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The latest round of Premier League action was again dominated by VAR debate after interventions involving both Arsenal and Manchester City.

Arsenal are still licking their wounds having passed up the chance to go top of the table on Saturday. The London outfit were stunned by AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening.

The hosts claimed a 2-0 win against the title challengers in what was Mikel Arteta's first defeat of the season. The Gunners weren't helped by the absence of starboy Bukayo Saka in that game as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert bagged goals in a 2-0 win.

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VAR did play its role in the fixture, instructing referee Robert Jones to have another look at a William Saliba challenge on Evanilson. The Arsenal man was deemed to have stopped a clear goalscoring opportunity and saw red with the Gunners reduced to 10 men after 30 minutes.

LondonWorld looks at how Arsenal fare in a Premier League table if VAR simply didn't exist this season, alongside London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as the rest of the division.

Wolves would have claimed a point at Manchester City on Sunday if VAR had not intervened and ruled that John Stones' 95th minute winner should stand.

VAR had a role to play as the Saints threw away a 2-0 lead against Leicester City at the weekend. One of the Foxes' three goals came after VAR deemed that Ryan Fraser had pulled Jamie Vardy back, the veteran striker scoring from the spot kick.

Without VAR, Palace would be a point worse off after Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal was awarded after an incorrect offside in their 2-2 draw with Leicester City.

There has been the one VAR decision against the Premier League new boys but it came in a game they lost 4-1 at Man City.

Abdoulaye Doucouré's goal against Newcastle United was ruled out for offside just before the international break in a game that ended 0-0.

VAR intervened to award the penalty that helped the Foxes turn a draw into a win against Southampton. However, those extra two points can be viewed as payback for a Crystal Palace leveller corrected after an incorrect offside.

No VAR overturns for the Hammers so far.

VAR awarded the Bees a penalty against Wolves in the eight-goal thriller before the international break. Bryan Mbeumo scored it as the hosts won 5-3.

Forest earned a point against Bournemouth but only after Dango Ouattara had a goal disallowed for an offside against Lewis Cook. However, they were also denied a point late last month after VAR awarded a penalty to Fulham - scored by Raúl Jiménez - for a foul by Murillo on Andreas Pereira. Fulham won the game 1-0. So overall they have gained one point and lost one through VAR calls.

The Magpies earned a draw at Bournemouth but only after VAR intervened to rule out a late winner for the home side. Everton also had a goal ruled out by VAR ahead of the international break.

The Red Devils would have likely picked up at least an extra point with a draw against Brighton should a Joshua Zirkzee goal have stood. Instead, it was ruled out for offside.

VAR has yet to overturn any decisions for or against Spurs this season.

Brighton currently sit on 15 points but that total would be reduced to 13 without the intervention of VAR to disallow Joshua Zirkzee's goal for Manchester United against the Seagulls. Brighton won that fixture 2-1 in the end. Had one VAR decision go against them and one for them in their opening-day win over Everton as they went on to win 3-0.

Fulham beat Leicester City 2-1 last month with the Foxes' goal initially ruled out for an offside against Jamie Vardy. However, after a check Wout Faes was able to celebrate an equaliser but Fulham battled back to earn all three points. Earned all three points late last month after VAR intervened in a penalty award for a foul by Murillo on Andreas Pereira. Raúl Jiménez scored it for a 1-0 win.

VAR did help Chelsea against Liverpool, overturning a disallowed Nicolas Jackson goal and penalty against Robert Sanchez, but the Reds still emerged victors.

The Cherries could have had a strong record if not for VAR. Dango Ouattara has had two goals ruled out by Stockley Park with a controversial handball decision denying him the glory in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United as his stoppage-time winner was chalked off. Against Nottingham Forest a week previous, he saw a goal ruled out for an offside against Lewis Cook. That game also finished 1-1. Also had a goal ruled out for offside in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool and VAR played a role helping them to a win against 10-man Arsenal on Saturday.

VAR awarded Fulham a penalty against the Villains last weekend, which Emi Martinez saved against Andreas Pereira.

VAR overturned a decision for the first time in an Arsenal game before the recent break as Kai Havertz's 99th minute goal was given after an incorrect offside. VAR also played a role in Saliba's red card against Bournemouth.

VAR helped Manchester City to three points against Wolves by allowing the Stones winner. The two sides would have shared a point each if not for that late decision.

VAR chalked off Trent Alexander-Arnold's goal in Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United for an offside by Mo Salah. Didn't impact the result in the end, however. Bournemouth also had an early goal ruled out against the Reds for an offside against Antoine Semenyo but Liverpool went on to claim a 3-0 victory.

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West Ham’s ‘starboy’ could be set for extended period on the sidelines following ‘reckless’ decision vs Spurs

West Ham could be forced to be without winger Mohammed Kudus for several weeks following his on-pitch altercation with Micky van de Ven and Pape Sarr in the Irons’ 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Ghanaian star quickly went from hero to zero in north London on Saturday. While he scored the match’s opening goal after 18 minutes of play, the 24-year-old was then shown a straight red in the 86th minute, following the aforementioned incidents with Van de Ven and Sarr.

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While Kudus is already the recipient of a three-match automatic ban, The Mirror (Print edition, 20 October) has reported that this could be extended if the FA take retrospective action.

Back in 2012, former footballer and manager Joey Barton had a three game ban extended to nine games when he was sent off for fighting in a Queens Park Rangers vs Manchester City clash. He was ruled to have been involved in three separate clashes and was subsequently penalised for each individual incident.

On Saturday, Kudus first fouled Van de Ven before shoving the Dutchman in the face. He then went on to push Sarr in the head while Richarlison was knocked over after running into him during the chaos.

With more than just the one incident having taken place, history has indicated the FA could well prolong Kudus’ stay on the sidelines when the match report from the officials gets assessed in the next 48 hours.

Discussing Saturday’s incident, former Premier League referee Mike Dean said t: “Because he hit two different players in the face, I think the FA will act on both.” West Ham will now wait until Tuesday to hear of Kudus’s fate.

Following the full-time whistle, the Irons head coach Lopetegui claimed that the ‘didn’t see’ Kudus’ actions but added: “I am not going to say here what I am going to talk with him (about), but for sure we are going to talk.

“We are going to have time and I’m sure he will be aware that he can improve his answer in this moment because it’s not good for him, for the club, and not good for the team.”

This is now the Irons’ second red card of the season after Edson Alvarez was shown two yellows against Liverpool, subsequently missing the 1-1 draw with Brentford at the end of September.

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Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are both back in Premier League action this weekend

Chelsea return to action this weekend with an away trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. They have lost only once this season so far under Enzo Maresca and sat in 4th place.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham on Saturday afternoon as they look to bounce back from their loss to Brighton and Hove Albion last time out. In the meantime, here is a look at the latest news regarding the pair...

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Winger not for sale

Chelsea ‘will not entertain’ any offers for winger Cole Palmer in the near future, according to Football Insider. The England international has become one of their most prized assets since joining from Manchester City last year.

Palmer, who is 22-years-old, rose up through the youth ranks at the Etihad Stadium and went on to make 41 first-team appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side in all competitions. He chipped in with six goals before he was given the green light to head out the exit.

He has since been prolific for the Blues and has found the net on 31 occasions in 54 outings since moving down to London. The attacker’s contract expires in June 2033 and they have no intention of letting him go anywhere.

After Palmer won the Premier League Player of the Month award for September, Maresca said: “He is winning so many trophies in this moment so this is one more! The best thing he has is that these kinds of awards are not going to change him and he is always the same guy: humble. He enjoys football like a kid. This is the best thing for him.

“You can see how much he enjoys his football. He is like a kid, he always wants the ball, to play and to enjoy. He is so happy. You can see in sessions; he is always one of the first around the ball and wants the ball. It is the main point.”

He added: “He can play in different positions for us because he is so good on the ball. He can play wide, in the middle, as a nine. We try to use him in one position at the moment in the middle of the pitch but it depends a little bit on the game plan we have and sometimes we move him wide a little bit like he did many times against Brighton. We try to give him the opportunity to enjoy his football because, with him, that is the main thing.”

Spurs eye Serie A man

Spurs have been ‘watching’ Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere, according to CaughtOffside. Fellow top flight teams Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and West Ham have also been mentioned as potential suitors.

The 23-year-old, who has 20 caps under his belt for Belgium, has been at Club Brugge and AC Milan in the past. He moved to Gewiss Stadium on an initial loan deal last term before his switch was made permanent and he has scored 15 goals in 60 outings altogether to date.

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Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this weekend

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League duties on Saturday following the international break with a home clash against West Ham. They were beaten 3-2 away at Brighton and Hove Albion last time out and will be keen on returning to winning ways.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are sat in ninth position in the Premier League table. Here is a look at the latest injury news and return dates for the London outfit...

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Son Heung-min and Richarlison

Spurs are hoping that Son Heung-min and Richarlison will both be fit to face West Ham. The pair have both returned to training this week which is a boost.

In this latest update Postecoglou has said: "Sonny and Richy have done some good work and trained with the group, which is a real positive for us. Sonny was always, hopefully, going to get through this international break really well and be ready, and Richy's done some good work, so hopefully both will be available for the weekend."

Son has been out of action since the end of September. The South Korea international went off against Qarabag in the Europa League and will be itching to return after scoring two goals and two assists so far this season. As for Richarlison, he hasn’t played since the league fixture against his former team Everton in August. He picked up a knee issue and has been sidelined since then.

Return date (for both): West Ham, 19th Oct

Wilson Odobert

Spurs swooped to land him from Burnley in the last transfer window to bolster their attacking department. He is out with a hamstring injury and it remains to be seen when exactly he will be back. The fixture against the Hammers is expected to come too soon for the attacker. Next week’s Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar may be a more realistic game for him to play in. Postecoglou said: “Really (who is out of action), it's only Wilson, who has done some good work in the last couple of weeks, and hopefully joins the main group at some point next week.”

Return date: AZ Alkmaar, 24th Oct

Lucas Bergvall

The youngster has reported back from international duty with a slight issue and will need to be assessed. Postecoglou has said: "The international guys, just about all of them got through okay. We're still waiting for a couple to come back into the building. Lucas was the only one who had a slight niggle but again we're hoping he'll be okay."

Return date: West Ham, 19th Oct

Speaking after their defeat at Brighton in their last outing, Postecoglou said: “It was disappointing and I'm absolutely gutted with that. It's an unacceptable second half -- we were nowhere near where we should be. Maybe we got carried away with how we were going.

"We kind of accepted our fate and it's hard to understand as we've not done that while I've been here. We usually fight for everything, and when you don't you pay a price. Maybe things were travelling on too smoothly. Football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself and that's what it looked like in the second half.”

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Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a new four-year deal with defender Djed Spence

Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence has signed a new contract with the club, which runs until the summer of 2028. The 24-year-old joined Spurs in July 2022 from Middlesbrough but has made just 10 appearances for the North London outfit so far.

Most of his time contracted in North London has been spent out on loan. He joined Stade Rennais on loan for the second half of the 2022-23 season before securing a campaign-long loan at Leeds United for the 2023-24 season. However, that was cut short in early January with the defender heading to Serie A side Genoa a week later.

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Spurs were initially open to letting Spence leave in the summer but the defender remained with the club after manager Ange Postecoglou publicly revealed his desire to keep the defender in his squad. Spence was left out of Tottenham’s Europa League squad as it was reduced to 23 players but his new deal appears to indicate he does have a long-term future at the club. He has appeared four times off the bench this season, most recently coming on for the entire second half in the 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford last month.

Despite having his loan cut short by Leeds earlier this year, Spence was still the subject of praise from Whites manager Daniel Farke. Speaking about that decision, Farke said at the time: "We analyse also what has happened in the recent months and also the recent weeks that we came to the decision, it's for us as a club the right decision right now to end the loan. It's not [a] topic that I speak in public about perhaps what was missing or the weaknesses of Djed Spence, because as long as I'm here in charge, I want us as a club to handle such a situation with class and with style.

"On such a day, it's more or less to say thanks a lot, Djed, for your service. Thanks a lot also for your work and we wish him really all the best because like I mentioned he's really like a cool guy with lots of potential, a good kid with a great heart and we wish him, really from the bottom of my heart, all the best for his future because he's a really good player. But for us it was definitely the right right call at this moment."

While Spence’s long-term future has been resolved, Spurs still have a number of players out of contract this summer. Decisions will need to be made soon as players in the final years of their contracts are free to talk to clubs outside of England from January, or six months before their respective deals expire. Son Heung-min is the biggest name out of contract in 2025 but there is a clause in his current contract that will allow Spurs to extend it for an extra year, according to the Evening Standard.

Spence could become a key player for Spurs in the years to come and his place at the club could be elevated if Pedro Porro leaves for Real Madrid. The Spanish club view Porro has an alternative option in the summer if they are not able to complete a deal for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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Real Madrid are looking to bolster at right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold their top target but Pedro Porro is on their radar

La Liga club Real Madrid have reportedly identified Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro as an alternative to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. Real Madrid’s main target for the right-back position is the Liverpool full-back, but if they are unsuccessful in signing him, Porro is one of their other options.

Alexander-Arnold is in the last year of his Liverpool contract, and there is speculation as to whether the Reds will extend his deal. If not, Madrid would be able to swoop in for the England international in June 2025 when he could become a free agent. The Liverpool defender is Real Madrid’s top priority candidate according to the Athletic. However, if they can’t land the Liverpool defender, then Spurs man Porro could become the priority target with an estimated value of around £35m-£40m.

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Real Madrid’s other alternative targets

Carlo Ancelotti’s side haven’t just expressed their interest in Porro and Trent, but they also see Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong as a target. Furthermore, they are also keen on 21-year-old Spanish prodigy Juanlu who is currently at Sevilla. Out of the four Real Madrid targets, Pedro Porro has played for the most teams in his career notably Sporting CP, Spurs and Girona to name a few.

However, he doesn’t have the most experience as Trent Alexander-Arnold has made more career appearances (338) and provided more assists (87). But, Porro has a slightly better goalscoring record in his career considering that he has played in fewer games and scored 24 career goals compared to Alexander-Arnold’s 23. The 25-year-old has become one of the better right-backs in Spurs’ history and a mainstay in Ange Postecoglu’s starting XI.

So far this season, Porro has made eight appearances, scoring one goal in the Premier League which came in Spurs’ 1-1 draw against Leicester City on the opening weekend of the season.

How much could Pedro Porro leave Tottenham Hotspur for?

The Argentine’s value is estimated to be around £35m-£40m, but the question is, would Spurs want to sell him? The draw of playing for Real Madrid would be tempting for Porro who hasn’t won a trophy in the short amount of time he has been at Spurs. However, seeing as the January transfer window will mark just one year since his arrival in London, a move might be too soon for the defender.

Furthermore, Tottenham signed the 25-year-old to a contract which aims to keep him in North London until June 2028. This would indicate that Ange Postecoglu’s Spurs won’t be keen on allowing Porro to leave in the summer. Tottenham signed the Argentine for £33.4 million from Portuguese club Sporting CP where he had previously spent three seasons. According to CaughtOffside, a fee of around £54 million could be enough to tempt Spurs to sell Porro to Madrid in the summer. However, much of this speculation is said to be forcing Liverpool to make a quick decision on the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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All the latest injury news surrounding Tottenham and West Ham ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash.

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are straight back into Premier League action after the international break as the London rivals meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.

Spurs endured a tough afternoon at Brighton and Hove Albion ahead of the international break as they threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 on the south coast. Meanwhile, West Ham had a poor start to the Julian Lopetegui era, however, they did win their last game before the international break 4-1 against Ipswich Town. It was a much-needed morale boost as the Irons look to get one over on their London rivals.

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There are injury concerns for both teams ahead of the game, with Spurs set to be without one of their star players while one of West Ham’s summer signings continues to struggle.

Son Heung-Min - OUT

Son has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash against West Ham as he has been dealing with a thigh injury which has forced him to miss the past three games.

It also meant that he couldn’t join the South Korea squad for their international matches during the break. Ange Postecoglu said: “He's pushing hard, but the turnaround might be too quick for him to be available at this stage.”

He is likely to return to training this week, meaning he could only miss one more game.

Richarlison - OUT

Brazil international Richarlison has also been ruled out against West Ham as he is dealing with a calf issue that he suffered at the end of August. He likely won’t be back until at least early November.

Wilson Odobert - OUT

Odobert suffered a thigh issue in September and has been recovering since missing the past five games. However, he does look likely to return to training this week alongside Son which is positive news.

Lucas Bergvall - DOUBT

Bergvall suffered a minor injury whilst on international duty with Sweden during the break. He has emerged as a doubt but could be in line to play against West Ham. According to SportsMole, his issue is not expected to be serious but it is unknown as to what Bervall’s current injury consists of.

Niclas Fullkrug - DOUBT

Fullkrug is currently being assessed by the medical staff at West Ham as he could be in line to return against Spurs on Saturday. Julian Lopetegui said before the international break: “Hopefully, he'll be ready after the international break.”

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Chelsea have received the most cards so far this season whereas Brentford have received the least

So far this Premier League season, a total of 367 cards have been dished out by referees including 359 yellow cards and eight reds. Seven games in, plenty of the season is left as the second international break comes to an end. Title contenders Chelsea and Liverpool will meet this weekend in one of the highlight match-ups while a London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United is a tasty start to the weekend.

Chelsea have more cards than any other team this season, but they are yet to record a red card receiving 27 yellows in the opening seven games. Only two teams have multiple red cards so far this season, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, but which teams have been carded the most? We take a look below.

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Enzo Maresca’s side has received the most cards this season averaging 3.9 cards per game. They received five in their last game which was a feisty affair against Nottingham Forest.

United’s tally could be higher as Bruno Fernandes had his red card rescinded against Tottenham Hotspur. However, he received one in their following game in the Europa League.

The Saints are set for a relegation battle this season, they have one red card so far which went to Jack Stephens against Manchester United.

Gary O’Neil’s side are bottom of the Premier League and have the third-most cards, they’ll need to fix their discipline if they are to avoid relegation.

Marco Silva’s Fulham have impressed so far, but their disciplinary record has been poor.

One of two teams to have two red cards, Forest received red in their last game against Chelsea when James Ward-Prowse was sent off.

Newly-promoted Ipswich have 20 yellows so far which works out at 2.9 per game.

Leicester won their last game before the break against Bournemouth, but they did receive three yellow cards.

Much like their opponents last week, Bournemouth have 19 yellow cards this season, however, they only received one against Leicester.

Mikel Arteta’s side are the only other team alongside Nottingham Forest to have two red cards, one to Declan Rice and the other to Leandro Trossard.

Spurs have one more yellow card than their North London rivals but are yet to receive a red card this season.

The Magpies picked up two yellow cards in their last match against Everton in which Antony Gordon had his penalty saved by Jordan Pickford.

Champions Manchester City were the least-carded team in the Premier League last season which shows that it pays to be disciplined.

The Hammers have averaged 2.3 cards per match so far this season with only two yellow cards in their previous two games.

Despite their poor start to the campaign, Crystal Palace don’t have many cards this season, maybe they’ll need to play with more aggression going forward.

For a team that has the worst-defensive record in the top half of the Premier League Brighton’s discipline has been impressive so far.

Unai Emery’s team are fifth in the Premier League and have received two yellow cards in their past two matches.

Top of the league Liverpool have one of the best disciplinary records in the Premier League, it can’t be a coincidence.

The Toffees have a slightly better record than their Merseyside rivals but they have received one red card which went to Ashley Young.

Thomas Frank’s Brentford have received the least cards in the league this year at an average of 1.7 per game.

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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will not be happy with news coming out of South Korea this weekend.

Tottenham's manager will have taken notice of the news from the Korean Times, which reported that club captain Son Heung-min’s father, Woong-jung, has been fined £1,700 after being found guilty of verbally and physically abusing young footballers at his academy in South Korea.

The penalty was handed down by Chuncheon District Court, located 75 kilometres northeast of Seoul, according to the Times. This incident has seen the Spurs captain’s name making national and international news for the wrong reasons.

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Son's brother was also reportedly involved and was sanctioned, along with a third person believed to be a manager, although he was not named. This is the second major off-the-field issue this season directly or indirectly involving a Tottenham player.

Earlier in the campaign, midfielder Bissouma was suspended after posting a video of himself on social media showing him inhaling from a balloon.

Possession of nitrous oxide—also known as laughing gas or NOS—for recreational use has been a criminal offence in the United Kingdom since 2023 and can result in a two-year prison sentence. Postecoglou commented on the incident at the time: “It’s about him being the best version of himself. Discipline is a big thing for him and for us.”

The Spurs boss will now have to address this issue and whether he has spoken to his captain to find out the real details when the international break is over and players return to prepare for the game against West Ham this weekend. Maintaining discipline and avoiding negative headlines has been a top priority for Postecoglou. Given that they are struggling to find consistency on the field, the last thing he will want is topics that draw attention away from their performance.

Son is one of the biggest stars in the Premier League, and issues like this will always lead to discussions in the media that Postecoglou will most likely not find easy to handle.

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Tottenham fans will be concerned about a transfer admission that of their star players have made.

Tottenham defender Pedro Porro has opened the door to a potential move to Real Madrid, either now or in the future, by admitting he is proud to be linked with the club while on international duty. Porro has become a key member of the Tottenham squad since manager Ange Postecoglou took over.

The role of a full-back is crucial to Postecoglou's playing style, and Porro’s aggressiveness, commitment, and technique have made him invaluable. The club was even comfortable letting Emerson Royal leave in the summer because of Porro's strong performances.

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While on international duty in Spain, Porro was asked if a move to Real Madrid would interest him, and he said: "Of course I'm proud of these links, it means I'm doing things well. If that happens one day, it happens. Now I'm fully focused on my club, Tottenham," he told Relevo.

Considering Porro's open answer, there will always be lingering concerns at Spurs, and perhaps even for Postecoglou, that an approach from the Spanish capital—whenever it comes—could turn his head.

Cristian Romero, one of Tottenham’s captains, has also been linked to Real Madrid in the past. Spurs fans will hope that the team’s form improves, allowing them to hold on to key players.

Postecoglou Under Pressure

Tottenham ended this recent run of games with a disappointing defeat and will be hoping to turn things around when they face West Ham in the Premier League next weekend.

Spurs have been inconsistent. Following their loss to Arsenal, they managed five wins in all competitions, but then suffered a surprise defeat to Brighton. In that match, they blew a two-goal lead, collapsing in the second half to find themselves stuck in ninth place with just 10 points from their first seven games.

Ange Postecoglou will also be hoping to count on club captain Son Heung-min, who has missed the last two games due to injury.