Football League World

Premier League teams are reportedly starting to look at Aston Villa and Stockport County prospect Louie Barry, with Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur being two of the main contenders to sign the youngster.

The report comes from Spanish outlet Fichajes, who claim the on-loan Villa prospect could be tempted by a top-flight move.

This weekend proved, once again, that it is ridiculous that Barry has spent the last two seasons in League Two and League One.

County took on fellow newly promoted side Wrexham. Despite their new status in the English third tier, both are threatening to make the play-offs at least this season, making the contest a potentially very important one, even at this stage of the term.

Stockport came away from the Edgeley Park encounter with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of the right boot of Barry. Not for the first time this season, he finished in ludicrous fashion, finding the far corner of the goal from the left edge of the penalty box, threading his attempt through the many bodies that stood before him.

The 21-year-old forward has been sent on loan to Stockport by Villa for the last two campaigns, and he is arguably doing better now, in a higher division, than he was last time out. That goal against Wrexham took his tally for the campaign, in the league, to 11 goals, plus one assist on top of that.

Louie Barry attracting Premier League attention

Barry's exploits aren't going unnoticed. The former Barcelona academy member may already be contracted to a Premier League side but there are other top flight teams who are reportedly considering a move for him.

According to Fichajes, Leicester and Tottenham are the leading candidates in England's first division to sign Barry, if he is sold by Villa. That would, of course, mean him leaving Stockport too.

Spurs have shown a great willingness to invest in younger players already this season. They spent £40 million and £8.5 million, respectively, on 18-year-old talents in the summer; Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray and Swedish creative Lucas Bergvall.

Ange Postecoglou's side see Barry as both a short and long-term option for their forward line, as per Fichajes. Just like their successful attempt to sign Gray in the summer, capturing this current EFL talent won't come without some competition.

Leicester may also look to Barry as an option to help them out right now, as well as down the road, given their current struggles.

The Spanish outlet added that the chance to play in the Premier League could be an enticing factor for Barry.

Losing Louie Barry would be a bigger blow for Stockport than for Aston Villa

Just how well Dave Challinor's side have adapted to League One football has been impressive. Even with the resources behind them, they weren't so dominant in the fourth tier that it felt like they were going to be one of the leading contenders once they'd been promoted, but here we are.

They have taken advantage of what feels like a generally weakened/underperforming League One, and they now have the chance to try and achieve back-to-back promotions.

It's a hard achievement for any team to pull off, but it will be even tougher without Barry there to help. He's been unquestionably their best player this season, and it's not like they'd get any cash compensation for losing him that they'd be able to use to replace him either.

For Villa, selling to a Premier League rival might not be the smartest thing in the world to do, given his potential. However, they have plenty of top young forwards and wingers in their ranks already. It feels like Barry is unlikely to get a shot in their first team in the near future, so why wouldn't they consider moving him on for a healthy profit.

If that is what happens in January - although there is no guarantee that anyone will make a move for him in the winter - it'll be a much more painful blow for the Hatters to absorb than for Barry's Premier League parent club.

It has been an excellent start to the season for Birmingham City in League One.

Blues are playing in the third tier of English football for the first time in almost 30 years after their relegation from the Championship last season, but they look to be in a strong position to bounce back at the first attempt.

The ambitious Midlands outfit reportedly spent a total of around £24 million during the course of the summer transfer window, including £15 million on Fulham striker Jay Stansfield, and after such heavy investment, many have tipped them to comfortably win the title this season.

It has been a frustrating few weeks for Birmingham, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Northampton Town at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park last Saturday, with Mitch Pinnock's stoppage time equaliser rescuing a point for the Cobblers after Jay Stansfield had given the hosts the lead earlier in the second half.

The Blues have lost their place at the top of the League One table to Wycombe Wanderers, but they are only two points behind the Chairboys with a game in hand, and they will be looking to return to winning ways when they make the trip to bottom side Shrewsbury Town next weekend.

It has been a turbulent year on and off the pitch for Birmingham since Tom Wagner's takeover last summer, and managerial instability was a big factor in their relegation last season, with six different managers, including caretakers, taking charge of the team in total during the campaign.

The Blues were forced into another change in the dugout this summer as Tony Mowbray stepped down due to health reasons, but the club's decision to appoint former Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Chris Davies has proven to be a masterstroke so far.

Chris Davies appointment was a gamble for Birmingham City

Davies has made an excellent start to life at Birmingham in what is his first managerial role, but it could all have turned out so differently.

The Blues reportedly considered over 1,000 coaches and held talks with 40 candidates during their manager search before appointing Davies, with experienced names such as Alex Neil and Paul Heckingbottom believed to have been in contention.

After being forced to retire from playing at a young age due to injury, Davies moved into coaching, and he had spells at Swansea City, Liverpool, Reading, Celtic and Leicester City, working with Brendan Rodgers for much of that time, before making the move to Tottenham Hotspur last summer.

Davies was named as an assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou at Spurs, and as his reputation continued to grow, he attracted Championship interest during his time in North London, with Swansea said to have been interested in the 39-year-old in December following the sacking of Michael Duff.

While Davies turned down the opportunity to take charge of the Swans, he decided to take his first steps into management with Birmingham, and given his strong coaching credentials, he certainly looked to be an exciting choice for the Midlands outfit.

However, the appointment of Davies also came with big risks for the Blues, and with the club making no secret of the fact that promotion was their target, opting for someone with no previous managerial experience could have backfired spectacularly.

Tom Wagner and Garry Cook deserve credit for Chris Davies appointment

It is fair to say that Birmingham owner Wagner and CEO Garry Cook have received plenty of criticism over the past year, and their decision to replace John Eustace with Wayne Rooney last October when the club were sitting in the Championship play-off places was particularly baffling.

Wagner and Cook were largely to blame for the Blues' relegation, but the pair deserve significant praise for the appointment of Davies, and their bravery in taking a gamble on an inexperienced coach is being rewarded.

Davies inherited a team with a losing mentality, and while there was a huge influx of new signings over the summer, the culture change he has implemented at the club in a short space of time has been impressive.

Of course, Birmingham do have a squad that is significantly more expensive and has much more quality than their League One rivals, but the third tier can be incredibly tough, as the likes of Sunderland and Ipswich Town have found over the years, and Davies should be given credit for the way his side have seamlessly adapted to the division.

After winning seven and drawing one of their first eight league games, it has been a slightly trickier period for the Blues of late, with a defeat to Charlton Athletic and draws against Mansfield Town and Northampton over the past month.

There is no reason for Birmingham to panic at this stage, and they are still in an excellent position, but Davies is now facing the biggest test of his time at the club so far as he looks to keep his side's promotion push on track.

Wagner claimed in September that his ambitions for the Blues will "blow people’s minds", and with the board likely to be targeting a return to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future, there will be constant pressure on Davies to deliver over the coming years, even if he achieves promotion this season.

Paul Robinson doesn't believe Leeds United will end up sending Manor Solomon back to Tottenham Hotspur in January.

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, these comments come after Solomon's fairly slow start to life at Elland Road.

He looked to be an excellent addition when he came in during the summer, with his arrival and the addition of Largie Ramazani being much-needed after the exits of Crysencio Summerville and former loanee Jaidon Anthony.

Current loanee Solomon has a fairly impressive CV, having played in the Premier League before, but injuries have disrupted his development and they have also limited his impact this season.

Not only has he spent time out injured, but he's also not started quite a few games for the Whites and those two factors may have contributed to the fact he hasn't been able to make a real difference in front of goal this term, with his only contribution coming in the form of an assist against Hull City.

With his impact limited, Farke may be weighing up his options ahead of the January window to see whether another addition may be needed out wide, even with Willy Gnonto, Dan James and Ramazani available as other options when fit.

James has impressed again this season, Gnonto has shone at points and Ramazani, who's currently on the sidelines, has also made a good impression during the 2024/25 campaign.

Solomon, meanwhile, will be hoping to get himself back on track and kickstart his career, during what looks set to be a very important loan spell for him at Elland Road.

Paul Robinson makes Manor Solomon prediction amid Leeds United struggles

For a player of his quality, to register no goals and just one assist in eight games will disappoint the Israel international.

And Leeds may have expected more from him, but pundit Robinson believes they won't send him back to Spurs when the January window opens.

The former goalkeeper said: "It’s been really tough for him with injuries. He started really well and he’s a top-class player. It was a really good deal for Leeds to get him on loan because I expect other teams also wanted him.

"It was a real coup signing for Leeds, started really well and then got injured. It’s a long season in the Championship so I don’t think there will be any call for him to be sent back. He’s someone the manager will utilise.

"Ramazani has been injured, as has James, so Solomon is another option for him. With two games per week coming before the end of the season, with the injuries they’ve got, I don’t see Leeds replacing Solomon with someone of a similar quality.

"It’s just a case of getting him back to his best between now and the end of the season."

Manor Solomon deserves the chance to kickstart his Leeds United loan spell

Solomon is clearly a talented player - and it's a shame he hasn't been able to prove his worth at Elland Road yet.

He showed plenty of promise against Hull and the wide player could have built on this showing.

But an injury hasn't helped him in his quest to get into a rhythm - and it will be interesting to see how much of a difference he can make in the coming weeks.

Ideally for him, he needs regular starts to get into his stride and build his confidence.

But he may not get regular starts in the coming months unless he can raise his performance levels in the short term.

Carlton Palmer believes that Leeds United could be in the race to sign Gent defender Archie Brown despite Premier League interest, as Daniel Farke's side would be able to offer him regular football.

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that Leeds, along with Premier League sides Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham and Brentford have Brown on their radar ahead of the January transfer window, with the 22-year-old impressing in Belgium since signing for Gent last summer.

The left-back came through the ranks at Derby County before leaving in 2021, initially for Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, before sealing a move to Gent in the summer of 2023, where he has become a regular starter in both the Jupiler Pro League and the Europa Conference League, playing the full 90 minutes at his side lost 4-2 away to Chelsea last month.

With a host of Premier League clubs interested in signing him, some Leeds supporters could be forgiven for thinking that they're up against it when it comes to sealing his signature, but Palmer believes that their Championship status could actually be a blessing in disguise.

Carlton Palmer on Leeds United's chances of signing Archie Brown

Former Leeds United and England midfielder Palmer believes that Brown will have more of a chance of playing regular first-team football at Elland Road, and that the 22-year-old will want to be playing regularly wherever he goes.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said: "Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are among the clubs reportedly interested in Gent defender Archie Brown.

“This is not the first time Leeds United have been interested in Archie Brown. The 22-year-old left England in 2021 after coming through the ranks at Derby County.

“He sought pastures new, starting in Switzerland with Lausanne-Sport. He swapped Switzerland for Belgium last year, joining Gent, and he’s seen his career go from strength-to-strength.

“He’s played that well, he’s been rewarded with an England youth debut in the summer, and he’s attracting a lot of attention.

“The problem that Leeds United will have is that they’ll have to be in the Premier League to get him, so it’s unlikely that they’ll get him in the January transfer window, especially with the likes of Tottenham and West Ham credited with an interest, as well as Chelsea and Brentford.

“Leeds went after him in 2023 and were unable to get him, so they are big admirers of the defender, but it’s thought that they will have to be in the Premier League to get his signature.

“But, if the player is sensible, even if you want to go and play in a Premier League side, you look at the type of clubs interested in signing you, and you have to wonder whether you’ll go straight into the side and play, so Leeds could well be in the race.

"It would be a coup for them if they could pull it off and the fact that they could offer him first-team football now and the way they’re going now, they will hopefully see it over the line and get promotion. He’ll have more chance of playing in Leeds United’s first-team than he would with Tottenham, West Ham and Chelsea.

“As a young player he’s already had that where he’s not playing regularly and that’s why he went to Switzerland and Belgium, so it would be a massive coup for Leeds United, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Leeds United switch could make sense for Archie Brown

While TEAMtalk have reported that Leeds United would need to be in the Premier League to be the frontrunners to sign the left-back, an Elland Road switch could make more sense than moving to a top-flight side.

You'd have thought that Brown would be brought in to become a regular starter in Daniel Farke's side, and that could do him far more good than sitting on the bench in the Premier League, or even being signed just to go back on loan somewhere.

Brown's best bet of becoming a Premier League starter may be joining Leeds and winning promotion with them, rather than signing for a club already in the top-flight.

He looks like a top talent, and while Leeds may not be a Premier League club, they should use that to their advantage to bring the defender to Elland Road.

Leeds United are among the teams that have taken an interest in Gent left-back Archie Brown, having previously been linked with the player.

TEAMtalk also believes Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the mix for the full-back, along with other Premier League teams, with the left-sided player potentially set for a return to English football during the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old spent the early stages of his career at Derby County, before he was poached by Swiss side Lausanne-Sport.

He then moved on to Belgian top-tier outfit Gent in 2023 - and has been able to establish himself as a key player for his current team - also representing England at a youth international level recently after shining at a domestic level.

His contract with Wouter Vrancken's side doesn't expire until 2027 and with this in mind, any team who is keen to sign him during the January window will have to fork out a considerable amount for him.

The player is only 22, already has plenty of senior experience under his belt and has a long-term contract, putting the Belgian outfit in an ideal position to demand a considerable amount for the young defender when the January window opens in less than two months.

Leeds United face a huge amount of competition to sign Archie Brown

Leeds are one of the teams that are believed to be interested in the player - and that's no surprise considering they have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old before.

However, it has been reported by TEAMtalk that they won't be able to win the race for the player until they are promoted back to the Premier League.

The Whites raised plenty of money in the summer through player sales, but they must be wary of PSR rules and as a Championship side, they may not be able to lure the player to Elland Road.

There are some top-flight teams interested in the defender though, with TEAMtalk reporting that Enzo Maresca's Blues, Spurs, Brentford and West Ham are all interested.

The Blues are thought to be keeping tabs on him from a distance. The Irons, meanwhile, could be one of Brown's main suitors, as long-term admirers of the player.

Leeds United could benefit from Archie Brown in the future

Leeds have a couple of decent options at left-back.

Junior Firpo has been an important player both defensively and going forward since the Whites' relegation - and keeping hold of him for the long term could be ideal.

But his contract expires next year and it's unclear whether he will put pen to paper on a new deal, regardless of whether Leeds are promoted or not.

With this in mind, and the fact Sam Byram is unlikely to be a key player for the long term at Elland Road, Brown could be a shrewd addition.

With the top-tier experience he has, it would be a real boost for the West Yorkshire side if they were able to bring him in at some point.

Lewis Travis and Tyrhys Dolan have sent praise the way of former Blackburn Rovers teammate Sammie Szmodics after his stunning overhead kick against Tottenham Hotspur for Ipswich Town on Sunday.

The 29-year-old scored his third goal for the Tractor Boys in extremely impressive fashion to help his side to their first Premier League win since returning to the division after a 22-year-old hiatus.

It has not been the easiest of adjustments for the attacker, but the confidence gained from the wondergoal will only help him once the top flight returns following the third international break of the campaign.

Fellow summer signing, Liam Delap, added a second for Ipswich to secure the 2-1 victory for the Suffolk club, with Rodrgio Bentancur pulling one back for Spurs in the second-half.

Nevertheless, Szmodics' strike was an excellent one, and a couple of his ex-Blackburn teammates have paid tribute to the Republic of Ireland international.

Dolan and Travis react to Szmodics' overhead kick

It has been a difficult start to the season for Kieran McKenna's side, and not many anticipated Ipswich taking all three points from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially after their 4-1 win over Aston Villa the previous weekend.

However, fantastic determination and some superb football saw last season's Championship runners-up earn their first win of the season in North London, with Szmodics stealing all the headlines.

The Tractor Boys' number 23 took to his Instagram after the match to celebrate the victory, sharing an image of himself with Ed Sheeran. Szmodics wrote: "Overhead kick, Win & a smudge with big ed. GET IN THERE 💙 🚜"

Both Dolan and Travis praised their former Blackburn teammate for his role in the win, with Rovers' captain replying to the attacker with: "Get innnnn"

Meanwhile, Dolan, who has taken over the role left by Szmodics following his move to Portman Road, said: "My boy 💥"

Blackburn returned to form after recent struggles

Although Blackburn started the season extremely brightly, the last few weeks have been difficult for John Eustace, and it looked as though they were returning to the form that saw them struggle in 2023/24.

However, a 3-1 win over Cardiff City away from home has helped ease any worries that Rovers supporters may have had after their recent exploits, and has pushed them back towards the top six after slipping towards mid-table.

Not many expected the Lancashire club to be in the battle for the play-offs after losing Szmodics to Ipswich in the summer for a reported fee of £9m plus add-ons, but Eustace has got his team playing some excellent football and early results have put them into contention.

New signings such as Andreas Weimann have stepped up and took over from the 29-year-old following his departure, while Travis has impressed after coming back to Ewood Park following a loan spell at Portman Road at the end of last season.

Carlton Palmer has warned Leeds United about the competition they will face if they move to re-sign Archie Gray on loan from Tottenham in January.

GIVEMESPORT has reported that Tottenham Hotspur are bracing themselves for serious interest in Archie Gray during January, with the Thorp Arch product struggling for game time under Ange Postecoglou, and there are thought to be suitors in both the Championship and Premier League.

Gray made the move to Tottenham in August after a successful breakthrough season with Leeds warranted the youngster's £30 million transfer to the Premier League side.

The former Whites gem did play 90 minutes against Manchester City in Spurs' 2-1 triumph over the Premier League champions in the Carabao Cup but first-team opportunities have been hard to come by.

Carlton Palmer warns Leeds United will face Archie Gray competition

Palmer - a former Whites midfielder himself - has told FLW that Gray would be a good signing for the Yorkshire club but warned them that they may struggle to get a deal done given the likely competition.

"Tottenham are bracing themselves for a host of clubs to test the waters in regard to taking Archie Gray on loan," he said.

"There's talk of Premier League clubs and Championship clubs who would be interested in taking him in on loan. Gray is still well thought of by Postecoglu. He sees the 18-year-old as a very shrewd bit of business, and one which will pay off in the long term.

"He's highly rated, but his game time has been affected, he hasn't had enough game time. He has only played 393 minutes of action in all competitions so far this season, so the question remains, will they let him go out on loan?

"If they do let him go, Leeds may have just missed out on his return with Premier League clubs interested. It would be a great bit of business if they could pull it off, but there will be lots of competition for the midfielder.

"I don't think he'd want to go to the likes of Southampton, who are struggling, maybe Leicester City, who are just outside the drop.

"I think it would be a great fit for him to return to Leeds. He's only 18, very versatile, as Leeds fans know, and he could play a major part from Christmas till the end of the season, by helping them get promoted back to the Premier League."

Archie Gray will be tempted by Leeds United return

Gray had an impressive impact at Elland Road last season - turning heads in his breakthrough campaign as he provided Leeds with a brilliant option at both right-back and in midfield.

His move to Spurs was warranted given his performances, many of which came at the age of just 17, and the fact he featured 52 times speaks to his huge potential.

Given their depth issues in midfield, the teenager would be a welcome addition to Farke's squad while you'd be hard-pressed to find any Leeds fan that wouldn't want to see him back at the club - even if it is only temporary.

The Whites are among the favourites for promotion in the Championship this season and re-signing Gray would certainly boost their hopes of returning to the top flight.

It's not likely to be easy given the reported Premier League interest but the player will certainly be tempted by the chance of leading his boyhood club back to the promised land.

Bazoumana Toure is swiftly emerging among the most sought-after young talents on the continent, with Leeds United, Celtic, and Tottenham Hotspur just three of the clubs reportedly in the hunt for the "unique" 18-year-old sensation.

The teenage winger has burst onto the scene and now finds himself with no shortage of suitors heading into the January transfer window, but who is the Leeds, Celtic and Spurs target?

Football League World takes a closer look...

The lowdown on Leeds, Spurs and Celtic transfer target Bazoumana Toure

The youngster is fresh off the block and has only recently begun to make his mark, and he still largely remains as something of an unknown quantity.

Toure, who hails from the Ivory Coast, joined Hammarby of the Swedish top-flight from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas back in March for just £370,000 and has gone from strength to strength thus far in Scandinavia. The teenager was only rewarded with his first start for the club in May, where he made an assist in a 2-1 victory over IFK Norrkoping - and he hasn't looked back since.

His form has routinely turned heads for Hammarby, who find themselves second in the Allsvenskan table with two games to play.

Toure is also represented by globally renowned agency Unique Sports Group, whose top clients include the likes of Anthony Gordon and Reece James.

With that in mind, it would be no real surprise to see Toure eyeing a move to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future.

Leeds, Celtic and Spurs' transfer interest in Bazoumana Toure

According to a recent report from TBR Football, Toure is attracting significant interest from a wide range of domestic outfits.

The report exclusively claims that up to a dozen British clubs attended Hammarby's most recent outing at Sirius, where Toure bagged a brace to take his tally up to eight for the season.

It's reported that Newcastle, Aston Villa, Spurs, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Wolves were all among the Premier League representatives spotted in Sweden to keep tabs on the prodigy, while the likes of Celtic and Championship duo Leeds and Sheffield United were also there.

Just how likely it is that a second-tier club such as Leeds or the Blades could actually pull off the deal remains to be seen, with Toure reportedly valued at £5 million. He's also under contract until 2028, meaning that Hammarby have plenty of security over his future.

Meanwhile, a previous report published by the Mirror claimed that both Arsenal and Manchester United have undertaken respective scouting missions to monitor the Hammarby star.

Make no mistake about it, there's going to be serious competition for his signature before long and Leeds, for example, may end up finding it too difficult to unlock any potential deal.

Hammarby rate Bazoumana Toure extremely highly amid transfer race

As evidenced in his reported valuation, Hammarby rate the young flyer extremely highly, leading to club figures lauding his talents to the media.

Last month, sporting director Mikael Hjelmberg explained: "There are a lot of clubs coming to the match against Hacken. We need to plan for a future without him.

"Then if it happens this winter, next summer or even further than that – I don’t think so, we’ll see. But the longer we get to keep him the better."

Toure has also been hailed by Hammarby manager Kim Hellberg, who labelled the star as a "unique talent" with the potential to go right to the very top in his career.

Hellberg said of Toure: "I think he can play at the highest level possible. I don’t see why he shouldn’t have the chance to get there. There have been many players who have had the opportunity to get there but have not taken that route.

"He is unique in the way he learns things and picks things up. Now he scored two goals on his head… and we have worked so much on how he should get into the box and how he should position himself to create advantages linked to the fact that he is not a big player."

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that defender Micky van de Ven suffered a hamstring injury in Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 EFL Cup victory over Manchester City.

It's a rarity to see Pep Guardiola's side lose a game of football. Their defeat against Spurs on Wednesday evening was the first time that they had come out on the wrong end of a result this season, and it was only their second loss of the calendar year in regular time.

As Postecoglou tries to live up to the expectations that he set for himself of winning a trophy of some sort in his second season, as he has done everywhere else he's been, this was a big step towards ending the club's 16-plus year wait for a piece of silverware.

Spurs got off to a flying start, hurting City on the counter-attack inside the first five minutes thanks to some lovely play by their forwards. Timo Werner was there to finish off the flowing move, restoring some of his confidence in front of goal.

He could have doubled their advantage around 10 minutes later following a sloppy pass from İlkay Gündoğan, but the German failed to convert.

Luckily for him and his teammates, that second goal did come when Pape Matar Sarr sweetly struck the end result of a short-corner routine from about eight yards outside of the box around the City defenders and into the near post.

But then, just on the stroke of half-time, City got themselves back in it. Matheus Nunes was free at the far post for Savinho to find. The centre-mid made no mistake with his finish, and the teams went into half-time at 2-1, and that is how it would stay for the rest of the game as Spurs progressed to the last eight.

After his side's momentous victory, the Australian manager confirmed that a hamstring injury, which occurred when making a sliding challenge to clear the ball from Savinho's feet, was the reason for his early withdrawal from the game, in the 14th minute.

"Micky felt something in his hamstring," said Postecoglou, via the Standard.

"I haven't got the full update on him but he definitely felt something and we'll see how he is."

It was a contest that wasn't short of fitness issues. Savinho had to be stretchered off in the second half after seemingly hurting his ankle, and Manuel Akanji, who was supposed to start the match, was forced to withdraw before kick-off due to a calf issue. Guardiola believes that he now has just 13 fit players to work with and stated that they are "in trouble".

What will make the news of Van de Ven's injury more of a concern for Spurs, other than his visibly upset reaction, is that he suffered a similar injury at around the same point of last season which kept him out for two months.

Spurs should be worried by Micky van de Ven's hamstring issues

It's an unfortunate, sad reality that sometimes players like the Dutchman, who have incredible explosive abilities, are more at risk of picking up these types of injuries.

That's now two in the space of roughly a year for the 23-year-old, and hamstring problems can not go away for many players; they can be like a plague.

Spurs need to do all they can to make sure that his hamstring is fit and healthy before bringing him back into the fold. Luckily, this time they have a capable stand-in in Radu Dragusin, unlike last season where their options after van de Ven were less encouraging.

Postecoglou, the medical team and everyone else associated with Tottenham will be crossing their fingers, wishing for this to not be a reoccurring theme of van de Ven's Spurs career.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Ashley Phillips has quickly become a name to watch in English football, with the giant defender currently on loan at Stoke City from Tottenham Hotspur in the Championship.

He has not been utilised perhaps as much as either he or his parent club would have hoped thus far, with just four appearances for his new club. He started in three of those, but has been an unused substitute in six Championship fixtures already by Stoke.

However, the young centre-back has still shown promising signs of immense potential despite his limited experience. Phillips first made his mark at Blackburn Rovers, coming through their academy and earning his senior debut at just 17.

He is viewed as one for the future by Spurs, who took a chance on him at a very young age, with the 19-year-old spending his time this season on loan with Plymouth Argyle last season to help secure their place in the second tier.

He impressed in flashes, though he is still developing. Phillips has the raw attributes to become a standout defender if he continues to impress in the Championship. A Premier League return with Tottenham could be on the cards sooner than expected if he does.

The Stoke City view on Ashley Phillips' loan from Tottenham

Phillips’ future looks bright, with this loan spell likely to be crucial in his development, but his lack of action may be of concern to figures at Spurs and Stoke. We asked FLW's Stoke fan pundit Sam Harrison for his thoughts on who the player is that is not starting games often, but who ought to be playing more regularly, and his answer was Phillips.

He said: "One of the only players who I can think of in terms of someone who has maybe not had as many games as he maybe wants or what his parent club wants, but who is going to get his chance and has kind of been unlucky with how the games have gone and players being back is Ashley Phillips.

"It's not a case of him being shut out, it's in terms of personnel. Others have suited games more than him.

"Of course, on loan from Tottenham. Obviously, it's going to have to play games as that is the whole reason and purpose of the loan move.

"But I think the timing of Michael Rose has come back and has had an impact. The defensive back four and how we have gone about games with having more experience and the good run of fixtures we've just had.

"He did then start against Sheffield United in a back five. So, if we did then continue with a back five, then of course, he will be in the team.

"I do think, even in a back four, playing alongside either Rose or [Ben] Gibson, then I think he would look good. I think he's someone that has got a lot of potential.

"I think he's just got unlucky with it all. I don't think it's anything personal against him. He's a very good player and one that, hopefully, we can see a lot more of in the red and white stripes of the Potters.

"I do think it's the way things have gone and is nothing against him by the looks of it. Of course, a managerial change as well, during his loan spell at the club.

"He's the only one I can think of who has not really been starting too many games of late, but I do still expect he'll be in the line-up a number of times coming up now.

"You've got midweek games and cup games as well; Southampton in the cup where I reckon he'll start that as well."

Ashley Phillips' future and potential

Phillips is a defender who evidently has an extremely high ceiling, but needs regular game time and refinement to get there, albeit that is not being handed to him at present with Stoke.

It's also not yet clear what his ball-playing qualities are like in a higher possession-based team, which Spurs will hope to see at some stage in the next couple of seasons; but his physicality, speed, and aggressive defending style are all impressive for someone so young.

Only 19 in the summer, the 6'4" defender has the front-footed style and combative nature to battle it out with some of the most physical Championship centre-forwards.

Things may have to change soon, though. Spurs need to get the Blackburn Rovers academy product the required game time to learn and develop in a top Championship side, which Narcis Pelach has only recently started to grant after the weekend loss to Sheffield United.