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Dominic Solanke limped out of Tottenham’s defeat to AZ Alkmaar after coming on as a second half substitute on his return from a previous injury.

The striker had been out since January with a knee problem but came off the bench on 72 minutes in Alkmaar, replacing captain Son Heung-min.

However, he lasted just 20 minutes, limping off the field, replaced by Dane Scarlett in injury time of the 1-0 loss.

The injury came after a collision with AZ goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro, with Solanke jumping for a header and coming off badly from the impact with the stopper.

It looked like the Spurs man got a knee in his lower back or possibly his hip and was clearly in serious discomfort as he writhed on the ground.

There seemed every chance that it was just an impact injury and that Solanke may be able to run it off but he limped out of the match and looked in a lot of pain after he left the field.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is hopeful it is nothing serious, saying after the match: ‘We think it’s a knock, so hopefully nothing too bad. He’s a bit sore.’

It was a bad moment on a bad night for Spurs as they lost thanks to a Lucas Bergvall own goal early in the first half.

The midfielder was unlucky as a sliced clearance looped into his own goal on 18 minutes, but Tottenham were unable to recover.

Captain Son didn’t pull any punches in his assessment of the performance, which needs to be much better in the second leg of the tie next week.

‘It’s nowhere near where we should perform,’ Son told TNT Sports. ‘It was very disappointing that we performed like this, including me. It’s a big wake up call because next week is the biggest game of the season.

‘I really don’t think there was too much caution. It’s always tough to play away in the Europa League. We didn’t create anything in the first half, sloppiness, not performing the way we should.

‘Everyone is very disappointed about the individual performance and the team performance, we have to look at ourselves. There is no excuses, we were not good enough. It’s just 1-0, it’s still not finished, and next week we have to be much better.’

Postecoglou told TNT Sports: ‘Not a great night for us. Obviously a disappointing result but a really disappointing performance. We never got to grips with the game. It wasn’t a great night for us, but it’s half way and we’re still in the tie.’

On whether he is confident of turning the tie around in north London, he said: ‘Absolutely. At home we are capable of scoring goals and putting pressure on the opponent. We’ll perform better than we did tonight.’

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Dejan Kulusevski is likely to miss the next four Tottenham Hotspur games due to a ‘knock on the foot,’ according to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Sweden international has been carrying the injury in recent games but his manager says he can no longer continue to play with the discomfort.

The 24-year-old has not travelled for the Europa League clash with AZ on Thursday night and will probably not be involved again this month.

Postecoglou says Kulusevski will probably return after the international break, which means he will also miss the second leg against AZ in north London. He will also sit out Premier League meetings with Bournemouth and Fulham coming in the next two weeks.

‘Unfortunate for Deki, hes played probably as many minutes as anybody this year,’ said Postecoglou of Kulusevski. ‘He got a bit of a knock on the foot, he’s not really sure which game it was.

‘It’s been sore for a couple of weeks, but he has been able to train and play but we just felt it wasn’t getting better.

‘He’s unlikely to be back before the international break. It’s nothing serious, it’s nothing surgical or anything but he hasn’t travelled.’

There is much better news elsewhere on the injury front for Spurs as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke could all feature on Thursday night at AZ.

How involved they will be involved is unclear, with Postecoglou saying: ‘We’ll see. All three have been training with us and training well, so they’re here and they’ll train and be involved tomorrow and I’ll decide whether they get significant match minutes or not.

‘It’s great to have them back and it’s been great to have them back at training, they feel good. They’ve been pretty frustrated they’ve not been able to help and now they’re in a position where they can. ‘

After a season plagued by injury, the situation is improving, with the Spurs boss praising the efforts of recently returned players including Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and James Maddison.

‘In the last few weeks we’ve had Vic, Detiny, Wilson and Madders all come back and we’ve seen the impact that they’ve had,’ he said. ‘So I’m sure the guys coming back now will have an equally important impact.’

AZ came through a knockout play-off against Galatasaray to book their clash with Tottenham in the last 16 of the Europa League.

However, they are coming off a defeat to Heerenveen at the weekend which left them sixth in the Eredivisie.

Tottenham’s loss to Manchester City last time out left them 13th in the Premier League, so neither team is flying into this one in top form.

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Three different results are in order when a trio of Premier League teams are in teatime action as the second and third tiers of Europe’s top club competitions begin their round of 16 assignments.

Tottenham continue their quest to win a trophy for the first time in 17 years when they travel to AZ Alkmaar seeking a similar result to their 1-0 victory over their Eredivisie opponents in the group stage.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou rested players for Manchester City’s 1-0 victory in N17 last week but the plan backfired as a spirited second-half performance after the subs bench cleared showed what might have happed if they had gone all guns blazing from the off.

It also didn’t work out well as Dejan Kulusevski, who has been a midfield workhorse amidst all the injuries, has still picked up a foot problem which will reportedly sideline him for a couple of months and he joins a stellar cast of casualties including Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven who will miss the Europa League first-leg tussle.

Tottenham will be happy with a draw at 14/5 with BetMGM and Unibet while Brennan Johnson is 12/5 with the same firms, Paddy Power and Unibet to score at any time with former Spurs striker Troy Parrott to let his boots do the talking by scoring for Alkmaar at 2/1 with bet365.

Bruno can’t save United from Sociedad defeat

Manchester United showed they can still find new ways to lose when Sunday’s extra-time exit to Fulham in the FA Cup silenced Old Trafford. They now face a tricky trip to Real Sociedad, who had won five out of six before tumbling to Real Madrid and Barcelona in their last couple of LaLiga outings.

The Basques are 23/20 to triumph with the same firm offering 18/5 they win with both teams scoring, which makes a 2-1 home victory appealing at 8/1 with bet365, Betway, Betfair and Betfred.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is United’s biggest threat in any given match and is 9/2 with bet365 to bring some joy to their travelling fans.

Chelsea have been less than spectacular in the Premier League in recent weeks but have swept aside all opposition in the Europa Conference League and are 4/6 with Betfred to win in Copenhagen, with Christopher Nkunku 7/4 with Sky Bet to score at any time.

• With Cheltenham just around the corner why not take a horses for courses approach to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill?

Rory McIlroy has six top-ten finishes in this event, winning in 2018 and finishing tied second two years ago, and he has already been victorious this year hitting the jackpot at Pebble Beach. McIlroy is 9/1 with Paddy Power and preferred to Scottie Scheffler, who is yet to fire on all cylinders following the hand injury which delayed his start to the year.

Ludvig Aberg, who cashed in for us when winning last time out at the Genesis Invitational, is also worth consideration to wear the red jacket on Sunday at 26/1 with Sky Bet while Tommy Fleetwood can be followed at 30/1 with Betfred. Hideki Matsuyama is our final each-way pick at 22/1 with bet365.

• Stefanos Tsitsipas, fresh from his victory in Dubai, is 25/1 each-way value at Indian Wells with Betfred and SpreadEx while the same two firms have priced Amanda Anisimova at 40/1 to win the women’s title after lifting the Qatar Open.

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Tottenham host Manchester City tonight hoping to inflict more pain on Pep Guardiola’s side.

Spurs secured an emphatic 4-0 win over City at the Etihad last November having knocked them out of the Carabao Cup a month earlier.

Their third meeting of the season comes with some key players back in the Tottenham team after that horrific run of injuries.

Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Brennan Johnsonare all back in the side with light at the tunnel for their remaining absentees.

Dominic Solanke has been absent since the north London derby defeat to Arsenal with a knee problem and will not be ready for the visit of the defending champions tonight with next week’s Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar a more realistic return date.

Micky Van de Ven managed 45 minutes against Elfsborg last month but has not featured since. Postecoglou has insisted the club must exercise caution with the 23-year-old, suggesting he was two to three weeks away from returning when speaking after the win over United.

Cristian Romero meanwhile has managed just 15 minutes of football since November with a hamstring problem keeping him on the sidelines.

Speaking last week, Postecoglou revealed the Argentine was in a ‘good place’ after undergoing a further scan with the manager expecting Solanke,van de Ven and Romero all to be back in the fold for the second leg against PSV.

City meanwhile are sweating on the fitness of Erling Haaland.

The Norway international limped off with a knee injury in the 4-0 victory over Newcastle United but was an unused substitute in the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid despite his side being in desperate need of goals on the night.

Haaland was left out of the squad completely on Sunday against Liverpool with Pep Guardiola unsure if he will be ready in time for the trip to the capital.

Haaland was set to undergo a late fitness test following Tuesday’s final training session in Manchester.

John Stones is back on the injured list after he was forced off early in Madrid with Manuel Akanji undergoing thigh surgery that will sideline him until April.

Predicted Tottenham XI to face Man City

Vicario, Spence, Gray, Danso, Udogie, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson, Tel, Son

Predicted Man City XI to face Tottenham

Ederson, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, Gvardiol, Gonzalez, Gundogan, Savio, de Bruyne, Foden, Marmoush

Where to watch Tottenham vs Man City? Kick-off time and TV channel

Tottenham vs Man City kicks off at 7:30pm on Wednesday 26 February.

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 with a live stream available through the Discovery+ app.

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Tottenham are still dealing with a string of injuries and will be without six players when they host Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Spurs are coming off a hat-trick of Premier League victories over Brentford, Manchester United and Ipswich Town, halting a worrying slide down the table.

Ange Postecoglou’s team will not be happy with 12th in the top flight, where they currently sit, but they are looking upwards again after the trio of wins.

Their injury headaches are easing but are not quite cured and Postecoglou will still be missing six players who were not available at Ipswich.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Australian said: ‘Will be the same squad as the weekend. Everyone who played is good.

‘With the injured guys, all still progressing and over the next 7-10 days we’ll be getting them back.’

Those ‘injured guys’ who are close to a return are Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, with all four hoping to play against Bournemouth in the Premier League on 9 March.

Radu Dragusin is also out for an extended period of time due to an ACL injury, while Ben Davies will not play on Wednesday.

The Welsh defender is not in serious trouble, but Postecoglou wants to make sure he is fully fit for the run-in.

He explained: ‘He’s been carrying a knock for a little while and to be fair he’s played through it, but I’ve said before this is a key period and I want as many players in the best possible condition and after this game we have a seven-day break which leads into Europe, league, Europe League and those games are massive for us.

‘I don’t see need to push. He hasn’t re-injured. He’s just been carrying something that I don’t want to push at the moment.’

Timo Werner is an option for the Australian, saying of the German forward: ‘He has trained & is available for tomorrow.’

Postecoglou’s opposite number on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola, also addressed his big injury concern, although could not confirm whether Erling Haaland would be back in the Manchester City side or not.

The Norwegian has missed the recent defeats to Real Madrid and Liverpool with a minor knee problem, but has been training.

‘Tonight we will know after training,’ Guardiola said of Haaland. ‘I hope (he will be fit) but I don’t know yet. He feels better but the last two games he could not play. We’ll see tomorrow.’

Asked for his view on Tottenham and specifically their manager, Guardiola said of Postecoglou: ‘I have a high opinion about him. I try to not judge results, you have to see the ideas; sometimes it’s going well, sometimes not much but I have a high, high opinion.

‘A fantastic team, individual quality that they’ve always had, the rhythm they play with, the intensity, incredible runners in transition. But I’ve seen lately they are a little bit more pause in the final third, more extra passes… Results dictate one thing, but my opinion of the team is completely the opposite.’

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Pep Guardiola has provided an injury update on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham.

Haaland, who has scored 19 goals across 25 top-flight games this term, was not named in the City squad who lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

The Norway international been struggling with a knee problem, which is also why he was an unused substitute for last week’s 3-1 Champions League defeat at Real Madrid.

After the loss to Liverpool at the Etihad, City boss Guardiola admitted he ‘did not know’ when the 24-year-old would be able to make his return.

Guardiola has now shared a fresh update, stating that Haaland ‘feels better’ and he will make a late call whether or not to use him against Spurs.

‘Tonight (Tuesday) we will know it, after training,’ Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference before the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

‘I hope so, but I don’t know yet… He feels better, but in the last two games he could not play, we’ll see tomorrow (Wednesday).’

Guardiola has been involved in a row with football pundit Jamie Carragher over Haaland’s knee injury, after the former Liverpool defender suggested that the Norwegian was scared of facing Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger.

‘Oh God, did Jamie Carragher say that? Oh God,’ Guardiola said on Saturday. ‘I don’t laugh.

‘I don’t know why it’d be that suspicious. Do you think Erling Haaland didn’t want to play that game?

‘It’s not true. It was crazy to play the game. He had a problem in his knee and he could not play.’

In response, Carragher claimed that his comments were a ‘joke’ as he took aim at a journalist in a social media post.

Carragher wrote on X: ‘It was a joke to wind up Micah Richards as that’s the nature of our show on CBS and you know that @MullockSMirror but you just thought let’s get a big headline for my piece! Typical Sunday papers!!!’

Simon Mullock, the Sunday Mirror’s chief football writer, responded: ‘I’ve watched it again. It doesn’t sound like a joke.

‘For a start, no-one laughed. There was also a number of other reporters in the room. None of them suggested it might have been a joke.’

Meanwhile, Guardiola is expecting an incredibly tough match against Spurs, who are somewhat of a bogey team for the current champions.

Ange Postecoglou’s side smashed City 4-0 when the two sides met in the reverse fixture at the Etihad in November, while Spurs also knocked Guardiola’s team out of this season’s Carabao Cup in the last 16.

Quizzed about Tottenham, Guardiola said: ‘A fantastic team, individual quality that they’ve always had, the rhythm they play with, the intensity, incredible runners in transition.

‘I have a high opinion about him (Postecoglou). I try to not judge results, you have to see the ideas; sometimes it’s going well, sometimes not much but I have a high, high opinion.’

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Tottenham hope to continue their improved run of form and pile more misery on Manchester City on Wednesday.

Since Ange Postecoglou’s passionate defence of his injury-hit side following their FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa, Spurs have picked up big wins against Manchester United and Ipswich Town to ease some of the pressure on their manager.

The return of some key figures in the starting XI has served as a considerable boost with Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson all back in the side.

Dominic Solanke has been absent since the north London derby defeat to Arsenal with a knee problem and is unlikely to be ready for the visit of the defending champions on Wednesday with next week’s Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar a more realistic return date.

While the injury list has considerably shortened, Spurs could still be without Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero midweek.

Van de Ven managed 45 minutes against Elfsborg last month but has not featured since. Postecoglou has insisted the club must exercise caution with the 23-year-old, suggesting he was two to three weeks away from returning when speaking after the win over United.

Romero meanwhile has managed just 15 minutes of football since November with a hamstring problem keeping him on the sidelines.

Speaking last week, Postecoglou revealed the Argentine was in a ‘good place’ after undergoing a further scan with hope he could also return against Alkmaar next week.

City meanwhile are sweating on the fitness of Erling Haaland.

The Norway international limped off with a knee injury in the 4-0 victory over Newcastle United but was an unused substitute in the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid despite his side being in desperate need of goals on the night.

Haaland was left out of the squad completely on Sunday against Liverpool with Pep Guardiola unsure if he will be ready in time for the trip to the capital.

John Stones is back on the injured list after he was forced off early in Madrid with Manuel Akanji undergoing thigh surgery that will sideline him until April.

Predicted Tottenham XI to face Man City

Vicario, Spence, Gray, Danso, Udogie, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson, Tel, Son

Predicted Man City XI to face Tottenham

Ederson, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, Gvardiol, Gonzalez, Gundogan, Savio, de Bruyne, Foden, Marmoush

Where to watch Tottenham vs Man City? Kick-off time and TV channel

Tottenham vs Man City kicks off at 7:30pm on Wednesday 26 February.

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 with a live stream available through the Discovery+ app.

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Pep Guardiola admits that he does not know when Erling Haaland will be available again, but hopes that he will play on Wednesday when Manchester City travel to take on Tottenham Hotspur.

The Norwegian sat on the bench last week as City were beaten 3-1 at Real Madrid and then was not involved in the squad at all on Sunday as they lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool.

It was a nightmare week for Guardiola and his team, although they do still sit fourth in the Premier League so a return to the Champions League remains in their own hands.

The manager will want to have his star striker available again as soon as possible, but says he is somewhat in the dark over when that will be.

Haaland picked up a knock to his knee in the win over Newcastle on 15 February, but despite scans not showing any serious injury, the forward has said he is not able to play.

On when he will return, Guardiola said: ‘I don’t know. I would like to know but I don’t know.

‘His knee – the moment against Newcastle moved the knee. Apparently he’s not injured because the scans dictate that he’s fine but he didn’t feel fine.

‘I have the feeling it will be soon because he trained yesterday [Saturday] and made some really good movements but he said he was not ready and we have to respect that. Hopefully he can be back for Spurs and the next games to help us.’

He added after the loss to the Reds: ‘I don’t know [if he’s back against Spurs] I am not saying we didn’t get the result because Erling was not there. That is unfair on the other players. We could finish more but in general it is fine.’

Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai scored the goals at the Etihad on Sunday as Liverpool went 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Manchester City are 20 points behind them and have long been out of the title race, but are battling to return to the Champions League next campaign after being dumped out by Real Madrid.

Guardiola suggests the complete contrast in seasons between Liverpool and his team is at least partly down to injuries.

‘I don’t know what would have happened if everyone was here,’ Guardiola said. ‘I don’t know if Liverpool would be able to win the Premier League. They are a fantastic team and they are similar in details.

‘They have had no injuries and that is why they could be a stable team and we could not do it. And it is what it is. You cannot achieve what you want all the time. I know how difficult it will be to qualify for the Champions League. I am really pleased with how we have behaved against Newcastle and today.

‘Of course, with Erling we are a better team. With Rodri we are a better team. With John Stones and Akanji we are a better team and for many reasons with other players we are a better team.’

Reds boss Arne Slot is insistent that the title race is not yet over, saying in other leagues it may have been, but not the Premier League.

‘In every other league having a lead like this would be very comfortable, except for this one because this league every single game gives you a lot of challenges,’ he said.

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Arsenal fans have trolled Tottenham over a secret email their rivals reportedly sent to Premier League broadcasters over a name change.

The Athletic claimed on Friday that they’ve seen an email Spurs sent on February 10, outlining how they wish to be referenced going forward.

The email, believed to be titled ‘Tottenham Hotspur Naming Update’, explained how Tottenham no longer wish to be called simply ‘Tottenham’ on any Premier League broadcasts.

They have requested to either be called by their full name – ‘Tottenham Hotspur’ – or simply ‘Spurs’, which is the north London club’s nickname.

Arsenal fans have poked fun at Spurs on social media after the news emerged, particularly on Reddit.

‘I can understand that,’ @varro-reatinus posted. ‘The name is synonymous with ‘s**t’.’

‘I’ll do my part by continuing to call them s**t,’ a second Arsenal fan, @OdegaardsLeftFoot, said.

@SantosFurie89 added: ‘Swirling down their toilet bowl stadium.. At least American football fans have some history of success at that venue.’

‘Should have thought about that before they named themselves Tottenham then, shouldn’t they,’ @ICanSeeYourFuture posted.

Spurs are massively struggling in the Premier League this season amid an injury crisis, with the club currently sat 12th in the top-flight ahead of their trip to Ipswich Town on Saturday.

The north Londoners, who haven’t landed a major trophy since 2008, are already out of the FA Cup having lost to Aston Villa in the fourth round.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were on the verge of reaching this season’s Carabao Cup final, having beaten Liverpool in the first leg of their semi-final, but lost the second leg 4-0 earlier this month to exit the competition.

Former Liverpool defender and football pundit Jamie Carragher ripped Spurs to shreds after that particular match.

Speaking in the Sky Sports studio after the full-time whistle, Carragher said: ‘It was never in doubt before the game. It’s Tottenham.

‘When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go anywhere and surprise you and win against the odds? It’s not just this Spurs team. They never shock you and do something out of the ordinary.’

Spurs’ last chance of silverware this term is in the Europa League, with Postecoglou’s team set to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the last 16 after the draw was made on Friday.

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