Chelsea's struggles and riches mean they are going to be busy during the January transfer window.

The Blues, who face Manchester City in the FA Cup on Sunday, are currently 10th in the Premier League as they continue to adjust to head coach Graham Potter.

Chelsea have already signed Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos this month, while also being heavily linked with Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, but they may have another World Cup finalist in their sights.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA KEEN ON THURAM IN JANUARY

Chelsea have commenced discussions with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach about a move for French forward Marcus Thuram, reports Fabrizio Romano.

Thuram's Gladbach contract expires at the end of this season and he is not planning on extending the deal.

Chelsea and Gladbach will hold further talks in the coming days to discuss conditions and a price tag for the 25-year-old in January.

ROUND-UP

– Negotiations between Atletico Madrid and Manchester United on a Joao Felix loan deal are ramping up, with the Spanish club demanding a £9.5million (€10.8m) loan fee and a commitment to buy for £70m (€79.4m), according to the Sunday Mirror.

– FootMercato claims Manchester United are exploring a deal to sign Wout Weghorst on loan. The 30-year-old Dutch striker is currently on loan at Besiktas from Burnley, with an £8.8m (€10m) buy option in the deal.

– Tottenham are interested in signing Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as a long-term replacement for veteran Hugo Lloris, claims the Sunday Mirror.

– Napoli have made an opening bid worth €15m plus add-ons for Azzedine Ounahi from French club Angers, claims 90min. Ounahi impressed with Morocco at the World Cup and has also been linked with Leicester City .

– The Sun reports that Crystal Palace will rival Everton in pursuit of Aston Villa striker Danny Ings in January.

– Arsenal are monitoring Tammy Abraham's situation at Roma, claims La Repubblica.

– The Athletic reports that ex-Everton and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has a verbal agreement to take over as Portugal head coach.

Harry Kane is trying not to think about becoming Tottenham's record all-time goalscorer after he moved one shy of Jimmy Greaves' haul with an FA Cup winner against Portsmouth.

The England captain put Spurs into the fourth round with a clinical finish early in the second half of the tie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Kane's next goal will put him level with the legendary Greaves on 266 for the London club, a feat he could achieve against fierce rivals Arsenal next Sunday.

The prolific striker, who has scored four times in as many games since the World Cup and 17 this season, is determined not to let the prospect of making history play on his mind.

"I try to not think about it," he told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes you can think too much. Obviously I feel in good form and I feel fit. My mindset is to help the team and hopefully the goals will come.

"It was a tough game. We were clear favourites and people probably expected a bigger score but credit to them, they stayed compact and made it difficult.

"We thought after the first it might open up, but they stopped us getting the second one. It's good to get through – that was the objective – and we'll see who we get next."

Yves Bissouma was a late withdrawal from the Spurs team to take on manager-less League One side Pompey, Oliver Skipp taking the midfielder's place due to an ankle problem.

Cristian Stellini, Tottenham's assistant head coach, revealed the former Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder pulled out as a precaution and will be available to take on Premier League leaders Arsenal next weekend.

He said: "The injury came from the last match. An ankle problem. He tried to push himself but he was not 100 per cent.

"It's very good when the player tells us they are not 100 per cent as Skippy was and he played well. He will [be] [for the Arsenal clash]."

Harry Kane moved just one goal away from becoming Tottenham's joint all-time leading goalscorer to secure a 1-0 FA Cup third-round win over Portsmouth.

Kane is only a solitary goal behind the great Jimmy Greaves' staggering haul of 266 for Spurs after opening the scoring with a sublime second-half finish.

The England captain's 17th goal of the season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday was enough for the Premier League club to seal their place in the fourth round.

Antonio Conte's men had failed to register a shot on target in a poor first-half display, but were much improved following the interval against a side without a win in nine League One games – resulting in boss Danny Cowley's sacking this week.

Pompey showed no signs over being overawed in a positive start, Reeco Hackett-Fairchild forcing a save from Fraser Forster with an early left-foot volley.

Spurs were short of ideas as they were unable to break down their well-drilled opponents, Kane having a close-range effort blocked by Denver Hume before Son Heung-min fired wide late in a drab first half.

Tottenham showed more urgency early in the second half and Emerson Royal rose to head Son's cross against the post before Kane got the breakthrough with a classy finish.

The prolific striker exchanged passes with Ryan Sessegnon before unleashing a sumptuous strike into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the penalty area five minutes after the break.

Oliver Skipp should have doubled the advantage when he blazed wildly over the crossbar from inside the box, but Kane's goal was enough for Spurs to advance.

Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly trying to pry centre-back Evan Ndicka away from Eintracht Frankfurt this month.

Ndicka, 23, arrived at the Bundesliga club in 2018, racking up 162 appearances since. He has played every minute of their 15 Bundesliga fixtures this season, helping them to reach the German mid-season break in fourth position.

Standing at an imposing 192cm tall with pace to burn, he fits the bill as a centre-back who can handle the physical demands of the Premier League, and his impressive traits are exactly why Frankfurt have been desperate to retain his services.


TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE RIVALS BATTLE IT OUT FOR EXCITING CENTRE-BACK

Currently in the final year of his five-year contract, this will be the last opportunity Frankfurt get to cash in on their young talent, and they reportedly see the writing on the wall despite their desire to extend Ndicka's stay.

According to German publication FR, Ndicka's agents have been reaching out to Europe's elite clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Barcelona, but are said to have driven some away with their lucrative contract demands.

Previous reporting from Football London has claimed Arsenal had agreed to personal terms with Ndicka for a free move before Frankfurt's most recent improved contract offer, while Tottenham remain in the hunt.

Interested parties prepared to wait another six months could scoop him up on a free, but a transfer fee in January with so little time remaining on his contract could end up surprisingly affordable.

ROUND-UP

– Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all closely monitoring 19-year-old PAOK winger Giannis Konstantelias, who is believed to be worth in the range of £10million, per the Evening Standard.

– Foot Mercato is reporting Saudi Arabia side Al-Nassr are working on acquiring Eden Hazard to reunite him with former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

– According to Sport, Juventus have enquired about 33-year-old Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba as he enters the final six months of his contract.

– Napoli have submitted a €19m offer for 22-year-old Angers and Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, per Foot Mercato.

– Sport is reporting 28-year-old Barcelona forward Memphis Depay would like to return to former club Manchester United.

Antonio Conte has joined those paying tribute to Gianluca Vialli with a heartfelt social media post, describing his former Juventus team-mate as a "lion" and "an inspiration".

Vialli's passing at the age of 58 was confirmed on Friday, with the former striker having been re-diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021 after being given the all-clear the previous year.

Conte played with Vialli throughout the latter's four-year spell with Juventus between 1992 and 1996, helping the Bianconeri win the Champions League in Vialli's final season with the club, during which he was club captain.

Conte took to Instagram on Friday to share a recent image of the pair dining together, alongside the caption: "Having dinner together in London a few months ago as we had fun remembering all our adventures and battles on the field.

"Unfortunately, in these last few years you had to fight a great and terrible battle in life.

"I told you and wrote that you have always been an inspiration to me as my captain and for how you were proving to be strong, proud and brave, fighting like a lion against this disease.

"Always in my heart my friend. Goodbye Gianluca."

Vialli spent much of his playing career at Sampdoria before joining Juventus in 1992, winning one Scudetto, one Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup in addition to the Bianconeri's 1996 continental triumph.

He then left the club for Chelsea, where he eventually took over as manager, with Conte succeeding him as Juventus captain upon his departure.

Harry Kane's pivotal penalty miss in England's World Cup defeat against France is fuelling his desire to win trophies.

The Three Lions crashed out at the quarter-final stage in Qatar after Kane hammered an 84th-minute penalty over the crossbar with England 2-1 down against the eventual runners-up.

Kane has scored three Premier League goals in as many games since returning to club side Tottenham, as he looks to put his World Cup disappointment behind him.

The striker netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday, moving him to 264 goals for Spurs and within two of the club's all-time record goalscorer Jimmy Greaves.

Kane says his penalty miss still haunts him, but he hopes those bad memories can spur him on to success in the future.

"It was a tough moment for me," Kane told Standard Sport. "It's never an easy thing to go through, but it's part of football, part of the highs and lows of our sport.

"I had a bit of time away after, just to reflect, and it's made me even more hungry to come back and be successful.

"So nights like last night [Spurs' victory at Palace] are always good for me and the team, and it was much needed after the last couple of results as well."

Kane's first goal after the missed spot-kick came in his first game back as Spurs battled from 2-0 down to earn a point at Brentford on Boxing Day.

The striker believes getting straight back to playing has helped him, saying: "After it happened, I just wanted to play again as quick as possible and get it out of my head.

"It's something you have to deal with. I'll probably remember it for the rest of my life, but that's part of the game. It's not going to affect me as a player or as a person.

"I'll keep working hard to improve and it was nice to get our first win since coming back [at Palace]."

England's World Cup exit sparked speculation manager Gareth Southgate could walk away from the job after missing out on a third consecutive major tournament semi-final place.

However, Southgate subsequently decided to stay on until at least the 2024 European Championships, and Kane is delighted he has chosen to remain in charge.

"I'm really happy," Kane added. "I feel like there's some unfinished business there and he's a fantastic coach. We've been close now on a few occasions. 

"We looked strong in the tournament and it was small details that ended up not going our way. It will be nice to have another go at the Euros with the same team and staff."

Meanwhile, Kane already has one eye on the North London Derby against league leaders Arsenal on January 15, with no player scoring more often in that fixture than him (14 goals).

Kane is dreaming of surpassing Greaves' club-record tally against Spurs' rivals, explaining: "The derby would be a nice game [to break the record in], for sure.

"It's a really important game. Arsenal are top of the league and playing really well, so we'll be ready for that. We've got to try to pick up some results ourselves and get some good momentum."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes a revamped version of the European Super League could launch as soon as 2025, without any Premier League clubs taking part.

Barca, along with Real Madrid and Juventus, remained committed to the Super League project in the aftermath of a failed launch in April 2021, though the other nine founding clubs quickly withdrew their support.

In October, it was revealed that plans were afoot to revive the competition, with A22 Sports Management chief executive Bernd Reichart promising an "open format" as he sought support for the proposal.

UEFA called the Super League's supporters "greedy" after meeting with Reichart the following month, while European Union Court of Justice [CJUE] advocate general Athanasios Rantos dealt a blow to the proposed competition by stating UEFA and FIFA could lawfully sanction participating clubs. 

However, Laporta remains optimistic regarding the Super League project, with the remaining clubs hopeful the CJUE will rule any UEFA sanctions are incompatible with EU competition law.

"In March or April we will have the CJUE ruling. It will be a very important sentence and I think it will benefit the clubs," Laporta told Cadena SER on Thursday.

"The Super League will be an open competition. I would not have entered this project if the competition was not open. 

"We want the governance to belong to the clubs. I hope that UEFA will occupy one more chair at the governance table. If the resolution is favourable, I think the Super League will be a reality in 2025."

All six of the Premier League clubs originally involved in the Super League – Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool – withdrew their support following a fierce public and media backlash to the plans in 2021.

Laporta does not expect any English sides to participate in the first edition of any future Super League, though he believes they will eventually join the competition if it succeeds.

"We will have a European competition that competes with the Premier League," he said. "I believe that the English teams will not enter at first. 

"We'd love for them to come in, but my opinion is that initially, they won't. I believe that everything will end with a merger later."

One feature of Laporta's tenure as Barca president has been his poor relationship with LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who he believes is not doing enough to ensure Spanish clubs can compete with their English counterparts.

"Our personal relationship has never been bad, but it has been tense. Tebas is a complicated person," he said. "He should be more concerned with recovering subscribers to football on television, increasing the income of Spanish football.

"We are defenders of financial control, but if you make a comparison between the Premier and the Spanish league... it is up to us to make them look at it."

Antonio Conte believes Tottenham "needed this type of performance" as they won for the first time in three matches by thumping Crystal Palace 4-0.

Spurs headed into Wednesday's match on the back of a 2-2 draw with Brentford and a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, with questions over Conte's future surfacing after he seemed to publicly question the direction of the club.

But a Harry Kane double and goals from Matt Doherty and Son Heung-min gave Spurs an emphatic victory at Selhurst Park, putting them within two points of the Premier League's top four.

Conte was relieved after the match to end their winless run and pick up three valuable points, telling reporters: "There are moments when you need this type of performance.

"It was important. Three points, [we] don't concede a goal. It wasn't easy. To play against Crystal Palace away is not easy. They beat us last season 3-0 [at Selhurst Park]. [It is] a really difficult pitch to play.

"I have many things to be happy about, especially for the young players. We are facing a difficult situation with injured players, especially. To see that you can count on them makes me happy. Also it's important because we can create competition."

Kane's brace moved him to 264 goals for Spurs, within two of tying Jimmy Greaves as the club's all-time record goalscorer.

Conte pointed out the striker's leadership as one of his best attributes, saying: "We are talking about a really world-class striker and he's going to beat that record with the goals.

"For us he's an important point of reference. Especially in the moments you know Harry is there ready to fight and solve the situation with goals and assists.

"We have to continue in this way and face every situation, negative and positive, with great character.

"I hope that soon we can have the whole squad available and that will be very important to face Arsenal and Manchester City with all our players and then we can see our true level."

Bryan Gil impressed against Palace in what was just his third Premier League appearance this season, having come under fire for a below-par display against Villa.

Conte has high hopes for the 21-year-old, stating: "It was important. We are talking about a player born to play football. He understands football so quickly, he's so clever.

"This league is so difficult. Quality, you have to be fast and have endurance. He has that and also you have to be strong physically. Gil since last season has improved on that aspect."

Harry Kane moved within two goals of tying Jimmie Greaves' all-time record for Tottenham as his second-half doubled inspired them to a 4-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Spurs had resumed their Premier League campaign in disappointing fashion, coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Brentford before losing 2-0 at home to Aston Villa.

It looked like being another underwhelming game for Tottenham in a lacklustre first half, but Kane lifted them back to winning ways in style.

His brace on his 300th top-flight appearance took him to 264 goals for the club and within striking distance of Greaves (266) before Matt Doherty and Son Heung-min made it a rout as Tottenham moved two points adrift of the top four.

Spurs found themselves under pressure for much of the first half and were grateful to Hugo Lloris's smart stop denying Jordan Ayew after a neat one-two between Wilfried Zaha and Eberechi Eze.

Lloris was nearly caught out by a long-range effort from Joachim Andersen but it was the Palace goal that was breached 155 seconds after the restart.

England captain Kane could hardly have asked for a simpler finish, his task in nodding in at the far post made much easier by Ivan Perisic's superb right-wing cross.

Kane doubled his tally just under five minutes later when he collected a whipped low ball in by Bryan Gil and lashed beyond Vicente Guaita and into the bottom-left corner.

The points were made safe with a first goal of the season for Doherty, whose close-range shot had too much power for Guaita following good work from Kane and Son.

Son had the final say, winning a tussle with Marc Guehi to latch on to Kane's lofted ball and fire in his first league goal since his hat-trick against Leicester City in September.

Antonio Conte acknowledges he will have to leave Tottenham if he can no longer accept the club's position as unlikely Premier League and Champions League contenders.

Spurs approach Wednesday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace five points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United after suffering a dismal 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

Tottenham have now won just one of their past four Premier League games either side of the World Cup break, and their poor run has added fuel to speculation regarding Conte's future.

The former Chelsea, Juventus and Inter boss has been linked with an exit on several occasions since taking the reins in November 2021.

While Conte is content at Tottenham for now, he says his commitment to the club can only last while he remains comfortable with their inability to compete for major honours.   

"My task is to help the club, to create a base, and then to try to improve," Conte said on Tuesday.

"If you say to me, 'the challenge for you is to win the Premier League, to win the Champions League'… This is not the task in this moment.

"I found the club in a difficult position for many reasons. Now my task – I understand it very well – is to help the club go in the right direction and to create a foundation.

"Then, if I am satisfied to continue to do this work and to one day see the result, I will continue to stay. If I'm not convinced 100 per cent, then I can leave my work.

"This is my big challenge here. If I want to stay here, then I have to accept this. Otherwise, if I don't want to accept this, then I have to go."

Spurs supporters vented their frustration towards chairman Daniel Levy during Sunday's loss to Villa, but Conte outlined the need for unity.

Asked about audible chants calling for Levy to leave at Tottenham's last game, Conte said: "Honestly, I did not hear this. 

"All I can say is it is important in this moment to have togetherness between fans, players and the club. We must stick together.

"I understand fans want to win trophies and be competitive, but to go to this step you need to create a base. I can't tell you anything different."

Antonio Conte stressed his commitment to Tottenham and suggested his comments following the defeat to Aston Villa may have been misunderstood.

The Italian has repeatedly stated his desire for more money to spend in the transfer market, claiming after Spurs' 2-0 home defeat to Villa on Sunday that he needs two players in the £50-70million bracket "every season" to compete in the Premier League.

After a bright start to the season, Spurs have wobbled of late, conceding at least twice in each of their last seven league games, and have conceded first in all of those games.

Ahead of Wednesday's trip to Crystal Palace, Conte dampened speculation he is considering his future at the club, reiterating his desire to build foundations.

"I am happy but I always say to you I am happy. I want to stay here," he told reporters. "I am enjoying my time in Tottenham, I am enjoying my work in Tottenham. I always say this and I am happy, but it doesn't mean I cannot tell you what we are doing. We are trying to create a base foundation.

"Maybe from the start of my experience here I am repeating always the same thing. It is difficult for me every day to repeat the same thing and for [the media] not to understand. It is difficult. I am happy to stay here because I am at a modern club, I have a good relationship with the players and I have a good relationship with the club.

"Sometimes I go home and think I have to study much more English because I am not good at transferring my thoughts to you."

After scoring 23 goals in 35 Premier League games last season to win the golden boot jointly with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min has managed just three in 15 league appearances this season, but Conte said he has no doubts about the South Korean's quality.

"Son for sure is struggling to find the best form and after the [facial] injury he had against Marseille [in the Champions League] he struggled a bit," he said. 

"Also the World Cup he didn't score but we are talking about a player that if we put him in discussion, we are in trouble because Sonny and [Harry] Kane are the two most important players, with [Hugo] Lloris. If we have doubts about them, we are in trouble."

Conte spoke further about the impact of the World Cup on his team, which led to a mid-season break as it took place in Qatar in November and December.

"Many, many people have already forgotten the difficulty of the World Cup," he added. "We said this season will be really, really difficult. The players come back really tired. For sure we have to analyse this aspect and find the best solution.

"For some players the World Cup could have had an impact. I have to find the best solution for the team. The players who worked here worked very well. Some are in a good physical conditions, others who should work they instead have to play.

"Don't forget what's happening in this season. We have already forgotten we are playing with the players that have just finished the World Cup. It takes from you [both] mental and physical energy. The coach, the manager, has to manage the situation."

Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham will all reportedly attempt to sign Inter defender Denzel Dumfries after his stellar World Cup performances for the Netherlands.

Dumfries, 26, played in all five of his country's World Cup fixtures, highlighted by a stunning display against the United States in the last 16 where he scored one and assisted two in a 3-1 win.

The marauding right-back has played in all 15 of Inter's Serie A outings this season, making 13 starts, although he has only produced a full 90 minutes on four occasions.

Despite the Italian side rejecting all bids for Dumfries in the previous transfer window, he is said to no longer be viewed as indispensable, and could be pried away for a fee of €60million.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS CIRCLE DUTCH STANDOUT DUMFRIES

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are willing to accept a €60m (£53m) fee, although it remains to be seen if the amount of interest drives that price up even further.

Chelsea reportedly view Dumfries as the answer to their depth issues at right-back while Reece James battles injuries, as well as being able to play as part of a back-three.

United believe he can replace Diogo Dalot, and Tottenham feel he is a superior option to Sporting's Pedro Porro, who they had been reportedly close to securing on a €35m (£31m) deal, per the Daily Star.

ROUND-UP

– Spanish newspaper Nacional is reporting Man Utd have made an offer for 24-year-old RB Leipzig winger Dani Olmo, who could cost as much as €66m (£58m).

– The Evening Standard is reporting Arsenal, Chelsea and United are not willing to pay the €11m (£10m) loan fee and €283,000 (£250,000)-per-week wages being demanded by Atletico Madrid for forward Joao Felix.

– According to 90min, Manchester City will sign 19-year-old Velez Sarsfield midfielder Maximo Perrone.

– Nottingham Forest will allow 25-year-old striker Emmanuel Dennis to leave the club for a fee of £10m just five months after his arrival, per The Athletic.

– The Telegraph is reporting Liverpool will investigate a potential £44m move for 24-year-old Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes at the end of the season.

Antonio Conte believes Tottenham need to delve into the transfer market if they are to repeat their "miracle" top-four finish of last season.

Spurs finished the 2021-22 campaign strongly to pip rivals Arsenal to Champions League qualification, but their attempts to finish in the top four again this season have faltered.

A 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, as well as a draw with Brentford on Boxing Day, means Spurs have lost ground on Manchester United, with the Red Devils making it three straight wins with victory over Wolves on Saturday to move into fourth.

Conte's side have been unfortunate with injuries, with key players such as Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison both spending time on the sidelines.

Former Chelsea and Inter boss Conte feels Spurs could do with signing players to build the depth of their squad and make them competitive at the top end of the Premier League.

"I continue to repeat that we made a miracle [finishing fourth last season]," he told reporters after goals from Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz condemned his side to defeat.

"Because we played only one competition with 12, 13 players and they didn't have injuries in the last 15 games and we played only the best players. Arsenal were only four points up and we finished 20 points less than Manchester City. We did a miracle and I knew the situation.

"I was very clear with the club and in the summer people spoke about Tottenham as title contenders. From my experience it was a bit crazy to read this but you have to accept this. If you have these injuries it becomes difficult.

"To become title contenders you need a solid foundation, 14, 15 strong quality players and the young players to develop and every season you can add two players, two players to invest £60million, £70m players to improve the level of your team."

Despite the Villa defeat, Conte was pleased with his side's attitude and he is confident his team will bounce back when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Wednesday.

"About the performance, I'm not disappointed," Conte said. "From the start to the end I've seen the right commitment and desire and intensity.

"I was expecting this moment. Now we have to fight, strong, because the situation, we are there and in this league you can slip quickly.

"I'm not scared. I believe in my work and I believe in these players."

Antonio Conte acknowledged Tottenham's confidence was "killed" after again conceding the first goal in their 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa.

Spurs began 2023 with only a second loss in their last nine matches played on New Year's Day, as second-half goals from Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz gave the visitors all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham, who missed the chance to return to the top four, have now conceded the opening goal in each of their last seven Premier League matches, doing so for the first time since November 2010.

They have also now conceded at least twice in seven consecutive league matches for the first time since November 1988 (eight).

Conte was missing the likes of Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur for Sunday's visit of Villa, and the Italian feels the lacking of a creative spark was detrimental for his side.

"In the first half, we played with good intensity," he told BBC. "We didn't concede anything, and we found a team that defended too deep. Then, we conceded this goal and then the confidence dropped for my players.

"We have to know that our life is this. We have to fight every game for one point or for three points. This is the truth, especially when you are without two or three important players and have difficulties.

"We have different characteristics. We don't have many players who are really good at beating the man. We don't have many creative players in our team. For sure, today was really difficult to find space in the first half.

"I'm sure that if we don't concede the goal, we could win the game instead. The goal that we conceded killed us in confidence and in many situations for sure. You have to try and improve and develop these players to be even stronger.

"We have conceded the first goal, and we try to play to score goals. We understand very well that the league will be really difficult for us.

"We have to try to recover all the [injured] players, and then we have to know that in every game, we have to fight and show that we are strong."

Tottenham return to action on Wednesday with a trip to London rivals Crystal Palace.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is "past his sell-by date", with Graeme Souness indicating he was at fault for their 2-0 loss to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Antonio Conte's side made a losing start to 2023 as goals from Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz ensured victory for Unai Emery's visitors in North London.

Lloris endured a horror-show performance between the posts, spilling a ball to allow Villa's opener before he was beaten at close-range for their second.

His errors have now resulted in four Premier League goals since the start of last season, with three alone this term, and Souness feels he is now a liability.

"I am not a big fan of Hugo Lloris," the former Liverpool midfielder told Sky Sports in his capacity as a pundit. "I've said it for a long time.

"He's made four errors leading to goals since the start of last season, the most of any keeper in the league. For me, he is past his sell-by date."

The latest lacklustre performance from Spurs means they have conceded at least twice in seven consecutive league games for the first time since 1988.

Their goalkeeper's struggles, around a World Cup campaign where he led France to a second successive final, have not helped Conte and his team this term.

He has conceded 3.7 more goals than his Expected Goals faced this season, with only Southampton's Gavin Bazunu (7.9) and Bournemouth's Mark Travers (6.2) faring worse  in that regard.

Overall, Tottenham have conceded five goals from their own mistakes as a team this term, two more than any other Premier League side.