The New York Times

In the end, this could be a valuable point for Spurs, as they fought back from 1-0 down thanks to Dejan Kulusevski’s equaliser. It keeps them steady in the Europa League league phase, only outside the top eight on goal difference. By the time they play again, six weeks from now at Hoffenheim, they should have key players back.

But no one could call this a convincing performance. Spurs were second best for most of the game and they relied on having to bring on players — Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke — who Ange Postecoglou clearly wanted to rest. This was Spurs’ fifth game in a row without a win since the 4-0 win at Manchester City on November 23. They have not played consistently well in any of those five.

Perhaps things are so tough right now that simply for Spurs to escape with a point and no fresh injuries is a big plus. They will be in a good position when they return to European football in January. But now they must climb back up the league table and reach the League Cup semi-finals. Those are the games that will transform the delicately balance mood at Tottenham. For better or worse.

Have Spurs got a strength-in-depth issue?

All the pre-match attention was on how Spurs would cope defensively without their first-choice players. But what was most striking about this game was that it was Spurs’ front line who looked further away from the required level than anyone.

They had Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson out wide, with Son Heung-min up front, the role he last played in the 1-1 draw with Fulham last month. But it left Spurs struggling for a foothold in the game, unable to press like they want to and unable to retain the ball in the Rangers half. They were reliant on playing on the break. On the rare occasions they were able to get the ball to Werner or Johnson in good positions the attack broke down, whether from a heavy touch, a bad decision, or a lack of options in the box.

Werner has looked low on confidence all season and was hooked at half-time for Dejan Kulusevski. In a press conference after the game, Ange Postecoglou labelled his performance as “not acceptable”.

But even Johnson, on recent evidence, looks weighed down by Spurs’ struggles. He came off after an hour. The problem for Postecoglou is that right now there simply is no one else. Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are out with long-term hamstring injuries. Mikey Moore is recovering from illness. Whatever depth they had in the squad has evaporated away. And their options are looking very thin.

Is the reliance on Kulusevski and Solanke becoming a problem?

It was a relief for Spurs that they were rescued by Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke. But this also points to their broader problems.

Kulusevski came on at half-time and immediately gave them a presence down the right, able to hold onto the ball and carry it forward. He started to change the game but he needed Solanke to arrive on the hour mark for Spurs to really change the momentum. Suddenly they had a presence in the game and a threat to Rangers’ defence.

Kulusevski equalised after good work by Solanke — Spurs would never have got close to a goal without those two on the pitch.

But the issue for Spurs is obvious. Postecoglou clearly wants to manage the load of those two players given the huge games ahead. Spurs go to Southampton on Sunday evening. Then they host Manchester United in the League Cup quarter-final next Thursday. Then Liverpool visit in the league next Sunday.

Both Solanke and Kulusevski will have to start all three games. Clearly, he wanted to give them both a rest tonight for that reason, but he was not able to give them a whole night off. He will have to hope that they hold up through the hardest run of the season.

Do Spurs’ players owe Postecoglou?

The Spurs players are still behind Postecoglou. That has been apparent for some time and was underlined by Cristian Romero’s emotional interview on Sunday evening after the Chelsea defeat when he reiterated his support for the manager through this difficult spell.

The players respect Postecoglou and are committed to his style of play. That has not always been the case with Spurs managers of the recent past.

They must also know that right now most of the public criticism is directed towards Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy. The players themselves are getting off fairly lightly. After an hour it felt as if the players desperately owed Postecoglou a performance. They had started the game so poorly, second-best from the start and second to everything. And with better Rangers finishing they would have been out of sight before Spurs’ subs were introduced.

But the way Spurs dug in and fought back for a valuable point perhaps does point to reserves of willingness within the squad. Previous Spurs squads have hidden behind the manager in difficult times. It would be a shame if this group were to do the same.

What did Postecoglou say?

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” Postecoglou said in a post-match press conference when asked why he had withdrawn Werner at the break.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds it’s not acceptable to me,” he said. “I said that to Timo. He’s a senior international, he’s a Germany international. In the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

What next for Tottenham?

Sunday, December 15: Southampton (A), Premier League, 7pm GMT, 2pm ET

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The really bad news for Spurs: Things will get worse before they get better

Postecoglou’s Tottenham – a team making the same mistakes over and over again

David Coote: The inside story of the Premier League’s biggest refereeing crisis

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

This is the third time these two teams have met in a competitive fixture.

There won’t be many supporters inside Ibrox this evening able to cast their mind back to the other two meetings, though.

They were both played in the second round of the 1962-63 Cup Winners’ Cup — Tottenham won 5-2 at home and 3-2 on the road.

Those two victories came in a successful campaign for Spurs, as they went on to lift the trophy in Rotterdam that year.

How is everyone feeling ahead of kick-off then? Well I’d say there’s a good bit of positivity here from a couple of Tottenham supporters on our Discuss tab above, which is open to all subscribers.

And if you don’t yet subscribe and want to get in touch, then simply ping us an email to: livebloguk@theathletic.com

💬 Jake A: “Sweet baby Johnson to the rescue! Ange is gonna come back with some Celtic luck. Scottish destruction. COYS!”

💬 Tate R: “Already got a mate saying Rangers finish Ange off tonight! I reckon he’ll be sacked by Feb OR here until Xmas 2025, no in-between. Levy isn’t going to spend 400m to make the squad deep enough to nearly sustain Ange ball so I can see why people are asking why we’re continuing with him. He should be backed and see where we are in summer 2026 but I’d hate no tangible improvement over that period.”

The gap in quality between Scottish and English sides in the last couple of decades is perhaps best illustrated by Rangers’ record against teams south of the border.

They are winless in their last six matches against Premier League teams, with their last victory in such a fixture against Leeds United in Champions League qualifying all the way back in 1992.

They’ll certainly be sensing an opportunity to end that run today, though.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement is aware of the gulf in quality between these two squads, but is confident his side can bridge the gap on the way to a famous win.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Clement said:

💬 “Everything can be bridged in one night. I had the luck — and it’s not only luck, it’s also a lot of hard work — as a player and as a manager to have several nights where the gap was amazingly big.

“If you then perform and you get the results, those are also the nights you remember all of your life. The moments as a player you remember your team-mates really well. The moments of success, of doing something special.

“So in that way, I hope the players can give themselves and as a team, a special night.”

Hello and welcome again to our live coverage of matchday six from this season’s Europa League — and what a game we have in prospect at Ibrox.

It’s Rangers against Tottenham, Scotland vs England, former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou against Celtic’s nemesis. There’s so much to anticipate ahead of kick-off.

There is loads for you to catch-up on below and we will have plenty more for you from here until kick-off, with our reporters at the game and contributors watching on.

So don’t go anywhere. We’ve got you covered from here.

Asked if the hostile reception he will receive will fire him up tonight, Postecoglou gave a great answer.

"I don't know if it brings out more of me. I mean, I'm like anyone else, I like a bit of love every now and then, mate," he said. "But I do enjoy that. I always kind of reflect and, you know, we've all lived it is that once you experience football in empty stadiums, you realise how meaningless it is.

"I felt through that whole period, that Covid period, it was meaningless. So I would win games, as much as you go it could be hostile tomorrow, but yeah that's what we love about the game. That's what brings it to life.

"Ultimately, it is a game evokes passions and emotions. Sometimes that's not always positive. Like every human being you'd love it to be positive, but it's not gonna happen. You definitely want that as opposed to playing a game in somewhere sterile where you don't have that."

Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou faced a few questions about his relationship with Glasgow coming into today's game.

"I'm looking forward to it. I had a great time up there in the two years I was there [at Celtic]," the Tottenham boss told Sky Sports. "Fair to say, Ibrox can be fairly intense and I'm sure we'll feel that.

"But it's a great stadium to play football in. The atmosphere, European nights. Even when I was there, they did awfully well in Europe - the first year I was there they got to the Europa League final.

"So you know how European nights, irrespective of their league form, they really rise for, so it's a good challenge for us."

Ange Postecoglou will not be well received at all by the home supporters inside Ibrox this evening.

The Australian spent the 2021-22 and 22-23 seasons as manager of Celtic, arch rivals of Rangers.

Postecoglou was very successful too as he earned the Spurs job after winning the Scottish Premiership in both of those seasons, as well as the domestic treble in the second of the two campaigns.

The Rangers fans have been taking great pleasure in watching him struggle at Tottenham in recent weeks...

The 4-3 loss against Chelsea, as galling as it was, was compounded by more injuries. Centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, after returning from injury, were both subbed off.

Brennan Johnson came off early in the second half because he “didn’t feel well”, according to Postecoglou. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also out for months with a fractured ankle.

Their squad looks thin, and the Rangers match this evening kicks off a run of six games in 18 days across three competitions. So, as The Athletic's Jay Harris outlines below, things will likely get worse before they get better.

Talk about a thriller. Seven goals, two penalties, two potential red-card challenges, a brilliant atmosphere, and all the animosity of a London derby with plenty of history.

Tottenham were beaten 4-3 at home against rivals Chelsea on Sunday, but that scoreline doesn't tell the full story. The hosts raced into a two-goal lead inside 11 minutes after Marc Cucurella slipped twice and gave the ball to Tottenham, who profited ruthlessly.

Jadon Sancho smashed a brilliant long-range shot in off the post, before two silly errors from the home side saw Cole Palmer convert two penalties, the second a cheeky Panenka, either side of an Enzo Fernandez finish.

Home captain Son Heung-min reduced the deficit in the 96th minute after a smart short-corner routine but the hosts could not complete a dramatic comeback, the result helping Chelsea into second and leaving Tottenham in 11th.

After the 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth, Ange Postecoglou described gifting Dean Huijsen a free header from Marcus Tavernier’s inswinging corner as “madness”.

“It is disappointing and not good enough,” he said. “It is not a one-off. We have done that three or four times and paid a price for it.”

What is concerning is that Tottenham keep repeating the same mistakes. As The Athletic argues below, constantly losing in the same manner suggests that something is fundamentally not working.

After Tottenham's last match on the road, a 1-0 loss at Bournemouth, Ange Postecoglou was embroiled in a terse exchange with fans in the away end following the final whistle.

Discussing the incident, he said: “They are disappointed, rightly so. They gave me some direct feedback, which I guess is taken on board. I have no issue with it. I didn’t like what was being said because I’m a human being but you have to cop it.

“I have been around long enough to know that when things don’t go well, you have to understand the frustration and disappointment. They are rightly disappointed tonight because we let a game of football get away from us but that’s okay. I’m okay with all that.”

Wonder what kind of things will be said by the travelling fans if Tottenham lose again tonight...

The FA will investigate after objects were thrown onto the pitch during Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-3 home defeat by Chelsea on Sunday.

Objects were thrown multiple times from the South Stand — an area only home fans occupy — during the first half of the match, while Chelsea were attacking that end of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto were among those targeted while they took set pieces or were in action near the goal.

The FA will now review referee Anthony Taylor’s report on the match and investigate.

Chelsea won the game despite being 2-0 down after 11 minutes, thanks to Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski. Two goals from Palmer, as well as one each from Sancho and Fernandez, then had Chelsea 4-2 up before Son Heung-min scored a late consolation for Tottenham.

Both sides return to action on Thursday, with Spurs playing Rangers away in the Europa League and Chelsea facing Astana in Kazakhstan in the Conference League.

GO DEEPER

The Briefing: Tottenham 3 Chelsea 4: Sancho shines as Spurs crumble and Maresca's side go second in table

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea’s matches are always high intensity, full of drama — and usually have a moment or two of ill-discipline to boot.

On Sunday, the two sides face one another in a major Premier League clash. Chelsea are flying high in the table, while Tottenham have had a tough start to the season — capped off by Ange Postecoglou’s confrontation with fans after a loss to Bournemouth on Thursday.

But what is the mood like at both clubs? How is the season going? Who are the dangermen? And what do our writers predict for the match?

The Athletic sat down our experts Jay Harris and Simon Johnson to have a discussion about Sunday’s game — and where the two sides are at this stage of the season.

What’s the mood like at the club?

Jay Harris: Morale at Tottenham has plummeted less than two weeks after their stunning victory over Manchester City at the Etihad. Thursday night’s dismal 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth means they have lost eight of their last 12 away games. Ange Postecoglou’s confrontation with the fans at the final whistle suggests the cracks are opening in their relationship.

First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is out for months with a fractured ankle and the only fit centre-back is Radu Dragusin. This means 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray might have to start alongside him on Sunday. It is a tense situation, possibly the worst time to play a derby.

Simon Johnson: Upbeat and why not? Head coach Enzo Maresca has made an impressive start since replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the summer. For the first time since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over in May 2022, the fans appear to have been won over. The management structure running the club is starting to see the fruits of its labours and even the uncertainty caused by a divide between the co-owners going public in September has gone quiet.

How has the season gone relative to expectations?

Johnson: Maresca has consistently said he has not been told by the hierarchy that Chelsea have to finish in the top four of the Premier League but qualifying for the Champions League again is clearly a target. Chelsea are ahead of schedule. No one outside of Stamford Bridge would have expected Chelsea to sit in second place only a few months into Maresca’s time at the club. Pundits were describing Chelsea as a mess in August when the ‘bomb squad’ overshadowed proceedings and friendly results had been poor, but now they are being talked about as title contenders.

Harris: Dominic Solanke was the only summer signing who seemed set to improve the starting XI. There was hope that the team would kick on in Postecoglou’s second season but people were sceptical that they still lacked quality. Spurs have produced some great performances, including a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, but lost to Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace. They have progressed to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup (where they will face Manchester United at home) and should comfortably reach the next round of the Europa League but they sit 10th in the league, level on points with Brentford and Newcastle United. Spurs have seven points fewer than at the same stage last season, even though they had failed to win their previous four matches.

What’s the fan view on the manager?

Harris: It may have been damaged by last night’s incident when Postecoglou watched from a distance as the players applauded the fans and then strode over for a tense exchange with them. Postecoglou revealed they gave him “direct feedback” and said, “Whether there’s doubt, internally or externally, it makes my resolve even stronger to get it right.”

His style of football has a lot of admirers but fans are frustrated there is no backup plan and the defeat to Bournemouth was a perfect illustration of why. They struggled to create chances despite dominating possession and lacked a cutting edge. This time a year ago, the supporters were singing, “I’m loving Big Ange instead” to the tune of Robbie Williams’ Angels but we are a long way from that now.

Johnson: The view has changed in a few months. Many expressed doubts over Maresca’s arrival. His brief time in management at Parma (14 games) and Leicester (one season), plus not having coached a ‘big club’, was held against him. But achieving good results alongside plenty of goals has won them over and significantly his name was sung for the first time during the 5-1 win at Southampton. The away support also chanted, “We’ve got our Chelsea back.” He is a popular man but his approval rating will take a hit if they lose to Tottenham. That is always a big no-no for any Chelsea head coach.

Who has been the standout player?

Johnson: The easy answer is to say Cole Palmer. It has felt like the automatic reply since he joined the club from Manchester City last year. A return of nine goals and six assists from 14 league fixtures is outstanding, but the flair he displays is worth the entrance fee alone. Opponents are trying to target him during matches, whether it be simply man-marking him or, in Lisandro Martinez and Wilfred Ndidi’s case, being guilty of terrible challenges.

Chelsea are doing so well because they have many players in form, making them less dependent on Palmer. Moises Caicedo, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Cucurella are three key cogs performing at a very high level.

Harris: Dejan Kulusevski has been a revelation playing in an attacking central midfield role this season. He glides past opponents, causes confusion with his dribbling and creates space for his team-mates to exploit. James Maddison used to be Tottenham’s creative spark and most influential player but Kulusevski has taken the crown. Son Heung-min has been a shadow of his former self, though, only scoring three times in 11 top-flight appearances.

What is a realistic aim this season?

Harris: After Tottenham lost to Arsenal in September, Postecoglou corrected Sky Sports presenter Emma Saunders by saying he “always wins trophies” in his second season with a club. The 59-year-old has set the bar high but it is difficult to imagine them winning anything. Their Carabao Cup quarter-final against United is in a couple of weeks but they will be without Vicario and potentially Micky van de Ven. Spurs have a young squad but it also contains the captains of Mali, South Korea and Sweden. Romero has won the World Cup with Argentina, too. They should be challenging for the top four.

Johnson: Maresca is right to dismiss their chances of winning the league this season. Chelsea have not been in a title race since they won it in 2017 and lack experience. Their squad is the youngest in the top division (Chelsea have fielded the 14 youngest starting XIs this season), they concede too many chances and Robert Sanchez is not winning over the crowd as the first-choice goalkeeper.

The squad is still strong enough to qualify for the Champions League and it will be a disappointment if they do not win the Conference League. They are clearly the strongest team in Europe’s third-tier competition by some distance.

How does the rivalry feel?

Johnson: It does not matter how well Chelsea are playing, this is the game that their supporters look forward to, and want to win, the most. They did not win the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in 2016 but the 2-2 draw is still fondly remembered because the result meant Spurs officially lost the league to Leicester City. When the much loved pre-game tune ‘The Liquidator’ is played at Stamford Bridge, you will always hear, ‘We hate Tottenham, Chelsea!’ shouted loudly from the stands. The intensity of this rivalry will never fade.

Harris: There is no love lost between these two sides as Simon has mentioned. In this exact fixture last year, Tottenham actually won a lot of plaudits for committing to an attacking style of play despite having Romero and Destiny Udogie sent off. Chelsea won 4-1 but did not take the lead until the 75th minute. Hindsight means Tottenham’s performance in that game has taken on a different dimension. It is seen as the point where everything started going downhill and inconsistency infected the team. The supporters will be hoping a victory can reignite Postecoglou’s project.

What should Chelsea fear most about the opposition?

Johnson: Tottenham’s ability to turn up for the big games. The manner of their 4-0 victory at champions Manchester City was extraordinary and they defeated top-four rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa convincingly too. Even if Chelsea take the lead, Maresca’s men will have to be wary because Tottenham equalled a Premier League record of coming from behind in eight home games in 2024 to win.

And what about Spurs?

Harris: Chelsea can be lethal on the counter with the speed of Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto. Tottenham’s high defensive line and commitment to pushing players forward leave their centre-backs exposed. Van de Ven can outpace most of the world’s quickest strikers but Dragusin might struggle if he finds himself running back towards goal on too many occasions.

What’s your prediction?

Johnson: With both teams’ attacks being superior to their defences, I can see goals aplenty. I am going for a 2-2 draw and due to the intensity, at least one team will have a man sent off.

Harris: Tottenham have a nasty habit of conceding first at home before producing dramatic comebacks and they cannot afford to give an in-form Chelsea side an easy advantage. Postecoglou’s side have saved their best performances for the big sides this season but I am going for a 2-2 draw. Spurs will look threatening on the counter but Chelsea will take advantage of their patchwork defence.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

There is one big question facing Tottenham in December: Can they can consistently produce their top physical level in a month in which they are playing every Thursday and every Sunday, especially when they are already contending with far too many injuries and absences?

The answer will determine whether they will climb up the table, building on their promising but inconsistent start to the season. It will determine whether they reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, and whether they can take another step towards the last 16 of the Europa League. It will ultimately determine whether people feel the Ange Postecoglou project is heading in the right direction.

On the evidence of Sunday’s game against Fulham, it is going to be tough.

Spurs were nowhere near their best. The visitors were the better team for long spells, and created far more chances. When Tottenham scored through Brennan Johnson, it was against the run of play. Even when Fulham went down to 10 men, Spurs failed to ask them many difficult questions in the final minutes.

This was the first of five consecutive Sunday games for Tottenham, all five coming after a Thursday night fixture. This is the rhythm to which they will have to become accustomed.

Spurs worked hard here on Thursday night in their 2-2 draw against Roma. Postecoglou made four changes for this game, losing Dominic Solanke to illness on Sunday morning and resting Dejan Kulusevski, who has worked harder than anyone else in recent weeks. The other crucial bit of context is that this was one week on from the famous 4-0 win at Manchester City, one of their best ever victories in the Premier League era.

It was easy to think beforehand that all Spurs needed to do on Sunday was replicate what they did against City; to finally show the consistency of application they have lacked all season. If they could just win this game, then they could prove they had broken through that mental block. A new era of relentless winning would be just around the corner.

But maybe that is too simplistic. Maybe it makes more sense not to see this in the context of mentality, of a character-test that Tottenham failed by not simply producing another 4-0 win. Maybe the real question here is of physical resources. Of the players available to Postecoglou and how much potential output they had in their legs.

Because you cannot analyse this Tottenham performance outside the context of who was unavailable. Not just both first-choice centre-backs, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. Not just their first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who fractured an ankle against City and required surgery. Not just Solanke, who is integral to how they attack, but also Richarlison, Solanke’s £50million ($63.7m) understudy. And Wilson Odobert, signed for £25m in the summer but barely involved so far this season. Rodrigo Bentancur, of course, is two games into his seven-game ban, which is not the same as being injured but is also relevant.

Given all of that, it is extremely difficult for Tottenham to just replicate their performance level from the City game at the drop of a hat.

Postecoglou was clearly frustrated in his post-match press conference about how many questions he had been asked about the City game, and Spurs’ failure to replicate that. He pointed out that Spurs had Vicario in goal that day, and that he was able to bring on Timo Werner and Johnson. Here, he had Fraser Forster in goal and both Werner and Johnson had to start.

“Somehow again, it seems with this club that whatever it is that we do well is then used as a millstone to bring us down at every other opportunity,” Postecoglou said, sounding like a man who had been considering that particular line for a while.

One of the many striking things from this game was that, with Johnson and Werner starting, Postecoglou had very little on the bench. Obviously there was Kulusevski, but behind him there were seven players (Brandon Austin, Lucas Bergvall, Djed Spence, Archie Gray, Will Lankshear, Callum Olusesi and Luca Williams-Barnett) who had never started a single Premier League game between them.

The one other Spurs substitute who had started a Premier League game — Sergio Reguilon — last played for Tottenham in April 2022. Contrast that with Marco Silva, who had far more proven players to turn to among his Fulham replacements. He brought on Harry Wilson and Tom Cairney. They gave Fulham an extra edge, Cairney scored the equaliser, and if he had not been sent off they probably would have won.

Postecoglou could not fault the effort of the players who did feature. Forster came in for his first league start under the Australian and made some good saves. Ben Davies made some crucial interventions. James Maddison tried to run the game and was a threat from dead-ball situations.

“The players have given absolutely everything and that is all you can ask for,” said Postecoglou. “They are working their socks off and digging in as deep as they can to try to keep us progressing.”

The problem is that Spurs are not themselves without their physical edge. They need to be able to out-run teams to impose their football. That was what we saw in their big wins here against City and Aston Villa recently.

But with their injury crisis piling up, and a dauntingly tightly-packed December calendar ahead, there might be more days like this to come — when Spurs do not look themselves, and somehow need to find another way.

GO DEEPER

The Briefing: Tottenham Hotspur 1 Fulham 1 - Inconsistent Spurs fail to beat 10-man Fulham

(Top photo: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

In keeping with their inconsistent form this season, Tottenham followed up last week’s stunning victory over Manchester City with a 1-1 draw against a Fulham team which played out the latter part of the second half with 10 men.

Without summer signing Dominic Solanke, who was sent home on the morning of the match because of illness, Spurs initially struggled to puncture Fulham’s defence. A second-half volley from Brennan Johnson put the hosts ahead, but Fulham were soon level as the visitors deservedly scored — Tom Cairney’s fine curling effort left Fraser Forster with no chance in the home goal.

That Tottenham secured a point had much to do with Forster’s fine performance. The goalkeeper — making his first league appearance since May 2023 — was instrumental in ensuring the home team went into the break level at 0-0 and made two fine saves from Issa Diop and Alexander Iwobi at the start of the second half.

With Fulham down to 10 men after Cairney’s red card, Tottenham were unable to make the most of the advantage. Cairney was initially shown a yellow but after referee Darren Bond went to the VAR, the Fulham goalscorer was shown a straight red for his challenge on Dejan Kulusevski.

Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris break down the action.

How did Tottenham cope without Solanke?

This was always going to be a difficult day for Tottenham after Solanke was too ill to play. That meant Spurs had to turn to Son Heung-min to lead the line inside. It was just the second time this season Son has started as the No 9.

Much of this game was a reminder of how important Solanke is to Tottenham. His ability to hold onto the ball under pressure and link with team-mates is integral to how Spurs want to play. And Son, for all his strengths, cannot do that.

Spurs struggled to keep the ball in Fulham’s half, Son often losing it in the tackle. This made it hard for Spurs to create anything and their best chances came from set pieces or on the break.

One of those breaks early in the second half led to Spurs’ goal, with Johnson volleying in Timo Werner’s cross. But Spurs could never truly be themselves without the reference point of Solanke up front. They will need him back and fit as soon as possible.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

How did Forster perform?

A few things have changed since Forster’s last appearance for Tottenham in the Premier League. Back then, in May 2023, Ryan Mason was interim head coach following Antonio Conte’s dismissal. Five of the players who started that 4-1 victory over Leeds United are no longer at Spurs while the style of play has been completely transformed under Ange Postecoglou.

Forster might have been returning to a familiar competition but he needed to play in a completely different way against Fulham. While Guglielmo Vicario recovers from ankle surgery, Forster will be expected to help Spurs build up attacks. The 36-year-old has played in cup competitions, including Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Roma in the Europa League, but executing that in the Premier League would be a much tougher challenge.

He was comfortable receiving the ball from his defenders on multiple occasions against Fulham but in the 39th minute his pass towards Yves Bissouma was intercepted and led to Raul Jimenez having a shot that was blocked.

Drawing with Fulham was disappointing for Spurs but it would have been worse without Forster. While the rest of the team struggled, he was one of their best players and produced a series of impressive saves.

In the space of two minutes at the start of the second half, he prevented Diop and Iwobi from scoring at close-range. He denied Jimenez several times but there was nothing he could do about Cairney’s powerful drive.

Nevertheless, over the last week, Forster has shown enough to suggest that Spurs should be fine while Vicario is absent.

Jay Harris

Why are Spurs so inconsistent?

After Tottenham’s stunning 4-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad, the entire fanbase knew that they could only truly start getting excited about this side’s progression again if they beat Fulham.

Spurs have been exceptional at times this season, including in the victories over Manchester United, West Ham United and Aston Villa, but will often follow it up with a sluggish performance. They had an opportunity to break this frustrating habit on Sunday afternoon and prove to everybody that they are heading in the right direction. A victory over Fulham would have put them one point behind fourth-placed Brighton.

Instead, the cycle continued. Club-record signing Solanke was unavailable due to illness and Spurs missed his presence upfront. Son struggles to hold up the ball and press opposition defenders as effectively as his team-mate. Kulusevski was dropped to the bench to manage his workload and without his driving forward runs Tottenham were less threatening.

Postecoglou does not tend to moan about injuries but he was without four of his regular starting XI (Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Solanke and Vicario) while a fifth was on the bench. Maybe the grind of competing in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and the Premier League is taking its toll more than he wants to admit.

The counter argument is that Postecoglou took too long to make substitutions against Fulham. Pedro Porro struggled throughout the second half after an awkward slip but stayed on, while Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall did not come on until the 83rd minute. Kulusevski, their best player this season, came on after Fulham’s equaliser but went up front instead of in central midfield where he has been so influential this season.

Tottenham continue to confuse everybody and there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Jay Harris

What did Ange Postecoglou say?

On why Spurs can’t replicate the performance against Manchester City every week, Postecoglou said: “If you can’t see that even in seven days, we’ve copped a couple of significant blows since then I think it’s too easy to say ‘let’s just play like we did against Man City every game.’ And it somehow again seems with this club that whenever it is that we do well is then used as a millstone to bring us down at every other opportunity.

“From my perspective, it’s really important that we don’t react to any of that and just stay focused, because I just sometimes feel like, especially the players we’ve got at the moment, they’re just really working really hard for this football club to try and progress as to where we want to be. We’re in good shape, we’re still in good shape, we’re still in a decent position in the league. We’re still in the Carabao Cup, we’re in a decent position in Europe, so it’s about us maintaining our focus on continuing to develop.”

On Solanke’s late withdrawal, the manager said: “It doesn’t help… From my perspective the players, the ones who are out there anyways, have given absolutely everything and that is all you can ask for. They are working their socks off and digging in as deep as they can to try to keep us progressing.”

Postecoglou on Forster’s performance: “He was good. We needed him obviously in some big moments, and when you lose your goalkeeper and somebody as significant as Vic (Guglielmo Vicario) for us, I think the key to that is to have somebody experienced who’s not going to be sort of overawed by filling those shoes. Fraser, certainly, he’s done it for a number of years. We see him every day. What you saw out there, we see every day training and he still has a really strong work ethic and we had a couple of big moments which were important for us and again, he will be important moving forward.”

What next for Tottenham?

Thursday, December 5: Bournemouth (A), Premier League, 8.15pm GMT, 3.15pm ET

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(Top image: Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario has undergone surgery after sustaining a fracture to his right ankle.

Spurs confirmed in a statement on Monday that Vicario suffered the injury during Saturday’s 4-0 win at Manchester City.

“Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training,” the statement added. Vicario’s recovery is expected to months following his surgery.

The 28-year-old was limping when walking through the mixed zone at the Etihad Stadium following Saturday’s game, but did play the full 90 minutes. He also received treatment on the pitch in the first half of the match following a collision with City winger Savinho, after which the Italian appeared to be holding his right ankle.

Vicario has been a Premier League ever-present for Tottenham since joining from Empoli for a fee of around €20million (£17.2m; $21.9m) last summer, featuring in all 38 matches last season and their 12 so far this term.

He also played in Spurs’ first two Europa League league phase matches this season, with Fraser Forster coming in for the other two. Vicario also started in his side’s Carabao Cup third-round win over Manchester City last month, with Forster having played in the second-win victory against Coventry City.

‘Vicario’s injury could have massive consequences for Spurs’ season’

This is potentially the worst possible injury Tottenham’s squad could have suffered and will have burst the mood after their stunning 4-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.

Vicario was crucial to that victory with a series of impressive saves. Since he joined Spurs from Italian side Empoli in June 2023, the Italy international’s distribution has been crucial to the way Postecoglou wants his side to build up from the back. Vicario has the composure when under pressure from opposition strikers to wait until the perfect moment before playing a pass to a defender or one of the midfielders.

The problem is Tottenham do not have a quality replacement for him. Forster has made three appearances in all competitions this season but does not have the same confidence when stepping off his line or with the ball at his feet.

Tottenham also have two goalkeepers who have progressed through their academy but Alfie Whiteman, 26, and Brandon Austin, 25, have never made a senior appearance for them. Whiteman’s only previous experience was on loan in Sweden while Austin played five times in the MLS for Orlando City in 2021.

Postecoglou has no choice but to rely on Forster for a busy festive period and might have to adapt his tactics and play slightly deeper because relying on the 36-year-old to sweep up the huge space behind the defence’s high line feels incredibly risky.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Vicario’s injury could have massive consequences for their season.

(Photos: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven is not expected to return from a hamstring injury until the middle of December while Cristian Romero is also sidelined and will miss the game with Manchester City on Saturday.

Van de Ven, 23, suffered the injury in the 10th minute of Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on October 30. The 23-year-old was in tears as he walked down the tunnel and had to be consoled by team-mate Yves Bissouma.

He missed Tottenham’s next three matches in all competitions and was left out of Netherlands’ squad for their Nations League fixtures against Hungary and Bosnia.

Speaking before Spurs’ defeat to Ipswich Town on November 10, head coach Ange Postecoglou said the centre-back would return after the international break but it appears he will be out for a little longer.

“Micky’s still a good couple of weeks away,” he told Sky Sports. “He’s out on the grass training, but he’s still a couple of weeks away. We’re hoping by the middle of December he’ll be back and available to play.”

Van de Ven previously missed two months of the 2023-24 campaign due to a hamstring injury.

“We’ll get the advice from the medical team and the people working with him,” Postecoglou added. “I think there’s always a natural cautiousness with somebody who has a reoccurring problem but at the same time you don’t want to treat him with too many kid gloves around him because otherwise he’s still go to go out there and play at some point.

“But it’s fair to say we’re taking all the appropriate steps and Micky will be a good judge of that as well and where he’s at.”

Spurs will be hoping the defender recovers in time to feature in their Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United on December 19.

Postecoglou has also revealed that fellow central defender Romero will miss the trip to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening while young winger Mikey Moore “will still be out for a little bit of time” after picking up a virus before the international break.

“Romero won’t be right for tomorrow’s game,” he said. “We are hoping he will be right for next week.”

‘Huge blow for Spurs’

Analysis by Jay Harris

This is a huge blow for Tottenham ahead of a busy few weeks which includes difficult fixtures against Manchester City, Roma, Bournemouth and Chelsea.

Van de Ven instantly became a fan-favourite after he joined them from Wolfsburg in July 2023 for his crunching tackles and ability to powerfully drive forward with the ball out of defence. His exceptional recovery speed is also crucial to the success of Postecoglou’s high defensive line.

With both first-choice centre-backs unavailable against City, Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin will be expected to contain Erling Haaland. Davies is naturally a left-back but has played in the middle of defence on multiple occasions under Postecoglou.

Dragusin’s performances have been mixed since he arrived from Genoa in January for £25million but this is a huge opportunity for the Romania international to play regularly and become more familiar with Postecoglou’s style of play.

(John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have appealed against Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-game ban for comments he made about team-mate Son Heung-min.

Bentancur was given a seven-game ban from domestic games and fined £100,000 ($127k) by an independent commission after he was found to have used “insulting words”, and that it was an ‘aggravated breach’ of the FA’s rules, as his words referred to “ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality”. Bentancur had said, with reference to Son, “Sonny, or one of Sonny’s cousins, as they all look more or less the same” in an interview on Uruguayan TV in June.

Tottenham were informed of the FA’s decision on November 12 and they had 14 days to decide whether to appeal against the decision itself or the sanction imposed, so until 27 November. Tottenham have decided to accept the decision but to appeal against the sanction, in the hope of getting the ban reduced.

There is likely only scope for a reduction by one game to Bentancur’s ban, given that the FA Standard Minimum ban for using discriminatory language is six games, a guideline that was introduced in 2020. While a regulatory commission can give a shorter ban in situations where the comments were made in writing or via the use of a “communication device” — such as when Edinson Cavani got a three-game ban in 2020 for a comment he made on Instagram — this is not the case here, as Bentancur’s comments were spoken in a TV interview.

Decisions on the length of the ban, within the framework of six and 12 games, are made with reference to aggravating and mitigating factors. “We consider that, in terms of culpability and consequences, this breach falls towards the lower end of the guideline range but not the lowest point,” the commission wrote of Bentancur’s offence. “Cases can easily be envisaged which are less serious than this, but nevertheless subject to the minimum suspension of six matches.”

The aggravating factors considered were that Bentancur is a “high-profile international footballer” in the Premier League and that his comments were made to a well-known journalist with a big online following. “It was reasonably foreseeable that the remarks would be widely distributed via posts and re-posts on the internet, as they were,” the report states.

Tottenham have the right to ask for the sanction to be set aside pending the outcome of the appeal, which in theory could allow Bentancur to face Manchester City this Saturday. But if that is not the case, and Bentancur’s ban is active already, and if it is reduced from seven to six games, then he could return to face Liverpool in the Premier League on December 22.

GO DEEPER

Rodrigo Bentancur's seven-game ban explained: What the Spurs player did and what he'll miss

(Michael Regan/Getty Images)

The FA has announced Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven matches for comments he made about his team-mate Son Heung-min earlier this year.

The Athletic explains what he did, how all parties reacted, and the implications for the player and club.

What happened?

In June, Bentancur appeared on television show Por la Camiseta in his native Uruguay. Talking about his Tottenham captain Son, also captain of the South Korean national team, Bentancur said: “Sonny, or one of Sonny’s cousins, as they all look more or less the same.”

Bentancur then apologised to Son on social media, writing: “Sonny, brother! I am sorry for what happened, it was a joke in bad taste. You know that I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone. I love you brother!”

Bentancur also apologised to Son directly, and again in person when the players next met when the Uruguayan returned from the Copa America for pre-season training. Son later said that Bentancur “almost cried” while doing so.

The FA asked Bentancur for his observations on June 26 when Bentancur was at the Copa America. Tottenham submitted observations on Bentancur’s behalf on August 19. The FA sent Bentancur a formal letter on September 11, charging him with a breach of Rule E3, and Bentancur denied the charge.

Rule E3.1 states participants in football must not use “insulting words”, while E3.2 defines an ‘Aggravated Breach’ as being one that refers to “ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality” along with other characteristics.

The three-member regulatory commission met on November 12 and found Bentancur had breached Rule E3.1, and that it was an aggravated breach. The commission unanimously decided Bentancur should be banned for seven domestic games, fined £100,000 ($125,000) and must take part in a face-to-face education programme.

How did Spurs initially respond?

Tottenham issued a statement on June 20: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome. This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives. We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident.”

When manager Ange Postecoglou was first asked about it in a press conference in July, he said: “The most important person in that whole process is Sonny, so he’ll guide us and direct us. It’s easier to jump in and make judgments. The most important people are the ones affected and in this case, it’s Sonny.”

The day after the FA announced it would charge Bentancur. Postecoglou said the midfielder had made a “big error” and that “he has got to take the punishment”.

“We all make mistakes,” Postecoglou added on September 13. “It is not just about punishment but it is an opportunity for people to atone and learn. If we’re talking about having a society that is understanding and tolerant of everything, we must also show that to people who make mistakes as Rodri has made in this time.”

What did Son say about it?

Son spoke about the incident soon afterwards, confirming Bentancur had apologised and he had accepted. “He made a mistake,” Son said on Instagram on June 20, “he knows this and has apologised. ‘Lolo’ (Bentancur) would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.”

Three months later, following Bentancur’s FA charge, Son spoke about it at more length during a press conference on September 25, the day before Spurs’ Europa League game against Qarabag. He revealed Bentancur “almost cried” when he apologised and reiterated how close the two players were.

“The process is with the FA and that’s why I can’t say much about it, but I love Rodrigo,” Son said. “I repeat: I love him, I love him. He apologised straight afterwards, when we had a holiday. I was at home and I didn’t even realise what was going on. He just sent me a long text message that you could feel was coming from his heart. Afterwards, when he came back to the training ground for pre-season, he just felt really sorry and almost cried when he apologised publicly and also personally as well. It felt like he feels really sorry.”

“We’re all human and make mistakes, and we learn from it,” Son also said. “But I love Rodrigo. I love him, I love him. He made a mistake. But I have no problem at all. At all. We just move on as team-mates and friends and brothers, move on together. I hope. We just have to wait for the FA’s process. I can’t say much. But one thing I can say is that I love Rodrigo. There is nothing more to say.”

What did the commission say and why seven games?

The three-person regulatory commission was in clear agreement with the FA charge. The report says it is their “firm conclusion” that the breach under Rules E3.1 and E3.2 was proved.

The report says that in Bentancur’s submissions to the commission, he argued his comments were “intended to be a light-hearted and jocular manner of chiding the journalist for his use of a generalisation that was wholly inappropriate”.

Rafa Cotelo, the Uruguayan journalist conducting the interview, had just referred to Son as “the Korean”. Bentancur’s statement claimed that his remarks were meant to “gently challenge” Cotelo, and a “gentle rebuke” to his comments. The report said Bentancur’s apologies afterwards were not for what he said, but for the fact the incident had been reported without reference to Cotelo’s preceding words. This argument was not accepted. “However, we cannot accept that submission, which flies in the face of the evidence,” the report says. “It does not sit with the content or form of the player’s apologies or the response of the club or Son.”

The report also said the commission was not “impressed” by another argument Bentancur made, that he had a “reasonable expectation of privacy” and a reasonable expectation “that the journalist would show more common sense in what he posted”. “We do not accept that the player could reasonably have been surprised at the publication of anything that he said in the interview,” the commission said, “including the remarks at the heart of this charge.”

Explaining why Bentancur was banned for seven games, the report states the suspension had to be between six and 12 games, with six being the standard minimum punishment. The commission’s view was that this breach “falls towards the lower end of the guideline range but not the lowest point”, which is how they arrived at seven.

What is Tottenham’s position now?

It remains to be seen whether there will be an appeal from Tottenham or a separate internal disciplinary process. Tottenham have not commented since the FA ban was announced on Monday morning.

How does this seven-game ban compare to previous bans?

In December 2020, Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani was given a three-game ban and a £100,000 fine for using an offensive Spanish phrase on social media. He was also made to attend a face-to-face education programme. Cavani pled guilty to the FA charge, which was also considered an “aggravated breach”, in that his words “included reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin”.

In 2019, Bernardo Silva was given a one-match ban and a £50,000 fine after a tweet about team-mate Benjamin Mendy. In 2016, Burnley forward Andre Gray was banned for four games and fined £25,000 for homophobic comments he had made on social media in 2012.

How important has Bentancur been to Spurs this season?

Bentancur had a difficult time last season as he struggled with injuries and a lack of rhythm. He did not start until November 26, got injured again and did not have a run of games until the new year. It was only at the end of the season that he started to look like his old self.

This season, Bentancur has looked sharper, playing in the No 6 role, and appearing to have the edge over Yves Bissouma. He has started 10 of Spurs’ 17 games and has played the bigger games recently, not least the two standout wins over Manchester City and Aston Villa the week before last.

Last Sunday, he started against Ipswich Town and scored a second-half header, although Spurs could not get back into the game. It was his first Spurs goal since January.

What are the on-pitch ramifications?

It will have a significant impact on Postecoglou’s Spurs at a crucial time. Bentancur will miss the Premier League trip to Manchester City on Saturday, Fulham at home on December 1, Bournemouth away on December 5, Chelsea at home on December 8, Southampton away on December 15, Manchester United at home in their Carabao Cup quarter-final on December 19, and Liverpool at home in the league on December 22.

The next domestic game he will be available for will be the trip to the City Ground to play Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

Bentancur can still play in the Europa League in Spurs’ league phase games against Roma at home (November 28) and Rangers away (December 12).

Postecoglou will likely lean on Bissouma in the seven domestic games Bentancur will miss. Bissouma and Bentancur have rotated the No 6 role this season. Postecoglou could also turn to 18-year-old Archie Gray, who has impressed this season, but has played more often at full-back than in his preferred midfield role. Gray has yet to start a Premier League game.

(Top photo: Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)