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Ange Postecoglou has defended his decision to substitute Lucas Bergvall and make several changes to his Tottenham side for their last-gasp victory over Coventry City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Spurs looked to be on the receiving end of an upset as Brandon Thomas-Asante put Coventry ahead in the second half.

However, Djed Spence equalised in the 88th minute before Brennan Johnson scored Spurs’ winner in injury time.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, has faced criticism after his side’s defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby last Sunday and was booed by fans over his decision to replace Bergvall against Coventry.

When asked about the negative reaction he received after Bergvall’s substitution, Postecoglou replied: ‘I don’t make substitutions by poll, mate.

‘So, I’m sure the fans have got their own opinions but, yeah, Lucas, like I said that’s his first sort of significant game time for quite a while. What I didn’t want was us pushing guys over the edge today, that’s why we took Destiny [Udogie] off at half time as well.

‘We already had a couple of injuries, and I had some pretty good players on the bench that I thought could make an impact, but it doesn’t take away from Lucas’s performance. I thought he was outstanding tonight.

‘They they’re going to play a lot of football for us and hopefully getting through tonight, whether it’s 90 minutes for Archie [Gray] or you know, 60, 70 for Lucas, will put them in a good space.’

Postecoglou also defended his decision to make eight changes to his side for the Carabao Cup tie.

‘What I’ve always tried to do is the right thing and the best thing for us in terms of what we’re trying to achieve,’ Postecoglou said.

‘There’s no guarantees with anything you do in football but what I’ve always done is backed my decisions in critical times to always do what I feel is best and if it doesn’t work out then I can live with that but I’m certainly not going to jeopardise what we’re trying to build here by doing something that’s going to make me look like I’m in a safer position.

‘We were always going to play these guys because we have Europe starting next week. The last thing I want to do is throw guys in out of necessity.

‘We need to get game time and tonight some key players for us got some good minutes that mean that when we do have to make changes moving forward, they’ve already played and they’re ready to go.’

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Alan Shearer has urged Tottenham to keep faith with Ange Postecoglou in the wake of their disappointing derby day defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

Despite facing an injury-hit Gunners, Tottenham slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home against Mikel Arteta’s side, their third successive home defeat against their north London rivals.

It continues what has been a stuttering start to the Premier League season for Spurs who have won just one of their first four games and sit 13th in the table.

Postecoglou cut a defiant figure after the match, insisting he will bring silverware to the club this season, and Shearer believes the Australian deserves the backing of the board for now.

‘Ange Postecoglou was brought into the football club because of his style of play and because of his beliefs,’ the former England striker told Betfair.

‘It would be crazy for Spurs or Postecoglou to change that now, and he’s not going to. He plays with a high line, with his full-backs going into midfield and at times, the opposition will catch them out.

‘However, from set-pieces, teams see that as an area to exploit. I don’t know whether that’s the goalkeeper, or the Tottenham set-up, but he’s not changing it.

‘Let us not forget how Ange’s style worked for them in a lot of games last season and it was exciting football, but it is high risk. Sometimes fans have to be patient because it’ll work one week and maybe not so much the other.

‘Spurs must stick with Postecoglou, there’s no doubt about it. Unfortunately, you know as a manager, and as players, that you have to deliver on the pitch and if you don’t, you’ll get criticised.

‘Unfortunately, Tottenham haven’t had a good start to the season.’

Postecoglou was mocked in some quarters after he vowed to win a trophy in his second season at the club, but the Australian was swift to laugh of the naysayers.

‘It’s amazing – I just stated a fact – should I lie? he said on Tuesday. ‘It’s confusing to me – people making a big deal.

‘I am not sure how I am supposed to answer something that’s true and it seems like I upset some people for some reason. Is it me boasting? How am I supposed to answer something?

‘It is true and I am not sure why people think I am boasting about it. If you achieve something, aren’t you supposed to say ‘yes I have, I hope to again’.

‘It is true and my plan is for it to happen this year and if it doesn’t happen then I will say it is mostly – but not always.’

He added: ‘Every game is an opportunity for us to get on that road to success. The cup competitions, there is a definite timeline there so you know you’ve got to win to progress so the focus is there.’

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Jurrien Timber was hailed for his ‘brilliant’ performance in Arsenal’s win at Tottenham despite nearly getting sent off in the north London derby.

The Gunners claimed a 1-0 victory in a tense match last Sunday courtesy of Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal from a corner.

Key to the win was Mikel Arteta’s imperious defence which has conceded just one goal in the opening four Premier League matches – a feat only Liverpool can better.

Timber has finally taken his place in the back-line alongside Benjamin White, Gabriel and William Saliba, having missed almost all of his debut season with an ACL injury following his £34million transfer from Ajax.

And David Seaman is greatly impressed with the bravery of the 23-year-old’s displays following such a painful and lengthy spell on the sidelines.

‘Brilliant, really good,’ the legendary Gunners goalkeeper said when asked about Timber’s performance on the Seaman Says podcast, sponsored by Betway.

‘Because of the injury that he had, there’s always going to be something in your mind about, “is it strong enough yet”. No matter how much rehab you do.

‘You get into a couple of games but they’ll always be little tests on his knee but he’s coming through it.’

Timber did have one very awkward moment against Spurs when he committed a bad foul on Pedro Porro which lead to a brawl between all the players.

The defender was shown a yellow card but avoided a first-half sending off after VAR agreed with referee Jarred Gillett that the challenge was ‘reckless’ but ‘not serious foul play’, though not everyone agreed.

Seaman defended the Dutchman however, adding: ‘He was trying to do that trick where they put their foot on the ball and then roll it round.

‘That’s what it was. There was nothing malicious about that he just put his foot on top of the ball and it rolled and it didn’t roll with his stud showing.’

Timber will be back in action on Thursday night when Arsenal kick-off their Champions League campaign against Atalanta before a huge clash at top of the table Manchester City on Sunday.

But despite City’s star player Erling Haaland beginning the season in formidable form – nine goals in four games – Seaman is confident Arsenal’s defence can stop the striker after locking him out last season.

‘Gabriel and Saliba have done well against him in the past, they get quite physical with him. They know how to mark him, they’ve got a system.’

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Ange Postecoglou has dismissed the suggestion that tiredness played a part in the error committed by Cristian Romero that led to the decisive moment in Sunday’s north London derby defeat against Arsenal.

The Gunners won a tight contest thanks to a second half Gabriel Magalhaes header which came after the Brazil international had easily escaped the attentions of Romero.

Tottenham’s defensive linchpin was heavily criticised for his role in the goal and after the match appeared, by retweeting a post on X that was subsequently deleted, to criticise his club’s decision not to put on private travel that would have seen him arrive back from international duty earlier.

‘It wasn’t mentioned to me before the game,’ said Postecogulou when asked about Romero’s social media activity prior to tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup tie at Coventry.

‘I knew nothing about it. The players got back on Thursday and we had a Sunday game. No one reported anything other than the usual checks of people coming back from international duty so prior to the game – no one said anything.’

Postecoglou, meanwhile, did not escape criticism himself following a third straight defeat against Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and was mocked in some quarters after he vowed to win a trophy in his second season at the club.

‘It’s amazing – I just stated a fact – should I lie? he said. ‘It’s confusing to me – people making a big deal.

‘I am not sure how I am supposed to answer something that’s true and it seems like I upset some people for some reason. Is it me boasting? How am I supposed to answer something?

‘It is true and I am not sure why people think I am boasting about it. If you achieve something, aren’t you supposed to say ‘yes I have, I hope to again’.

‘It is true and my plan is for it to happen this year and if it doesn’t happen then I will say it is mostly – but not always.’

He added: ‘Every game is an opportunity for us to get on that road to success. The cup competitions, there is a definite timeline there so you know you’ve got to win to progress so the focus is there.’

Paul Merson has insisted that James Maddison must improve his level of performance after another flat display for Tottenham against Arsenal.

Despite facing an Arsenal side without Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, Spurs failed to find a breakthrough and were ultimately punished by Gabriel’s second-half header.

Spurs’ blunt attacking display is in sharp contrast to their free-flowing start under Ange Postecoglou and Merson believes that key players must hold themselves responsible.

‘Last season was better than this season,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘They were mind-blowing. As a neutral, I do like watching Tottenham, I like Ange, they play entertaining football – but some of the big players need to step up.’

Merson earmarked Maddison as one name, in particular, who must improve. The 27-year-old has two assists and no goals so far this season and is yet to return to the same electric form seen before a lengthy ankle injury midway through last season.

‘James Maddison wasn’t great on Sunday, he has got to step up. He’s got to be better. He’s playing in a position where you’ve got to make things happen,’ the former Arsenal midfielder added.

‘I don’t personally think he did that on Sunday and looking at who he was playing up against, he has to be better.

‘I’m not digging him out because I’m a huge fan of his, but I’ve played that position and know that he needs to do better.’

Merson though, remained positive about Postecoglou’s side and backed them to hit their attacking stride if they improve in one key area.

‘There’s not a lot wrong, but if you look at them and look at Newcastle, Tottenham have been playing better over the first three games – but Newcastle have more points than them. These are fine lines,’ he added.

‘If they get top four, that would be amazing. They will need Solanke to get 20 goals, and you only get 20 goals if the crossing improves.

‘If that doesn’t improve, you could put Haaland up there and he wouldn’t get 20.’

Spurs will look to get back to winning ways in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday when they face Championship side Coventry City.

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Gabriel was fortunate to see his goal stand in the north London derby on Sunday, believe Arsenal hero Paul Merson and former Tottenham star Les Ferdinand.

The Brazilian defender scored the only goal of the game as the Gunners picked up a vital away win despite being without key players Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Spurs as they had plenty of possession and efforts on goal, but struggled to break down a disciplined Arsenal side and didn’t create many clear-cut chances.

It was also a frustration for the home fans as they conceded a straight forward goal from a set-piece as Gabriel headed in the winner and frustrations will have turned to anger after seeing the replay.

The Arsenal man clearly shoved Spurs defender Cristian Romero in the back to make room for himself before the header, which even Gunners icon Merson admitted was a foul.

‘I’d be disappointed if I didn’t get a foul,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘He [Romero] is in the wrong position, everything is wrong about his defending.

‘He’s a centre half international, even I know and I don’t even play at the back you got to be side on. You got to see the ball and your player.

‘To start off you have to be a hand length away and he’s standing with him. I’d expect a foul.’

Ferdinand agreed, saying he was surprised that VAR didn’t have something to say on the issue.

‘I think if a centre forward does that, the referee gives a foul against him,’ said the former Spurs striker.

‘They don’t even look at it . He does need to be stronger. It’s poor defending but he does get a shove in his back.’

Arsenal legend Ian Wright was not quite so clear cut on the decision, but admitted it could have been given as a free-kick to Spurs.

‘I was very surprised with Romero, it feels very easy for a defender of his calibre to be moved out of the way,’ Wright told Premier League Productions.

‘I think it could have been a foul but not enough maybe. That just seems very simple when you look at the proximity from the goal and where he headed it in, It’s a very easy goal for Arsenal to score.’

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Ange Postecoglou insists he always wins silverware in his second seasons at clubs and he expects the exact same for this campaign at Tottenham Hotspur.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Spurs on Sunday as they were beaten 1-0 at home by fierce rivals Arsenal thanks to a goal from Gabriel.

The season so far has been a frustrating one, with just four points from their first four games despite being very competitive in all the matches they dropped points in.

The north London derby was the same, with little between the sides but Spurs coming away with nothing to show for their efforts.

The Australian is undeterred, though, having mentioned over the summer that he ‘usually’ wins things in his second season in charge of a club.

Asked if he still has that confidence he doubled down on his words, saying he ‘always’ wins things in his second year and he expects the same at Tottenham.

‘Yeah absolutely,’ Postecoglou told Sky Sports. ‘I’ll correct what I said, I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year, nothing’s changed. I’ve said it now, I don’t say things unless I believe it.’

The 59-year-old has indeed had successful second seasons with the likes of Celtic, Yokohama F. Marinos and Brisbane Roar, but Scotland, Japan and Australia are very different challenges to competitions in England.

Postecoglou recognised that difference, but was confident when he made the claim over the summer.

‘Usually in my second season I win things,’ he told Sky Sports in August. ‘That’s the whole idea. First year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully the second year is going onto 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.’

Tottenham’s last piece of silverware came in 2008 when they won the League Cup, with their last FA Cup triumph in 1991.

Spurs are also playing in the Europa League this season, with their last European glory coming in the 1984 UEFA Cup final when they beat Anderlecht on penalties.

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Gary Lineker described Arsenal match-winner Gabriel as a ‘warrior’ after he starred in the north London derby victory over Tottenham.

In a hard-fought and tight derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gabriel’s second-half header earned Arsenal three points and bragging rights over their fierce rivals.

A gentle push on the back of Cristian Romero gave Gabriel the room to power home a header past Guglielmo Vicario, who several pundits felt should have come off his line to claim or intercept Bukayo Saka’s corner.

Spurs pushed for an equaliser in the remaining half an hour but created little as Arsenal’s impressive defence stood firm to ensure Mikel Arteta’s side got back to winning ways following a 1-1 draw with Brighton before the international break.

Lineker ‘expected more’ from Sunday’s north London derby but was impressed by Arsenal’s defensive resolve and particularly the performance of goalscorer Gabriel.

‘It wasn’t a great game or a great spectacle actually,’ the ex-England striker said on The Rest is Football podcast.

‘I was expecting it to be a bit more end-to-end but Arsenal are so hard to beat, they defend so well, they really do.

‘We often talk about [William] Saliba but that partnership with Gabriel is very strong. Gabriel is a warrior, isn’t he?

‘He’s a player you’d really want on your side. And he does chip in with the odd goal. He’s tough to mark in the box and a real threat.’

Arsenal’s victory saw them climb to second in the Premier League table, two points behind defending champions Manchester City who are the only team to boast a perfect record after four games.

Liverpool were tipped by many to challenge for the title after their emphatic win over Manchester United at the start of the month but Arne Slot’s side suffered a shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

That has left the Reds fourth – one point behind third-placed Newcastle United and three adrift of Man City, who continued their formidable run with a 2-1 win against Brentford.

Even at this early stage Lineker believes Manchester City and Arsenal are threatening to pull away from their rivals and engage in yet another title race.

‘It’s already looking like Arsenal v Manchester for the title again,’ he added as the two clubs prepare to meet at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.

Gunners boss Arteta, meanwhile, was full of praise for his side after they battled to a narrow victory over their nearest rivals.

‘After the international break, we had a few blows,’ he said. ‘How the team reacted was magnificent. It showed a lot of maturity from the team.

‘When they get into the final third, it’s very difficult because they have a structure. We were missing vital players and we had to react to that. I’m very pleased.

‘We had to adjust and use different players and qualities. I was hoping they would do something with the ball and we did it. Sometimes better than others. They are a really good side.

‘When we have to defend in deeper areas, we did it really well. There are things to improve but we have another victory here and it’s huge. I know how our supporters will feel about this so enjoy it.’

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Cristian Romero claimed he was tired during Tottenham’s defeat against Arsenal and blamed the club’s travel arrangments for the issue in a since-deleted social media post.

Romero was partially to blame for Tottenham’s 1-0 home defeat to Mikel Arteta’s side when he was easily shrugged aside by Gabriel who rose highest to power home a second-half header.

However, the Argentine seemingly believes that the club was also culpable for his disappointing display after they did not provide a private jet to return him from international duty.

Unlike other clubs, Spurs do not often lay on private transport to bring players back quicker from international duty and instead leave it to the various national federations.

However, Romero was seemingly not left happy by the decision and voiced his disapproval by sharing a post from Argentinine TV reporter Gaston Edul which said: ‘Tottenham lost to Arsenal again. They weren’t able to fight until the end because they weren’t across the details.

‘It was the only Premier League club that made their international players return, on their own and without proper logistics, on the decision of the club’s leadership.

‘They gave away the advantage because their players arrived with less rest than the others: Cuti Romero played with tiredness.’

Romero later deleted the repost before sharing his own message after the defeat.

‘It hurts to lose a derby, but I have no doubt that we will turn this bad start to the season around. Let’s all be together, also at this moment. Thanks to all the fans for always supporting us,’ the post read.

While Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou sought to defend his side’s worrying set-piece record, Ian Wright insisted that Romero should have done more to contest Gabriel in the air.

‘I was very surprised with Romero, it feels very easy for a defender of his calibre to be moved out of the way,’ Wright told Premier League Productions.

‘I think it could have been a foul but not enough maybe. That just seems very simple when you look at the proximity from the goal and where he headed it in, It’s a very easy goal for Arsenal to score.’

Alan Shearer meanwhile was even more scathing in his criticism, insisting there was ‘only one player’ winning their duel.

‘There was one player that really wanted that to get onto the end of that and another who was happy to be shoved off it,’ the Newcastle legend added.

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Glenn Hoddle slammed Guglielmo Vicario’s inability to command his penalty area after Gabriel Magalhaes’ header secured a 1-0 win for Arsenal against Tottenham on Sunday.

Despite going into the north London derby without key duo Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, Arsenal dug deep to secure a vital win away from home.

The winner came courtesy of centre-back whose thumping second-half header secured the Gunners’ third successive win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It also continued Spurs’ sorry defensive record at set pieces, with only Nottingham Forest conceding more goals from dead-ball situations than Ange Postecoglou’s side since the Australian’s arrival.

Hoddle was quick to point the blame at Spurs’ keeper Vicario who he insisted remains lacklustre when trying to deal with set pieces.

‘The goalkeeper has an Achilles heel,’ the former Tottenham manager told Premier League Productions. ‘Other clubs have seen it – it’s any ball in that inswinging area into that six-yard box

‘His instinct is to go backwards. He’s never looking to come out. He’s involved in the battle up but he’s got to detach himself away from that and think to himself: ‘Where is my intent?”

‘His body is always going backwards – he’s got to come and punch some of those balls,’ Hoddle continued.

‘Arsenal have played that corner because time and time again he’s conceded from that situation. He flapped at one in the first half, he wasn’t convincing.

‘He’s a good shotstopper but he has got to come and make himself more physical, come and get more balls and punch more balls.

‘He’s not got to catch it there but clear the area. And until he does, they are going to concede even more goals.’

Postecoglou, meanwhile, sought to defend his training methods as he continues to come under fire for their leaky record from set pieces.

‘I know, for some reason, people think I don’t care about set pieces and it’s a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages. I understand that,’ he said.

‘Like I said, we work on them all the time like we do for every other team. You know that they’re a threat, as I said, for the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid the price and you learn from that and you move on.’

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