The New York Times

Tottenham Hotspur’s owners have pledged to keep pumping money into the club to “deliver success” after announcing a £100million cash injection on Thursday.

In a statement, the club said the £100m capital, which was provided by the Lewis family through ENIC, would “further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources”.

The funding is the biggest known cash injection from ENIC since its takeover of Spurs in 2001, although it released £150m worth of capital in May 2022 — with the club only taking up £97.5m.

A source close to the Lewis family insisted future funding would be provided following talks with the club’s leadership, telling The Athletic: “This is initial additional funding. As the club’s management decides what’s needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful.”

The £100m cash injection in return for just shy of 13.5 million shares increases ENIC’s stake in Spurs to 87.62 per cent, up from 86.91 per cent.

The Lewis family have insisted they want to prioritise sporting success following the removal of Daniel Levy as executive chairman after 24 years in charge on September 4.

Since Levy’s surprise exit, the family has rejected three approaches from potential takeover candidates — the latest from American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick, who ruled out a formal bid for Spurs on Tuesday.

The Lewis family have repeatedly said the club is not for sale.

Commenting on Thursday’s £100m injection, non-executive chairman Peter Charrington said: “As I stated a few weeks ago, our focus is on stability and empowering the management team to deliver on the club’s ambitions.

“I know the Lewis family are also ambitious for the future. Today’s capital commitment reflects that ambition and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support. We will continue to do all we can to ensure that Vinai and his team are supported in the best way possible to take this club forward.”

ENIC was founded by British businessman Joe Lewis but the Bahamas-based billionaire handed over the control of the company to his family trust in 2022.

The younger Lewises — Joe’s children Vivienne and Charles, and his son-in-law Nick Beucher — are now in control at ENIC, while the day-to-day running of Spurs has passed to Charrington and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.

The remaining 12.38 per cent of Spurs which is not controlled by ENIC is owned by a group of minority investors. Meanwhile, Levy and certain members of his family still own 29.88 per cent of ENIC.

International breaks are always an ideal opportunity for head coaches to pause for thought.

Thomas Frank has notched up 10 competitive games in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout — 11 if you include the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain — and it has been a steady start for the head coach.

Spurs sit third in the Premier League with 14 points from the opening seven games. Four points in their opening two Champions League fixtures is also not to be underestimated, even if their 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt fell below expectations.

For Spurs fans, there is still a sense that more potential can be unlocked from this side in the coming months, particularly in terms of their potency in open play going forward. It is worth having a frank discussion — or rather, a Frank discussion — on how Spurs can improve in attack.

The contrast from the dogmatic style of Ange Postecoglou is well-established by now. Frank is a known pragmatist, intelligently adapting and tweaking his setup depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, while still trying to impose his own ideas on the game.

That was abundantly clear when comparing Spurs’ first two competitive games against Champions League holders PSG and recently promoted Burnley. In the former, a careful, risk-averse approach saw Spurs set up with a 3-5-2 system to thwart the creative threat from Luis Enrique’s side and congest central areas, with Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr forming an excellent, combative midfield trio.

Against Burnley, Frank’s side were far more considered in their possession, using goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as an auxiliary centre-back at times when building up, as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Sarr formed Spurs’ progressive midfield three.

Frank’s midfield has been a great source of debate in the early weeks of this season. Bentancur and Palhinha have been selected most often so far, but there is often a lack of variety or creativity when moving the ball through the thirds.

In certain games, there is a desire for a solid defensive foundation in the middle, which requires Bentancur and Palhinha’s skill set, with Spurs’ victory over Manchester City being a good example. However, in games where the onus is on Frank’s team to take the game to the opposition, there is a feeling that both are not required at the same time. There have been instances where ball progression has been notably lacking from midfield in the opening weeks.

Sarr and Bergvall’s energy and late runs into the box are more preferable against weaker opposition to disrupt the back line. Meanwhile, Xavi Simons is still settling into Premier League life, but has largely operated as a left-winger in his opening appearances.

Playing Simons as a No 10 against Leeds did seem to add more balance to Frank’s side in possession; it was a midfield that had a solid defensive foundation while having enough creativity in the other direction.

In mitigation, Spurs have built a squad that does possess the players to link the midfield and attack, but with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski injured for the coming months, there is a need for more midfield players to be braver when progressing the ball.

Direct, long balls that bypass the midfield have been lucrative, but when looking across the opening 10 games in all competitions, there has been evidence of Spurs horse-shoeing possession from side-to-side too often, hoping that one of their wide players — namely Mohammed Kudus — might come up with some magic.

Frank’s side are not turning possession into chances at a rate they would like to. It is early on in the season, but 34 per cent of Spurs’ possessions have ended in a shot so far this campaign — which represents their lowest rate since 2018-19.

Attacking options have also been limited by injuries to Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani. Richarlison is a willing worker at the top end of the field, but lacks the requisite dead-eye finishing to shoulder Spurs’ goalscoring burden. Mathys Tel will take confidence from his goal against Leeds last weekend, but he too has plenty of room for improvement in his game before he can be considered an undroppable attacker.

There has been a reliance on Kudus to be the main creative threat in the opening weeks, with the Ghana international holding width on the right flank, willing to run in behind or receive the ball to feet before cutting inside onto his stronger left foot.

He is so often a release valve for opposition pressure with his unpredictability and fleet-footedness on the ball — shown by his 60 take-ons being more than any other Premier League player this season.

Kudus’s first goal against Leeds was just reward for his efforts in recent weeks, but Spurs need more balance on their left-sided attack. As well as the searching crosses from Pedro Porro, there is a notable skew in the direction that their chances are coming from.

Frank has plenty of options on the left side of attack, including Simons, Kolo Muani, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert, but none offer the same quality that Kudus offers from the right.

Simons’ early games on the left saw the Netherlands international often drift inside to receive the ball to feet, which is hardly surprising given that his best qualities are operating between the lines and finding pockets to create for players ahead of him.

The return of left-back Destiny Udogie has been crucial in providing more balance going forward, with his overlapping and underlapping runs offering more natural width than the deputising Djed Spence.

The early connection between Udogie and Simons has been promising, and it looks like there will be more understanding of each other’s games as the season progresses. Against Wolves, Udogie makes an excellent overlapping run on the outside of Simons, but the 22-year-old decides to ignore the run and drive into a congested area before being dispossessed.

There was a very similar scenario against Leeds. But this time, Udogie’s run is found as Simons attracts bodies towards him before releasing the ball to his left-back in space.

Spurs do not have a left-sided player of the profile of Kudus, but the network of Simons, Udogie, and Odobert proved to be a creative outlet on Saturday, as they consistently overloaded that side of the pitch.

It is the age-old difficulty for a club such as Spurs, whose size suggests that they should be imposing themselves on the opposition in every game. An ability to adapt between games is positive, but there should be more occasions where the opposition is more worried about the threat of Frank’s side than the other way around.

Frank has instilled a greater solidity and resilience in the side that looks to be an excellent foundation for long-term success, but those attacking tools will need sharpening in the short term.

In the absence of some key players until the new year, greater creativity might be required in more ways than one.

“Er ist ein monster, auf jeden fall,” was how Hamburg full-back Miro Muheim described Luka Vuskovic, following his performance against Union Berlin a week ago.

“He is a monster, for sure.”

That weekend, Muheim, Vuskovic and newly-promoted Hamburg travelled to the Alte Forsterei, Union Berlin’s bearpit home, with a plan to sit deep and counter. It worked; they left with a 0-0 draw that could even have been a win. That they did so owed much to a penalty save by Daniel Heuer Fernandes in the first half, but also Vuskovic’s aerial dominance, which repelled the hosts’ direct attacking time and again.

Union sent 23 crosses into the HSV box that night. Vuskovic cleared 12 of them. In total, from the middle of a back three, he won 18 aerial duels across the course of the match, becoming the first player in five seasons to do that in a game played in Europe’s top-five leagues.

That aerial presence has made him tremendously valuable. HSV are not a particularly tall side and Fernandes, their goalkeeper, is not huge for his position at 6ft 2in (188cm). Since making his debut against Bayern Munich in the middle of September, Vuskovic has been ever-present, playing every minute, and it is not hyperbole to say the protection he offers is now essential. It is also obvious: Vuskovic was voted the Bundesliga’s rookie of the month on Monday.

Within the context of his new team, there is actually a nightclub bouncer-like quality to Vuskovic, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. He is rough and rugged, in a way that an 18-year-old who looks like he has never seen a razor has no right to be. Being tall and having a strong leap gives him an advantage when competing for crosses and corners, but he uses his frame — his shoulders, his elbows — in a way that accentuates those physical strengths.

He has an intimidating streak, too. In his first home game against Heidenheim, he missed a good chance from just under the crossbar. In his frustration, he shoved a visiting defender into the back of the goal. The defender untangled himself, spun around incredulously, but then thought better of it when he saw Vuskovic looming over him.

Vuskovic’s loan did not actually start very well. He made his debut for HSV against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, where they conceded four times in the first 29 minutes and eventually lost 5-0. Against Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Luis Diaz and Serge Gnabry, he suffered. Bayern’s movement was too quick and precise, and it was too much for an 18-year-old to cope with; Vuskovic’s defending was frantic and reactionary. He looked lost.

That HSV head coach Merlin Polzin saw fit to immediately start him against Kane, the Bundesliga’s apex centre-forward, says plenty about his faith in Vuskovic’s resilience; there are plenty of senior players who lose their ego to the England captain. But Tottenham sent him to Germany to learn those lessons.

The other reason Spurs sent him to Hamburg is because, in a strange way, it is home.

His older brother, Mario, is also a HSV player, albeit one serving a four-year suspension for a doping violation. Mario will be 24 by the time that ban ends next year and the club and fans have remained unflinchingly in his corner; they believe he was failed by an imperfect testing procedure.

For Luka, that created the perfect move. Several members of his family still live locally and his brother is a local cause celebre; it is hard to think of another loan player, who has no realistic chance of staying permanently, ever being welcomed in quite the same way.

In essence, Luka has been an emotional proxy for Mario. When he signed, he was given his brother’s shirt number — 44 — and the emotional response in the weeks that followed was quite something to witness.

Minutes after that missed chance on his home debut against Heidenheim, he scored. It was HSV’s first goal in the Bundesliga since 2018 (previous scorer: Lewis Holtby) and he celebrated by pointing up to his brother in the stands, as the stadium announcer led a call and response that could have parted the clouds in the sky above.

HSV spent seven years in the 2.Bundesliga, struggling to return. Mario Vuskovic’s suspension in 2022 was part of that struggle, another painful situation to overcome. And so at the end of that long climb back, for his brother to score that goal? Truly, an incredible moment.

But as seductive as this surrounding narrative is, Luka Vuskovic’s task in Hamburg is to develop — and that process is under way. His positioning has been steady and dependable, and he chooses his moments to jump out of the line well. He is not really a carrying centre-back who takes on the press, but his passing is reliable without being exuberant. In Tottenham terms, he is more Micky van de Ven than Cristian Romero, placing the emphasis more on what he does without possession.

He has not been perfect. He was against Union and again this weekend in a 4-0 win over Mainz. Two consecutive clean sheets with him at the heart. But either side of his goal, Heidenheim rattled him and so, obviously, did Kane. In both matches, the Bundesliga looked too quick for him and there were reminders — in hesitations and little mistakes — that he is still a teenager, taking his first steps in a major European league.

But in the weeks before the international break, the game has slowed down around him. There has been more control. More proactive actions, fewer reactive ones. He makes errors, but only once and so, perhaps, adversity is part of the journey for a player of his potential. There is more coming. In the second half of the game against Union, Warmed Omari — HSV’s first-choice centre-back on the right side — was injured and will miss the rest of the year. Vuskovic, at 18, now has even more responsibility within a defence that will face RB Leipzig immediately after the international break and Borussia Dortmund at the beginning of November.

The supporters adore him. They were always going to, under the circumstances, but he has quickly become more than just Mario’s brother. According to the club, 1,000 replica shirts with L. Vuskovic printed on the back have already been sold, and he is already seen as a determining factor in the club’s Bundesliga survival. That is a ridiculous expectation to lumber on such a young player, but then this is one of the few times that one of football’s child stars — a name everyone has known for years — seems not only worth the hype, but at ease with it.

Harry Kane says he is less keen on returning to the Premier League than he was when he signed for Bayern Munich.

Kane left Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern in August 2023 and admitted on Monday that he had initially been fully committed to the idea of returning to English football after a spell in Germany. But having flourished at Bayern in the last two years, scoring 103 goals in 106 games, Kane said that his desire to return home has diminished.

The 2025-25 season is the third of a four-year deal that Kane signed at Bayern, and while he denied having any contract discussions with his club so far, he said that he would be open to an “honest conversation” about an extension beyond 2027.

“In terms of staying there longer I could definitely see that,” Kane said at St. George’s Park, England’s midlands training base, on Monday afternoon.

“I spoke openly a couple of weeks ago that I have not had those conversations with Bayern yet, but if they were to arise, I would be willing to talk and have an honest conversation. Obviously, it depends on how the next year goes and what we achieve together. Right now, I would say we are in a fantastic moment. And I am not thinking about anything else.”

It has always been widely assumed that Kane would want to come back to England after his time in Germany and try to break the Premier League goalscoring record. He is in second place with 213 Premier League goals, 47 behind Alan Shearer’s 260.

“In terms of the Premier League, I don’t know,” Kane said. “If you had asked me when I first left to go to Bayern, I would have said for sure I would come back. Now I have been there a couple of years I would probably say that (desire to return) has gone down a little bit. But I wouldn’t say I would never go back.”

Kane said that he is in no rush to decide anything about his future, given he still has almost two years left on his Bayern contract.

“I am calm, I love the manager at Bayern, I think he is fantastic,” the 32-year-old said of Vincent Kompany. “And as always in my career, as long we are improving and I am improving then I am happy to see what we can achieve. I don’t think there is any need to rush anything.

“The way I feel on the pitch, the way I’m moving, the way I’m seeing the game is at the highest level I’ve ever had.”

Kane added that having won his first major trophy with the Bundesliga last season, he is now determined to work even harder. “I pushed myself the other way, in terms of being even better, eating even cleaner, doing more gym,” he said. “Just trying to get the most out of what I’ve got right now. As you get later on in your career, you know you’re not 21, 22 any more. So you have to drain as much as you can from your career.”

(Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Brooklyn Earick has confirmed to the London Stock Exchange that he “does not intend to make a firm offer” to buy Tottenham Hotspur.

Earick’s statement, released on Monday evening, brings an end to 11 days of speculation over a possible move to buy Tottenham.

The former DJ and tech investor had made an “informal expression of interest” in buying Spurs, which was “unequivocally rejected”, according to a club statement released on 26 September.

Earick’s enquiry was dismissed as “unsolicited and unnecessary interest” by a source close to the Lewis family, who reiterated their stance that “the club is not for sale”.

Following that Tottenham announcement – known as a ‘PUSU [Put up or Shut up] statement’ – Earick was obliged by the UK Takeover Panel to clarify his intentions by 24 October as to whether he would make a firm offer to buy the club or not.

He did so on Monday, 18 days before the deadline, ending the speculation over his apparent interest.

Tottenham responded on Monday evening with a fresh statement of their own, acknowledging the “recent announcements” from both Earick’s consortium and Firehawk. (Firehawk had confirmed on 3 October that it was “not intending to make an offer for the Club.”)

“The Board thanks them for the constructive approach taken in the discussions with the Club’s and the Lewis family’s representatives and respecting the clear position of the Lewis family that the Club is not for sale. Following the announcements made by the consortiums, the Club is no longer in an offer period under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.”

There has been increased attention on the majority shareholding Lewis family’s plans for Tottenham Hotspur ever since they dismissed Daniel Levy as executive chairman last month.

The Lewis family have repeatedly insisted since then that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale.

(Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

It has been a difficult few months for Mathys Tel.

Despite earning a permanent transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from Bayern Munich after spending the second half of last season on loan in north London, there’s a pervading feeling that he’s yet to really show his best.

Just a few years ago, when Tel was breaking through at the German side as a 17-year-old, few would have bet against him entering his 20s as one of Europe’s hottest properties. In reality, he left his teenage years in April, having recently featured in a miserable 2-0 away defeat to Fulham, where he took it upon himself to speak to a group of frustrated travelling supporters post-game.

Having been allowed to depart Bayern for a lower than previously negotiated transfer fee of €35million (£30m), Thomas Frank omitted Tel from Tottenham’s Champions League squad in September. In light of the deadline-day loan addition of Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain and the pursuits of various left-wingers, including Manchester City’s Savinho and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, which would, in turn, have pushed the 20-year-old further down the pecking order, Tel and Tottenham appeared an awkward union.

But the Frenchman’s performance in Tottenham’s 2-1 win away to Leeds United served to remind everyone of a Spurs persuasion, including Frank, just what a talent they have on their hands.

With Dominic Solanke and Kolo Muani sidelined through injury, Tel is Frank’s most experienced alternative to Richarlison to lead the line — perhaps both an indictment on the lack of senior options available in attack and credit to Tel, who has impressed enough in training and matches to earn a place in the side.

A bright start for the France Under-21 international, where he was involved in building attacks from a much-improved left side, was capped off with his first goal of the season. After being played down the wing by Mohammed Kudus, Tel unleashed a right-footed strike which Leeds defender Pascal Struijk deflected over goalkeeper Karl Darlow and into the Leeds net. Perhaps the deflection removes some of the shine, but Tel’s ability to find space to shoot and then strike the ball so well will give the Spurs coaching staff encouragement.

“So almost emotional about him,” Frank said in his post-match press conference. “So happy, so happy for him. I think the character he’s shown from a young man, just really impressed me. From day one. But of course, after the setback of not coming in the Champions League squad. Not being an established player, maybe.

“I think he’s taking steps. Also (he) has been picked a little bit for the left. So just keep training well, which he does. He trains well every day. Stayed home when we went to Bodo. Trained well.

“And also, I think, big praise to (coaches) Cameron (Campbell) and Justin (Cochrane) for working with Mathys and the way we worked with him, from a fine game against West Ham as a striker to a better game against Doncaster, where he arrives more in the right areas.

“I know he could have scored two goals, but as I say, he arrives there because we trained and we showed clips, and to the next level today, where I think he worked hard. He scored a good goal, and it was a little deflection, but, you know, the connection was good. He has a header, other good situations.”

Tottenham have yet to establish their attacking dynamic. It may take a star left-wing signing and the return of Solanke, or for Richarlison to re-find his form, to get a better idea of the club’s forward potential under Frank. In light of that, Tel’s emergence as a viable option is proving essential to Frank as injuries have hit Spurs’ front line.

Tel was substituted for Richarlison in the 73rd minute, but not before he dealt with a difficult pass under pressure from Leeds’ defenders to win a much-needed free kick inside Tottenham’s half. For a player who often looked lightweight and naive in his cameos under previous head coach Ange Postecoglou, adding a streetwise element to his game represents another encouraging development.

After all, given Tel has already featured 16 times for France’s Under-21s — a side he captained in a 3-0 win over Serbia Under-21s in September, where he scored a brace — and played 60 league games for Bayern, it’s easy to forget he’s just 20. And within his age range, he’s in rarified air. Since the start of 2022-23, Tel is one of just six players to have scored at least 15 goals in Europe’s top five leagues while aged 20 and under.

It’s fair to say that when Tel was dancing in Tottenham’s dressing room, draped in a Guadeloupe flag (the French colony in the Caribbean where his parents were born) after the Europa League triumph, it’s hard to imagine the thought of playing in the Champions League would not have crossed his mind.

It may, however, work in his favour. With his influence and performances improving and growing, he is becoming an indispensable part of the Premier League unit.

(Top photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur managed a hard-fought win over Leeds United at Elland Road.

The home side had an opportunity six minutes in from a Sean Longstaff free kick, but Joe Rodon could only find the post with his header.

But it was the visitors who took the lead in the 23rd minute. Mathys Tel received the ball on the edge of the area and worked a shooting opportunity to fire at the Leeds goal, with a deflection from Pascal Struijk sending the ball past Karl Darlow. Leeds levelled just over 10 minutes later, with Noah Okafor scoring following an unconvincing save from Guglielmo Vicario.

After chances for both sides in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, Spurs retook the lead in the 57th minute. Mohammed Kudus cut inside onto his left foot to put his team ahead. The ball again hit Struijk before travelling past Darlow.

Beren Cross and Elias Burke were in attendance and analyse the key moments from the game.

Tottenham end international break curse

One of the Premier League’s strangest streaks is finally over.

With Tottenham’s win today, they have ended their unwanted run of seven consecutive defeats directly before an international break. The run started in November 2023 with a 2-1 defeat to Wolves and continued through Ange Postecoglou’s tenure up to the 1-0 loss at home to Bournemouth under Frank last month.

Asked about it in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank said he had informed his squad about the run ahead of time, anticipating the question, and that “I really, really do hope we win tomorrow, so we don’t need to speak too much about it in the future”.

Given the number of internationals in Tottenham’s squad, such a run in the game directly after a break would make sense, with key players travelling from around the world in the days leading up to the return. The fact that it affected matches before the break, however, was more puzzling.

But that’s all in the past now. For the first time in almost two years, Tottenham’s players can leave to represent their nations on a high.

Elias Burke

How close were we to Beachball-gate II?

October. Premier League. A beach ball. A goal. That infamous quartet was almost reunited at Elland Road on Saturday.

As Okafor ghosted in to receive his present from Vicario, a beach ball was inches away from being the story once again in an October top-flight fixture. As Jayden Bogle whipped another excellent cross into Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the white inflatable rolled into view at the far side of the Tottenham penalty area.

Calvert-Lewin did well to guide the ball’s pace into Brenden Aaronson for an effort which Vicario saw late. The Italian could only parry the ball into Okafor’s path for a tap-in, while, mercifully, the beach ball remained out of the way. If it had interfered with play and stopped Vicario from saving the shot, play would have been paused.

It was so close to getting in the way, Vicario took out his frustrations on the inflatable as it rolled to him on the goal line.

The incident was almost reminiscent of Darren Bent’s strike for Sunderland against Liverpool in October 2009.

Bent’s effort looked likely to be saved by Pepe Reina, but it collided with a beach ball — thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan — and went in, wrong-footing the goalkeeper. That goal stood, but officials later admitted it should have been disallowed.

Beren Cross

Is this the most Tottenham’s left side has clicked under Frank?

The early signs of a flourishing partnership between Kudus — who was awarded man of the match today — and Pedro Porro down Tottenham’s right side have been one of the most encouraging points of Frank’s first 10 games as head coach, but it was the left that was more dangerous against Leeds.

Xavi Simons started as a No 10 for the first time in the league, and his tendency to drift towards the left from central positions saw him combine with Wilson Odobert and Destiny Udogie, who replaced Djed Spence as the left-back, to create several opportunities in the first half.

Udogie’s inclusion today was central to the success. Spence is a ‘lockdown defender’ in how he keeps opposition wingers quiet, but is naturally right-footed, so can be limited as a dribbler on the left side. While Udogie’s crossing has not always been consistent in a Spurs shirt, his ability to drive down the wing with his left foot opened a new avenue of attack.

Perhaps the most promising passage was on the 27th minute, shortly after Calvert-Lewin spurned an excellent opportunity for Leeds, with Spurs’ left-sided attackers combining to release Udogie down the left wing.

After breaking into the box, he crossed for Kudus on the opposite side, but the Ghana international’s shot flew high and wide. While it did not result in a goal, it was an encouraging sign that things are starting to improve on Tottenham’s left side.

Elias Burke

Leeds’ unbeaten home run is over. Should they be concerned?

Leeds’ unbeaten league streak at Elland Road ends at 385 days. The home suffered their third loss of the season, but this was not the disastrous, one-sided loss of a team out of their depth.

Leeds were better than Tottenham Hotspur in every metric — except for the one which mattered. Struijk may go to bed feeling the most frustrated of those in white tonight; the centre-back had the misfortune of seeing not one, but two goals deflected in off him.

However, Struijk did his best to stop both shots — as a defender should — only to make life harder for Darlow in the process. After Kudus’ match-winning goal, Struijk was visibly bemoaning his misfortune.

Tottenham ended the game second in the league table, and that should in some ways embolden Leeds. The hosts had more possession, higher expected goals (xG), more shots, more shots on target and more big chances.

Crucially for everyone’s mental state in West Yorkshire, eight points from seven matches keeps United above the one-point-per-match average survival generally requires.

Beren Cross

What did Farke say?

He said: “The first overriding feeling is, of course, we are disappointed because we’re playing for results. There are no pictures in the table. You want to win points, that’s why we play football, and, for that, we are disappointed.

“Apart from this, I have to say just many compliments, congratulations to the lads for this performance because, after this game, I would be normally disappointed, even with a draw, not even to speak about a loss.

“We were the better side today. We were the better side in all aspects. We had more possession, we had more passes, we had more expected goals, we had more shots with more shots on target, we had more big chances created, more big chances missed, we had more corners.

“In each and every aspect we were the better side today, but football is decided by goals.”

What did Frank say?

He said: “(I’m) extremely happy with the win. I think if you want to build any successful team, you need mentality and character and cohesion and togetherness, no matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play. You need that willingness to do everything to win. I think we are building that more and more in the team.

“I actually think that until the 80th Minute, I’m very happy with those 80 minutes. You know, give and take, I felt we looked very solid defensively. I think we gave the goal away, which is like a cross/deflected shot. Of course, I know they hit the post, but I think it looks more dangerous than it is. That’s what we gave away until the 80th minute, but I think we created two goals, and other very good and dangerous situations and chances. So very happy with that, and then we need a little bit of surviving and a couple of good saves from Vicario.

“I think 14 points in seven is two on average, that’s very good. I’m extremely happy that we are now on the road, won three and a draw, which I think that’s part of that; if you want to achieve anything, you need to do that. So overall, a good start. But, yeah, we need to continue.

What next for Leeds?

Saturday, October 18: Burnley (Away), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET

What next for Spurs?

Sunday, October 19: Aston Villa (Home), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou says he does not allow pressure or speculation about his future to “enter my head” and insists his focus is on reviving the fortunes of Nottingham Forest.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager heads to Newcastle United on Sunday still looking for the first win of his tenure after six games in charge at the City Ground.

It represents the worst start of any Forest manager over the past 100 years — and defeat to Danish side Midtjylland in the Europa League last night saw Postecoglou come under fire from his own fans, just 24 days after taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo.

Postecoglou pointed out that he still managed to lead Tottenham to winning the Europa League last season, even when he knew he was going to be dismissed by the north London club.

“I get it. I think it’s a valid assumption in modern football that there’s always a manager under pressure. That’s just part and parcel of what we do,” he told a press conference on Friday.

“I don’t think that way. Put it this way, I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but it didn’t stop me winning something.

“It doesn’t enter my head. My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things.”

Postecoglou says he will ignore any speculation over his future in the same way as he did at Celtic and Tottenham.

“If I start worrying about what’s going to happen next week, then I’m not performing the role I’ve been given. I just don’t think that’s helpful to anyone,” he said. “The things I control are the environment, training and the way we play. I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.”

Postecoglou faced chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from his own fans at the City Ground on Thursday.

“I don’t like sending messages to fans,” he added. “They love their football club and are obviously disappointed with the way things are going at the moment and disappointed with last night.

“The one thing I can do is fulfil the responsibility I have to get the team out there to change our fortunes. If we do that, then I’m sure the fans will be happier with everything.”

(Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

When Tottenham Hotspur announced their starting line-up for last week’s 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup, most observers assumed Archie Gray would partner Kevin Danso in central defence.

Gray, who joined Spurs from Leeds United in July 2024 for around £30million ($40m at current rates), made 46 appearances last season, mainly in different roles across the back four due to a prolonged injury crisis. However, against Doncaster, it was Joao Palhinha who slotted in at centre-back, giving Gray a rare chance in his preferred position of central midfield.

The 19-year-old showed strength and skill on the ball while his driving runs created space for his team-mates. After coming off the bench against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, Gray’s shot forced Jostein Gundersen’s 89th-minute own goal that salvaged a crucial point. Opportunities have been limited under new head coach Thomas Frank but he has shown glimpses of his potential.

This weekend, Gray returns to play at Elland Road, where three generations of his family have represented Leeds, for the first time since he left in the summer of 2024. He will be reunited with Daniel Farke, the head coach who gave him his senior debut at 17. There is a slim chance he might even face his younger brother Harry, who has been named on Leeds’ bench twice this season but is struggling with a hip issue picked up in an under-21s game on Monday.

But Leeds supporters who watched Gray outperform far more experienced opponents when he was a skinny teenager in the Championship will be wondering why he is not yet an integral part of Tottenham’s starting XI.

Early last summer, Brentford thought they were about to complete a club-record deal to sign Gray. He had been impressed by their detailed three-year development plan, and Brentford’s recruitment department thought Gray possessed the qualities to become a world-class deep-lying midfielder. They wanted him to learn from Denmark international Christian Norgaard. Gray would spend his first two seasons as a more advanced midfielder in west London, where he was promised a significant amount of playing time, before succeeding Norgaard, now at Arsenal.

Gray underwent a medical and held conversations about where he would live. Frank was in charge of Brentford and gave the move his blessing, but Spurs swooped in. Members of Gray’s family support Celtic, who won five trophies in two seasons under Ange Postecoglou. The Australian manager joined Tottenham in 2023 and helped convince Gray to join. They only worked together for a year before Postecoglou was sacked, but he had huge faith in Gray.

The building pressure on Postecoglou added to a slightly bizarre debut season for Gray. It ended with a Europa League winner’s medal but Gray regularly found himself playing at centre-back due to the long-term injuries suffered by Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. He started 19 times in the league, recording 1,743 minutes across 28 appearances. He was a young player unfairly exposed in an unfamiliar position surrounded by underperforming team-mates.

Gray was slightly overshadowed by Lucas Bergvall, another teenager who arrived in the summer of 2024. Bergvall’s performances in the second half of last season earned him a place in the starting XI, which he has retained under Frank. The Sweden international never looked back after scoring against Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. It feels like Gray is still waiting for his lift-off moment.

“I haven’t lost sight of the fact that we’ve got two 18-year-olds, one who’s playing at centre back, it’s not even his position,” Postecoglou said after Spurs beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Carabao Cup in January.

“I just don’t think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us. And in a position (Gray’s) never played. Name me another Premier League team that’s got two 18-year-olds and one playing out of position consistently.

“I’m so happy they’re at our football club and in two or three years, I just pray to God I’m the beneficiary of their talent, mate, because if somebody else is getting it, I won’t be happy.”

Gray played in midfield on a couple of occasions towards the end of last season, including in defeats against Fulham and Liverpool, but looked risk-averse in possession. In all the emotion of Son Heung-min’s final game for Spurs over the summer, Gray’s assured performance as a central midfielder in the pre-season friendly against Newcastle United was overlooked. He snapped into challenges and powerfully carried the ball. He was confident and unafraid to battle with Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

After Spurs returned from their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea, they signed Palhinha on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Bayern Munich. The Portugal international represents another obstacle in Gray’s path, but there is a growing debate about whether he should start against teams when Spurs dominate possession.

Gray’s other positional rivals are Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. Bergvall is forging an excellent relationship with Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Porro down the right wing while Sarr quickly established himself as Frank’s favourite.

Bentancur and Bissouma have both entered the final year of their contracts, although The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Bentancur is close to agreeing a long-term deal. Bissouma, meanwhile, was left at home for the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain due to persistent lateness, then suffered an injury in training and was not registered in Spurs’ Champions League squad. He is probably the only senior central midfielder who Gray is above in the pecking order.

Gray started alongside Bergvall and Sarr in Spurs’ 3-0 victory over Burnley on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign but a few weeks later, he was dropped from their squad entirely for the trip to West Ham United. Does he deserve more game time? Or can his peaks and troughs be attributed to the natural path of a young player’s development?

“I like flexible players, every coach likes that,” Frank said before the 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. “It gives more squad depth and different abilities for different games. I see him more as a midfielder or a centre-back, he can play both.”

“Sometimes you need that run of games, like Lucas, and you take the next steps. Archie really impressed me. He played a very good pre-season friendly against Newcastle and he really grew into the game against Burnley. He was not in the squad for West Ham and the next day he trained fantastically.

“He does the bit I like from a midfielder, where he can twist and turn to go forward, he is very mobile and reliable. Unfortunately, you can only play 11. Can we change the rules? Get a few more on the pitch, that would help.”

Gray has made five appearances this season in midfield. Has his progress been helped or harmed by covering multiple positions? The Athletic asked Frank last month if versatile players should eventually focus on one role and the head coach spoke about how “modern football is much more flexible now”.

“When you see players perform at their best, most likely they play in one position,” he said. “Although these days centre-backs also play as full-backs and some midfielders play No 10 (attacking midfield) and sometimes No 6 (deeper). When they go towards their peak, that is when they should settle into a position.”

Recent cameos suggest Gray might be more suited to a box-to-box midfield role. In the second half against Glimt, his runs into the right-hand channel stretched the opposition’s defence. He played an exceptional first-time pass against Brighton that led to Kudus having an opportunity to score in stoppage time.

Gray’s talent is there for everybody to see but working out the best way to harness it is proving to be an awkward challenge. Leeds fans will be hoping that he does not break their hearts and score his first senior goal on Saturday.

(Top photo: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur are confident in reaching an agreement with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur over a new contract.

Bentancur’s existing deal had been due to expire in the summer of 2026.

The Uruguay international, 28, has made nine appearances in all competitions this season, starting eight of his side’s 10 matches under new head coach Thomas Frank.

Bentancur has made 122 appearances for the club since joining from Juventus in January 2022, either side of nine months out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2023.

He would become the latest Spurs player to commit his future to the club after captain Cristian Romero signed a new four-year deal in August.

Bentancur was an important figure in Tottenham’s Europa League success last season as Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy. He played the full 90 minutes in both quarter-final and semi-final legs and in the victory over Manchester United in the final.

In November, he was banned for seven matches by the Football Association (FA) after making a racist comment about team-mate Son Heung-min, for which he later apologised.

Asked about Bentancur’s future during a September press conference, Frank said: “I’m very happy with Rodri. He’s been a very good player for us, a top professional in every aspect. I’m happy with him, he’s happy with being here. I know that for a fact. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the future.”

Spurs strengthened in midfield in the summer with the loan addition of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, with the deal including an option to make the transfer permanent for €30million (£25.9m, $34.2m) at the end of the season.

Fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma is also out of contract in the summer and is yet to feature this season. He was left out of the UEFA Super Cup final squad due to timekeeping issues and has since been sidelined with an injury sustained in training.

‘Bentancur contract reflects midfielder’s growing importance’ – analysis

Bentancur had a disrupted start to last season with Spurs. The Uruguay international suffered two separate concussions and was suspended by the FA for seven games for making a racist comment about Son.

After Christmas, he became then head coach Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice defensive midfielder. Bentancur started all of their games in the knockout stages of the Europa League, apart from the second leg of their last 16 tie against AZ Alkmaar, and played a key role in the final.

Bentancur and Bissouma both entered the final year of their contracts in the summer. Bentancur impressed Frank during the pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea. Bissouma was dropped from the UEFA Super Cup squad for persistent timekeeping issues and has missed all of their games since through injury. It became clear that Frank favoured Bentancur and this new contract will recognise his growing importance.

It is crucial for Spurs that they retain their best players as the squad continues to evolve under Frank. They have a young core but Bentancur and Romero’s contract extensions mean they can rely on two of their most experienced players.

The long-term plan might be for Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to permanently take over from Bentancur and Joao Palhinha but for now the latter are valuable members of the starting XI.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)