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Tottenham have announced that defender Djed Spence has signed a new contract which will run until 2028.

Spence, 24, joined Spurs for an initial £12.5m from Middlesbrough in 2022 but has struggled to break into the first team and has made just 10 appearances for the club.

The former England Under-21 international has had loan spells at Leeds, Rennes and Genoa in recent seasons but has featured four times under Ange Postecoglou so far this campaign.

Spence scored his first Tottenham goal in September's 2-1 Carabao Cup first round win at Coventry.

What do you make of the news, Spurs fans?

And where does Spence fit into Postecoglou's plans going forward?

It is both a blessing and a curse that Tottenham face West Ham this weekend.

After their abject second half at Brighton, Spurs fans have spent the international break grinding their teeth in frustration, despite a decent run of form that preceded the game at Amex Stadium.

They will return to action against a Hammers side whose recent fortunes have been the reverse of Spurs' - their wretched run of form ending just before the two-week hiatus with a relatively comfortable dismantling of newly promoted Ipswich.

This is just one of the issues that surrounds Saturday lunchtime's game: just who exactly is in the better form?

Games against West Ham - just like against Arsenal and against Chelsea - are one of a set Tottenham must negotiate each year that are full blooded, unpredictable and difficult to move on from if you lose.

It is quite unfortunate that Ange Postecoglou's side have six vital, hotly contested fixtures like this to deal with on an annual basis. Most teams really only need to deal with bitter local rivals twice a season.

It is therefore an occupational hazard for these Spurs players. Whether they like it or not, high-pressure, high-expectation matches will keep coming.

West Ham fans enjoy nothing more than beating Spurs - especially away from home - and their fans will demand more from their players this weekend than at any stage this season so far.

So even though it will be a huge challenge, Tottenham fans and players know how rewarding success would be.

That second half against Brighton would suddenly look like a pretty insignificant blip.

Elisabeth Terland scored her first two goals in Manchester United colours to help them cruise to a 3-0 win over Tottenham in the Women's Super League.

Terland, who joined United from Brighton in July, slammed in a cross from former Spurs forward Celin Bizet off the underside of the crossbar for the opener at Leigh Sports Village.

The Norwegian pair linked up again a minute later to give United a healthy lead just before the break, with Terland heading home Bizet's whipped ball to the back post.

Captain Maya Le Tissier completed the scoring when she slotted in from the penalty spot after Ashleigh Neville was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

Terland was denied a hat-trick when her low strike was tipped onto the post by Becky Spencer, but she left the pitch to a warm standing ovation when she was replaced by Rachel Williams after 76 minutes.

The result ensures Marc Skinner's side maintains their 100% record in the WSL with three wins from three this season.

Despite a comfortable scoreline for the hosts, it was Spurs who made the brighter start with Martha Thomas forcing an early save by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Clare Hunt and Bethany England saw efforts drift just wide, while Drew Spence saw her rifled strike from the edge of the area tipped over by Tullis-Joyce.

However, Spurs were left playing catch-up thanks to Terland's double and the visitors' chances were limited in the second half.

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LISTEN: The Monday Night Club

Is anyone else relieved James Maddison has not been selected for the England squad?

I’m thrilled for Dominic Solanke – it is great to see his hard work rewarded. Although unlikely to feature much in the games, it is a useful confidence boost to be recognised in this way, and a good opportunity to train with a different set of elite professionals.

But Madders? We will keep him wrapped in cotton wool thank you very much. After a blistering start to his Spurs career last season, Maddison struggled following the injury he sustained against Chelsea. In fact, last season followed a familiar pattern for the midfielder: a strong start followed by an injury, resulting in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to regain his form before the summer break.

Clearly he was devastated not to be included in the England squad for Euro 2024, but it gave him the perfect opportunity to rest, train and return to the Premier League in optimum condition. So I was expecting big things this season. Captivating creativity. An abundance of assists. Glorious goals.

So far he has two assists and two goals in the Premier League, and one assist in the Europa League. Not exactly electrifying, but pretty decent statistics nonetheless.

In addition, his overall play has improved – particularly his movement off the ball. He is starting to play with that swagger again, and confidence is everything with playmakers like Maddison.

It also helps when he has a point to prove as his play becomes more purposeful and unrelenting – something that was evident in his first half performance against Brighton. The less said about anyone’s performance in the second half of that game, the better.

Selfishly, I hope missing out on a spot in the England squad will help Maddison have a better season for Spurs.

A Tottenham related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty in Monday's Q&A.

James asked: Hi Phil, as a Spurs fan, I can't help but feel like we're slowly falling into a similar pattern of behaviour that has been present over the last few years. I like Ange but his stubbornness seems to be a blessing one week and a curse the next. Do you have any advice on how we can gain a bit of consistency? Looking forward to hearing a bit of positivity on this dreary Monday morning.

Phil answered: Hi James, what a different Monday morning feeling to seven days ago for Spurs fans. All was light after a fantastic performance and win at Manchester United, then you have the collapse from 2-0 up at Brighton. If you look for positivity, I think Spurs are an incredibly good team to watch but with Ange Postecoglou’s all-out attacking approach, lows may well come with highs.

I’ve said before I feel he needs to be more pragmatic to sustain a top four challenge and win the big prizes and you have seen both sides to that in the last seven days. I honestly do not think he will change and will succeed or fail on those principles. And while we talk about the manager, the Spurs players should really have managed that situation better yesterday. Postecoglou took responsibility but he was right, the second half was “unacceptable”.

Former Wales striker Rob Earnshaw believes Brennan Johnson embarking on an impressive goalscoring run for Tottenham after deleting his social media account is not a coincidence.

The winger, 23, reportedly deactivated his Instagram page following criticism received after Spurs' 1-0 loss to north London rivals Arsenal in September.

He has gone on to score in each of Tottenham's six matches since defeat by the Gunners.

Johnson is with Wales as they prepare to resume their Nations League campaign against Iceland in Reykjavík on Friday before hosting Montenegro in Cardiff three days later.

Earnshaw feels Johnson's decision to remove himself from social media has played a key role in his upturn in form under Ange Postecoglou.

“I think it’s different for everybody, but for sure there’s something in it because I think for him it was clearly affecting him with social media and it’s (deleting the account) clearly had a real positive impact," Earnshaw told BBC Radio Wales.

"It’s no coincidence for him because I think the reason he deactivated it was because of all the negativity and everything was going into his game and over thinking and then all of a sudden he was thinking about that as he’s playing."

Marie Hobinger scored a stoppage-time penalty as Liverpool registered their first Women's Super League win of the season in a five-goal thriller with Tottenham.

Ashleigh Neville was adjudged to have fouled Sophie Roman Haug in the box and Hobinger stepped up to guide the ball past the outstretched arm of Tottenham goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer.

Clare Hunt had scored in the 83rd minute, from Neville's cross, as Tottenham looked to have sealed a point.

The Reds had gone in front after 10 minutes thanks to Cornelia Kapocs' superb strike before Taylor Hinds' own goal drew the sides level.

A sublime free-kick from Hobinger put Liverpool back in front, but it seemed like the spoils would be shared after Hunt's late effort.

Hobinger's second goal in the closing stages from the spot gave Matt Beard's side a much-needed win, while Tottenham fell to their first WSL defeat.

"We showed immense character today and I'm really proud of them," said Beard after the match.

"We were always in front but I think when they peg you back, to get obviously back in front again was important.

"I think two set-pieces, two great finishes from Marie, especially the free-kick. It was an entertaining game for the neutral. I'm just glad we walked away with three points."

On the back of successive draws, Liverpool started the game brightly and soon had their reward.

Rebecca Spencer's goalkick was straight at Kapocs, making her first start for the club since joining from Linkoping in the summer, and she took a touch before lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Spencer from 25 yards.

Hinds gave Tottenham hope as she turned the ball into her own net with an outstretched boot from Jessica Naz's cross, leaving Liverpool boss Beard holding his head in his hands.

Hobinger's free-kick from the edge of the area was over the wall and past the despairing dive of Spencer into the top-left corner.

Hunt scored from close range before Hobinger's penalty decided the five-goal thriller, before Rachael Laws produced a vital save to deny Naz from an angle.

"We had to adjust our shape in the first half and then we adjusted again in the second half," added Beard.

"We could've been out of sight first half, let's be honest but we weren't and when you don't take your chances, it allows Tottenham to stay in the game."

Liverpool are now undefeated in their past seven WSL games - their best run in the competition since 2013 - and have scored in all three this season.

Despite the win, there was concern when midfielder Sofie Lundgaard appeared to sustain a serious injury in the first half when she collided with Amanda Nilden and had to be helped off the pitch.

"I thought we were in complete control of the game and Sofie's injury, looking back at it now, probably had a big impact on us."