The Telegraph

Tottenham are believed to be among at least three clubs that were opposed to the reductions on the maximum ticket prices that home clubs can charge visiting fans in Europe.

That will dismay the Tottenham supporters who are already angry at the club’s decision to scrap senior season tickets from next year and who currently pay among the highest prices in the Premier League.

Uefa this week announced that the maximum ticket prices for away fans in this season’s Champions League will be €60 (£50), while clubs can charge visiting supporters a maximum of €40 in the Europa League, which Spurs are competing in. Europa Conference League away tickets have been capped at €20.

There will be a further reduction next season, when Champions League clubs will be able to charge away fans a maximum price of €50, with Europa League top prices falling to €35.

Telegraph Sport has been told that Tottenham were among at least three clubs to have raised objections to the reductions, although it is unclear whether they formally voted against or in favour of the change.

When contacted by Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, Tottenham chose not to comment on the issue and did not disclose how they voted. Uefa were also given the opportunity to comment.

Tottenham’s director of football administration and governance, Rebecca Caplehorn, is a member of the European Club Competitions Committee, which endorsed the reductions to the maximum ticket prices home clubs can charge.

Following last week’s draw, Tottenham will entertain Qarabag, Alkmaar, Roma and Elfsborg in this season’s Europa League with their fans facing expensive trips to Ferencvaros, Galatasaray, Rangers and Hoffenheim.

Club criticised for ‘penalising’ supporter loyalty

The Tottenham Supporters’ Trust launched a petition last month against the decision to scrap senior concession tickets from next year, which they have branded “disgraceful”. So far the petition has more than 2,000 signatures.

In a statement, the Trust said: “This misguided policy impacts the most loyal, long-term supporters, many of whom are on low, fixed incomes. It also sets a dangerous precedent in terms of other groups currently receiving concession season tickets, namely young adults and children.

“The club receives the bulk of its income from television broadcasting rights and has recently been granted permission to use the stadium for 30 non-football events so there should be no need to penalise fans financially in this way.”

Tottenham have also faced criticism from the Football Supporters’ Association, who posted a message on social media that said: “This is Spurs’ new policy for OAP ST holders: The older you get the more you pay! Unless eligible by 2024-25, you’ll never get an OAP ST discount. Ever. Doesn’t matter if you live until 100. Spurs are the 8th richest club in the world.”

Tottenham pointed to increased match-day costs and the price of utilities to justify ticket price increases and the scrapping of OAP concessions. The club said there had been only one price increase, of 1.5 per cent, for season tickets since the stadium opened five years ago. “Football is not immune to the rising costs of goods and services across the board and we continue to look at all options to minimise ticket price increases, while absorbing the vast majority of costs,” Spurs added in their statement at the time.

Much, much better from Tottenham in the last 10 mins or so and they are starting to dictate the pace of the game after weathering that early storm.

Nick Pope had made decent saves to keep out strikes from Sarr from just outside the box and there is growing pressure on the Newcastle backline.

They have stood up to it well enough so far with all the danger coming from distance but Newcastle’s front three of Barnes, Isak and Gordon has gone very quiet.

Not for the first time this season, the latter has not looked like his normal self at all. The home crowd have started to go a little quiet too.

Spurs will be pleased with the control they have got of the midfield battle in particular.

It has been a really strong start from Newcastle who have thrown themselves at Tottenham with some gusto.

You could even describe it as the unleashing of energy as the frustration of the transfer window is put behind them.

Alexander Isak’s effort may well have been a cross, after he robbed Son Heung-Min of the ball on the right touchline, but it beat Vicario who was relieved to see it come back off the crossbar.

Harvey Barnes was also very close to finding the top corner after a long ball to Anthony Gordon had exposed Spurs’ high defensive line.

Romero has put the ball in the net for the visitors, but he did so from a pretty obvious offside position.

Lloyd Kelly has also headed just over the bar from a corner, which came when Vicario struggled to deal with a cross and Emil Krath’s effort was fortunately deflected wide.

Spurs’ high line was badly exposed in the corresponding fixture last season and Newcastle are constantly looking to expose it again.

On the plus side for Spurs, they have an equally high Newcastle line to try and run in behind and James Maddison looks sharp as he tries to find the right pass from Son to run on to.

Failure is an emotive word to use to describe Newcastle United. As one of European football’s great underachievers, it is a word synonymous with far more painful periods in the club’s history.

Nevertheless, that is a word that can be used to describe this transfer window - and is - by frustrated supporters.

The Newcastle board failed manager Eddie Howe by depriving him of the players he wanted to improve his starting XI, leaving him to face a hostile press conference on transfer deadline day, trying to defend the club’s failure to sign England international Marc Guehi – or anyone else – from Crystal Palace after a month-long pursuit.

They failed the club’s supporters, who were led to believe that Newcastle, backed by the wealth of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, were unrelentingly ambitious; with a desire to be, in the words of chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the “number one” club in the country.

Against that framework, this window has been a huge disappointment. Emotions are raw. There have been lots of pledges made, lots of nice words, very little action.

Click here to read the rest of Luke’s piece.

After a disappointing and divisive summer, the timing of chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s visit to St James’ Park for today’s game against Tottenham Hotspur is interesting, to say the least.

Newcastle failed to sign a single player to improve their first team and manager Eddie Howe has appeared unsettled and distracted during a period of upheaval in the boardroom.

It is the first time that the club’s Saudi chairman has visited since January and it is the first time he has attended a home game since October last year - the 4-1 thrashing of PSG in the Champions League.

Telegraph Sport has been told that the visit was a pre-planned one and is supposed to be a show of support rather than a response to what has happened this summer.

But there are bound to be some interesting conversations going on behind the scenes given the club has attracted criticism for the way it is being run for the first time since the takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in October 2021.

On the pitch, Newcastle’s only free transfer arrival from Bournemouth makes the starting XI with William Osula on the bench.

Tino Livramento is preferred to Kieran Trippier at right back. Interestingly, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes both start on the flanks.

Hello and welcome to live coverage from the Premier League as Newcastle host Tottenham at St James’ Park.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted some of his players are yet to return to the “optimum” fitness levels they need to play his high-intensity brand of football.

Howe’s team scrapped their way to a 1-0 home win over Southampton with 10 men before escaping from Bournemouth with a 1-1 draw and then progressing in the Carabao Cup by virtue of a penalty shoot-out at Nottingham Forest in midweek.

Asked about the intensity needed to play the high-pressing game which has proved so successful during the 46-year-old’s time at St James’ Park to date, he said: “It’s something you have to protect and work towards every single day because the players can’t just turn up and perform that way in isolation, it’s something we hone and work on continuously.

“It is related, of course, to our fitness. We have to be really, really super-fit to deliver that style of play for 90 minutes.

“That’s something, I think, we’re working towards. It’s no secret that we’ve got a group of players that probably aren’t at their absolute optimum fitness-wise. But very quickly, we’ve got to find our best physical levels to produce that style of play.”

Recent games between Newcastle and Tottenham have produced goals - 16 in the last three - and have been decidedly one-sided with the former winning 6-1 and 4-0 on Tyneside either side of a 4-1 defeat in North London.

Meanwhile, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has backed James Maddison to force his way back into England contention after being left out of the first squad picked by interim boss Lee Carsley.

“I think he’s started the season really well and had an impact in both games,” Postecoglou said.

“He was very close to getting on the scoresheet in both. His general play in both games has been really, really good.

“As long as he’s training well and playing well, then I’m sure he will be back in England reckoning and I guess it is a question for Lee for future camps.

“I know he desperately wants to get back into the England set-up, but if he continues to play like he does and makes more and more of an impact, like we know he can, then I see no reason why he can’t get back into the England side.”

Our second draw of the night is underway in Monaco. The fourth edition of the UEFA Conference League draw.

A reminder that Chelsea are in Pot One, so we should know right off the bat who they’ll be up against this year.

But before that, we’re taken back to the drama of last years’ campaign, where Olympiacos triumphed, having bested Aston Villa in the semi-final.

There we have it. A much speedier affair than usual thanks to the button that instantly generates the fixtures.

Manchester United have been handed a reunion with Jose Mourinho as they go away to his Turkish Super Lig club, Fenerbahce.

Spurs will face their toughest tests against Rangers and Roma.

And Rangers will have to play both of the above.

More of a revolution than a revamp. From this season, the competition will adopt the ‘Swiss Model’. There will be one league of 36 teams. Each team will be drawn to play eight matches against different opponents, half at home and half away.

Uefa will trot out the usual line about evolving the competition. But the bottom line is that there are four more teams in the group stages and each club gets two more games. More TV broadcasting money, more gate receipts and more supporters travelling across the continent.

The format does allow for more big-hitters playing each other in the new league-style group stage. But the top eight will automatically qualify for the round of 16, so they could secure a place early and then rest big players for important matches at the weekend. Those finishing between ninth and 24th go into two-legged play-offs. So every place counts. But if a team cannot finish in the top eight, does it matter too much who they face in the play-offs? The battle for 24th will be exciting.

Chelsea are featuring in today’s Conference League draw despite making hard work of a messy loss away to Servette in Geneva.

Christopher Nkunku put Chelsea ahead from a penalty after 14 minutes, as he had in the first leg and everything seemed set fair for a straightforward passage into the next phase.

But Servette striker Jeremy Guillemenot levelled against the run of play before the interval, and substitute Enzo Crivelli headed the hosts in front on the night after 72 minutes. Chelsea had chances to settle their nerves, but in the end they were relieved to hear the final whistle.

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the Europa league and UEFA Conference League phase draws. Man Utd, Spurs and Rangers will feature in the former, which gets underway at midday. Chelsea and Hearts are among those involved in the latter, taking place just after at around 1.30pm.

In the new ‘Swiss model format’, the Europa League has been expanded to 36 teams, all of the clubs will compete against each other in one big league table rather than eight groups of four. Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away, with two opponents drawn from each of the four pots.

In the Conference League though, each side will face six different teams (three home games, three away) as the boosted 36 teams have been split into six pot.

In both tournaments, the top eight in the league qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16.

As was the case with yesterday’s Champions League draw, the new system simply involves too many multiples and permutations to be done manually using bowls full of Uefa-branded, star-spangled plastic balls.

Instead, each of 36 teams will have one ball in the bowl. Each of the Pot One teams will be drawn out first, before their fixtures are spat out by a supercomputer. These will be displayed on a screen for the audience to see. With the teams in Pot Two already aware of their Pot One opponents, they will be drawn out of the bowl and their remaining six fixtures revealed. And so on, through to the last Pot.

Walking from White Hart Lane station on Saturday, two visiting Everton supporters got their first sight of the steepling Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“Yeah, it’s all right, that,” one said, looking up at the gleaming edifice. “But wait till they get a look at our new place.”

Everton’s sparkling new home on Bramley-Moore Dock is almost finished. But the growing worry for the club’s supporters is what kind of football will they be watching there when it opens for business next season? Unless there is rapid change in their fortunes, the club who have never been relegated from the top flight could well be welcoming Preston, Hull and Portsmouth to their splendid headquarters on the banks of the Mersey.

Anyone who suggests it is a bit early to be making predictions of a descent into the Championship was clearly not at Tottenham on Saturday, when, as they succumbed to a hapless 4-0 defeat, Sean Dyche’s side gave every appearance of a team who have already given up.

“We can’t continue to make mistakes at this level,” ruminated the manager after the match. “It is difficult here and we are stretched. But it’s a strange situation. In my 19 months we build something and go back down the hill again to remind ourselves of the challenge. What about playing when it’s 0-0?”

It is a fair question. His Everton did not play at all in north London. Rarely in their careers can James Maddison have enjoyed such space in midfield or Dejan Kulusevski have been able to skip across a penalty area unmolested by anything approaching a tackle to set up a totally unmarked Yves Bissouma to score the first goal. As for the fourth, when Micky van de Ven barrelled forward from his own box without hint of Evertonian intervention to set up Son Heung-min, Dyche appeared to flourish the white flag, suggesting his club simply could not match such wealth of talent.

“You’re talking about a £30 million defender, that’s what £30 million defenders do,” he said of the Dutchman’s splendid run. “As for Son, I’ve heard he’s quite a useful finisher.”

How Everton could use one of those; a striker who can score. Not to mention a couple of midfielders who can close down space or defenders who can tackle. It is unlikely, given the issues behind the scenes, that money will be found for any such recruits before the transfer window closes on Friday. This is a club who have utterly failed to secure the kind of new ownership that might match the ambition of the supporters. Mind, what was delivered on the pitch on Saturday was hardly the most appetising of commercials for future direction.

Though never mind the wider financial issues, what was even more alarming for those of blue persuasion looking for an inkling of optimism was how bereft Dyche’s side seem of any suggestion of a tactical plan. In the first hour at Spurs, they put together just three passing moves. And two of those involved their goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Not one took place in their opponents’ half. It was not hard to see why they have not won a game away from Goodison in 2024.

Tottenham, in contrast, looked a side brimful not just of enthusiasm and confidence, but ideas too. Their manager Ange Postecoglou, noting his visitors’ reliance on Pickford for starting any attacking move, had instructed Son to harry him at every opportunity. The keeper, who did not make a single error on England duty at Euro 2024, comically succumbed almost immediately to such pressure, gifting the Tottenham striker the opportunity to score the second goal.

“England’s number one,” mocked the Spurs supporters in delight at his generosity.

When even the most reliable are faltering, things are grim indeed.

They do like their history at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Up on the big screen ahead of kick off videos of glories past play on a continuous spool. But trawling that past, even the most diehard fan would be pushed to recall when Tottenham had an easier opening home match of the season than this. With goals from Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero and two from the captain Son Heung-min, the 4-0 scoreline was not remotely an exaggeration of their evisceration of Everton.

In fact, they could easily have scored twice as many. In the last 10 minutes they were playing with the kind of keep-ball ease that usually attends practice sessions when the under-15s are invited to take on the first XI.

“The performance was excellent,” said their manager Ange Postecoglou. “We looked really threatening going forward all the time.”

Postecoglou was right to enthuse. Spurs were everything he wants them to be – fluent, fast, effervescent. But in truth they were more than a little assisted in their endeavours by an Everton side as poor as any who have represented the club. Bereft of game plan, ideas and progressive thought, their entire attacking ambition seemed to be to sling in a set-piece in the hope it might reach James Tarkowski’s head. Worse, they were entirely lacking in two characteristics usually associated with teams managed by Sean Dyche: defensive organisation and all-round fight. Watching them capitulate from first minute to last, it was easy to understand why they have not won a game away from Goodison Park throughout 2024.

And how Spurs exploited their good fortune. Before kick off, Postecoglou explained that he had restored the ill-starred Bissouma to the starting line-up after his juvenile exploits with laughing gas because of his efforts in training.

“You know what it’s like when you punish your child and they do everything right for the next two days?” Postecoglou said, neatly summing up Bissouma’s schoolboy behavioural characteristics. And the Malian more than responded to his manager here. From the start enjoying the freedom of midfield, within 14 minutes he had found himself unattended on the edge of the area as Dejan Kulusevski laid off a gilt-edged invitation to shoot. He thumped a glorious first time shot beyond Jordan Pickford, a strike he celebrated with vim. And no wonder: it was his first goal for the club across 52 appearances.

“We know Biss is a good footballer,” said Postecoglou. “It’s a good start but he’s got to do more. It’s about him being the best version of himself. Discipline is the important thing. I thought it was a disciplined performance from him.”

The rest of the Spurs team were quick to pick up Bissouma’s lead and join in the fun. Recognising that much of Everton’s threat comes from Pickford’s distribution, Postecoglou stationed Son in an advanced position with instruction to press at every opportunity. Within a couple of minutes of kick off he almost picked the keeper’s pocket, Pickford managing to scrabble away possession as the Korean lurked. The second time, however, he was not so lucky. Son was on him the moment he received a back pass from Tarkowski and, as he fumbled and panicked, quickly relieved him of the ball to tap into an empty net.

Things got no better for Everton in the second half. Dyche attempted to inject some creativity, sending on Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom (and almost gaining reward when the Dane rasped a shot against Guglielmo Vicario’s fingers). But they could not lift a side mired in a gloom which was exacerbated when first James Maddison swung in a corner which found Romero’s sizeable forehead and then Micky van de Ven ran the entire length of the pitch untroubled by Evertonian tackles before presenting Son with his second goal. It was as close to a one-sided match as you would see in the Premier League.

After the match, Dyche recognised the issues at hand.

“In the past, we have done well when the challenges have come our way,” he said. “Anger doesn’t change anything. What changes anything is action. I’ll be taking action.”

Frankly, he needs to. And fast. Much more of this and David Moyes’s return to the club before the first international break looks ever more plausible.

Jermaine Jenas has been sacked by the BBC over complaints about inappropriate communications including text messages.

The One Show and Match of the Day presenter, a former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, had been touted by some as a long-term replacement for Gary Lineker.

Jenas, 41, has now been dropped by the flagship football programme, the BBC confirmed.

“It followed allegations involving digital communications such as texts, which were raised with the corporation a few weeks ago,” the BBC reported.

A BBC spokesman said: “We can confirm that Jermain Jenas is no longer part of our presenting line-up.”

It is understood Jenas was cut from the presenting team following an internal process.

Alex Kay-Jelski, the head of BBC Sport, confirmed the decision in an email to staff on Thursday, informing them that “Jermaine Jenas is no longer working for the BBC”.

The former player covered this summer’s Euros in Germany, and acted as a co-commentator on the semi-final between Spain and France on July 9.

He last presented The One Show on July 22, having first joined the evening TV show in 2021. His various roles earned him between £190,000 and £194,999 per year, according to the BBC’s 2023 annual report.

As news broke of Jenas’s sacking from the BBC, he was on air in his role as talkSPORT pundit. Jenas, who earned 21 England caps, did not address it during the drivetime show.

He later said in a statement: “I am not happy about it. I’ll have to let the lawyers deal with it. There are two sides to every story.”

Alongside his BBC commitments, Jenas has a relationship with TNT Sport, formerly BT Sport. He has provided commentary for its football coverage, and presented its E Sport programming.

Jenas is not scheduled to appear on air again for a broadcaster for a number of weeks, it is understood.

TalkSPORT said it would pull Jenas from the air, adding in a statement: “We were made aware of a breaking news story involving Jermaine Jenas as he went on air for a one-off presenting slot on talkSPORT Drive. We made a decision, with Jermaine, that he should continue to present the show.

“Given the array of serious allegations being reported as the story continues to evolve, it’s for Jermaine as a private individual to address them in the way he chooses.

“There are no plans for Jermaine to broadcast as a presenter on talkSPORT in the immediate future.”

Jenas began his career with Nottingham Forest, where he quickly made his name as a promising young player. In 2002 he joined a youthful Newcastle United squad stewarded by the late manager Sir Bobby Robson, and soon won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

He joined Spurs in 2005, and Aston Villa in 2011, ending his career at Queens Park Rangers two years later.

Jenas moved into punditry, first with ITV and BT Sport, before securing appearances on Match of the Day.

In 2023, Lineker, the flagship show’s host, suggested his time at the helm of the programme was “nearly up” and hinted at his possible successor.

The former England striker suggested Jenas could succeed him, saying that he was “probably drifting more towards my role” and was “doing it really well, doing The One Show”.

Jenas has three children with wife Ellie Penfold, who he married in 2011, and one other child from a previous relationship.

His departure is the latest in a number of recent difficulties for the BBC. In July, Huw Edwards, the News at 10 presenter, pleaded guilty to possession of 41 indecent images of children, having initially been suspended from frontline duties in July last year.

An internal inquiry had been launched following reports that Edwards paid £35,000 to a man, who was 17 when the alleged relationship began, in exchange for sexually explicit images.

The BBC has asked Edwards to return the £200,000 of salary he received in the month following his arrest last November.

The corporation is also dealing with internal unrest over its HR system, which staff have claimed is not fit for purpose. Whistleblowers who came forward to raise concerns about Edwards said they felt their their complaints had been “swept under the carpet”.

The BBC has also been dealing with an ongoing Strictly row after former contestant Amanda Abbington accused her ex-dance partner Giovanni Pernice of abusive behaviour – claims he has resolutely denied.

Both parties are awaiting the findings of a BBC inquiry into the claims.

As he was substituted Jamie Vardy goaded the Tottenham Hotspur fans by making a 1-0 gesture. The score was 1-1 but the Leicester striker was referring to the Premier League title he has. Tottenham, of course, have none – pushing Leicester close in 2015-16 only to finish third.

Vardy again denied them here. There is still that edgy competitiveness and, despite being 38 next January, there is also that predatory instinct in front of goal. Just as it looked like Leicester would be overwhelmed on their return to the top flight, Vardy scored with their first attempt to earn a precious point.

They were transformed after he struck. Their talisman gave them that belief and, remarkably, they could even have gone on to win this. But how Spurs will rue their missed chances – just as they did last season – and that was summed up with just 20 seconds of the nine added minutes to go as substitute Dejan Kulusevski headed wastefully wide from a free-kick.

On the touchline head coach Ange Postecoglou slumped forward, bent double. His body language said it all. And who could blame him?

In effect, this was the tale of two strikers. Dominic Solanke, Spurs’ new £65 million centre-forward, played well but wasted opportunities and that proved to be the difference.

“He’s back in the big time,” Leicester posted on social media after Vardy’s goal and he is undeniably something of a force of nature. A freak – and that is meant as a compliment. Vardy has now scored 103 Premier League goals since turning 30 and he is not going quietly into the night.

To rub it in, he pointed to the Premier League badge on his sleeve as he walked off to a standing ovation and there were a few choice words for Spurs’ combative centre-half Cristian Romero. To add further salt to Tottenham’s wound, the Argentinian had lost Vardy for the close-range header that cancelled out another header, by Pedro Porro, that had given Spurs the lead.

At half-time Spurs should have been out of sight and the talk would have been of how Leicester could possibly compete in the Premier League with an ageing Vardy leading their attack. That was captured in the first minute when he fleetingly had the chance to run clear from the halfway line but was quickly caught by Porro, 13 years his junior. Not so long ago Vardy would have been away and Leicester would have been a goal up.

So do not write him off. No way. As he returned for the second half there was a swig of Red Bull for Vardy and a bit of a swagger. He was not taking this lying down and he set the tone for Leicester. What a difference a goal makes. After it they were a different beast; before it they looked almost terrified.

Leicester will surely still go into the transfer market – they cannot rely on Vardy, not at his age, despite his defiance. “I was fit as a fiddle until I got to about 65 minutes,” he later said and that is the point. To get the best out of him now, Leicester need back-up or to bring Vardy off the bench.

But his presence, his belief, his belligerence makes a difference. As does his desire to play. Injury has prevented Vardy from having a full pre-season and Leicester manager Steve Cooper revealed that had this fixture been on Saturday, rather than Monday, the striker would not have made it. “He did what he does,” Cooper said.

There is nothing to be afraid of. Nothing to fear. That was Vardy’s message and he has been here before, over-turning expectation and defying the odds. And his age.

Only Teddy Sheringham, at 39 years and 133 days, for West Ham United, has been older than Vardy in scoring in the opening round of games in the Premier League. Only Mohamed Salah – with nine goals – has more than Vardy in the first weekend of the season.

Vardy could have equalled that record. After scoring he was released on the left side of the penalty area, only for Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to repel his shot. The roof would have lifted off the stadium if that had gone in and, even so, an air of trepidation and a little fear was replaced by a sense that Leicester are back where they believe they belong.

The lengthy added time followed a horrible injury suffered by Rodrigo Bentancur with the Spurs midfielder appearing to be left unconscious after a clash of heads at a corner. He was given oxygen and taken off on a stretcher but was responsive and talking in the dressing room afterwards. “But obviously it’s a head injury and I’ll leave it in the hands of the medical team now,” Postecoglou said.

The Australian lamented the “poor decisions” and “lack of composure” shown by his own vaunted front three – Solanke, Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson – and he was right as James Maddison, on his first return to Leicester, ran the first half. “We didn’t get the reward our football deserved,” Postecoglou claimed. That also was true. But only until Vardy scored. After that it was a different game and that is the difference he can – still – make and what he means.

Jamie Vardy is back in the Premier League and sealed a memorable return by taunting Tottenham Hotspur fans as he prepared to leave the field.

The 37-year-old was back scoring in the top flight again after a year in the Championship as his second-half strike earned Leicester a point.

Here Telegraph Sport breaks down Vardy’s memorable return and substitution:

Red Bull gives you wings

With Leicester 1-0 down, Vardy came out from the tunnel sipping a Red Bull and it seemed to work – just 12 minutes later, the forward produced a trademark goal with a far-post header to bring Leicester back into the contest under new head coach Steve Cooper. It seems Red Bull does give you wings.

Goads Tottenham fans over Premier League titles

Vardy was substituted 11 minutes from time and responded to the jeers of travelling supporters by pointing at the Premier League badge on his arm and raising one finger.

He then quickly made a zero sign and gestured back at the Tottenham fans to compare league-title wins between the two clubs.

Leicester famously lifted the title under Claudio Ranieri in the 2015/16 season ahead of Tottenham – who finished third – and Vardy was in no mood to let them forget it.

Sweary exchange with Cristian Romero

Vardy also appeared to confront Tottenham defender Cristian Romero as he left the field, with a rude gesture obscured by the Argentine’s back.

“You take a bit of stick during the game, but it’s part of football,” Vardy said. “As long as they can take it when I’m giving it back, that’s all that matters.”

After his exchange with the Tottenham fans, Vardy went back to showing his admiration to the Leicester fans who were giving him a standing ovation. He then exchanged words with team-mate Abdul Fatawu before eventually leaving the field.

Age is just a number

Vardy will be 38 in January and agreed a new contract over the summer to extend his fairy-tale career at King Power Stadium.

After dutifully shaking hands with the whole Tottenham bench after the game, the Leicester striker was keen to remind his doubters not to judge him by his age.

“I see it [age] as just a number. As long as I keep looking after myself and my legs keep feeling great, then I will carry on for as long as is physically possible,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say I am doing anything differently playing-wise. Probably adapted a bit by dropping in but I think the main thing is I am looking after myself recovery-wise to the maximum.

“I was as fit as a fiddle until I got to about 65 minutes, if I’m honest!”

You can have the player’s word that he wants to join. You can reach an agreement on the transfer fee with his club. You can put him through a medical examination. You can even house him in a plush hotel overnight, ahead of the final details of his move being completed the following day.

You can do all this with efficiency and precision, and you can go to bed happy that the deal is tantalisingly close to being done. But as every football executive knows, you cannot be truly certain the player is yours until he has signed his name on that precious piece of paper. Until that critical moment, the dreaded “hijacking” is always a lurking possibility.

It is the scenario that every club fears and, for Brentford, their pursuit of Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray was another reminder of how quickly these situations can change in the transfer window.

Everything was in place for Gray to join Brentford earlier this summer. The player had been convinced, the £40 million deal had been agreed, the medical had been passed. And then, just as it was about to be done, the teenager was gone. To another part of the city, and another club. In those final hours, Tottenham Hotspur had snatched him away.

“As soon as I heard Tottenham were coming in, I was like ‘I need to go there,’” Gray told Football London after his move. “It’s a huge club and my dad said that, too. He came to my room one morning and said: ‘Look, you’ve got to go to Spurs.’”

Those with knowledge of the deal suspect there were additional factors at play. Spurs are understood to have offered a more favourable payment structure, for example. There is also a sense that it was more palatable to Leeds for Gray – a fan favourite, with strong family ties to the club – to be sold to a team the size of Spurs, rather than to Brentford. It is relevant, too, that Spurs defender Joe Rodon moved the other way.

Whatever the reasons, the end result was a source of significant excitement within the Spurs fanbase and inside the club. Despite only turning 18 in March, Gray made 52 appearances in all competitions for Leeds last season. He is, without question, one of the finest young talents in the country.

In pre-season, Gray demonstrated that he is so much more than a prospect for the future. This is a player for the present, capable of operating in midfield and defence, and he has settled quickly in Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

Even more excitingly for Spurs, who face Leicester City in their season opener on Monday, Gray is not alone. His arrival is part of a wider strategy, now overseen by technical director Johan Lange, which has seen the club move out of one cycle and into the thrilling start of the next.

Since last summer’s transfer window, when Postecoglou was appointed as head coach, the average age of the new signings at Spurs has been younger than 22. This season, alongside Gray, they have added promising Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who is also 18, and winger Wilson Odobert, 19, who has joined from Burnley.

Spurs are betting on young talent. Micky van de Ven (£43 million), Brennan Johnson (£47.5 million) and Radu Dragusin (£25 million) all arrived in the last year, aged 22 or younger. There are others to come: Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic, 17, joins the club next year, as does South Korean forward Yang Min-Hyeok, 18.

The summer arrivals of Gray, Odobert and Bergvall, and the emergence of 17-year-old academy sensation Mikey Moore as a genuine first-team option, have strengthened the sense that something fun is stirring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Many of the old guard — Harry Kane, Eric Dier, Harry Winks, Lucas Moura, Hugo Lloris, Davinson Sanchez — have left in the past year, and now a fresh set of players are looking to make their mark.

Mid-August is a time of optimism at almost every club, of course. Everyone dreams big at this time of year. But at Spurs, the feeling of excitement is not just for the coming season, but also for what might be possible over the next few campaigns. If last season marked the stirrings of a new era, then this season could be the year it truly begins.

Yves Bissouma has been suspended by Tottenham for one match after the player filmed himself inhaling nitrous oxide, with manager Ange Postecoglou admitting he must now win back the trust of his team-mates.

Bissouma, 27, posted a video of himself on social media on Saturday showing him inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon, a class C drug known as laughing gas or NOS, recreational use of which was made a criminal offence last year.

The player quickly issued an apology but Spurs manager Postecoglou revealed he had been removed from the squad for Monday’s trip to Leicester City, the club’s opening game of the Premier League season.

“He has responsibilities,” the Australian said. “Responsibility to the club, his team-mates, to our supporters and everyone associated with the club — and he failed in those duties.

“There have got to be sanctions for that. He won’t be available for Monday, we have suspended him for Monday’s game.

“Beyond that there is also some trust-building that needs to happen between Biss [Bissouma] and me, and Biss and the group. That’s what he needs to work hard at from now on to try and win that back, and that has nothing to do with just one game.

“He may be suspended for one game but he is going to have to earn that. The door is open for him and, hopefully, we can help him to realise the decisions he makes impact more than just him and, hopefully, allows him to make better decisions going forward.”

It is not clear whether a criminal investigation will be launched as a result. “It’s not my area, mate, and I wouldn’t even bother having a discussion around that because that’s totally out of my control,” Postegoclou added.

Postecoglou made it clear he and the club would be making efforts to help Bissouma avoid getting himself into future strife. “From hereon, it is about trying to help him both as a person and as a footballer to make better decisions,” he said.

“There is a person involved and in this case it’s Biss and he has made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and try to help him through that and, as a club, what we can do to make sure he doesn’t make those kinds of choices and decisions in the future.

“Within that context there are still sanctions that are involved and some of those sanctions include education and giving him a clearer understanding of why he did what he did and how wrong it was. Hopefully through that, he comes out of it — you always want to give people the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.”

Bissouma, who joined Spurs from Brighton for £30 million in 2022, made it clear earlier in the week that he understood the severity of his error. “I want to apologise for these videos. This was a severe lack of judgment,” he said.

“I understand how serious this is and the health risks involved, and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously.”

‘He has a professional responsibility’

Bissouma is not the first high-profile footballer known to have used the substance. “How prevalent it is, I don’t know, because it’s a world away from my life,” Postecoglou added. “But I think the best way is awareness and education, and understanding the ramifications of making those kinds of decisions.

“There’s the personal ramifications because it’s illegal. There’s a significant price to pay there. I’m sure Biss is like every other human being, he’s got people in his life who love him, parents, and they certainly wouldn’t want to see that.

“Then there’s the professional responsibility. The image of the game. Not the image, but the example you set as a professional footballer, because there are so many people who follow the Premier League and we’re all in a pretty privileged position.

“We get well-rewarded for that. But there is a responsibility in what you do. Hopefully with education and awareness… there’s a reason it’s illegal.

“It’s not just because somebody thought, ‘Let’s just ban this for no particular reason’. There’s some science behind why it is.

“He’s made a poor choice. But within that context, we all make mistakes, there should always be an opportunity there for rehabilitation and redemption for every human being, including footballers.”