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Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a fantastic evening at Old Trafford with a comfortable and convincing 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Lilywhites have now won four successive matches in all competitions and have scored three goals in each of their last three games, against United, Qarabag, and Coventry City.

Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke scored the goals for Spurs in Manchester, whilst Bruno Fernandes was shown a red card for a challenge on James Maddison in the first half.

Whilst it was a very positive evening for Ange Postecoglou on the whole, there is one player who should be brutally ditched from the starting XI after his dismal display - Timo Werner.

Timo Werner's performance against Manchester United in numbers

The Germany international started the game on the left flank, with Solanke through the middle and Johnson on the right, but failed to justify his inclusion in the line-up with a strong performance.

He ended the match with fewer touches (51) than Tottenham's goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario (53), as the attacker struggled to impose himself on the match at times.

Despite his lack of touches of the ball, Werner still had two huge opportunities to find the back of the net through one-on-ones with Andre Onana, and fired his shot at the Red Devils stopper both times.

As you can see in the table above, Werner gave the ball away 17 times and missed two 'big chances' for Spurs, whilst also struggling in duels and dribbles.

The German attacker also failed to create any 'big chances' for his teammates and only completed 73% of his attempted passes at Old Trafford.

This dismal performance resulted in Werner was summed up by Gary Neville describing him as "really poor" during Sky Sports' live commentary of the match, after his second one-on-one miss.

Why Postecoglou must ditch Werner

The Tottenham boss must now ruthlessly drop the former Chelsea man from his starting XI for the club's next clash with Ferencvaros in midweek.

They are back in Europa League action in Hungary on Thursday night and Werner should be dropped down to the bench, to allow teenage starlet Mikey Moore to have a chance from the start.

The 28-year-old forward has produced zero goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in six matches across the Premier League, League Cup, and Europa League this season for Spurs.

Werner scored two goals in 13 top-flight games for Tottenham during the second half of last season, during his loan spell from RB Leipzig, and does not look likely to improve his lacklustre scoring record any time soon.

Tottenham Hotspur recorded their second successive win in the Premier League with a fantastic 3-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Goals from Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke secured all three points for the Lilywhites, whilst the hosts were reduced to ten in the first half after Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a challenge on James Maddison.

The opening goal for Ange Postecoglou's side came in the third minute of the match, as Micky van de Ven burst through to fire the ball across the box for Johnson to tap the ball in, and that set the tempo for Spurs.

Johnson and van de Ven were both hugely impressive throughout the evening for Tottenham, as they caught the eye with their displays against United.

Johnson and van de Ven's performances in numbers

The Dutch central defender showcased his incredible pace with that early run into the box to assist the opening goal and utilised his speed during the game to push Spurs up the pitch and ensure that they were not caught out in transition - sweeping up any balls in behind the backline.

Van de Ven also completed an eye-catching 98% of his attempted passes and created one 'big chance' - the assist for Johnson - in possession, which shows that he was incredibly reliable on the ball.

Meanwhile, Johnson was in the right place at the right time to score the opening goal and came within inches of making it two as he struck the post not long after.

The Wales international, who completed 81% of his attempted passes, also recorded an assist for the second goal as his cross deflected into the path of Kulusevski.

There was a Tottenham player who may end up being the unsung hero of the performance, however, as Rodrigo Bentancur was just as good as Van de ven and Johnson.

Rodrigo Bentancur was the unsung hero

The Uruguay international was not as flashy as Kulusevski or James Maddison, for example, but went about his business in expert fashion in the middle of the park.

With two attack-minded number eights ahead of him, the former Juventus man needed to be reliable in midfield for Spurs and that is exactly what he was.

Football.london handed him a player rating of 9/10 for his display and hailed his calmness on the ball. This is backed up by his impressive statistics from the match.

As you can see in the table above, Bentancur was incredibly reliable on the ball for Tottenham with almost a touch every minute and a pass success rate of 96%.

The 27-year-old star, who made two tackles and one interception, won the majority of his battles on the ground to maintain possession and win the midfield battle for Spurs.

His metronomic passing helped Tottenham, before and after the red card altered the dynamic of the match, to control the game and ensure that they dictated the tempo, which is why he was the unsung hero of the result and as good as van de Ven and Johnson.

Tottenham Hotspur have only won two of their opening five Premier League matches, but have a chance to record a statement victory to kickstart their season against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Both United and Spurs sit on seven points after five top-flight matches, which is middling ground at best. However, the Lilywhites have now won their past three matches in all competitions and look to be building their fluency and oiling the mechanics at just the right time.

Thursday evening's victory over Qarabag highlighted Tottenham's togetherness. Radu Dragusin blew his chance to make an impression in the starting line-up, sent off after just 12 minutes. Still, the Romanian centre-back's mishap only strengthened the Londoners' accord, for they dispatched their Azerbaijani opponents with a confident 3-0 win.

We all know that Ange Postecoglou won't diverge from his high-octane and aggressive style of football, but he may have to implement it at The Theatre of Dreams without his skipper.

Why Heung-min Son might not start

Heung-min Son has been impressive over the first few months of the season, scoring two goals and claiming two assists across five matches in the Premier League.

He's created 13 chances in the league this term which is more than any of his teammates, emphasising his multi-functionality and the influence that he instils across the team.

As per FBref, Son actually ranks among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for pass completion, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.

His absence will be a blow, but it might be necessary. Postecoglou admitted after the 32-year-old limped off on Thursday that he will need to balance the captain's workload, lest he fall to an injury that sidelines him for an extended period.

He will make a late call on the South Korean's availability against Man United but based on his acceptance that Son cannot start 40 plus matches this season, it might be worth urging caution here.

Son is Tottenham's deadliest and most distinguished forward, and the recent goalscoring streak of Brennan Johnson and impressive displays of Dejan Kulusevski serve as a reminder that Tottenham have quality and can impress without their skipper.

Son has been praised as a "priceless" member of Tottenham's team by new recruit Archie Gray, and though he could possibly be forced to the bench for this one, he has the skills to make a difference when introduced after the break.

Speaking of Gray, Postecoglou should consider dropping the 18-year-old talent for the Old Trafford clash, even if he did catch the eye against Qarabag.

Why Postecoglou should drop Archie Gray

It looked for all the world like Gray would sign for Brentford this summer, having been crowned the Championship Young Player of the Year for 2024/25 after an impressive breakout season with Leeds United.

Tottenham hijacked the transfer, adding Gray to the ranks for a £30m fee. He's started life in the capital on strong footing, playing from the outset against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup third round and again against Qarabag, having also made three cameos in the Premier League.

But there's just cause to drop him for this one. Manchester United might be a capricious team but they are also host to some of the most talented players in English football and Gray is not quite ready to make that leap.

He's enterprising and sought to make things happen, but Gray also squandered possession on numerous occasions, losing the ball 19 times, and only won three of his eight ground duels. He's framed with an impressive physique but there is growth yet to come for this 18-year-old.

Writing in their post-match ratings, the Evening Standard's Dan Kilpatrick even gave the future England star an 8/10 score, stating: 'Composed and eye-catching in possession, and made one outstanding run up the pitch. Defended well, even if he was often outnumbered down the right.'

Though this is the case, he must not start. Pedro Porro has been unleashed from the start in each of Tottenham's Premier League contests thus far this season and offers the complete skillset to make a significant impact on the game.

Man United's defensive organisation can be fragile at times and Porro's creativity and drive will help to exploit this, but he's also a tenacious defender and could subdue the aforementioned Rashford.

Last season, the athletic Spaniard posted 91 tackles, which was the fourth-highest from any defender. This year, he's made 13 tackles already, with both translating to 2.6 per game.

That's an impressive state of consistency and one that will be crucial in stifling United and turning Tottenham's Premier League campaign toward the upper level of the table.

The 5 foot 9 talent's protean attacking quality must not be discredited though. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 11% of full-backs for goals scored, the top 19% for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90.

Son or no, Spurs have a real wealth of quality at their disposal, and a player like Porro, one of the club's very best, simply has to start.

Tottenham Hotspur look to be steering in the right direction after an up-and-down start to the campaign, but now face Manchester United at Old Trafford in a Premier League clash that both teams desperately need to win.

United, who won the FA Cup before the summer, have not started well under Erik ten Hag, thrashed on home turf already by Arne Slot's Liverpool.

The Red Devils and Spurs are level in points in the standings - seven after five matches - though Tottenham have scored nine goals to tomorrow's opponents five. Ange Postecoglou will hope to utilise that ostensible attacking advantage to score a statement win.

Postecoglou's side beat Qarabag 3-0 in their Europa League opener on Thursday evening despite playing the majority of the contest with ten men after Radu Dragusin was sent off early on.

Skipper Heung-min Son hobbled off in the second half in what could be a significant blow to the visitors' attacking fluency. Will he make it to the starting lineup? We reckon Postecoglou could ring six changes for the match at the Theatre of Dreams, following the midweek triumph.

Guglielmo Vicario has not missed a minute in the Premier League since he was signed from Serie A side Empoli for an initial £17m fee in August 2022.

That won't change on Sunday.

Rested for the midweek Europa League tie, Pedro Porro's completeness will be crucial against Man United, with the Spaniard set to tussle against one of Alejandro Garnacho or Marcus Rashford.

He scored on the opening day of the term and has averaged two key passes and 2.6 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore.

Postecoglou spoke of some "fresh guys" who had been rested for the continental clash, and Cristian Romero is one of them. A tough-tackling titan if there ever was one, he's a monstrous presence in defence and will strike fear into the hosts' attacking line, who have not yet found their shooting boots in 2024/25.

Micky van de Ven continues to exceed expectations. The Dutch defender is as dynamic as he is dominant in the backline, though he has struggled to hit the same sharpness in the duel so far this season, winning just 38% of his ground battles. That needs to change.

He was given a rest against Qarabag, but Destiny Udogie ended up playing around 80 minutes of football on Thursday, replacing youngster Lucas Bergvall after 12 minutes following Dragusin's dismissal.

A physical specimen with pace and power in abundance, Udogie will be a constant thorn in Man United's flank.

Reprising his role in the middle of the park after a goalscoring display against Qarabag, Pape Matar Sarr hasn't actually played over 45 minutes of football in the English top flight since the opening day of the season.

He scored in the Europa League, though, and will bring the energy and drive to Postecoglou's midfield that will be needed to overcome United's efforts.

With Sarr looking to keep his starting berth, Postecoglou will need to choose between Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur to complete his midfield, and he should well opt for the latter.

The Uruguayan, aged 27, is an all-encompassing star, and having completed 92% of his passes in the Premier League this term, will bring the control that his team need to leave Manchester with a positive result.

The best player of the campaign so far? There's a case for it. Dejan Kulusevski brings something unique to Postecoglou's side, and though he's been fashioned into a central midfielder for the early matches of the year, Son's injury could see him revert to his typical right-flanking role.

The £110k-per-week star is Tottenham's lifeblood in attack. He works and works and works. Tireless. Sky Sports' Jamie Weir is a big fan, summing up his importance: "Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart."

James Maddison has endured a challenging 2024, but he's started the current campaign with conviction and was virtually unplayable as the Lilywhites defeated Brentford in the Premier League last weekend.

Ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, he could be the catalyst tomorrow.

With Son probably set to start from the bench - having been dubbed a doubt by Postecoglou - Brennan Johnson will be tasked with performing on the left wing. The Wales international came under fire for his early-season performances but has responded emphatically, scoring in each of his last three matches.

Dominic Solanke signed for Tottenham for a club-record £65m fee this summer, and though his first few months have been disrupted by injury, he has now posted two goals and an assist from his past three games.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has suggested this week that an esteemed member of his squad isn't actually fully fit, with an all-important and tough away game against Man United on the horizon this Sunday.

Man United v Tottenham - team news and preview

The Lilywhites will be without both Richarlison and winger Wilson Odobert for their trip to Old Trafford tomorrow as the Spurs duo nurse long-term injury problems.

Son Heung-min also faces a late assessment to determine his fitness, but apart from that, Postecoglou will have all of his key senior players available for the clash as the Australian hopes to make it four wins on the trot in all competitions.

The north Londoners haven't looked back since tasting defeat in their 1-0 derby loss to Arsenal a fortnight ago. Since then, wins over Coventry City in the EFL Cup, Brentford in the Premier League last weekend and Qarabag in midweek mean Spurs go into this game in a solid run of form.

Brennan Johnson was forced to delete his social media channels after being subjected to online abuse in the wake of their defeat to Arsenal, but the Wales international has since scored in each of their last three matches - showcasing an elite mentality to silence his doubters.

In the build-up to this encounter, Postecoglou has praised Son for elevating his teammates behind the scenes and revealed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario comes in on his days off to train.

However, he also urges Spurs not to underestimate Man United despite pressure surrounding managerial counterpart Erik ten Hag.

"There’s always some manager under pressure," said Postecoglou on Man United and Ten Hag.

"I think it must be one of those spinning boards with all our faces on it and whatever it lands on, he cops it for a week or two. I think Erik in a real tough job has done really well. He keeps mentioning he's won two trophies and he has. I don't think that's insignificant. People keep telling me that’s what I have to do, but it's obviously not all you have to do, because even when you do that, there's more.

"There's always more and I think he's done a great job in a difficult job. At Old Trafford, it's tough there. You look at their record and irrespective of the managers, it's still a fairly compelling record and they’ve got some real quality players. We had a really good game there last year. It was 2-2 and a cracking game. One we’re going to be ready for."

Postecoglou reveals Solanke is still working to full fitness

Speaking after their win over Qarabag in midweek, Postecoglou also commented on Dominic Solanke following the striker's run of two goals in two games.

He claimed that Solanke isn't actually fit after returning from his ankle injury and is still working towards reaching his physical peak, making his recent goalscoring impact all the more impressive.

"Dom has been great for us," said Postecoglou.

"Not just his goals, but his general link-up play, he is a strong lad and keeps the ball really well for us. He is a typical striker always on the move. He’s still working his way to full fitness but strong performance."

Tottenham Hotspur could have a realistic chance to sign an England star in the new year, with his club directly informing the player that they could look to sell him next year.

Tottenham's rumoured transfer plans for 2025

Spurs ended the summer window with £113 million spent on four senior summer additions, including a season-long loan extension for winger Timo Werner, a £40 million deal for Archie Gray, the signing of striker Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert's arrival in N17.

That doesn't include moves for wonderkids Lucas Bergvall and South Korean sensation Yang Min-hyeok, with the latter set to fully join up in January after a brief loan spell back at Gangwon FC.

According to some reports, Bergvall is set for a run of game time under Postecoglou, but it remains to be seen whether the teenage Swede will be given any minutes during their blockbuster clash at Old Trafford on Sunday.

At the end of the summer, Spurs also secured a first option to buy Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis, as part of a deal which saw midfielder Giovani Lo Celso go the other way and back to his former club.

For 2025, technical director Johan Lange, chairman Daniel Levy and the wider recruitment team are already at work to bolster Postecoglou's squad. Some reports believe that Tottenham are frontrunners to sign Jonathan David from Lille, despite Solanke's arrival, with the Canadian's contract expiring next summer as things stand.

Meanwhile, it is also believed that Spurs have told Milan they're prepared to pay £17m for winger Noah Okafor, so it appears that a new attacker is on the agenda in north London.

Further back, Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi has been sporadically linked with a move to N17. The 24-year-old, who impressed for England at Euro 2024, was subject to an array of rejected bids from Newcastle United (Alex Powell), who had absolutely no luck tempting Palace chairman Steve Parish to sell.

Tottenham on alert as Palace tell Guehi they could sell

Guehi's contract expires in 2026, and according to The Boot Room, Palace have told Guehi they could sell him next year if he doesn't pen an extension.

It is believed Tottenham have registered their interest in the defender as a result, but they're not alone, as Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Chelsea are all monitoring this situation closely ahead of a potential move.

Palace would consider selling as soon as January, and it is believed that the Eagles could be forced to drop their £75 million asking price.

"We would like to keep hold of him. There is a price and a situation where we might consider it," said Parish on Guehi to BBC Sport in August.

"Somebody [in another interview] said he is a superstar, so somebody has got to pay superstar money.

"Realistically, he is homegrown, 24 years old and a sensational talent - so somebody has to make it difficult for us. At the moment, it isn't. He will still be at Crystal Palace at the moment, but it's not impossible [that he goes].

"He is certainly not making anybody's life difficult, his agents are decent people.

"It is a very good situation. Whether he is here or not will make no difference as to how he performs."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has revealed that a member of his squad is coming in on his days off to train, as the player sets a "great example" for his Spurs teammates.

Man United vs Tottenham - match preview

The Lilywhites travel to Old Trafford tomorrow after three consecutive wins in all competitions, with Postecoglou's side putting their north London derby defeat behind them in the last 10 days.

Spurs sealed their place in the next round of the EFL Cup last week, courtesy of a dramatic smash-and-grab win at Coventry City.

Djed Spence and in-form Brennan Johnson scored in the dying minutes to avoid what would've been an embarrassing defeat for Postecoglou, and returned to winning ways in the Premier League soon after with a 3-1 victory at home to Brentford.

Despite being down to 10 men for the vast majority of the game, Spurs sealed their first win in the Europa League in midweek thanks to their 3-0 drubbing of Azerbaijani champions Qarabag at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Attention now switches to Man United, as Postecoglou prepares his side to take on Erik ten Hag's Red Devils in a blockbuster clash up north. Star winger Son Heung-min has been praised by Postecoglou this week for setting the tone, but the South Korea international faces a late fitness test.

"Fair to say the boys are fairly tired, the ones who put in a shift," said Postecoglou on Spurs team news ahead of Man United.

"Apart from Sonny, everybody is okay and Sonny I don’t think is too bad. He wants to train tomorrow, and we will see how it goes and make a decision from there."

It's worth noting that Richarlison will miss Tottenham's trip to Man United, alongside Wilson Odobert, but apart from them and potentially Son, Spurs pretty much have a fully fit squad.

Postecoglou makes Guglielmo Vicario revelation at Tottenham

One player certain to start against United is mainstay No 1 goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has impressed overall since joining from Empoli on a £75,000-per-week contract.

There have even been claims that Spurs could make Vicario their future captain, akin to how Hugo Lloris wore the armband for years before ultimately moving on. Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Postecoglou has claimed that Vicario comes in on his days off to work and sets a "great example" for the rest of the squad.

"He has been great since the day he arrived," said the Spurs boss.

"Criticism is just part of the nature of football these days. We have had a few under the spotlight. I included him in the leadership [group] this year, I have just seen his growth. He is one of those guys who is really positive. He comes in every day wanting to work, he comes in on his days off wanting to work.

"He is a great example for everyone and a great human being as well. I thought he could add something to our leadership group. It’s great for him to get the armband last night and I thought he rose to the occasion. He was big for us. He hasn’t had to make too many big saves in the first few games for us but we needed him for a couple last night and he was great."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has heaped praise on a player who's been an "enormous help" to him behind-the-scenes, as his presence elevates those around him and encourages members of the squad to perform at a higher level.

Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag - 10-man Spurs seal first Europa League win

Spurs' task of defeating the Azerbaijani champions was made all the more tricky when defender Radu Dragusin was sent off just seven minutes into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium clash on Thursday evening, but Postecoglou's men performed very well, despite the disadvantage.

Qarabag had their opportunities to get on the scoresheet - some gaping ones at that - but it was the Premier League side who came out on top, courtesy of goals from the on-fire Brennan Johnson, midfielder Pape Matar Sarr and summer signing Dominic Solanke.

Postecoglou wants to give Solanke a significant confidence boost - which reportedly motivated his decision to start Solanke against the European minnows - and it was a call that paid dividends as the Englishman adds to his Lilywhites goal tally this week.

Johnson was also subject to online abuse after his performance in the North London Derby against Arsenal nearly two weeks ago, with the Wales international deleting all of his social media channels as a result.

The 23-year-old has now responded in fine fashion with three goals in his last three games, which we can all agree is a testament to Johnson's elite mentality as an athlete under pressure to perform at the highest level.

The victory over Qarabag means Tottenham have also won their last three consecutive games on the spin in all competitions, and Postecoglou apparently has an esteemed member of his squad in particular to thank.

Winger Son Heung-min - signed from Bayer Leverkusen for just £22 million by chairman Daniel Levy nearly 10 years ago - has gone on to become a superstar for the club, but his importance stretches far beyond his performances on the field.

Postecoglou says Son "constantly pushes" the Tottenham squad

Speaking in an interview with TNT Sports before their win over Qarabag, Postecoglou revealed that Son "constantly pushes" his Tottenham teammates, and the South Korea international is an "enormous help" to his manager.

“Pretty much what you see is what you get with Sonny,” Postecoglou told TNT.

“Anyone who's had any sort of interaction with him or watched him from afar will know he's a really positive guy.

“He's very competitive, he's constantly pushing himself and others around him. He's got a real positive energy and been an enormous help for me since I've been here, because he's been at the club for quite a while now. He knows the ins and outs of it. Having a guy like him, particularly with his positive nature works well with the environment I want to create. So, it's great to have him as part of the group.

“He's no different to what you see behind the scenes compared to on the football pitch. He's ultra-competitive, but always positive with everything he does, his interactions with people and the way he engages with people is always with a positive backdrop.

"He can't do enough for anybody that he comes across, but always in the back of his mind he's a winner and wants to be the best that he can be. He's an ideal person to have as a leader.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been told that manager Ange Postecoglou cannot afford the latest "big blow" coming his way, as one of his "mainstay" players faces a prolonged absence.

Postecoglou makes Spurs trophy promise in second season

Postecoglou caused a slight stir with his recent comments that he "always" wins silverware during his second season in charge of any club he has managed, with the Australian making a bold promise to deliver trophies this campaign as a result.

Tottenham's last honour came in 2008, when the north Londoners beat English capital rivals Chelsea to lift the Carling Cup, as it was then known. It's been 16 years since, and Spurs have come close on a number of occasions, most notably their Champions League final against Liverpool in 2019.

"Usually in my second season I win things," said Postecoglou on ending Spurs' trophy drought, in an interview with Sky Sports.

"That's the whole idea. First year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully the second year is going on to win things. Of course it's easier said than done, particularly in the Premier League and the competition we're in. That's always the way I've looked at it, is that the second year you should be in a position where you can push on, depending on how the first year has gone.

"Last year we had some really good moments, obviously we had some tough moments. I think we learnt as much from the tough moments as we did from the good stuff, and hopefully that means we're in a good place. We're definitely a better-prepared team than we were last year."

Earlier this month, he doubled down on that pledge, by stating he "always" wins things in his second year rather than just "usually". His confidence will at least be an encouraging sign for supporters, who have also watched Spurs sign a prolific goalscorer in Dominic Solanke to help them along.

Tottenham can't afford "big blow" as Bentancur faces 12-game ban

Unfortunately for Postecoglou, he has to entertain the possibility of being without £22 million midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur for a prolonged period. The Uruguayan was asked by a TV presenter in June for a Tottenham shirt, and he replied: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”

Of course, this unacceptable comment has caused a stir, and Bentancur now faces a 12-game ban by the FA pending the result of an investigation. While the recommendation is likely to be six games, the prospect of double that length is a very real one, and even six would still hurt Spurs' short-term future.

Speaking to Tottenham News, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson says Spurs can't afford the "big blow" of Bentancur missing weeks of action.

“It’d be a big blow because he’s a mainstay in the midfield; it’s usually him and a teammate," said Robinson.

"Postecoglou normally plays with two holding midfielders as a rule, and he’s one of them. I think the squad is unbalanced as it’s overladen by wide players and attacking midfielders, and light in other areas, and that’s potentially one of them. Without Bentancur, Pape Sarr or Archie Gray could play in there.

“It’s a big squad but I think it’s unbalanced, so it’s an area where they can’t really afford to lose a key player such as Bentancur.”

Tottenham chiefs have been told exactly why they should recall a loanee back to the club in January, as he seriously impresses with some "incredible" form away from north London.

How Spurs players are faring out on loan

The Lilywhites currently have a host of players out on temporary spells right now, with Bryan Gil (Girona), Alejo Veliz (Espanyol), Alfie Devine (Westerlo), Manor Solomon (Leeds United), Dane Scarlett (Oxford United) and Ashley Phillips (Stoke City) standing out as the senior bunch.

Veliz has been a fixture for his new team this season, starting the majority of league games, but the Argentine's run of five consecutive starts came to an end when Espanyol were recently thumped 4-1 by Real Madrid.

Devine made his first start for Westerlo on Saturday, clashing with Toby Alderweireld's Royal Antwerp in the Jupiler Pro League, where he contributed with five attempts on goal and one key pass in the final third - so the Englishman will be hoping that he can build upon an eventful display.

Gil has been having a tough time at Girona, though, having lost to Barcelona, PSG and Valencia in the space of just seven days. Solomon has been praised for his Leeds performances since arriving at Elland Road from Spurs, but missed their last clash against Coventry with a back injury.

Unfortunately for Scarlett, after José Mourinho once compared him to Marcus Rashford, the young forward hasn't exactly been setting the world alight at Oxford - failing to gain consistent opportunities in the first team.

Phillips is a regular for Stoke but was forced to sit out their last game against Hull City due to concussion protocol, so it's been quite a mixed bag for Spurs' loan crop, but one youngster who is really impressing on loan at Notts County is versatile right-back George Abbott.

Tottenham urged to bring George Abbott back in January

The Spurs Under-21s captain has been praised by both his County manager and pundit John Wenham, with Tottenham told to recall Abbott in January by the latter.

“I’m pleased that Abbott has joined Notts County,” Wenham said. “He’s a special player who can play a couple of positions, and he seems to be bossing it at the age of 19. I’ve seen that they’ve been comparing him to some of their most promising loan players. Therefore, if by January time he is continuing to excel, then we will need to reevaluate the loan.

“He is already 19, so it might be wise to move him up a division to continue his positive trajectory.”

Notts County boss Stuart Maynard, speaking after Abbott made his first senior start, also called the teenager "incredible".

"He's got a very bright future. If you see his energy... his game understanding on the ball to come and play here today in front of probably just under 11,000 as your home debut, as a young lad, and to perform... he played like a mature player," said Maynard.

"The way he handled the ball, the way he passed the ball, the way he presses and the way he understands the positions to pick up to go and press. It's incredible for such a young lad and we're very lucky to have him."