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Football's use of data has skyrocketed in recent years. It's used in the recruitment process, to analyse player performance and identify opposition weaknesses, to aid injury prevention and risk, and much more besides. The data revolution is here, and it's here to stay.

But, Marc Skinner, who has overseen a near-perfect start to Manchester United's Women's Super League campaign - winning two from two, with two clean sheets - takes more of an empirical view.

"Numbers are good for review, but I like to analyse the rhythm of a game," he says from Manchester United's Carrington base, ahead of facing Tottenham live on Sky Sports on Sunday.

"Anyone can read a stat, but there is so much context, and so data gives us a concept but it doesn't account for human contact. Human behaviour is the biggest driving force."

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Skinner believes crunching the numbers can only be helpful alongside a first-hand account - which caters for the 'why'. Analysing Manchester United's expected goals (xG) value for example, without the wider xNarrative is, to him, not much use at all. And it got us thinking.

So, we asked Skinner to wrap the context around some eye-catching numbers in an exclusive feature that looks at Manchester United's best tactical weapons, and how they can be used to help create a winning formula on a more consistent basis this term.

*data range is from the start of the 2023-24 season until present day unless stated otherwise

Laying traps

Manchester United have scored a league-high nine goals following a high turnover since the start of last season, and as Skinner explains, the devil is in the detail.

An average of 14.6 high turnovers per game actually ranks fourth in the league, but it's goal-ending high turnovers where United excel against their competition.

"I'm a big believer in not letting an opponent dictate anything in games. My style is not to let anybody take advantage, on or off the field - you have to stamp your authority," he says.

"It's about trapping the opponent, identifying the weak point and getting after it. We all know that winning the ball high means you've got less work to do to score.

"When I started out at Birmingham City I was all about possession, but you learn and grow, and also the game has changed since then. In modern football, we're evolving to the point where teams want to go one for one in the press, which I'd love to do but it's very pressurised.

"We try to suffocate and most of the time it works, but every detail matters: body shape, areas to trap and trigger points all play a vital part."

Pack mentality

Only Arsenal (9.5), and by a fractional amount, allow fewer passes per defensive action than Man Utd (9.6). PPDA tends to be a good measure of the effectiveness and intensity of a team's ability to press.

United are set up to get after teams, but balancing risk with reward is crucial.

Committing five players to a frontline press, as illustrated by United's average positions against West Ham in the graphic below, means the pressure against the ball has to be a precise mechanism.

"This is Manchester United, we have to attack, including when you don't have the ball. It's built in our DNA," Skinner explains. "But teams are getting better at the mid-defensive block, so it's harder to break down.

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"The language we use is a mid-block press, because the word 'block' can be passive, and that causes a negative domino effect. You jump late, she jumps late, the space is still there to hurt you.

"So when we press we call it a 'hunt', it's not about simply winning the ball back, you have to win it and be able to see options. When we hunt we do it in packs for that reason."

This season (albeit a very small data set), Manchester United have won two games and scored four goals while taking the fewest touches of the ball of any side in the league (1,325).

Importance of unpredictability

Skinner's style calls for both aggression and patience, which sounds conflicting, but the right blend can be used to pick teams off whether you have a majority share of the ball or not. Flexing between direct and more measured build-up holds an obvious advantage.

Only Manchester City have scored more goals (11) following a sequence of 10+ passes than Manchester United (6).

For context, champions Chelsea, whose approach under Emma Hayes was less about fixed philosophy and more about an ability to adapt to any opponent, have scored two such goals.

"Most of my players play inside the team shape," Skinner says, "because there is greater chance of turning the ball over, but it means when we win the ball, you have to get out of pressure zone because it's a crowded space - if you don't there's no advantage.

"We're built in a structure but I really like the mix. We don't call it patterns of play, you can't pattern human beings, we give options and train players to make good decisions.

"There are usually four or five decisions you could make on a football field in any one moment, and if we can actively do the majority of them, how does an opponent stop that? It keeps teams guessing.

"The biggest compliment any opposition manager can pay me is to say: 'I just don't know what you're going to do.'"

Super Ella Toone

Skinner is unsurprised to learn that only five midfielders/forwards received more passes than Ella Toone's 700 last season. No player in the league received more through balls.

And only four received more forward passes than Toone's 340.

The No 7 shifts seamlessly between the left half-space and the central pockets, and is the WSL's highest-ranking attacking midfielder for goal contributions (10), and second-highest for chances created behind Aston Villa's Kenza Dali in the period.

"I'd like that number to be 1,400 passes," says Skinner. "I call her the 'Angel of the North', because she's constantly stood with her arms out saying, 'give me the ball'. I want us to be able to find the pockets better to unlock Tooney.

"She's such an important part of this team, but there are factors we can accelerate - when receiving the ball on the half turn, how many times does she take a touch forwards rather than a touch backwards, for example.

"And we can help her to open the pitch up more, too, by changing the way we get the ball to her. Can we get her facing forwards? We can be bolder and braver with Ella because of her quality."

Growing influence of Clinton

Grace Clinton spent the whole of last season on loan at Tottenham, and will line up against Robert Vilahamn's side for the first time since returning to Manchester United on Sunday.

She was a huge hit at Spurs, playing her way into the England fold as a result, and on Sunday, has the opportunity to become the first Manchester United player to score in each of her first three WSL appearances.

The 21-year-old also excels at collecting forward passes, ranking marginally behind Toone (332), but it's her defensive improvement that has caught Skinner's eye.

"The whole reason we sent Grace on loan was to come back and be a starting player for us," he says. "We identified her potential at 16 because of the way she sees the game, but because she's so good at possessing the football, she forgets to defend.

"My first principle is everyone on the pitch has to defend, so she had to learn that part of the game. She's still growing back into us and yet she's scored twice already. I want to be patient with her, but she's going to be so bright for the future of Manchester United."

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Jonathan Owens digs into his pocket and proudly pulls out a miniature model of Big Ben, the newest prized souvenir on his European road trip. He can't quite recall the name of the weirdly-famous clock in his hand, but he is excited.

His next souvenir? A Chicago Bears win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he hopes.

The Bears safety is back across the pond having spent his summer watching wife Simone Biles clinch her fifth, sixth and seventh Olympic gymnastics gold medals at the Paris Games, where he had been pictured diligently keeping score in the crowd.

"Paris was amazing," Owens tells Sky Sports. "That was my actually my second time to Europe. But I was actually able to have a chance to just be in the culture, explore the city.

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"It was amazing seeing everything and obviously getting a chance to watch the Olympics was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"And you know, my wife was the star of the show. I just felt like I was spoiled, I got VIP treatment around there and really got the chance to see the city, experience the art, the culture, the history of Paris. It was amazing."

This weekend, the attention turns to Owens in what marks his second trip to London as Matt Eberflus' Chicago outfit, led by No 1 pick quarterback Caleb Williams, seek their fourth win of the campaign.

Down time tends to be limited for players upon their arrival in the UK, though merely being here is enough for Owens.

"It's a pretty amazing experience," he continues. "I'm pretty familiar with just the travel and getting accommodated to everything, so this is pretty exciting to come and play in front of an international crowd and to continue expanding football around the world.

"The shopping is pretty dope. You have to keep the main thing (the game) as the main thing here, but you get to experience a little bit so that would be nice. Honestly, my favourite part is being in the culture.

"It's so different, you hear everyone's accent, you walk around and see these historic buildings. I was always a big history guy in school so I like seeing all the buildings."

Owens features as part of a Bears defense ranked among the league's best so far this season, and a secondary with a third-most 11 takeaways on the year, including interceptions from five different players.

Eberflus and Eric Washington have been precise and particular in their use of the blitz, leaning on a four-man rush like all efficient modern defenses while putting their defensive backs in position to feast.

"I think it's just been everyone being on the same page," said Owens of Chicago's success. And everyone really being able to trust each other, it's about going out there making plays. We brought a lot of good guys in this offseason and just continue to build that culture, everybody has meshed well and I'm excited to see it again Sunday."

Familiar foes await for Owens on Sunday having previously faced the Jaguars twice a season during his three years with the Houston Texans from 2019-2022.

His Bears will be spearheaded by rookie quarterback Williams, who, like counterpart Trevor Lawrence, had been touted a consensus No 1 overall draft pick since the beginning of his footballing journey. Having endured a slow start customary to every rookie play-caller, Williams is coming off his best performance of the season after throwing for 304 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers.

"He's handling this seamlessly," said Owens. "You come in, you're the number one quarterback, you have all these expectations, everybody has an opinion on social media and man, he's handled it with grace. And he will just continue to get better.

"Every week, that's all you can ask for. I'm excited to see him come out and put his talents on display again.

"Everybody saw last week, but we've been seeing it in practice, it was just all about putting everything together. So we're we're excited to watch it."

In addition to the introduction of Williams came the offseason arrival of Keenan Allen and D'Andre Swift to bolster one of the strongest groups of offensive weapons a rookie quarterback could wish for. With that came heightened expectations and visions of a new era of contention for the Bears in the coming years.

They enter Sunday's matchup 3-2 and third in the NFC North having beaten the Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams over the last two weeks.

"This is where we expected to be, in a position where we're competing," said Owens. "We're in a pretty tough division, so every game counts. This is what you work for, so it's exciting that the work you're putting in is showing on the field.

"We want to make sure we create that winning culture this year. We have got the guys to do it, have the coaches to do it."

The 2024 NFL London games continue, Jayden Daniels resumes his scintillating rise, the New York Jets start life without Robert Saleh and the Drake Maye era begins in New England. We look ahead to Week Six...

Editor's note...

Yes, Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence are in town. And yes, Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson are poised for fireworks. But first allow us to introduce you to the sibling rivalry you have never heard of!

Brother and sister collide as the NFL London games continue at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend. Ashton Washington arrives in town as the Chicago Bears' Player Personnel Coordinator and Parker Washington features among Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars' wide receiver options.

Sure, they will not meet on the field, but it is another feel-good sub-plot to the league's annual UK business trip, and fuel to bragging rights come festive family get-togethers. Ashton had made NFL history in August 2021 when she was hired by the Bears as the first full-time female scout following an internship with the organisation.

From a sibling storm to the real storm disrupting America. Hurricane Milton, the victims of which our thoughts go out to, has proven a major thorn to preparations for sports teams in Florida, forcing the Jaguars to delay their flight to London and seeing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers relocate to New Orleans ahead of their matchup with the Saints. As a result, the Jaguars rescheduled their media day from Friday to Saturday, introducing a new logistical challenge to a London game week, not to mention a fierce test to sleep patterns.

It is in New Orleans where an on-field storm potentially beckons as Saints cornerback Marshon and Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans reignite their long-time feud, which has seen the duo clash on three separate occasions over recent years. Rarely in the modern era does the league see such a rivalry of intense dislike continue, the two teasing their own NHL-esque segment of spite-filled fury.

Evans, who has been ejected once and faced two one-game suspensions for his altercations with Lattimore, admitted this week he could have suppressed his emotions better.

"Long as, you know, it's within the play,'' said Evans. "I've done a bad job in the past of making it go over the play when I shouldn't have. But I'm more mature now and our team is focused on playing winning ball, and you can't play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that. But I definitely want to have that fire and be physical and a little chirping never hurts. But you definitely have got to be smart. You can't play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that."

The Jets have incited a storm of their own following the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh, the social media sphere pondering Aaron Rodgers' potential role in the decision and the four-time MVP quarterback strongly quashing said claims. And, of course, the first head coaching vacancy of the season has resurfaced the question over where Bill Belichick might land... a quarter of a century after he penned his Jets resignation on a napkin.

Tottenham will play stage to its 10th regular-season game this weekend as Williams and Lawrence meet in a duel of two quarterbacks touted as consensus No 1 picks since childhood, before rookie sensation Daniels goes toe-to-toe with Super Bowl-chasing Baltimore. Elsewhere a limping Philadephia Eagles defense face the perfect get-well game against a shoddy Cleveland Browns offense, for whom the end of Deshaun Watson's days as starter feel in sight, while Sean Payton's Denver Broncos seek an unforeseen four-game win streak and the Houston Texans look to cope without their star wide receiver.

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Neil Reynolds, Phoebe Schecter and NFL Daily's Gregg Rosenthal look ahead to the NFL's Week Six fixtures and make their predictions...

Around the league

The biggest news of the week came in New York as the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh following the team's defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in London, with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich taking over as interim head coach before stripping offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of play-calling duties and handing them over to Todd Downing.

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye is set to make his first career start against the Houston Texans, taking over from Jacoby Brissett.

The Texans placed the NFL's leading receiver Nico Collins on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games due to a hamstring issue.

Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start for the Saints against the Buccaneers in place of the injured Derek Carr.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is out indefinitely following surgery on a foot injury

The Buccaneers relocated to New Orleans while the Jaguars delayed their arrival into London as a result of Hurricane Milton.

The New York Giants ruled out wide receiver Malik Nabers against the Cincinnati Bengals due to his recent concussion.

What to watch in Week Six

Sunday, 2.30pm - Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) @ Chicago Bears (3-2): Matt Eberflus' Bears defense ranks among the best and most efficient through five weeks this season, within which has been a starring role for Andrew Billings. The veteran defensive tackle, who signed with the Bears in March 2023, arrived primarily as a run-stuffing asset for Chicago's frontline, but has exceeded that value this season with key contributions as a club-and-swim pass rusher on the interior, as well as even dropping into coverage and hustling sideline-to-sideline against the Carolina Panthers last week. Eric Washington has put an emphasis on the importance of a four-man rush, the success of which has been matched by one of the NFL's top secondaries. The Bears are ranked third in the league with 11 takeaways this season, with five different players having recorded interceptions, though faces challenges this week with starting corner Tyrique Stevenson and starting safety Jaquan Brisker both ruled out.

Spirits have meanwhile been lifted in Jacksonville after Doug Pederson's side ended their winless start to the campaign by holding on to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week Five. Trevor Lawrence had his best game of the year by throwing for 371 yards and two touchdowns, while again the spotlight turned to standout rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr as he managed a season-high five catches for 122 yards and a score. More signs of life for the Jags offense came courtesy of running back Tank Bigsby, who put up 13 carries for 101 yards and two scores while taking on the bulk of the workload amid Travis Etienne's return to full fitness.

Sunday, 6pm - Washington Commanders (4-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-2): It could not be set up more beautifully. Two electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels and two of the NFL's most potent and sophisticated rushing attacks. The Ravens arrived ranked No 1 in rushing offense this season thanks to 572 yards on the ground from Derrick Henry alongside 363 from Jackson through five weeks, while the Commanders are ranked No 2 thanks to almost 888 combined yards from Daniels, Brian Robinson Jr, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols. With the presence of Jackson-Henry and Daniels-Robinson backfield tandems comes a nightmare for defensive keys as they seek to decipher not only the intended ball carrier but also the run-pass design. That being said, Baltimore's defense is ranked No 1 against the run in comparison to a Commanders down in 21st.

Sunday, 9.25pm - Detroit Lions (3-1) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-2): Running the rock could remain a theme into the 9.25pm kickoff, live on Sky Sports. Ben Johnson continues to have a blast with his Detroit Lions offense, which only seems to be gathering momentum by the week after a slow start by its 2023 standards. Detroit's rushing offense is ranked seventh in the league in yards and third in rush EPA behind its two-pronged attack Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery as they prepare to face a Cowboys defense 10th-worst against the run. Dallas meanwhile continue their hunt for greater production outside of the obvious candidate in CeeDee Lamb, with Jalen Tolbert beginning to answer that call with a team-high seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown in the absence of Brandin Cooks against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sunday Night Football, 1.20am - Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) @ New York Giants (2-3): Come on down, Dexter Lawrence! The New York Giants nose tackle can never be spoken about enough, for while his team may be a chasm away from contention Lawrence remains one of the NFL's elite interior defensive forces. He reminded as much with three sacks against the Seattle Seahawks in Week Five, lifting his tally on the year to a tied-second-most in the league behind only Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson. Success in the trenches was mirrored on the Giants offensive line (something of a rarity), with Jermaine Eluemunor continuing his fine start to the season having recorded the most pass-blocking snaps with zero sacks allowed among all offensive tackles.

Little has gone the way of Cincinnati so far this season. They rank fourth in the league in scoring offense, having seen Joe Burrow throw five touchdown passes while connecting with an ignited Ja'Marr Chase for 193 yards and two scores against the Ravens in Week Five, only to lose 41-38 in overtime as they fell to 1-4. Their problems lie on a defense allowing 29 points per game, second most in the league behind only the Carolina Panthers. Such has been their inability to stop opponents, the Bengals defenders called a players-only meeting earlier this week, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Monday Night Football, 1.15am - Buffalo Bills (3-2) @ New York Jets (2-3): Quiet week in New York, said nobody ever. If there was already a spotlight shining on the Aaron Rodgers era with the Jets, then it just got a whole lot more blinding in the wake of Saleh's shock firing. Perplexity over Saleh's dismissal largely stemmed from the reality that HIS defense ranked second in total yards, second in passing, 14th in rushing and seventh in scoring as one of the league's best units - in contrast a Rodgers and Hackett offense ranked bottom 10 in total yards, rushing and scoring. Brian Flores put Rodgers and the Jets in a blender on the Tottenham turf last week, and yet with that came a fine day for Garrett Wilson as he led the team with 13 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Five weeks in, it feels about time the Jets started to see more from Mike Williams, who remains a problem for any defender stuck on an island one-on-one with the former Los Angeles Chargers man.

Josh Allen and the Bills are seeking another spike of their own in offensive production, which after some early promise has declined in the face of stronger opposition of late. They have slumped to 25th in passing offense heading into Sunday, Allen managing just nine of 30 for 131 yards and a touchdown in their defeat to the Texans last time out, during which Khalil Shakir's absence was felt.

Who said what?

Lamar Jackson on comparisons between himself and Jayden Daniels: "He's his own player, he's his own man, at the end of the day. We're just trying to make a name for ourselves, not anyone else."

Bears wide receiver DJ Moore on quarterback Caleb Williams: "He's been bossy lately, telling us that we need to be on the details. What I mean by bossy is, we don't hit something in practice, he's going to tell us how we need to run it. We just look at him and be like 'OK.' When we get out there in the game, you just better make sure it works because he's going to have some words for you if you don't. That's him being a leader."

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaking on The Pat McAfee Show following Robert Saleh's firing: "As far as any of the ridiculous allegations out there, I'm not going to spend more than one sentence in response to it, and that is I resent any of those accusations because they're patently false. It's interesting the amount of power people think I have, which I don't. But I love Robert."

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on continuing to get back to full strength after his wrist injury: "I would say I'm still not quite throwing it the way that I would like. I'm making good decisions, I'm putting the ball where I want to. I still think there's another level of improvement I can get to coming back from injury on ball rotation and spin rate and all that."

Jets owner Woody Johnson's message to Haason Reddick amid edge rusher's holdout: "Haason, get in your car, drive down (I-)95 and come to the New York Jets, and we can meet you and give you an escort right in the building, and you'll fit right in and you're going to love it here and you're going to feel welcome and you're going to accomplish great things with us."

The stats

With a rushing touchdown against the Commanders on Sunday Ravens running back Derrick Henry will become the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to score a rushing touchdown in each of his team's first six games of a season

Bills quarterback Josh Allen needs just seven rushing yards on Monday to surpass Cam Newton for the fourth-most by a quarterback in his first 100 games in NFL history

Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans is one touchdown catch away from becoming the fifth player in NFL history to reach 100 career touchdown receptions in his first 11 seasons - joining Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens

The New York Giants defense enter Week Six leading the NFL with 22 sacks through five weeks

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is the first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 passing yards (1,135) and 250 rushing yards (300) in his team's first five games of a season

The San Francisco 49ers' Deebo Samuel made history in Thursday's win over the Seattle Seahawks as the first wide receiver ever to reach 20 touchdown receptions and 20 rushing touchdowns

Essential reading

Next Mahomes? The NFL's No 1 pick ready to light up London

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How Tottenham Hotspur Stadium became the NFL's perfect home from home

There is that old 'you'll know' adage when it comes to the house-hunting process, the instant feel of belonging within a property ticking all the natural light, double-glazing and downstairs bathroom boxes - maybe even a kitchen island if you are extra plush. The NFL knew it had found its house, and didn't waste any time in making it a home.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become the league's forever home of sorts, offering a retractable pitch and spacious locker rooms fit for hundreds of pounds of footballing brawn as its double-glazing box tickers, while sweetening the deal with a tourist-privy Skywalk as its conversation-piece kitchen island.

The powers that be have since also renovated with the instillation of a Formula 1-backed go-kart experience underneath the stadium. The house-warming party began in October 2019 and, nine NFL games later, refuses to turn down the music.

Sky Sports NFL editor Cam Hogwood looks at the rise of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the NFL's official home in the UK...

London is purple! How the NFL's Vikings took over the UK

Is London red or blue? Arsenal and Chelsea fans may have wandered into the capital last weekend to realise it is a concoction of the two (we see you, art teachers!) For London is, in fact, purple - and so too, perhaps, is the UK.

How the NFL and its teams measure success can vary according to preference. Swarming four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers on the way to victory over the New York Jets at a sold-out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium leaves a lasting impression.

But convincing beautifully-grumpy, greeting-repellent Londoners to partake in SKOL chanting at 10am is quite the feat. Some may say miracle.

Sky Sports NFL editor Cam Hogwood explores Minnesota's London takeover, on and off the field...

NFL London 2024 games: All you need to know

The wait is over and the 2024 NFL London games are here! Here is your quick guide to one of the biggest months on the UK sporting calendar...

A star-studded cast of Aaron Rodgers, Justin Jefferson, Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence will cross the pond this month as the league continues its dramatic start to the 2024 campaign in the capital at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Read all you need to know about the 2024 NFL London games...

NFL Fantasy Football: Who to pick up in Week Six?

From JuJu Smith-Schuster's big day out for the Kansas City Chiefs to a London-bound Tank in Jacksonville, we look at some of the NFL's top Fantasy Football waiver wire targets ahead of Week Six in the 2024 season...

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There is that old 'you'll know' adage when it comes to the house-hunting process, the instant feel of belonging within a property ticking all the natural light, double-glazing and downstairs bathroom boxes - maybe even a kitchen island if you are extra plush. The NFL knew it had found its house, and didn't waste any time in making it a home.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become the league's forever home of sorts, offering a retractable pitch and spacious locker rooms fit for hundreds of pounds of footballing brawn as its double-glazing box tickers, while sweetening the deal with a tourist-privy Skywalk as its conversation-piece kitchen island.

The powers that be have since also renovated with the instillation of a Formula 1-backed go-kart experience underneath the stadium. The house-warming party began in October 2019 and, nine NFL games later, refuses to turn down the music.

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"We're looking to create that mini Super Bowl in London whenever we play here," says NFL UK general manager Henry Hodgson. "Tottenham Hotspur Stadium helps us do that."

Tottenham will play stage to its 10th NFL regular season game this weekend when Caleb Williams' Chicago Bears and Trevor Lawrence's Jacksonville Jaguars face off in a blockbuster duel of No 1-pick quarterbacks destined for stardom since childhood, live on Sky Sports.

It comes a week after 61,139 fans pitched up to watch the Minnesota Vikings extend their perfect start to 5-0 with victory over Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets, a consequence of which being the headline firing of head coach Robert Saleh.

"We had the Vikings and the Jets playing on this field yesterday. That was the warm-up game. Now we have girls from five countries in Europe playing flag football here at Tottenham. This is the main event," said Afia Law, NFL head of international flag football development.

Law was speaking at Monday's inaugural NFL Flag Continental Series: Europe tournament, where Spain girls emerged victorious after beating Austria 13-0 in the final on the same field graced by Justin Jefferson and Rodgers 24 hours earlier.

The NFL's annual games at Tottenham remain the chief festivity for UK football fans, while also serving as the fancy skylight to the league's community initiatives, push for diverse participation and mission to expand the game overseas.

"It does feel like home," Law continued. "We're here every year. We're not just playing NFL games here, we're doing things like international flag football tournaments. It's something that is so special.

"It's not just about the NFL game anymore, we have programmes giving young people the opportunity to play our game and to play at Tottenham. It is a chance to see the young talent around the world and it's incredible."

Tottenham has become both an amphitheatre for double-doinking drama and Brian Flores blitz clinics, as well as the Harrods-at-Christmas shop window for the growth of football, all of which posing as a culmination of the league's commitment to the UK and a defining relationship with Spurs.

"The vision came together for this to be a multi-purpose stadium for Tottenham Hotspur primarily, but also for the NFL," Hodgson continued. "To have our field here, to have our locker rooms here, to have a base here, and because of that it means we do all these things like flag programmes and our games.

"We have everything we need for it to be super successful and it's testament to the vision. It was really the understanding that, as we look to expand what we're doing in the UK from playing London Games maybe once a year, to thinking how we really put roots down into this.

"One of the things we wanted to do is make sure we have a stadium that had everything we wanted and that was a great venue for us to play NFL games in, but this is just now a different level and the partnership we have had with Spurs has been incredible."

This represents the 17th year that a regular-season game has been played in London since the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in the inaugural matchup back in 2007, the only omission having been 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The league had been unsuccessful in its bid to secure use of the Olympic Stadium following the 2012 Games, before agreeing a 10-year deal with Tottenham in July 2015 to stage at least two London games per year at their new stadium from 2019 onwards.

That partnership was extended through the 2029/30 season last September as Tottenham was awarded the title as the official home of the NFL in the UK.

"Spurs have been on board since day one," said Hodgson. "It was a shared vision for Tottenham to create this incredible facility that could be shared by the NFL.

"I think through the process there have been some learning experiences on both sides, but it's a true partnership and there are lots of pieces to it as we look to grow our brand and they equally look to grow the Tottenham brand."

In its short existence Tottenham has not only played host to regular-season games, but also opened its doors to the International Player Pathway Scouting Combine - which secured opportunities in the league for the likes of Adedayo Odeleye and Ayo Oyelola - as well as matchups between the Loughborough-based NFL Academy and US opposition under the Tuesday night lights over back-to-back years.

The Academy returned to action this week as head coach Steve Hagen's team were beaten 31-9 by Californian High School De La Salle in front of more than 1,000 spectators, before which defensive back Arthur de Boachie and edge rusher Kevin Bentin announced their commitment to respective D1 colleges Boise State and Long Island from the stadium's home locker room.

Such had been the value of exposure at Tottenham in 2023 that multiple players received offers from Campbell University immediately after the win over Erasmus Hall. Lives, quite literally, have been changed on the Tottenham turf.

"We are bookended by two NFL games at the stadium, with a flag football tournament for young ladies and the Academy game in between," said three-time Super Bowl-winning former New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli. "The commitment that the NFL has made, the commitment that the UK has made and that Tottenham has made to the NFL is genuine.

"I watched the game against Erasmus Hall on my phone from New York this time last year."

Tottenham has provided both a dream window into the Academy and the unprecedented route to college football that it entails, as well as raising awareness of the talent across Europe and beyond, including Osi Umenyiora's Uprise Academy and its athletes in Africa.

"It's not only good for the NFL, but good for the players and their families," Pioli continued. "I've watched some of these players come through NFL Africa and Germany and the way things like the International Player Pathway has impacted their lives from a financial perspective is genuinely heart-warming.

"This stadium is fantastic and I've been to so many events here like the IPP combine that we've had. It's a fabulous stadium, I love the energy in the games.

"I wish more Americans could see this facility and all the things that happen here."

In another first, former Vikings defensive end Jared Allen and Giants legend Umenyiora became the first two inductees into the NFL London Games Ring of Honour during a special ceremony on the field at half-time of Sunday's game between the Jets and Vikings.

It became the latest beacon of Tottenham's role at the heart of football in the UK and its power to bridge the transatlantic gap, two of the league's finest edge rushers joined by their families as they made history right here in London.

Before the game Allen had led the SKOL chanting around the stadium as well as sounding the gjallarhorn to a sea of purple jerseys as Minnesota took over the city.

"I was laughing, we could be at U.S. Bank Stadium. This looks like a Vikings home game," said Allen. "You're seeing people come across the pond for the first time and their excuse is to watch a football game. I don't even know if this was anticipated but the value of football over here has escalated for sure."

As game 10 arrives, it feels a meaningful moment for the NFL and its connection to Tottenham, where an ever-raucous atmosphere, continued innovation and an all-eyes-on-us platform beyond the games themselves combines to form a powerhouse of footballing synergy and progression.

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