Ange Postecoglou insists he has too much on his plate to worry about an investigation by the Football Association into a potential breach of agent rules during a 2008 transfer which involves Tottenham.

The Times reported this week that an unlicensed agent may have been used during the negotiations of Jermain Defoe’s transfer from Spurs to Portsmouth in the winter transfer window of 2008.

The FA has confirmed to the PA news agency that they are looking at the case, which did go to an arbitration hearing at the time of Defoe’s move to Fratton Park in the 2007-08 campaign. PA has contacted Tottenham for comment.

No action was taken against any party involved in the transfer, but with Spurs dealing with a growing injury list ahead of Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa in the Premier League, any potential punishment is far from Postecoglou’s mind.

“In 2008? I think I was maybe coaching Brisbane Roar mate, so fair to say I wasn’t around then,” he said.

“And really, if you think that’s coming across my desk? People are keeping a fair bit away from me at the moment because of what’s really important and that is we’ve got a big game on Sunday.

“With the issues we’ve got around the team, that’s where my focus is.

“It’s not across my desk, mate. For me to give you an answer would mean me sitting down with whoever is doing the investigation, whoever has all the information here, you know how many hours?

“I don’t know if you’ve spent any hours doing that but I don’t have that time in my day to be assessing those kinds of issues.

“With those kinds of things, any of those issues, there are those responsible, maybe I’m the spokesman, but I’m the spokesman for the football club in terms of the football.

“I would hate it absolutely if you got a lawyer out here and he started talking about what sort of formation we should play at the weekend.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut with those things, not for any other reason, but I respect the space that other people are in and that I’m in.

“If you’ve got real questions about that, there are probably better people to ask than me.”

Meanwhile, an FA spokesperson told PA: “We are looking at the case, and as part of that we will be reviewing the arbitration panel award.”

Ange Postecoglou is excited to see Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur close to his best again amid a growing injury crisis at the club.

Spurs host Aston Villa on Sunday with at least nine first-team players ruled out and Pape Sarr a doubt after he returned with a knock from international duty with Senegal.

A much-needed positive for the Australian is the return to fitness of Bentancur, who made his first competitive start in nine months in Uruguay’s 3-0 win over Bolivia on Tuesday after a serious knee injury.

With first-choice midfielders James Maddison (ankle) and Yves Bissouma (suspended) definitely absent for the visit of Villa, Bentancur could be thrust into action.

“The back four is probably the major issue for us at the moment. We’re really low on depth there, but midfield as well. That’s just the period we’re going through,” Postecoglou reflected.

“The fact Rodrigo got an opportunity to start (for Uruguay) is good for us. It gives him that confidence that he’s able to get through a game.

“The beauty of him is he can play a couple of different areas. I think he can play as a six, he can play further forward as an eight and he’s even creative. I think he can score goals as well.

“We were kind of hoping with him, Madders, Pape, Biss and people like Pierre(-Emile Hojbjerg) we were well stocked in that midfield area for different kinds of combinations, but obviously that has been disrupted a bit.

“The key for Rodrigo is to get him back to that level physically and mentally where he feels really comfortable about playing at this level.

“I don’t think he is far off it from what I’ve seen and again certainly over the next few weeks he will get that opportunity.”

Bentancur was one of Tottenham’s best players last season and impressed in a box-to-box role before he sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage in February.

Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa used him at the base of a midfield three on Tuesday, which is where Bissouma has played for Spurs so far this season.

With Bissouma suspended for the Villa match after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign at Wolves, Postecoglou hinted Bentancur could fill that void.

He said: “Yeah, potentially. Watching the (Bolivia) game and how he played, he did it really well so you know he can play there.

“I don’t think he is that far off from a physical perspective of being able to play his normal game, whether that is box-to-box, and part of it is getting belief in himself and his own body that he is capable of doing it.”

Spurs’ hopes of returning to winning ways have been hit by their lengthy injury list, but Postecoglou insisted: “Aston Villa will be a great test for us, but we’re at home.

“Apart from the Chelsea game, our home form has been really strong and we need to make sure we get back to that.”

Belgium international and former Tottenham star Jan Vertonghen has ruled out immediately starting a coaching career once he brings down the curtain on his illustrious playing career.

The 36-year-old, enjoying the challenge of rejuvenating Belgian giants Anderlecht after a disappointing campaign last year, now has his eyes firmly set on investment opportunities off the pitch.

Despite being coached by the likes of Roberto Martinez and Mauricio Pochettino, Vertonghen does not see the lure of being back on the grass when he calls time on his playing career in football.

"I have my A licence, I did it just to understand how coaches think and what kind of work they need to put in," he said to Stats Perform.

"So, when I'm sitting on this side of the room in a meeting, I understand where it comes from. It's important for me to understand people, how they think, what work they have to put in, how the data works, and the physical load.

"That's why I did it, to understand that side and for me, it's not an option – definitely not for the first couple of years – mainly because I am looking for the right balance in my life.

"I feel that the husband I want to be, the father that I want to be and the coach that I want to be, I can't see it will work because I see the work they put in.

"They arrive at seven, they go home after seven. I want to see my kids, as I said, my son has started playing football. I want to go to his training sessions. I want to go to his games. I want to take my daughter to dance class. I want to pick my other son up from school.

"And that life doesn't exist being a coach or being an assistant coach or a physical coach. And if you take a job like this, you can't disrespect the job. You have to put the hours in, and I can't do that at the moment."

Vertonghen joins other elite athletes to work with investment company APEX to invest in the sports, media and entertainment industry.

APEX boasts 15+ investments among an athlete community of over 100 from the world of F1, football, boxing and surfing.

Antonio Cacorino, APEX co-founder and chief executive, believes having Vertonghen on board, along with the other global sporting stars, reinforces that notion athletes are keen to make the most of their potential away from their respective fields.

CaCorino said: "Traditionally, the thought was, 'Let me only think about investing or being active in something different when I retire. Let me focus 1,000 per cent on sports'.

"Unless you are Cristiano Ronaldo or a few other athletes in the world, when you retire, you just become irrelevant. It's unfortunate but it's the reality.

"We work with guys like Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly. In football, Siem de Jong, Luuk de Jong, Christian Eriksen, Raphael Varane. Anthony Joshua is a big boxer, so just really building a very strong, diverse asset community.

"We created an amazing athlete community of athletes from all over the world who have this sort of entrepreneurial mindset and this like-minded approach to how they want to position themselves beyond pure athletes."

Vertonghen, an Athlete partner at APEX, reveals meeting the young and ambitious co-founders, along with a star-studded list of sports stars involved, gave him the confidence to get involved with the Lisbon-based company.

"When you invest in a company with other high-profile names, most of the time they're surrounded by the best possible people," added the defender, who is Belgium’s most-capped player with 153 appearances for the Red Devils.

“They invest in the best possible companies with great opportunities.

"It makes a bit less sense if I invest in software from any kind of thing. For me, it's a sport-minded company where I can have my input, where I can talk to anyone who I want, where I can get the information that I want."

However, Vertonghen has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet, nor is he ready to give up keeping clean sheets either.

After a difficult 2022-23 season, which saw Champions League regulars Anderlecht finish in a lowly 11th place, he takes satisfaction in what has been a positive start to the campaign.

He continued: "Last year was a very, very bad and disappointing season, but we had a very good transfer window, great signings.

“[The manager] brought some great young guys in, experienced players like Kasper Schmeichel, for example, just leaders and guys who just want to win, and that's what we needed. The atmosphere in the team is great.

“In Belgium, it works with a play-off system. If you get into the top six, you go for the Champions Playoffs, and that's our ambition, to be in that top six.

“And then whoever's in the top six can be champion. It's just important for all the teams who have the ambition to achieve the highest things, to be in the top six.”

Tottenham sacked manager Mauricio Pochettino on this day in 2019.

The sudden and unexpected decision came less than six months after the Argentinian had guided Spurs to the Champions League final.

Pochettino had been in charge for five-and-a-half years but paid the price for a poor start to the 2019-20 season.

He left Spurs 14th in the Premier League table after winning just three, and collecting only 14 points, from their opening 12 games of the campaign.

“Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing,” said chairman Daniel Levy.

“We were extremely reluctant to make this change. It is not a decision the board has taken lightly, nor in haste.”

Pochettino left Southampton to take over at Spurs in May 2014 and led them to the League Cup final in his first full season but lost to Chelsea.

They pushed Leicester for the title in 2016 but ultimately finished third. They were runners-up the following year and third again in 2018.

Their run to the Champions League final in 2019 included memorable wins over Manchester City and Ajax in the knockout stages but they were beaten by Liverpool in the showpiece in Madrid.

They also won only three of their final 12 Premier League matches of that season and it was the continuation of that form that eventually cost Pochettino.

His period in charge had also spanned Spurs’ move from their old White Hart Lane stadium to their new arena on the same site, with home games played at Wembley for 18 months.

Spurs wasted little time in replacing him, with his successor Jose Mourinho appointed the following day.

Pochettino returned to the game as Paris St Germain manager in January 2021, and after leaving the French club 18 months later he took charge at Chelsea this summer.

Tottenham got the "deal of the century" when they signed James Maddison from Leicester City in the summer.

That is the view of their former striker Bobby Zamora, who has been impressed by the start Ange Postecoglou has made as manager after joining from Celtic.

It was a dramatic transfer window for Spurs as they sold talismanic striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, with England international Maddison, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defender Micky van de Ven and winger Brennan Johnson among the players brought in.

England international Maddison has been ruled out until January with an ankle injury after making a stunning start for Spurs, scoring three goals and five assists in 11 Premier League matches after joining for around £40million.

His form has helped Tottenham fourth in the table, just two points behind leaders Manchester City, with Zamora – who played for the club in the 2003-04 season – liking what he sees.

"They are very impressive," Zamora said to Stats Perform, speaking on the Pro Am Padel Tour.

"The manager, I really like him as well. They have made a couple of good signings and when you see Maddison, he has certainly been on fire.

"I can't believe the price they paid for him and it's the deal of the century to be honest. 

"They're looking in a really good place and it'll be interesting to see if they can continue that form for the whole year or not."

After the international break, Spurs are back in action with a crunch home match against in-form Aston Villa on November 26.

Kane, meanwhile, has made a sensational start with Bayern. He has scored 17 goals in just 11 Bundesliga appearances, the highest total in Europe’s top five leagues, adding five assists as well.

He has scored another four goals in the Champions League too and Zamora understands the England captain's move given his desire to play at the highest level and desire to finally win some silverware.

Zamora added: "He has gone out there to win something, which I don't blame him for. 

"He spent a lot of time at Tottenham and has done fantastically well for them.

"If he wants a bit of silverware, I think he's moved there to Bayern and he's going to get some silverware.

"Plus [it helps] that he has not gone to any rival clubs in and around Spurs."

The Premier League has arguably never been more competitive than it is this season, with just three points separating the division’s top five teams.

Manchester City sit top of the table on 28 points, with Liverpool and Arsenal one behind on 27, Tottenham on 26 and Aston Villa on 25.

It is the first time in Premier League history that five teams have amassed 25 points or more in their first 12 matches.

However, the level of competition extends beyond the top few sides, as demonstrated by several of the weekend’s results including City’s thrilling 4-4 draw at Chelsea and Spurs’ injury-time loss at Wolves.

Just 12 matches into the 2023-24 campaign, it is already possible to create a continuous ‘victory loop’ from English top flight results.

A victory loop is made by arranging results so that Team 1 beats Team 2, Team 2 defeats Team 3, and so on until Team 20 beats Team 1.

Sheff Utd 2 Wolves 1 (Nov 4)
Wolves 2 Tottenham 1 (Nov 11)
Tottenham 2 Liverpool 1 (Sep 30)
Liverpool 3 West Ham 1 (Sep 24)
Brighton 1 West Ham 3 (Aug 26)
Brighton 3 Bournemouth 1 (Sep 24)
Bournemouth 2 Newcastle 0 (Nov 11)
Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0 (Nov 4)
Arsenal 1 Man City 0 (Oct 8)
Man City 2 Nottingham Forest 0 (Sep 23)
Nottingham Forest 2 Aston Villa 0 (Nov 5)
Aston Villa 3 Crystal Palace 1 (Sep 16)
Man Utd 0 Crystal Palace 1 (Sep 30)
Burnley 0 Man Utd 1 (Sep 23)
Luton 1 Burnley 2 (Oct 3)
Everton 1 Luton 2 (Sep 30)
Brentford 1 Everton 3 (Sep 23)
Chelsea 0 Brentford 2 (Oct 28)
Fulham 0 Chelsea 2 (Oct 2)
Fulham 3 Sheff Utd 1 (Oct 7)

Andre Villas-Boas has spoken of the challenge faced by managers due to the increased use of data analysis, recalling it led to “massive, massive arguments” over the potential signing of Joao Moutinho when he was Tottenham head coach.

The Portuguese wanted to sign compatriot Moutinho from Porto in the summer of 2012, but the midfielder was only sixth on the list compiled using data and statistical analysis by then sporting director Franco Baldini.

Spurs pushed ahead with other targets, including Mousa Dembele, and only returned for Moutinho at the end of the summer transfer window, missing out on his signature by a minute.

With more and more clubs using data and artificial intelligence to identify targets, Villas-Boas knows the conundrum that managers will now begin to face.

“The most evident case I had when I was at Tottenham and I wanted to sign Joao Moutinho and he was sitting sixth on the list compiled by data people,” he said at Web Summit in Lisbon.

“The first on the list was Dembele, we ended up signing him and we almost ended up signing Moutinho as well, but we lost it against the clock on the last day of the transfer window.

“But it drained me emotionally to the point where, here was a guy that the data was not showing all that he represented from the coach’s perspective, which is a player that knows your leadership, a player that knows your style, adaptability to your style.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by André Villas-Boas (@officialandrevillasboas)

“This can be quantified, but it must be done in the view of a coach and not a single view.

“This was the problem in the beginning and we mad massive, massive arguments in the beginning because of this with Moutinho.

“We signed Dembele but missed out on Moutinho and it was unfortunate because we were going to build up a very strong midfield.

“This is precisely where you have to have that balance to understand, what is your coaching philosophy and how it should be integrated into the data that has been provided to you.”

Villas-Boas has not been in work since leaving Marseille in 2021 and has forged a career as a rally driver while also spending time with his family.

The 46-year-old says he expects to remain out of the game until next year, when he could run for election as Porto’s president.

“Now is not the right moment to talk about going back,” he told the PA news agency. “At this time I am dedicating my time to my family.

“I have managed to find a break where I can dedicate myself to them 100 per cent and this is likely to be until June 2024. They deserve my presence.

“I have this objective of serving FC Porto as a president and at the moment it is going to go up for election in April or June 2024, so I always have the idea the present myself.”

Eric Dier believes it is still possible for Tottenham to win the Premier League this season.

Spurs made a great start to life under Ange Postecoglou, going unbeaten in their opening 10 games and topping the table.

But the wheels have come off in the last two games as they were beaten 4-1 by Chelsea with nine men and then lost 2-1 at Wolves in a game where they were leading going into stoppage time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tottenham Hotspur (@spursofficial)

Dier, who found himself out of the team at the start of the season, says Spurs can still be in the mix along with Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

“We’re still at the start of the season, there is still a long way to go,” he said at Web Summit in Lisbon.

“I am experienced enough to know anything is possible.”

Dier’s own future remains in doubt as he is out of contract in the summer and he will be able to talk to foreign clubs at the end of next month.

While the 29-year-old, who grew up in Portugal and played for Sporting Lisbon, is insistent he would like to return to his childhood home once he has retired, he could not promise he will play for Sporting again.

“One day I am sure I will be back. I think it is inevitable, if my wife wants to, we’ll come back one day to live when I have finished my career,” he added.

“To come back and play here, you never know, I can’t say.

“Sporting is my club, it will always be my club, it’s where I spent 12 years. Portugal as well for me is my home.

“I’m 29 so I hope I have a lot of years left to play. I’m still young. Football is my priority.”

Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham must accept the pain of defeat after Wolves’ stunning late show.

Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to cap an astonishing finish, seal a 2-1 win and deny Spurs top spot in the Premier League.

Brennan Johnson’s first Tottenham goal had given them an early lead and they were set to move two points clear at the summit despite riding their luck for much of the game.

But, instead, Spurs have suffered successive defeats following Monday’s 4-1 loss to Chelsea.

Postecoglou said: “It’s part of the pain of football when things happen in those circumstances. You’ve just got to take it. I can’t fault the players’ effort or their commitment. It was always going to be a tough game.

“We started well but we could have been a little bit more positive and aggressive with the ball. I’ve got to temper that with the fact we have had so many changes and we’re not going to get the same, especially when three of your back four are almost starting for the first time.

“We’ve had a particularly settled line-up. You could see they were feeling it towards the end. For the most part Wolves didn’t have many big chances but at the end they scored. Wolves were able to lift themselves, particularly with the crowd behind them.

“The character and commitment was there, don’t dismiss that. The guys have played their first game of the year and you are changing three of the back four so it’s fairly disruptive. There are plenty of positives to take.”

Johnson gave Spurs, without injured pair James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January, a third-minute lead when he turned in Pedro Porro’s cross from close range but, from then, Wolves took control.

Their tenacity and determination left Tottenham struggling but the hosts’ final ball let them down.

It took until nine minutes into the second half for a clear chance but, when it came, Hwang Hee-Chan scuffed wide with just Guglielmo Vicario to beat.

Tottenham looked like they would hang on, even going close to a second when Jose Sa turned Giovani Lo Celso’s shot over, before Wolves finally found the breakthrough.

Substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, levelled when he collected Matheus Cunha’s neat pass and smashed a volley past Vicario.

It was a deserved leveller but Wolves wanted more and got it in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Tommy Doyle’s quick free-kick sent Sarabia away and he picked out Lemina, running from deep, to poke the ball into the bottom corner.

Boss Gary O’Neil said: “It was the most proud I have been of a group I have coached, to produce what they produced against a top side.

“I would have been very proud of the group even if the game had finished 1-0 to Tottenham. I spoke to the boys at half-time, that the scoreline was irrelevant. We were the better side, don’t let the scoreline dictate how you feel.

“I try to make the team resemble me but I was never good enough to produce a performance like that.

“To be 12 weeks in, we’re ahead of where we expected to be. There was a lot of noise around the place about how much of a struggle it might be but we’ve beaten Man City and Spurs, the top two, early on in the transition. We’re ahead of the curve.”

Wolves’ stunning late show rocked Tottenham and denied Spurs the chance to return to the top of the Premier League.

Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to snatch a thrilling – but deserved – 2-1 victory.

Brennan Johnson’s early strike – his first Spurs goal – had given the visitors the lead and they looked on course for a smash-and-grab win at Molineux.

Tottenham rode their luck as Wolves constantly let them off the hook until Sarabia and Lemina sparked a sensational finish.

They were heading two points clear at the top of the table but have now suffered successive defeats.

Wolves, meanwhile, hit back from their controversial 2-1 loss at Sheffield United to underline the clear progress they are making under Gary O’Neil.

Spurs suffered their first wobble under Ange Postecoglou in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea having also lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January with injuries.

Suspensions to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie compounded their issues before arriving at Molineux yet they initially showed no scars from Monday’s chaos and took the lead after just three minutes.

It was poor from Wolves, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes were hoodwinked by Dejan Kulusevski’s cute drag and flick which allowed Pedro Porro to cross low for Johnson.

He had run on the blindside of Nelson Semedo and, with the defender caught out, tapped in from close range. It was the Wales international’s first goal since April – which also came against Wolves.

Far from being shellshocked, the hosts responded well and Ben Davies blocked a shot from the rampaging Ait-Nouri as Wolves’ tenacity left Spurs flustered.

Tottenham were needlessly tentative at the back, perhaps from Monday’s carnage, but continued to survive with Wolves’ final ball consistently failing them.

They still needed Guglielmo Vicario to save well from Lemina before the midfielder had a header deflect over and the goalkeeper also gathered Toti Gomes’ effort in stoppage time.

Wolves emerged after the break in the same combative fashion and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde ballooned over with Matheus Cunha also curling wide.

The hosts were getting closer and should have levelled after 54 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan missed a golden chance.

A poor corner eventually fell to Gomes and his shot deflected into the path of Hwang but, with just Vicario to beat, the seven-goal forward scuffed wide.

Without star man Pedro Neto Wolves lacked a killer touch, similar to Tottenham – missing main schemer Maddison – who had created nothing since their early opener.

The hosts’ dominance had nullified Spurs but they were still behind and their desperation for a leveller began to leave spaces, with Johnson curling wide after a rare break.

Wolves looked to be running out of ideas with time ticking by, although Sasa Kalajdzic wastefully headed over, and Giovani Lo Celso almost snatched an undeserved second with two minutes left but Jose Sa turned his effort over.

Little suggested the drama to come but Wolves then turned the game on its head in stoppage time.

O’Neil’s side finally got the leveller they deserved when substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, collected Cunha’s clipped ball and smashed past Vicario.

Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Sarabia was sent scampering after a quick free-kick and he found Lemina to turn in and send Molineux wild.

Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham have already passed plenty of tests this season – but he will not let the absence of nine first-team players at Wolves offer up an excuse for a dropoff in performance.

Spurs suffered their first defeat of the Premier League campaign on Monday in a chaotic 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, which could have further consequences in the long term.

Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero were sent off during the London derby, while Micky van de Ven (hamstring) and James Maddison (ankle) suffered serious injuries that will rule them out until January.

Postecoglou, however, is no stranger to a challenge given Harry Kane’s departure on the eve of the new campaign.

“The first test? Losing the greatest ever player in this competition the day before the start of the season? Nah, piece of cake,” Postecoglou pointed out.

“We lost players to almost season-ending injuries. Nah, don’t worry about it. Mate, there are tests all the time.

“In my whole career, I figured out there are only two states of being as a manager: under siege, or it’s coming. I’m well aware that every day nothing runs smooth. There’s always challenges out there.

“I just try and make sure I don’t change my state of being. It is what it is.

“I try and focus on what’s important. We’re still building a team and an environment where people want to win. It’s not going to change from week to week.

“It’s fairly extreme even for a person of my experience to lose five players in one game, but that doesn’t mean it’s any worse than anything we faced so far and it’s being a bit disrespectful to this group of players to say that everything has gone their way because it hasn’t.

“From day one there’s been a real resilience and character in the group and they’re going to have to show it again.

“We’ve had plenty of reasons not to be where we are, plenty of excuses in terms of the disruptions we’ve had already and some of the challenges we’ve had to face.

“Fair to say we won’t be using any kind of reason for us not to perform at our best tomorrow.”

Two of Postecoglou’s key decisions at Molineux and over the next couple of months will be trying to fill the void left by both Van de Ven and Maddison.

Van de Ven’s injury on Monday resulted in Tottenham adopting an extremely high line and while Guglielmo Vicario impressed in the sweeper-keeper role, pundits questioned the tactic.

But Postecoglou said: “I don’t try and lose games purposefully, trust me. I’m very much for trying to win a game of football. I get it’s slightly unconventional, that I kind of understand, but you don’t get from Australia to the Premier League by being conventional.

“And trust me, this isn’t the first time people have questioned my madness. It’s got me to where I am and I continue to do it because I believe we can win that way, not because of any other reason.”

Eric Dier made his first appearance of the season off the bench on Monday but is set for a regular role with Van de Ven injured until January and Romero suspended until next month.

Postecoglou added: “Eric has been part of this football club for a very long time.

“Every day he’s another one who has trained hard. He hasn’t had a lot of opportunities, but that’s because we’ve been pretty settled in terms of our back four and we haven’t had the need to put him in there.

“He’s always been ready to be called up. Now he gets the opportunity. I thought he did well the other night.

“I thought he handled it really well. His experience will be important for us, particularly with Micky’s absence and Romero being out for three games.”

Chelsea could be dealt a major blow ahead of their clash against Manchester City this weekend.

Mauricio Pochettino will welcome the Premier League champions to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as either side looks to secure three crucial points ahead of the international break.

While the Blues head into the blockbuster tie on cloud nine following a triumphant win over Tottenham, they could be without Raheem Sterling, who's started all but one of 10 English top-flight fixtures this season.

The 28-year-old appeared to throw a missile back into the crowd during Chelsea's dramatic victory on Monday night.

The incident occurred moments after Cole Palmer had equalized for the west Londoners from the penalty spot in the first-half after Cristian Romero's red card for a dangerously reckless lunge on Enzo Fernandez.

The former City midfielder, who joined Chelsea in the summer, celebrated by putting his finger to his lips in front of Tottenham supporters.

Palmer was quickly joined by his teammates. As the Blues celebrated, a video posted on Chelsea's own TikTok account shows an object being thrown from the Spurs stand and striking the England Under-21 international's leg.

As they returned to their own half for the restart, the same video posted on Chelsea's TikTok appeared to show Sterling bend down and throw the item back into the crowd. According to the Daily Mail, an FA spokesperson has said that the incident is being reviewed before deciding whether to take any action or not.

Richarlison was handed a one-match ban by the FA for throwing a lit flare back into the crowd after scoring for Everton against Chelsea in May 2022. Didier Drogba was issued a three-match suspension back in 2008 after throwing a coin during the Blues' defeat to Burnley on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

Chelsea are currently 10^th in the table with 15 points from 11 games, 12 points behind the current league leaders who they’ll welcome to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham are set to be without Micky van de Ven and James Maddison until January.

Centre-back Van de Ven and midfielder Maddison suffered hamstring and ankle injuries respectively in Monday’s 4-1 loss at home to Chelsea.

Spurs also had Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie sent off during their first defeat of the season, which means Postecoglou will be without several key players for Saturday’s trip to Wolves.

“Fair to say a fair bit happened after Monday,” boss Postecoglou reflected.

“Micky obviously with that hamstring injury, we knew it was fairly significant, probably a couple of months for him looking into the new year.

“Madders is a lot worse than we thought. He came off with an ankle injury and the next day wasn’t great, so we sent him for a scan. Again probably into the new year for him.

“Richy (Richarlison) should only be a month so not too long after international break, so they are the main ones, but we’ve got a couple of suspensions as well.

“Ben Davies is back and available. (Pedro) Porro is fine, he trained no problem.”

What the papers say

Tottenham will look to fill the hole left by Micky van de Ven – who was injured in their 4-1 loss to Chelsea on Monday – identifying Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly as a possible replacement, according to the Standard. Kelly, 25, was a transfer target in the summer and his contract expires at the end of the season.

Arsenal could look for midfield cover in January with Thomas Partey set to be out for the rest of 2023, the Daily Mail says.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Raphael Varane: The Saudi Pro League are after the 30-year-old Manchester United man but the club want to keep him, Football Insider reports.

Florian Wirtz: Liverpool and Chelsea are interested in the 20-year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder but they will have to wait until the summer transfer window, TEAMtalk reports.

Brennan Johnson is benefiting from the “extreme” demands placed on him by Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou and proving himself to be an elite player, says his Wales manager Rob Page.

Johnson has taken time to settle at Spurs following his £47.5million move from Nottingham Forest during the closing minutes of the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old forward has yet to score and suffered a hamstring injury on his first Premier League start for Tottenham, ruling him out of action for a month.

Johnson’s second Premier League start against Chelsea on Monday also ended prematurely when he was sacrificed after Spurs were reduced to 10 men by defender Cristian Romero’s red card.

But Johnson has shown signs of promise in North London with a superb assist for Son Heung-min’s winner at Crystal Palace, while he also set up the Spurs skipper for a disallowed effort against Chelsea before his first-half withdrawal.

“Brennan’s at a big, big club now pushing for top four so the demands on him will be extreme,” said Page, who welcomed Johnson back into his squad after injury for this month’s decisive Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

“The squad of players he’s got around him now will be slightly different, but I’m not concerned at all. Even by training with the players he’s with will bring him to another level.

“We’ve all seen the potential. When I worked with him at the Under-21s and the younger age groups, I could see he was going to go (to the top).

“It’s taken him a little bit of time to get up to that standard, but he’s shown glimpses of it.

“What is important now is that he sustains that level by playing with those players and the demands of the manager there. He will absolutely do that.”

Johnson has only scored twice in 22 Wales appearances – against Belgium and the Netherlands in the Nations League – and that is a disappointing return for a player considered to be Gareth Bale’s natural successor in the Dragons’ forward line.

Page suggested that is down to the way Wales have previously been structured as a team but he insists, as evidenced by last month’s stunning 2-1 win over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, they are evolving as an attacking unit.

He said: “The majority of the games in the World Cup and Nations League A we were the underdogs and not going to have a lot of the ball.

“Our defensive structure has to be spot on if not you’re going to get found out, but as we evolve I’m asking more from the forward players and we saw that against Croatia.

“I brought Jack Lester in (as assistant coach), who’s one of the best forwards I played with and coaches I’ve seen. It was an area I wanted to improve and I’ve seen a difference already.”

Wales will avoid the play-offs in March and qualify automatically for next summer’s Euro 2024 finals in Germany if they beat Armenia in Yerevan on November 18 and Turkey in Cardiff three days later.

Page said: “I like Brennan as a nine purely because of his pace. He did that for us in Latvia (when Wales won 2-0 in September) and there’s not a defender out there who’s going to want to play against him and DJ (Daniel James) because pace frightens defenders.

“But I’m not going to pigeonhole him as a nine. He can play in any one of the front three positions easily.”