The Mirror

Tottenham have been charged with misconduct by the FA following alleged homophobic chanting during their win away to Manchester United at Old Trafford in September.

Spurs condemned the chanting as "abhorrent" after Ange Postecoglou's team claimed a deserved win at Old Trafford - and now an FA charge has arrived that could see the club face a hefty fine if proven.

An FA statement said: "Tottenham Hotspur FC has been charged with two breaches of FA Rule E21 for misconduct in relation to crowd control at its Premier League match against Manchester United FC on Sunday 29 September

"It's alleged the club failed to ensure that its spectators and or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and don't use words or otherwise behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, indecent, or insulting way with either an express or implied reference to sexual orientation around both the 49th and 79th minutes."

Spurs have until next Wednesday to respond to the charge but after the game they said: "This is simply unacceptable, hugely offensive and no way to show support for the team.

"The club will be working closely with the police and stewards to identify anyone instigating or joining in with the chanting - we shall take the strongest possible action in accordance with our sanctions and banning policy."

Spurs added: "We all have a responsibility to act as ambassadors of Tottenham Hotspur and discrimination of any kind has no place at our club."

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that striker Richarlison faces “a significant amount of time” on the sidelines following his latest hamstring injury.

The Brazilian was distraught when substituted against Aston Villa last week having struggled for much of the year with a succession of physical problems.

And after Richarlison asked for fans to pray for him during his latest attempt to reach prolonged fitness, Postecoglou has provided a pessimistic update on the amount of time the centre forward is set to miss with his latest setback

Asked if there was a timescale placed on his return, Postecoglou said: “Not really. I’m reticent to put it but he’ll be out for a significant amount of time. It’s a significant hamstring injury."

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that striker Richarlison faces “a significant amount of time” on the sidelines following his latest hamstring injury.

The Brazilian was distraught when substituted against Aston Villa last week having struggled for much of the year with a succession of physical problems.

And after Richarlison asked for fans to pray for him during his latest attempt to reach prolonged fitness, Postecoglou has provided a pessimistic update on the amount of time the centre forward is set to miss with his latest setback

And asked if there was a timescale placed on his return, Postecoglou said: “Not really. I’m reticent to put it but he’ll be out for a significant amount of time. It’s a significant hamstring injury.

“He was very disappointed. We tried to take a different approach and he worked awfully hard on his rehab, his general fitness. He really trimmed down in terms of his conditioning. He was doing everything right. We eased him back in terms of his return to playing, tried not to overload him.

“But unfortunately he’s broken down again. He’s disappointed but ultimately we just got to keep getting him back and working with him to get back because he’s an important player.

“We saw last week the impact he had coming off the bench and setting up the goal for us. Disappointing for him, disappointing for us because we haven’t really had him this year. We’ll keep working with Richy to get him back.”

Postecoglou, however, remains hopeful that centre half Cristian Romero is able to return for Sunday’s visit of Ipswich Town to north London - but the Spurs boss believes Mikey Moore and Timo Werner will remain absent while Micky van de Ven is not expected to return until after the international break.

He added: “Last night the brief I got after the game was everyone came through unscathed. Cristian, we’ll see how he goes over the next couple of days. The idea is to get him out there training. He has a chance for the weekend.

“Mikey is probably still not right for the weekend. Probably Timo as well. Out of the ones who’ve been out it’s only Timo who will be back.”

Ange Postecoglou’s reshuffled defence produced an almighty stinker only for Dejan Kulusevski to come desperately close to snatching the unlikeliest of draws.

The Swedish sub sent a 93rd-minute effort wide with Galatasaray stopper Fernando Muslera off his line – after 10-man Spurs were taught a lesson by opponents who could have threatened double figures.

Victor Osimhen capitalised on repeated needless errors from the north Londoners to score twice in the first half after Yunus Akgun put Galatasaray in front with a stunning half-volley after six minutes.

And while teenager Will Lankshear equalised with his first senior goal, before being set off in the 60th minute, Postecoglou’s second-string back-line made it clear that they were not up to the task.

This always looked like Tottenham ’s most difficult assignment and three opening wins offered a degree of flexibility for a squad weakened by injury and illness.

Yet Postecoglou should be gravely concerned by just how naive his players performed from the start. “It was self-inflicted,” Postecoglou said. “The moments that stick out to me was giving the ball away.”

Osimhen might have had a double hat-trick but was denied by Fraser Forster, the offside flag and a couple of uncharacteristic misses. And he was gifted those chances by defending more suited to a local park than a professional match.

Radu Dragusin was particularly culpable having been pressed into coughing up possession for Osimhen’s first strike.

And the Romania centre-back also allowed Osimhen, a transfer target for Chelsea last summer, to coast past him to make it 3-1 following a silky Dries Mertens delivery.

“In the first half we gave the ball away too much,” Postecoglou added. “We lacked composure and we allowed Galatasaray to get a foothold in the game and we paid the price for that.”

Forster was the sole player to emerge with credit and a double substitution at half-time, including the removal of captain Heung-min Son, failed to halt their hosts’ charge.

Galatasary went on to dominate the opening 15 minutes of the second half and saw a series of glorious opportunities pass them by – including three for Osimhen and another long-range thunderbolt from Akgun that was deflected wide.

At that point it appeared a case of how much the hosts would win by with Lankshear being shown two avoidable yellow cards in seven minutes.

But when Dominic Solanke produced a clever flick home from Pedro Porro’s cross with a little more than 20 remaining, there was a slight and undeserved glimmer of hope.

Galatasaray continued to miss chances before Kulusevski’s long-range attempt drifted wide after Muslera emerged 25 yards off his line to head away a through ball.

Hugo Lloris has hit out at Daniel Levy's decision to gift Tottenham's players luxury watches for reaching the Champions League final - claiming it showed the lack of winning mentality.

The north Londoners made their first ever European Cup final back in 2019 as they enjoyed a historic route to the final, seeing off the likes of Manchester City and then Ajax in dramatic circumstances in the semi-final.

They would face Liverpool in an all-Premier League encounter and the Tottenham squad received gifts from Levy before the final had been played. They each were given Aviator watches with the words "finalist" engraved.

Tottenham's run to the Champions League final had covered for their poor league form and they were well beaten by Liverpool in Madrid. Mohamed Salah scored an early penalty before Divock Origi converted late on to make the game safe. Lloris though felt the club - specifically the chairman - acted in a way that accepted second best.

In his new book serialised in The Guardian, LLoris wrote: "Who does such a thing at a moment like this? I still haven’t got over it, and I’m not alone. If we’d won, he wouldn’t have asked for the watches back to have ‘Winner’ engraved instead."

The French goalkeeper admits he's never worn the watch and Levy cannot have been surprised to see his team trailing just minutes into the final after his decision to rewarded them for simply making the showpiece event.

Tottenham, who haven't scaled those heights since, were left to lick their wounds but Lloris observed in the aftermath of defeat that numerous individuals associated with the club "were not sufficiently despondent at having lost" despite missing out on Europe's greatest prize.

The former No 1 added: "When I returned to my room on the night of the final, I think I had the same feeling as Mauricio (Pochettino) and Harry (Kane): does the club really want to win? Real Madrid would never have celebrated a lost final, and we shouldn’t have either."

Pochettino was sacked just months after the Champions League final and Tottenham haven't had a manager last longer than two seasons since his departure. They've also rarely threatened to win any silverware, their best effort coming when they were beaten in the Carabao Cup final in 2021.

Richarlison has vowed to overcome his latest injury setback after joining Tottenham ’s list of mounting absentees.

And Ange Postecoglou must also plan without Timo Werner and winger Mikey Moore for Thursday night's visit to Galatasaray.

The Spurs boss has seen his team win their opening three Europa League fixtures but their perfect start is under threat in Istanbul.

Postecoglou is faced with a choice between risking his few remaining fit first-team attackers or youngsters such as academy product Will Lankshear.

He said: "Timo has a bit of a groin complaint, so he's out, and Mikey Moore picked up a bit of a virus yesterday so he misses out on the trip as well.”

No timescale has been set on Richarlison’s return from a hamstring strain picked up in Sunday’s 4-1 win against Aston Villa.

But the Brazilian said yesterday that the injury was “hard to take at a time like this. I only ask that you pray for me and that God gives me protection."

Sergio Romero has also joined defensive partner Micky van de Ven on the treatment table with a toe issue.

But Postecoglou was more upbeat on the Argentina international’s prognosis, adding: “I think it’s nothing too serious. Hopefully he still has a chance for the weekend.”

Galatasaray, who have former Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez in their ranks, are sitting pretty on top of the Turkish Super Lig, with nine wins and a draw from their opening 10 games. And Okan Buruk's side have taken seven points from their first three European ties.

“Very good opponents,” Postecoglou said. “They’re a formidable team, especially here at home and they have some outstanding individual players. It will be a great test for us.”

Tottenham are set to trigger a one-year option to extend the contract of club captain Son Heung-min.

The 32-year-old is in the final year of his current deal and admitted back in September that he had yet to discuss his future with the club. "We haven't talked about anything yet. It is very clear from me," he said.

"I am very focused on this season. At this age, every second is like a goal, especially this season, we are in a lot of competitions, it feels like I am taking even more care about this. As I say, I am fully focused on this year and just want to win something that everybody at the club - the players, all around - deserves.

"That's what I'm working for. In the future you never know what will happen, but I will give everything for this club because it's been almost 10 years and I give everything. I still have a contract with the club which is the very important thing and I just want to give everything until my contract [expires]."

However, the Telegraph are now reporting that Spurs intend to take advantage of an option in Son's contract to extend his deal for a further year. The report states that Tottenham 'only need to inform Son they have triggered their option' and that club 'fully intend' to do just that.

Son has become a key player for Spurs since joining the club from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2015. Only Harry Kane has scored more Premier League goals for the club than Son, who has netted 123 times in 310 appearances.

And manager Ange Postecoglou will be delighted by the news, having previously hailed Son as a "world-class" talent. "Maybe the nation he plays for works against him but I think he's a world-class player," Postecoglou said last season.

"You look at his record in the Premier League, the toughest league in the world, his goal contributions irrespective of what his team's gone through have always been right up there.

"Even this year, before he left [for the Asian Cup], I think he was probably the best attacking player in the competition, just my opinion obviously. Certainly he'd be up there. He's a world class player."

Arsenal’s departing sporting director Edu Gaspar once blocked a player from joining rivals Tottenham by promising him higher wages – but ultimately didn’t stick to his word.

In January 2013, before the emergence of Harry Kane, Spurs were eager to sign Peruvian icon Paolo Guerrero. The striker at the time was plying his trade with Brazilian giants Corinthians but was eyeing a return to European football, having played in the Bundesliga for 12 years beforehand.

He was keen to join Tottenham, who had made him an offer, until Corinthians’ then-director of football and Arsenal legend Edu blocked the transfer. The Brazilian did not want Peru’s all-time highest goalscorer to join his former rivals and offered Guerrero an improved contract, one which would make him the “highest paid footballer in South America”.

Guerrero claims Edu did not fulfil his promise over a new deal with vastly improved wages. The forward, now 40 and playing for Alianza Lima, eventually left Corinthians in 2015, but for rivals Flamengo instead of getting his big move to the Premier League.

Guerrero told the D&T programme: "When I arrived at Corinthians, I said to myself: 'I win the Club World Cup and I'll go back' [to Europe]. Did I have opportunities to return to Europe? Many, but Corinthians didn't want to sell me or didn't want to negotiate. The last offer came from Tottenham, which was a loan-purchase option.

"I went with the proposal to talk to Edu, who is now Arsenal's director, and I said 'I have this, please'. His response was: 'Do you want the crooked thing to kill me, Paolo? Rest assured that here you will be the highest paid footballer in South America'.

"He didn't comply. I didn't renew with Corinthians because the proposal they made me wasn't within what I think I deserved. I believed that because I was Peruvian, they were not valuing me."

Ex-Bayern Munich star Guerrero has not yet returned to Europe since leaving Hamburg in 2012, but remains a South American football legend, racking up an impressive 122 caps for Peru. After failing to land Guerrero, Spurs turned their attention to signing Roberto Soldado, though the Spaniard’s struggles to adapt to the English game paved the way for Kane’s rise to stardom in 2014.

As for Edu, the Brazilian returned to his former club Arsenal in July 2019, becoming their first ever technical director. With the exit of Raul Sanllehi, and having done an impressive job of rebuilding the Arsenal squad alongside manager Mikel Arteta, Edu was promoted to the role of sporting director, giving him greater power over the club’s transfer strategy.

The 46-year-old has been instrumental in bringing in key players like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, catapulting the Gunners back into the title fray. However, it emerged on Monday (November 4) that Edu has decided to leave the north Londoners after talks with other members of the club's hierarchy.

Edu’s sudden exit is reportedly not due to any internal power struggle at the Emirates Stadium. More information on his departure is expected to surface in the next 24 hours, with the exact date of his exit remaining unconfirmed.

According to Sky Sports, Edu has been under consideration for a role with Evangelos Marinakis' group of clubs, including Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos. It is not yet known if that is the reason for his exit, with Arsenal chiefs said to have been taken by surprise over his decision.

Ange Postecoglou put on his blinkers and warned the race for Champions League football would be congested after Tottenham’s second-half romp.

And the Spurs boss turned a blind eye to skipper Heung-min Son’s frustration when he was substituted - before Postecoglou’s side ran out handsome winners. Big Ange admitted he had the hump after losing at Crystal Palace seven days earlier - but now he is eyeing the top four after Tottenham demolished Villa.

Asked if it could be a bigger bunfight for the top four this season - a duel Villa won last May - Postecoglou said: “I don’t spend too much time thinking about it, but this year there is probably more congestion (at the top end) in terms of the field itself, so we will have to deal with it.

“While we're running in the race, I don't like looking either side of me. I keep saying to the players: if I was a race-horse, and I'm not, it would be one with blinkers. I'm just looking at the finish line. I think that's right, I don't know much about horse racing, but we have to stay true to the course we’re on.

“Seven days ago I was a grumpy old so-and-so, but we made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and get back to being the team we want to be. You don’t fall off a cliff or climb mountains in a week - we are going to have bumps along the way, and it’s the way you rebound from them that matters.

“We had a disappointing day last Sunday, but we had two get our heads straight. Villa are a very good side - they have a level of performance that rarely drops. It was a tight first half, we had to match up with them and it was disappointing for them to score.

“But after that, we have other gears in us and we showed that in the second half. After the performance in midweek (knocking Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup), I thought it was an outstanding effort.”

Son was disgruntled to be replaced after 56 minutes, when the score was 1-1, and asked ‘Why?’ when his number came up. But Postecoglou’s squad management was vindicated, and he said: “Sonny was never going to play more than 55 minutes.

“Last time he came back from injury he got to the 60-minute mark and got injured again. This time got through unscathed.” Villa conceded four goals in a half for the first time since their 4-0 home defeat by Spurs eight months ago, but head coach Unai Emery was philosophical afterwards.

He said: “We won two times here and we knew how to win here but they are a good team. We are disappointed, frustrated but we are accepting it. We know our way, it is 38 matches, the league is very tight.

“To lose 4-1 is a tough result but the match we played was more or less in line with the expectation I had.” And skipper John McGinn admitted: “We've got to keep our heads a wee bit in there and have some perspective.

“Many teams will come here and suffer that defeat. It's about staying positive. Spurs beat us 4-0 last season and we finished above them.”

Big Ange was right all along. If you want to grow a beautiful garden, you’ve got to handle some fertiliser. After 45 minutes of pure compost, Tottenham served up a fragrant bed of roses as two-goal Dominic Solanke denied lacklustre Villa the chance to go third.

Unai Emery’s side led at the break, but it turns out they were only leading us up the garden path. This was a rare taste of capital punishment for Villa, who had won nine of their previous 13 Premier League away games in London under Emery - the best ratio by a manager at a single club since Richard Keys and Andy Gray invented football in 1992.

If your Bonfire Night pyre is as soggy and unresponsive as Villa’s collapse, it will have no spark, it won’t catch fire and you’ll wonder why you bothered.

But Tottenham, who have closed to within two points of the neighbours down the Seven Sisters Road, were in full bloom after Ange Postecoglou’s fertiliser therapy.

And the chuntering which greeted the Spurs ringmaster’s decision to hook skipper Heung-min Son after 56 minutes had long turned to exultation by the time James Maddison’s exquisite free-kick in stoppage time completed a stirring second-half revival.

If it wasn’t an instant triumph of flower power, Postecglou’s tactical tweaks and half-time recital of home truths was a timely reminder that Tottenham are not to be discounted in the scramble for a top-four finish.

Solanke, warming to his role as Harry Kane’s replacement, said: “It all came together in the second half. We had to adapt to the way they were playing, and at half-time we had time to regroup. When we are playing well, we can score so many goals. We haven't managed to do it the whole season but we think we're capable of it.”

Apart from Rodrigo Bentancur’s dipping 25-yard effort, the first half-hour was a cure for insomnia until Villa punctured the tedium.

Guglielmo Vicario did well to shovel Amadou Onana’s header to safety at the foot of his post, but from Lucas Digne’s resulting corner, Tottenham’s enduring fallibility at set pieces was exposed yet again.

In the chaos, Pedro Porro’s inadvertent flick at the near post hit Bentancur, who was spared the ignominy of an own goal by Vicario’s reflexes, but Morgan Rogers devoured the rebound from point-blank range.

Rogers has yet to break into an England squad, but if interim Three Lions boss Lee Carsley is paying attention in the transit lounge before he hands over poisoned chalice to Thomas Tuchel, the first call-up can’t be far away.

Last season, Postecoglou channelled his inner Billy Joel when anyone dared to suggest Tottenham had a problem defending set pieces, growling: “You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for.”

In fairness, apart from Gabriel’s winner in the north London derby two months ago, Spurs had looked more secure from dead-ball threats this term.

The great Aussie grizzly bear must hope Rogers’ third goal of the season was a mere flashback, not the return of bad habits. In any event, Spurs emerged from their 45 minutes of torpor re-energised - and within four minutes they were level.

Son, returning from injury, whipped in a fiendish cross from the left and Brennan Johnson, arriving at the far post unaccompanied, did the rest for his seventh goal of the season. Within two minutes, Villa keeper Emi Martinez denied the previously-tethered Solanke with a brilliant one-handed save from 12 yards.

Son, who had been increasingly effective after a quiet start, looked miffed to be withdrawn moments later, tapping his chest as if to ask, ‘Why me?’

But any dissent over Postecoglou’s reshuffle evaporated when Dominic Solanke dinked a fine finish over the advancing Martinez from Dejan Kulusevski’s sublime pass with 15 minutes left.

You don’t know what you’re doing, eh? Its turns out that Big Ange had Villa’s number all along. No sooner had Solanke’s first goal since September arrived than another came along four minutes later.

Pau Torres needlessly coughed up possession inside his own half, and Villa were cut to ribbons by Pape Matar Sarr and Richarlison’s incisive passes, leaving Solanke a tap-in from six yards.

Sub Maddison’s sublime free-kick, curled around a poorly-aligned wall, was the effigy on the bonfire. Light the blue touchpaper and stand well back. Tottenham are ready to catch fire.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou admits Son Heung-min was never going to play the full 90 as he produced a rare show of emotion as he was left fuming when he was subbed off.

The north Londoners came from behind to secure a statement win over Aston Villa, but their forward was less than impressed when he was bought off just before the hour mark as Richarlison was introduced.

With the game still in the balance Ange Postecoglou chose to bring off Son, despite Tottenham looking for a winner. Son clocked that it was his number being held up on the substitute board and was visibly stunned that his game had been cut short.

The South Korean, clearly annoyed, was embraced by Postecoglou but then appeared to swear and was visibly angry when he eventually sat down to watch the remainder of the match.

The Tottenham boss said on his decision to bring off his skipper: "He was never going to play more than that. It was around that 60 minute mark where he got fatigued last time."

Just minutes before being subbed off it was Son's cross that allowed Brennan Johnson to equalise - ruling out Morgan Rogers' opener for Aston Villa. The Tottenham captain has just returned from injury after two weeks on the sideline.

Tottenham, without Son on the pitch, didn't struggle for goals as they scored three times in the final 20 minutes to land themselves all three points. Dominic Solanke notched himself a brace with James Maddison adding the final touch with a fourth late on.

Son himself has scored three times in eight outings so far this term and has long been one of Tottenham's most prolific players, hence why the decision to bring him off with the game finely balanced will have come as a surprise.

Postecoglou said after their win: "I thought we had to match them in the first half. We conceded a goal but we made them work really hard in the first half. The thing with us is we have another two or three gears in us. Credit to the players, after a massive effort on Wednesday night physically, to do that."

He also added: "You don't fall off cliffs and climb up mountains within a week. You're going to have to bumps along the way and it's how you address them and learn from them."