of the team, Tottenham definitely feel his absence.

At just 24 years old, he has plenty of time to grow, especially with his contract having another four years left to run - and that will only benefit Postecoglou in the long-term as he can build around one of his stars for years to come if the club continue to qualify for European football on a regular basis.

Tottenham Hotspur do not regret signing Dominic Solanke during the summer transfer window and boss Ange Postecoglou has put his squad through different training drills at Hotspur Way in a bid to get the best out of the striker ahead of facing Brentford on Saturday, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs splashed the cash to strike a deal for the one-cap England international last month, with him completing a £65million switch from Premier League rivals Bournemouth as the north Londoners went in search of bolstering their attack before attempting to end a lengthy wait for silverware.

Postecoglou pounced after seeing Solanke find the back of the net 21 times in all competitions last season, and he is desperate to see him rediscover his best form as Tottenham aim to bounce back from back-to-back domestic defeats at the hands of Newcastle United and arch-rivals Arsenal.

Spurs Confident Solanke Addition Will Pay Off

North Londoners not fearful of striker being seen as flop

Tottenham are not fearful of Solanke potentially proving to be a flop after being unable to get off the mark since embarking on a fresh challenge, according to GMS sources, and there is confidence behind the scenes that he will use the upcoming fixtures to prove that his addition to the squad was money well spent.

The marksman was forced to contend with an ankle injury ruling him out of clashes against Everton and Newcastle during the early stages of his Spurs career, resulting in him having to settle for just 242 minutes of action as he aims to make a telling impact in his new surroundings.

GMS sources have been informed that Tottenham have been working on different patterns of play during training sessions as there is a belief that Solanke will be lethal in front of goal once he gets improved service, and there are no regrets over the decision to lure him away from Bournemouth.

The 27-year-old penned a £90,000-per-week contract when he headed back to the capital after a previous spell at Chelsea, with the agreement tying him down to his current employers until the summer of 2030, and he is determined to build on making two consecutive starts against Arsenal and Coventry City following his recovery from injury.

Tottenham are due to face Qarabag, Manchester United and Ferencvaros after taking on Brentford this weekend, and GMS sources have learned that the run of fixtures has been pinpointed as an ideal opportunity for him to build confidence and relieve some of the pressure on his shoulders.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Dominic Solanke has registered five shots over the course of his first two Premier League appearances of the season

Postecoglou Pushed to Seal Solanke Swoop

Tactician prioritised 27-year-old instead of Toney and Gyokeres

GMS sources have been told that Postecoglou personally pushed for Tottenham to sign Solanke even though moves for the likes of Ivan Toney and Viktor Gyokeres were also considered, and the Greek-Australian tactician is adamant that he has the work rate needed to succeed in his style of play.

Even though Richarlison has remained with the capital club, despite gaining interest from the big-spending Saudi Pro League during the summer, Spurs prioritised bringing in a fresh option as they decided a more traditional centre forward was needed if they want to challenge for silverware this season.

Solanke started Tottenham's Carabao Cup third round win over Coventry earlier this week because Postecoglou and other members of his coaching staff saw it as a presentable chance for him to build confidence, GMS sources understand, but there is an acceptance that he was an isolated figure and changes need to be made to how the team sets up.

Although the former Celtic chief is not under immediate pressure to save his job after only picking up four Premier League points this term, there is an awareness that he needs the ex-Liverpool man's arrival to pay off as he was a heavy investment and seen by chairman Daniel Levy as an important piece of the puzzle.

While Solanke is on course to retain a starting berth when Tottenham face Brentford in a London derby this weekend, GMS sources recently revealed that fellow summer recruit Lucas Bergvall is also pushing for more extensive game time after being involved from the start against Coventry.

Ange Postecoglou has delivered a big injury update for Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their big Premier League clash with Brentford this weekend.

Spurs have had a mixed start to the season so far after defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal in their last two league games, before they scraped through in the EFL Cup after a late comeback win over Coventry City in midweek thanks to Brennan Johnson's clinical finish.

But ahead of a home clash with west London side Brentford on Saturday afternoon, the boss has provided an update on the availability of some players after they were missing in recent games.

Two Ruled Out for Tottenham v Brentford

After a tough few weeks in North London, Postecoglou is hoping that the comeback win over Coventry will improve the team's fortunes going forward and they will be able to string together some good form ahead of the October international break.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, the former Celtic boss has revealed that they will have to continue to do that without Brazilian striker Richarlison who remains sidelined, and summer signing Wilson Odobert who picked up an injury in midweek, although there was more positive news on Mali international Yves Bissouma.

"Wilson [Odobert] doesn't look good. Still waiting for it to settle down but he'll definitely be out for the next period. Bissouma trained today so he should be available for tomorrow. Timo [Werner] is ok.

"[Richarlison] is a fair way off. You're better off not asking about him until I give an update because he's not with the first team."

Timo Werner was also forced off during the win over Coventry but is expected to be available for selection, although his performance is likely to see him return to the substitutes bench.

Postecoglou Under Pressure to Fix Results

Future is currently game-to-game

While Postecoglou remains a calm figure on the outside and Spurs are publicly backing him in his role as manager, journalist John Cross believes he is under pressure from club chiefs to turn things around quickly.

Spurs have won just two games in all competitions so far this season, thrashing Everton 4-0 in the Premier League and beating Coventry in the EFL Cup third round, but have already lost big games against rivals at the top end of the table.

And speaking on the Back Pages podcast, Cross believes that Postecoglou's future could change on a game-to-game basis at the moment with a big win or big loss swinging things in a certain direction for his support within the club and among the fans.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer chiefs have reportedly 'been informed' over the potential future of Sporting Lisbon striker Victor Gyokeres as clubs across Europe keep tabs on his services - though they could be rivalled by fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea and Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in next summer's transfer window.

Gyokeres burst onto the footballing scene at Coventry City in the Championship, and after failing to go up thanks to a penalty shootout loss to Luton Town in the play-off final, he ventured abroad to Sporting in a bid to further his career. He's arguably been Europe's most prolific striker since, with 38 goals alone in 2024 so far; 34 for the side from the Portuguese capital, and four for Sweden's national team. But that has seen other clubs across the continent take an interest - and as a result, Tottenham may make a move - with Dominic Solanke's poor form potentially forcing them to make a move.

Tottenham 'Informed' About Gyokeres Availability

The striker's price tag is known by interested clubs

The report from CaughtOffside states that Tottenham have been informed about Gyokeres' situation ahead of a potential transfer battle next summer - which could see them battle with local rivals Chelsea and French side PSG with a view to a potential move.

Gyokeres has picked up where he left off from last year's devastating form. The Swede bagged 43 goals and 15 assists in all competitions last time out, including 29 goals in just 33 games in the Portuguese top-flight - but he's on track to smash that record this season.

Already boasting nine goals and three assists in just seven games in all competitions - claiming eight strikes already in five Primeira Liga games - Gyokeres is one of Europe's most wanted players, and has been described as a 'goal machine' by UEFA.

No move materialized over the summer thanks to his high release clause of £85million, and he is now seen as 'likely' to move next summer - and the key names in the battle are Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG. The north London outfit have shown the strongest interest in securing a move for his signature, whilst Chelsea are keeping themselves open given that they missed out on Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window.

Gyokeres 'Deserves Praise' of Other Top Strikers

The Portuguese league's reputation could be hindering him

Whilst Gyokeres' release clause is around £85million, reports have suggested that a move to that amount could still represent a 'relative bargain'.

The Guardian stated that as a result of playing in one of Europe's 'lesser' leagues, Gyokeres doesn't receive the praise he richly deserves - which saw other strikers such as Solanke, Joshua Zirkzee and Julian Alvarez make moves across Europe for large fees.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Viktor Gyokeres has 10 goals in 22 caps for Sweden.

Sporting won't mind one bit for the time being, as the former Coventry striker looks to fire Sporting to a second successive title for the first time in over 70 years after winning the top-flight in his first season at the club to etch his name into Sporting history. But they will be conscious that clubs who can offer him a bigger wage will be chasing his signature. And, if they can receive £85million for his sale, it would mark an incredible profit having only spent £20million to sign him from Coventry in 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke has come under criticism already from former Spurs player Jamie O'Hara for his poor performance in the League Cup vs Coventry City - with the talkSPORT show host claiming that Solanke may not be worth the £55million plus add-ons fee that they paid Bournemouth this summer after he failed to register a shot at the Ricoh Arena.

Tottenham were lucky to advance through to the last 16 of the League Cup after an abhorrent performance was only rescued by Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson's late goals on a topsy-turvy evening. Solanke especially didn't have a great performance and was substituted on the hour mark - and that has led to O'Hara and Jason Cundy deliberating over his poor showing.

O'Hara: Solanke 'Has To Do More' for Tottenham

The striker came under criticism from the pundit

Speaking on talkSPORT, O'Hara and Cundy discussed Tottenham's lucky escape in the West Midlands - with Solanke coming in for criticism from O'Hara before Cundy came to his aide by stating that he only needs minutes before he starts firing in north London. They said:

“Solanke comes off after 60 minutes again, that’s got to be a talking point. It’s not happening. Come on, for £60 million. I know price tags mean nothing. Like, come on. You have to make something happen for yourself.

"If you are staying on a football pitch for 60 minutes and you don’t have a shot. Surely, you have to look at yourself and go ‘I have got to do more’. I would be demanding the ball anywhere and having a shot from somewhere. He’s a striker and you haven’t had a shot.”

But Cundy responded and chose to be on Solanke's side, stating that the striker just needs time to flourish, adding:

“He needed minutes. That’s probably enough for him. In terms of his performance, nobody played well for Spurs."

Solanke Just Needs Time to Blossom

The striker will eventually click after gelling with the squad

It certainly wasn't a performance for the ages by Solanke. According to Sofascore, he spent an hour on the pitch before being substituted for Son Heung-min - and the England international only attempted two dribbles, with one being successful, made nine passes from a possible 11, didn't have a single shot of note and only won two of his five aerial duels - in which you'd be expected to see so much more against a Championship side.

With 24 touches resulting in him losing the ball eight times, Solanke wasn't at his best and that spread throughout the team, relying on a late equaliser and an even later winner to qualify for the next round of the tournament.

With other strikers of similar price tags such as Kai Havertz, Alexander Isak and of course Erling Haaland all firing this season, it does beg the question as to whether Solanke was worth the transfer fee paid by Tottenham.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Solanke scored 19 goals for Bournemouth in the Premier League last season.

His credentials from last season's campaign at Bournemouth does give him credit in the bank as to finding his feet in the Tottenham system, as he knows he can produce the goods in the top-flight. And once he does start firing, Solanke could be a huge asset to Aussie boss Ange Postecoglou for months to come.