Senior football correspondentPublished5 May 2025Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is expected to miss the final three weeks of the season with a knee injury
The 28-year-old scored but was then injured during last Thursday's 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final first leg
Head coach Ange Postecoglou sounded positive in the immediate aftermath of the game
But it became clear on Friday morning the injury was more serious than first feared and subsequent scans have confirmed that
Sources have indicated that Maddison is being assessed for knee ligament damage
the extent of which will be clarified in the next 48 hours
The news will arrive as a blow to Tottenham
who are in pole position to reach the Europa League final
But Maddison will almost certainly not be available for either the semi-final second leg or the potential final in Bilbao this month
Speaking following the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Sunday
Postecoglou said: 'We'll probably get some clarity [on Monday]
"It is fair to say it's not looking promising
Maddison injury 'doesn't look great' - Postecoglou
Tottenham beat Bodo/Glimt in semi-final first leg
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Getty ImagesAdwaidh RajanBBC Sport journalistPublished4 May 2025Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says James Maddison's injury "does not look great" as he waits to find out the extent of the problem before Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt
Maddison scored as Spurs overcame the Norwegian side 3-1 in the first leg on Thursday
but was taken off in the second half because of an injury
The attacking midfielder did not feature in the Spurs matchday squad for their 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday
"It doesn't look great but we're just waiting for further information," said Postecoglou after the game at London Stadium
Hopefully we'll probably get some clarity [on Monday]
"It doesn't look promising but I'll just wait and see."
was also not involved against the Hammers because of a knock
But Postecoglou was more positive about the striker's prospects for the return leg in Norway
Postecoglou told BBC Sport: "Dom is improving
We just left him out [against West Ham] to recover more."
"But the medical team are pretty confident he should be right for Thursday."
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has also returned to training after almost a month on the sidelines
but the club confirmed recently that midfielder Lucas Bergvall is likely to miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury
The boys put in a good shift - Postecoglou
Postecoglou made eight changes to his side as they ended their three-match losing run in the league
Yves Bissouma and Richarlison preserved their places in the starting line-up from the first leg
"It's something we've been doing for a while because we've had to," the Spurs boss told BBC Sport
"We've had a wretched run with injuries - which still hasn't eased up
But with the opportunity we've got before us [in the Europa League]
Ben Davies and Djed Spence featured in a fully changed defence while Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert
made up the front three alongside Richarlison
Tottenham remain 16th with 38 points from 35 games - one point clear of West Ham and one behind Everton and Manchester United - with three games left
But Postecoglou said he was proud of his players' efforts in the derby
"It's not easy making so many changes and it's going to affect the fluency and even the rhythm of the team," he said
"I thought the efforts they put in were outstanding
"I thought we nullified their threat as well as we could
and they had some decent firepower up front
and I still thought we were dangerous going the other way."
If Spurs do get past Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao will await them in the final on 21 May
Postecoglou's side are looking to secure the club's first silverware since 2008 and a place in the Champions League by winning the Europa League
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James Maddison is not expected to play for Tottenham again this season after suffering what is believed to be a significant knee injury
Sources fear Maddison could be sidelined for a prolonged period if he requires surgery with scan results expected within the next 24 hours
The news is far from ideal for Spurs with their season on the line on Thursday night
Ange Postecoglou’s side lead Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the Europa League semi-finals and victory in the final would bring their first silverware since 2008 after a disastrous Premier League campaign
Maddison started in that first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and scored the second goal before being taken off injured in the 65th minute
Both he and fellow regular starter Dominic Solanke were left out of the squad on Sunday as Spurs drew 1-1 with West Ham in the league
“Maddison's a bit more of a concern until we get some more information but he’s the one that’s more of a concern.”
We now understand that the news isn’t good at all, with Maddison not expected back until the new campaign.
The English midfielder has been key this season, making 45 appearances in all competitions, the fifth most in the squad.
Yet domestically it’s been an unmitigated disaster
with Spurs on course to finish a record low of 16th in the league
That has seen heavy rumours that manager Postecoglou could be replaced
“He’s the first person to tell you and I’ve said it myself that we’ve had a poor season
and it’s probably been an acceptable one and we can all take a collective responsibility for that
"The narrative is something we players try to keep away from because it’s not something we like seeing
you lot talking about the manager’s position
“I just know that I come into work every day and see the lads listening and taking on the messages about how he wants to play and trying to do what’s best for this club
“We’re in a very good position in Europe and we can still have a very special season under his management so I will continue to do that until the day he isn’t here
Maddison was also asked if the fans deserve Europa success for such a poor season
“We definitely want to reward them with something special for the support they’ve given us because the league hasn’t been good enough
let's not create the narrative that it's just… yes it’s us players out there definitely and we take responsibility for that
but this is why we’re so motivated for this competition because the season can still be so special.”
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have shared a particular
and very local rivalry for almost 130 years now
came to Tottenham in the Thames and Medway League in September 1898
They kept bumping into each other in the Southern League
before settling on the Football League and meeting there for the first time in 1920
And yet of all the 225 meetings between these two clubs over the last 127 years
right here in the fourth decade of the Premier League
surely felt the least like what this fixture is meant to be
Think about the rich history of this contest
the unique memories it has provided over the years
Think about the qualities you would expect to see in any match between Tottenham and West Ham
that the players were channelling this rivalry
making it real through their own quality and bravery and the pitch; none of this at all was remotely detectable here at the London Stadium on 4 May
a profound non-event that will leave no trace on anyone’s memories
The two first-half goals arrived out of nowhere
One from Mathys Tel pressing Max Kilman and forcing an error
The second from West Ham constructing the only incisive passing move of the entire game
But those were the only two ripples in an otherwise totally placid sea
The second half was such an eventless drift towards the final whistle that it was almost soothing to watch
There was none of the jeopardy that keeps you on the edge of your seat as the clock ticks towards 90
it felt like a money-spinning post-season friendly in a faraway place
was taking place in east London during the regular season
We could talk all day about how bad this game was
Doing so may be the only way to preserve it in our memories
The more interesting point is why was this game so bad
this was never going to be a match of dazzlingly high quality
West Ham and Spurs had 36 and 37 points respectively from their 34 games played before this one
They are the two worst teams out of the relegation zone
If you take the three relegated sides as being a separate category
then Spurs and West Ham are the worst of the core 17
Even worse than Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United
This was not even West Ham against this version of Spurs at their best
This was West Ham against Spurs with eight changes
Ange Postecoglou has been rotating to keep his players maximally fit and fresh for the Europa League
It is impossible to blame him for doing so because of the rewards on offer in that competition
And with Spurs now two games from lifting the trophy
you can say that his policy has almost paid out
But when he makes eight changes for a league game — as he also did for Spurs’ game at Liverpool last Sunday — he is obviously replacing his best players with less good ones
But this is not only about the aggregate quality of the two line-ups
If quality was the only reason to watch football
then no one would go and watch lower-league football
But people have always loved football at all levels
What is lacking in quality can often be made up in competitive tension
The unbalanced nature of this Premier League campaign has seen the three promoted sides all fail to ever get a footing in the league
Just as it was very clear early on that West Ham and Spurs were having disappointing league seasons
it was also clear early on that they were under no threat of the drop
They were never going to be seriously competing with Ipswich Town
they were never going to catch the more competent mid-table sides
They are stuck in the limbo league of the mid-teens
When Spurs won 4-1 at Ipswich on 22 February
it was clear that they would be staying in the Premier League
and there was no longer any fear of seeing Ipswich in the rear-view mirror
it has felt as if the Europa League had priority
And most league games since then have almost felt like a contractual obligation to get through
a kickabout to keep the players sharp and tuned-up before their next big European match
This was Spurs’ ninth league game since Portman Road
their only win coming against Southampton at home
Their best performance from those nine games came against Nottingham Forest at home
when they were 2-0 down after 16 minutes and could only get back to 2-1
But at least in some of those games Spurs have been playing a team with something of their own to go for
The problem here was that these were two teams with nothing to play for
two teams just trying to get through the afternoon unscathed
Pitting this West Ham side against Spurs’ back-ups in a league game right now is the football equivalent of repeatedly multiplying zero by itself
And yet the reality for Spurs is that they fly to Norway on Wednesday
If their full-strength team gets a result against Bodo/Glimt — or even loses by one goal — then they will be in the Europa League final on 21 May
That will feel like the opposite of this — memorable
the sort of game that justifies and makes sense of a lifetime of being a football fan
no one will say on Wednesday that Spurs should have picked a full-strength team at London Stadium
Postecoglou’s decisions have already been justified
West Ham have none of that to fall back on this month
no excuses for jogging through a game so important to their fans
They only have three matches left this season now
And maybe the next time these two teams meet
anything to make their next meeting different from this
(Top photo: Benjamin Cremel/AFP via Getty Images)
Jack Pitt-Brooke is a football journalist for The Athletic based in London. He joined in 2019 after nine years at The Independent. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackPittBrooke
Jarrod Bowen now has three goals in his past five Premier League appearances
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season as they shared the points with Tottenham in a meeting between two massively underperforming sides
Both had very little riding on this fixture and it showed as the 17th-placed Hammers could not overtake their London rivals in the table after a tame derby
Ange Postecoglou made eight changes to the Tottenham side that defeated Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg
the Australian's focus was firmly on ending a dismal season on a high by winning that competition and reaching the Champions League next season
Spurs had Max Kilman to thank for gifting them the 15th-minute opener as Mathys Tel nicked the ball from the Hammers defender and squared for the unmarked Wilson Odobert to pick his spot and claim his first league goal for Spurs
But Bowen levelled 13 minutes later when he ran on to a through-ball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and smartly finished through the legs of Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to restore parity
It was the West Ham captain's third goal in five games in an impressive scoring run
Richarlison then found himself in a promising position at the other end
but decided to go for a pass across the goal when the chance of a shot was on
Chances were few and far between in the second half
but the hosts could have claimed all three points at London Stadium in the closing stages
rescued Tottenham by producing a stunning save to keep out Bowen's glancing header from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick with eight minutes remaining
This game was always going to be a mere footnote for Tottenham in their current circumstances as the season draws to a close
They are two games away from winning their first silverware since 2008 in the Europa League
despite their worst season domestically since 1976-77
They had almost put on a perfect performance against Bodo/Glimt in midweek
but a late goal from the visitors kept the last-four tie alive
And with a difficult outing on the artificial pitch in Norway to follow on Thursday
it was not surprising Postecoglou rang the changes with his team selection and Spurs failed to click
Yves Bissouma and Richarlison kept their spots in the starting line-up as Dominic Solanke and James Maddison
Postecoglou will be relieved his side negotiated a late West Ham rally and avoided a record 20th Premier League defeat of the season after only having two of their seven shots on target and generating an expected goals of just 0.48
Aston Villa and Brighton to play in the league but
Postecoglou will hope he also has a Europa League title showdown with either Manchester United or Athletic Club to come on 21 May
Decent performance but West Ham couldn't sustain it - Potter
West Ham manager Graham Potter was desperately looking for a first win in eight games here - and almost got it
The home side were on top after the interval with Bowen going close with a volley early while Niclas Fullkrug, back in the starting line-up after his scathing remarks on his team-mates following a disappointing draw with Southampton two weeks ago
failed to keep his header down with less than 20 minutes to go
Bowen was again their standout player and their best chance unsurprisingly fell to their skipper who had his header kept out by Vicario
before Ward-Prowse failed to get his free-kick on target in second-half stoppage time
Potter will still need to make improvements to keep the Hammers faithful by his side for the next season
After replacing Julen Lopetegui in January
the former Brighton and Chelsea boss has only collected 14 points in 15 matches and they are fourth bottom
three places below where his predecessor left the club
They will hope to climb up the table with meetings against Manchester United
West Ham and Ipswich Town completing a below-par season
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substituted for Carlos Soler at 80 minutesNumber 29
Ferguson at 80 minutesSubstituteshome team
Tottenham HotspurManager: Ange Postecoglou
van de Ven Match OfficialsReferee: Michael OliverVideo Assistant Referee: Darren EnglandAssistant Referee 1: Stuart BurtAssistant Referee 2: James MainwaringFourth Official: Ruebyn RicardoAssistant VAR Official: Peter WrightMatch StatsKey
Scroll LeftScroll RightWest Ham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League home games against Spurs (W2 D2)
their longest run since a run of six between 1995 and 2001
Following their 4-1 win in the reverse fixture
Tottenham are looking to complete the league double over West Ham for the first time since 2019-20
Since Graham Potter’s first Premier League game in charge of West Ham on 14 January
only Southampton (14) have dropped more points from winning positions than the Hammers have (12)
failing to win any of the last four when they’ve gone ahead (D3 L1)
Tottenham Hotspur have lost 19 Premier League matches this season
their joint most in a season along with 1993-94 and 2003-04
They last suffered more in a league season in 1991-92
Tottenham have lost their last four away Premier League matches
their worst away losing run since six in a row between February and May 2019
They’ve shipped 4+ goals in their last two (2-4 vs Wolves
last doing so in three away league games in a row in October/November 1976
West Ham United have lost five of their last six home Premier League London derby matches (W1)
Only three sides in top-flight history have previously lost five home London derbies in a season – Millwall in 1989-90
Wimbledon in 1997-98 and Fulham in 2018-19
Tottenham Hotspur have lost six Premier League games after scoring first this season
Only two sides have ever done so on seven occasions in one season: Southampton twice (1992-93 and 2024-25) and Blackburn Rovers (1992-93)
Tottenham have scored 10 Premier League goals from corners this season
only ever netting more in three previous campaigns – 13 in 2022-23
Jarrod Bowen’s two assists in the 3-2 loss at Brighton took him to 37 Premier League assists for West Ham
the outright most of any player and two clear of Mark Noble (35)
He was the first player with two assists in a defeat for the Hammers since Dimitri Payet in September 2016 against Watford
Tottenham have awarded 86 Premier League appearances to players under the age of 21 this season (27 Bergvall
They’ve only given more in two 42-game seasons – 99 in 1993-94 and 98 in 1992-93
James Ward-Prowse (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is close
but misses to the left from a direct free kick
Carlos Soler (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the attacking half
Foul by Wilson Odobert (Tottenham Hotspur)
James Ward-Prowse (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked
Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time
Mathys Tel (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul
Maximilian Kilman (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half
Konstantinos Mavropanos replaces Aaron Cresswell because of an injury
Maximilian Kilman (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is blocked
Assisted by James Ward-Prowse with a cross
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing
Foul by James Ward-Prowse (West Ham United)
Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half
with the Italian reportedly agreeing terms with Daniel Levy to come back in an official capacity – the Italian is set to have the final say on one major decision at the club
Fabio Paratici’s future has been doing the rounds
as the former Tottenham sporting director is in search of a new club
Paratici has been working as a consultant for Spurs over the last two years
since being forced to resign from his role as Tottenham’s managing director of football
Over recent months, it has been reported that Daniel Levy is trying his best to bring Paratici back to Spurs in an official role
Tottenham’s pursuit of the 52-year-old received a major boost when it emerged at the start of last month that AC Milan’s efforts to appoint Paratici as their sporting director had collapsed
Once again, another attempt to convince Paratici to sign for AC Milan failed to yield a result after their latest Lake Como meeting
with both parties failing to reach an agreement
It was revealed that the sporting director felt he was somewhat messed around by the Serie A side
The 52-year-old cannot officially start work until 1 July
when the 30-month ban he was handed in 2023 for his perceived role in financial mismanagement during his time at Juventus comes to an end
The Italian will form part of a new footballing team at Spurs, along with new CEO Vinai Venkatesham
It has also been revealed in recent weeks that there could be wholesale changes in Tottenham’s structure this summer, with the club’s recruitment, sports science and medical departments thought to be under review.
Should Paratici return, then he is set to continue in a similar role to the one he held formerly at N17, one that would see him start to call the shots once again.
TBR Football have now also revealed that the Italian director is set to have the final say on Spurs’ managerial situation and will decide who will replace Ange Postecoglou if the Australian does depart this summer.
Ange Postecoglou has been at the helm at Spurs since the start of 2023
He started off brilliantly and became a fan favourite
but the last 18 months have not gone to plan
Spurs blew their opportunity to finish in the top four last season when it was in their hands
they are stuck in the bottom half of the table
That is the reason why Postecoglou is expected to leave Tottenham this summer
and Daniel Levy is on the lookout for a new manager
One of the names linked with the Spurs boss is Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso
Tottenham have been linked with several managers ahead of the summer
The North Londoners moved away from big names after what happened with Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte
Reports have claimed that Tottenham are considering Jurgen Klopp, Xabi Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti to replace Postecoglou this summer
Klopp ruled out managing another English club before he even left Liverpool
while Ancelotti looks like he is going to become Brazil’s boss
he has decided to join another club – Real Madrid
who claimed on the Here We Go Podcast: “Xabi Alonso remains the favourite (to replace Ancelotti)
Real Madrid fans need to be patient with this one
because every day they probably expect a breakthrough in talks
“But, what I want to communicate is that there will be no problem between Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid on the contract, on the agreement. Xabi Alonso wants to go to Real Madrid
and Real Madrid see Xabi Alonso as the perfect candidate for the job
it’s on the club’s side to prepare the final chapters of this story
and then to enter into the conversations with Xabi Alonso
my understanding is that if Real Madrid will proceed
Alonso was never a realistic target for Tottenham
It was always going to be difficult to convince the 43-year-old – not just to leave Bayer Leverkusen for Spurs but also to reject Real Madrid
Now, Spurs will have to look elsewhere, and we think they should make a move for Alonso’s former Spain teammate, Xavi Hernandez
The Spaniard has been without a job since leaving Barcelona
and he showed at the Camp Nou that he is capable of producing the goods
but he is a far more realistic manager to target than the likes of Alonso
Spurs need Kulusevski to return to best form with doubts over James Maddison’s fitness ahead of season-defining clash
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Dejan Kulusevski’s appearance against West Ham acted as somewhat of an audition for Thursday
and it was an opportunity he failed to capitalise on
Kulusevski will need to take up Maddison’s position
with the Englishman having scored a fine goal in the first leg
That task is made harder by the fact Kulusevski has yet to look back to his best since returning last month from a foot injury which had kept him out for seven matches
In six appearances since his return — some of them cameos
granted — the Swede has looked short of the dynamic playmaker he was for much of the early months of the season and almost all of last term
running the ball into trouble when passing options or open lanes were available
It meant that his more defensive-minded midfield team-mates
had to provide the link to the attacking trio of Mathys Tel
Potter explains why Paqueta burst into tears when shown a yellow card
Kulusevski struggles a concern as Spurs look for Maddison replacement
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“He's getting better,” Postecoglou said afterwards
“There were moments in the game where you started seeing he's moving a lot freer
“You're missing a couple of months of football
It's just about getting fitness and getting some match rhythm
The thing with Deki is he just works his socks off all the time
“I just felt you could see some of that ability to beat people and turn in tight areas and run with the ball; it was coming back
They had a really aggressive attacking line-up out there
He had to do a really important defensive job for us and I thought he did that well.”
The Spurs boss was effusive in his praise of a player still finding his feet again
and much of it served as encouragement rather than anything else
but Kulusevski will have known his involvement and efficiency could have been greater
The versatile midfielder has been one of Tottenham’s most reliable generals over the last two years
Especially if Maddison’s injury is a serious one
Spurs need Kulusevski firing on all cylinders to aid their quest for European silverware
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Alan NixonPublished: Invalid Date
TOTTENHAM’S Europa League progress is causing problems for West Brom’s bid to land coach Ryan Mason as boss
Highly-rated Mason, 33, is part of Ange Postecoglou’s staff and Spurs’ desperate need to win the competition is his priority
The Baggies are willing to wait before deciding on their next manager
but a delay over Mason leaves the door open for other candidates to move into pole position
Tony Mowbray was sacked by West Brom last month after getting only five wins in 18 league games
The Baggies' season officially ended on Saturday as the club had to settle for a 9th-placed finish
The club were four points off the top six despite boasting the fifth-best goal difference in the league
It is likely to be an all-English final against Manchester Utd in Bilbao on May 21
harbours ambitions to be a manager one day - but also is keen to do the right thing by Tottenham
The former midfielder had two stints as interim Spurs boss following the exits of Jose Mourinho in 2021 and then Cristian Stellini, who himself has succeeded Antonio Conte, in 2023.
technical coach and head of academy coaching at the North London club
Ex-England international Mason was forced to retire as a player in 2018 after a sickening head clash with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill while playing for Hull a year earlier
His brief spells in charge of Spurs saw him oversee 13 games, winning six, losing six and drawing once - including a 1-0 defeat to Man City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final
Mason had previously been linked with a move to become the Anderlecht manager
it was reported that he held talks with the Belgian club but ultimately stayed put in North London
Here's a look at the 13 results managed by Ryan Mason during his two spells as Tottenham's interim boss..
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/
Spurs defeated Norwegian outfit FK Bodø/Glimt 3-1 in London last week while the Red Devils escaped Spain with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao
making an all-Premier League final a real possibility
It would be a high point for either club to win the competition
as they are both languishing near the bottom of the Premier League standings and have no hope of finishing in the top half
the winner of the Europa League crown earns a spot into next season's Champions League
a possibility that does not sit right with Emmanuel Petit
The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder slammed both Spurs and United for their mediocre domestic campaigns when speaking to FastSlots
stating that neither would be a worthy Champions League participant next season
"Tottenham and Manchester United both have the chance to save terrible seasons in the Europa League
but does either side deserve to play in the Champions League next season
"Both teams don't deserve to be among the Champions League teams for the next season
I wish the best of luck for Manchester United against Bilbao
but looking at the game against Lyon [in Leg 2 of the quarter-finals]
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Tottenham Hotspur played out a draw against West Ham United on Sunday
Spurs took the lead in the 15th minute courtesy of Wilson Odobert
Odobert was left unmarked in the middle of the box
But Jarrod Bowen levelled the game in the 28th minute
The score stayed level going into half-time
West Ham had the better of the second half
but Ange Postecoglou’s side held out to secure a 1-1 draw
Jack Pitt-Brooke takes a look at the big talking points from Sunday’s game
Almost every Tottenham league game since February has felt like a sideshow
Sandwiched between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt
But it still felt like Spurs drove home from the London Stadium with almost everything they wanted from the game
Ange Postecoglou would have chosen three points over one if he could
A loss here would have been their 20th in the league this season
equalling their record within a 38-game league season set in 1912-13
If they can get through the next few league games without equalling that
and in his post-match press conference at the London Stadium
Postecoglou was downbeat regarding James Maddison’s knee injury
saying it “doesn’t look great” following a scan
They cannot afford any more — even to fringe players
But everyone appeared to get through this game OK
The squad should not be any more depleted when they fly to Norway on Wednesday
They just had to get through this afternoon with no scrapes
No Spurs player looked more motivated to prove a point here than Mathys Tel
The 20-year-old was on the bench for Thursday’s first leg against Bodo/Glimt
And Tel played as if he was trying to make his case that he should start the game in Norway
A long ball from the back landed with Maximilian Kilman
who should have been able to deal with it comfortably
pressing and pressing until he had the ball at his feet
Tel then rolled a simple square pass across the box
Spurs did not have many more good attacking moments
but the ones they did generate were down to Tel: winning a free kick from Jean-Clair Todibo in a good position
playing a clever forward pass through to Richarlison
there is a vacancy on the left of Spurs’ front three
Postecoglou may well be tempted to start with Richarlison on Thursday
There was no surprise when Postecoglou made eight changes for this game
He had made eight changes for Spurs’ last league game
Everyone knows that the Europa League is the priority
And you could argue that Spurs’ progress in that competition justifies Postecoglou’s willingness to rotate and manage minutes in the league
a consistent issue this season is that the backup players Postecoglou brings in are not able to deliver anything approaching ‘Angeball’
Spurs are so dependent on the passing ability of Cristian Romero
and the non-stop engines of Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro
Archie Gray — it feels like you are watching a different team
Without the ability to build up from the back like they want to
and without the technical skill of Bergvall and Maddison in midfield
And it was nothing like the football Tottenham intend to play when they move the ball positively through the thirds
And yet this pattern — the manager’s tactics jarring with the players selected — has been the story of the last few months of Spurs’ league campaign
West Ham United 1-1 Tottenham HotspurPremier League
Jarrod Bowen reached double figures in Premier League goals in a season for the third time in his West Ham United career in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur
the captain will take little satisfaction from reaching another personal Claret and Blue landmark as his side’s run without a top-flight win stretched to eight matches
Against a Spurs team selection based on their UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg at Bodø/Glimt on Thursday
the Irons could not turn that general control of the game into opportunities
West Ham dominated the ball in the first half
while a much-changed Tottenham played on the counter
both teams created just one shot on target
which saw one three-on-two break come to nothing and penalty appeals waved away when Mohammed Kudus’s cross hit Yves Bissouma on the left arm
the home side fell behind in self-inflicted style
A long Djed Spence ball down the left was seemingly Maximilian Kilman’s to deal with
but the defender twice cleared into Mathys Tel
who then crossed for the unmarked Wilson Odobert to control and slot past fellow Frenchman Alphonse Areola
West Ham’s response was to press and the tactic forced Guglielmo Vicario to hurriedly clear as far as Tomáš Souček
who slipped as he shot from 30 yards and the Spurs goalkeeper and stand-in captain was able to recover to collect
Tel then curled a free-kick into the Bobby Moore Stand before the hosts levelled – and it was a decent goal
Aaron Cresswell and Kudus – who had earlier been booked for a high boot on Kevin Danso – combined down the West Ham left
The Ghanaian spread play right to Aaron Wan-Bissaka
who threaded to Bowen inside the Spurs box
and calmly slotted through Vicario’s legs at the near post
Both teams sought a second before half-time
then crossing a yard in front of Odobert for Tottenham
and Wan-Bissaka seeing a shot blocked by Bissouma for West Ham
Into the second half and the game began to open up
Tel worked Areola low down with a tame strike six minutes in
then moments later Kudus and Souček saw shots blocked in quick succession at the other end
Richarlison half-volleyed into the crowd and both Bowen and Bissouma slammed rising shots off target as the hour-mark passed
Into the final 15 minutes and Pape Sarr sent a rasping shot narrowly over
then Vicario reacted well to push Bowen’s header from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick to safety
In added-time substitute Ward-Prowse curled a free-kick past the angle
neither team produced the overall attacking quality to warrant a win
and so both settled for a point and saw their indifferent Premier League campaigns continue
a home game with Nottingham Forest and a visit to Ipswich Town to play
Füllkrug (Ferguson 79)Subs not used: Fabiański (GK)
Richarlison (Moore 67)Subs not used: Kinský (GK)
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as two underperforming sides meet in east London
While Spurs have had a miserable domestic campaign, they're on the brink of the Europa League final after claiming a 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of their semifinal
There's still work for Ange Postecoglou's side to do in the Arctic Circle against a team that are brilliant in their unique home conditions
but the north Londoners are heavy favourites to advance
A trip to Bilbao would gloss over their dire Premier League season
with Sunday's visitors entering the weekend 16th in the table after suffering their 20th league defeat at Anfield last time out
West Ham are a point worse off and have underwhelmed under new manager Graham Potter
The Hammers haven't won since the end of February
but will usurp their London rivals in the table with a victory on home soil
Their winless run looked to be coming to an end at Brighton last Saturday
as they took a 2-1 lead in the 83rd minute
after Kaoru Mitoma equalised in the penultimate minute of the 90
Carlos Baleba struck from distance at the last to seal victory for the Seagulls
Here's Sports Illustrated's guide to Sunday's London derby
Tottenham 1-2 Nottingham Forest - 21/04/25
Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham - 17/04/25
Not televised - radio commentary available on talkSPORT and BBC Radio London 94.9
Midfielder Edson Alvarez is a doubt due to a back injury / IMAGO / ColorsportEvan Ferguson has so far had a forgettable loan spell in east London
but Potter will welcome him back into his matchday squad on Sunday
The Irishman was ineligible to face parent club Brighton last weekend
There's no major change on the injury front for the hosts
who are still without Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville
Edson Alvarez is a doubt due to a back injury
Their woeful form should convince the boss to change tack and opt for a more positive 4-2-3-1 which will allow summer arrival Niclas Fullkrug to lead the line ahead a triumvirate on talented playmakers
West Ham predicted lineup vs Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka
James Maddison sustained a knee injury on Thursday night / IMAGO / Crystal PixThis may be a London derby
but Postecoglou has both eyes firmly fixed on the Arctic Circle
There's going to be widespread rotation from Thursday night's lineup
Spurs have likely lost burgeoning midfielder Lucas Bergvall for the season due to an ankle injury
while Son Heung-min still isn't ready to return
Radu Dragusin will miss much of 2025 after tearing his ACL
James Maddison and Dominic Solanke are fresh injury concerns
although the manager is hopeful that both players have avoided significant setbacks
and Mathys Tel should all be named in Sunday's starting XI
Tottenham predicted lineup vs West Ham (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro
West Ham must be looking to take advantage of a Spurs team with their sights set on Norway
and the home faithful will be desperate to score a victory over their bitter rivals at the end of a hugely disappointing season
The Hammers have generally performed better against sides more willing to have the ball under Potter
Southampton were unfortunate not to win at London Stadium last month
but the good feeling from Thursday's win could permeate into their domestic fixture this weekend
The visitors are poised to edge a bitty contest in east London
JAMES CORMACK
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Before that the atmosphere had been excellent, the players responding, but it seemingly does not take much for the fans to begin to fear the worst. The tie finished 3-1, which should be enough for Spurs to navigate Thursday’s return after Sunday’s Premier League trip to West Ham. Yet there has been nervous talk about Bodø’s impressive home record, the perils of their artificial surface and the cold that awaits in the Arctic Circle.
Read morePostecoglou noted that he had also felt a “real nervousness in the stadium” when Spurs conceded at home against AZ in the last 16 and Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-final
The concession against AZ was in the second leg for 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate
it was the first leg and an early goal that gave the German club a 1-0 lead
“People are their experiences and Tottenham supporters have had some real near misses for a long time,” Postecoglou said
“So there’s always this safeguard of not getting too excited about what’s happening
but part of creating a winning culture is not to fall into that trap
Winners don’t think about things in that way; they don’t think about what could possibly go wrong
“I’ve said before that the narrative around the club is not positive at all
That’s existed for a very long time and you need to break through that
I’m trying to create a culture within the group at least that that can’t guide our destiny because that’s almost self-fulfilling
“I don’t know if it’s a culture in the club; it’s a culture around the club
Obviously if you accept that then you are almost self-prophesying what’s going to happen
Postecoglou was asked whether he could control what went on outside the squad
“It’s fair to say I’ve tried but it’s a losing battle because there’s a lot of stuff that feeds into that and people invariably react to it
If you’re feeling insecure about something and you’ve got 20 people telling you that you should be insecure
“You’ve got to stay very focused on what you can control and we can’t control how people feel
we can’t control the anxiety of … whether it’s our supporters or whatever narrative is around us
What we can control is our behaviours and our performance.”
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Postecoglou said Lucas Bergvall was out for the rest of the season with the ankle ligament injury sustained in training before the Bodø/Glimt game
“He went to turn and his ankle gave way,” the manager said
Dominic Solanke and James Maddison were forced off during Thursday’s game and if the former was nothing “too serious” – in the words of Postecoglou – the latter was “more of a concern because it’s the knee”
Spurs are sweating over three key players ahead of Bodo/Glimt trip
Tottenham are preparing for their biggest game of the season with fresh worries over three players
Spurs hold a 3-1 first-leg advantage over Bodo/Glimt ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg, but could be without James Maddison, Dominic Solanke and Heung-min Son for the trip to Norway
All three missed the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Sunday
and Postecoglou has issued differing updates on the trio ahead of their European decider
With that in mind, here’s a look at the latest Tottenham injury news…
The striker remains a doubt for the Europa League decider in Norway after being forced off during the first-leg win and then sitting out the derby at West Ham
Solanke has complained after the midweek win of pain in his quad
but speaking to reporters the following day
Ange Postecoglou moved to allay fears of a serious injury
And when providing an update on Sunday, Postecoglou was even more positive: “Dom is improving
but the medical team are pretty confident he should be alright for Thursday.”
Potential return date: Bodo/Glimt (a) on Thursday
The midfielder missed the derby at the London Stadium after “tweaking” his knee during the first-leg win over Bodo/Glimt
Having scored a fine goal to give Spurs a two-goal cushion in the first half
Maddison was forced off in the second half
Spurs star fails audition as Postecoglou left needing swift turnaround
Enter the AXA Startup Angel competition to win £25,000
Ange Postecoglou was not too concerned straight after the game
but admitted on Friday that the player would require a scan on the area
we’re a bit more concerned about [than Solanke],” Postecogloug said
Asked for an update on Sunday evening, Postecoglou was further downbeat ahead of the second leg: “It doesn’t look great
but we’re just waiting for further information
It’s fair to say it’s not looking promising
Reports have since suggested that Maddison could potentially be ruled out for the rest of the season
Heung-min Son has not featured for Spurs in the last five games are finally succumbing to a troublesome foot injury
It is hoped that Son will be fit for Thursday’s trips Bodo/Glimt
but Ange Postecoglou fell short of guaranteeing it when speaking to reporters last week
We’ll see how he’s going by Thursday whether he’s available for Thursday.”
The young midfield star has been ruled out for the rest of the season after damaging ligaments in his ankle during the final training session ahead of last week’s Europa League semi-finals first leg
who has enjoyed a stunning debut season in England and days earlier was rewarded with a new six-year contract
Bergvall has since been spotted wearing a foot brace and on crutches
News of the injury leaked before the player or club were able to confirm
which Ange Postecoglou believes made the blow even tougher to handle for the “devastated” youngster
Some of it is just to protect the players themselves
He didn’t want to deal with it and we didn’t want to make it public
not as much about the opposition but to give him the time to process it
his whole family was out here looking forward to the game
We wanted to protect him more than anything else
but those kinds of levels of decency and respect don’t exist anymore."
Radu Dragusin is not expected to return for the remainder of the season
The centre-back suffered a serious knee injury in February and quickly underwent surgery
A club statement at the time read: “Radu underwent surgery today following his ACL injury
and the centre-back will now commence with his recovery before beginning the rehab process.”
As a result, Dragusin is not expected to return for months
playPostecoglou accuses Spurs critics of trying to 'diminish' potential Europa win (0:53)Ange Postecoglou bites back at suggestions that winning the Europa League wouldn't represent a major achievement for Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a difficult season, with the club on track for their worst-ever performance in the Premier League, as well as defeats in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup
a Europa League semifinal first leg at home to Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt represents their last hope at ending their 17-year trophyless spell
Manager Ange Postecoglou has repeatedly stated -- as fact more than as a prediction -- that he wins trophies in his second season at a club
If his side can make it through these two legs
then he will be one game away from making good on those words
However, Bodo/Glimt are not the minnows they could seem. They have already beaten FC Porto, Besiktas and Lazio in this year's competition
Can they add Spurs to that list of victims
The match will be available on TNT Sports in the UK, Paramount+ in the United States and Sony LIV in India. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Date: Thursday, May 1 at 8 p.m. UK (4 p.m. ET; 1.30 a.m. IST on Friday, 7 a.m. AEDT on Friday)
Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (Spain)
Captain Heung-min Son will play no part in the first leg as he continues to recover from a foot injury, therefore Mathys Tel is expected to play on the left wing. Other than Radu Dragusin, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, Posetecoglou can boast a clean bill of health.
However, Antonin Kinsky, Sergio Reguilon and Timo Werner are all ineligible in the Europa League.
Tottenham will be looking to take a lead to the Arctic Circle for next week's Europa League semifinal second leg. Alex Grimm/Getty ImagesBodo/Glimt
The visitors will not be able to field a fully strengthened side as they deal with a series of absences. Midfielders Patrick Berg and Hakon Evjen are suspended for the first leg after picking up too many yellow cards, while striker Andreas Helmersen is out for the whole tie after being sent off in the quarterfinals.
To add salt to their wounds, starting winger Ole Blomberg and first-choice center back Odin Bjørtuft are also doubtful.
"I really hope the players are not thinking about the occasion and are able to play the game, but it is not easy. We have a journey where we want to find our identity in every game, home and away -- even against good teams.
Tottenham were merited winners over their Arctic visitors
Tottenham took a big step towards the Europa League final with a deserved first-leg win over Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt - but a late goal just leaves a little window of doubt
It was one of Spurs' best performances of a wretched season domestically and leaves them two games away from a first trophy since 2008
Ange Postecoglou's side took only 38 seconds to open the scoring as Brennan Johnson headed in from Richarlison's nod down
And James Maddison doubled the lead when he brilliantly took down Pedro Porro's long ball before squeezing the ball into the bottom corner
Dominic Solanke rolled in a nonchalant penalty for 3-0 after Cristian Romero was fouled
Bodo/Glimt have made headlines in recent times for an intense style of football that has led to impressive results - but they were outplayed until Ulrik Saltnes' effort flew into the top corner via a deflection off Rodrigo Bentancur
The other concern for Spurs was the loss of goalscorers Maddison and Solanke to injury in the second half
The second leg in the Arctic Circle is no formality
Their win rate at home in the Europa League since 2022-23 is 70%
An all-English final in Bilbao could be on the cards with Manchester United winning their tie 3-0 at Athletic Club
Are we set for Man Utd v Tottenham final in Europa League
Domestically Tottenham are facing their worst season since 1976–77
sitting in 16th place on little over a point per game
There is a good chance Australian Postecoglou will lose his job whatever happens in Europe now
but finishing on a trophy would be some way to go
It is 17 years since Tottenham won the League Cup
Mauricio Pochettino and serial winners Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte were unable to bring trophies to Spurs
it would give Spurs a Champions League spot - despite sitting 23 points off those places in the league
There was no chance Postecoglou was going to underestimate Glimt
who knocked his Celtic out of the Conference League 5-1 on aggregate three years ago
But he could not have dreamed of their start as they scored a first-minute goal in a European game for only the second time in their history with Porro's cross ending up with Johnson netting his 17th goal of the season
Maddison raced onto a Romero long ball before shooting over the bar but later on he made no mistake from a similar Porro pass
His first touch was excellent and he found the bottom corner despite having three Glimt players between him and the goal
Spurs could have had a bigger lead at the break but Bentancur's volley was palmed over by Nikita Haikin
And they did get their third when the video assistant referee spotted a foul on Romero
with Solanke calmly and casually stroking in the penalty
Glimt dominated possession - with 70% of the ball in the second half - but barely created any chances until Saltnes
wearing the armband with captain Patrick Berg suspended for this first leg
Barring a collapse on the artificial grass of the Aspmyra Stadion next Thursday
Tottenham will reach a fourth final in this competition after 1972
1974 and 1984's two-legged showpieces in the Uefa Cup - winning the first and the last of those
The Arctic Circle giant-killers out to upset Postecoglou again
Sørli Match OfficialsReferee: José María Sánchez MartínezVideo Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro GrandeAssistant Referee 1: Raúl Cabañero MartínezAssistant Referee 2: Íñigo Prieto López de CeraínFourth Official: Alejandro José Hernández HernándezAssistant VAR Official: César Soto GradoMatch StatsKey
Skip back to form guideSkip back to season so farMatch FactsScroll LeftScroll RightTottenham Hotspur and Bodø/Glimt have never previously faced each other in any competition
Spurs have won all four of their previous European games against Norwegian teams
beating Lyn 6-3 (away) and 6-0 (home) in the 1972-73 UEFA Cup and Tromsø 3-0 (home) and 2-0 (away) in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League
Bodø/Glimt have lost all three of their European meetings with English clubs
losing home and away against Arsenal in the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League
while they lost 3-2 away at Man Utd earlier this campaign in the group stages
This is Tottenham Hotspur’s ninth major European semi-final and first since the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League against Ajax
They’ve lost the first leg of their last two semi-finals (1-2 vs Hajduk Split in 1983-84 UEFA Cup
0-1 vs Ajax in 2019) but recovered each time to reach the final
Bodø/Glimt are the first Norwegian side in European football history to reach the semi-final of a major competition
It’s the first time there will be a country’s team represented in the final four for the first time since Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 1998-99
Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last 19 home matches in European competitions (W15 D4) since losing 1-0 to RB Leipzig in February 2020
It’s the longest ongoing run of any English side who has featured in Europe this season
Bodø/Glimt have lost each of their last three away UEFA Europa League matches
and have won just once away from home in 10 attempts (D3 L6)
a 2-1 win at Braga in the group stage this season
The only two teams to lose the away leg of the last 16
quarter-final and semi-final and reach a Europa League final are Ajax in 2016-17 and Rangers in 2021-22
Bodø/Glimt have made 296 tackles in this season’s UEFA Europa League
the most by a side in one season since 2017-18
when Marseille (309) and FC Red Bull Salzburg (346) made that many
Midfielder Patrick Berg has made a record 63 tackles this season
although he is suspended for this first leg
Tottenham Hotspur have given 36 UEFA Europa League appearances to teenagers this season
and 26 starts by teenagers are the joint most with Man Utd in 2019-20
Dominic Solanke has been involved in seven UEFA Europa League goals this season (3 goals
the most by a Spurs player in a campaign since Carlos Vinicius in 2020-21 (6 goals
The only Englishmen with more in one season for any team are James Tavernier for Rangers in 2021-22 (7 goals
2 assists) and Bobby Zamora for Fulham in 2009-10 (6 goals
Bodø/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen is the second Norwegian manager to take charge of a UEFA Europa League semi-final
along with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019-20 and 2020-21 for Man Utd
Norwegian managers have lost all eight Europa League games against English teams
Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close
Jostein Gundersen (Bodø/Glimt) wins a free kick in the defensive half
Foul by Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time
Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing
Ulrik Saltnes (Bodø/Glimt) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner
Mathys Tel (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is blocked
Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked
Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner
the Irons could not turn their general control of the game into opportunities and the spoils were shared after Bowen cancelled out Wilson Odobert's early opener
Watch highlights from London Stadium in the video player above.
West Ham vs Tottenham - LIVE!
London rivals West Ham and Tottenham’s disappointing Premier League form continued as they played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday that kept both stuck just above the relegation places as they battle to avoid ending the season as ‘worst of the rest’.
A much-changed Spurs scored the opener after 15 minutes through Wilson Odobert, after Max Kilman had gifted possession to Mathys Tel to put the ball on a plate for his team-mates, but the lead lasted only 13 minutes before Jarrod Bowen equalised well inside the near post.
The draw left Tottenham in 16th spot and facing their worst finish since 1977. They are a single point above the 17th-placed Hammers whose winless run in the league was extended to eight games, stretching back to February. Read back all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below, featuring expert analysis from Dom Smith at the London Stadium!
95min: ...and that’s your lot! Boos at full-time.
94min: Ward-Prowse sends his effort fizzing past the near post and hits the frame holding up the goal.
Ward-Prowse, then. How's your nerves, Tottenham fans?
93min: Final chance? Ward-Prowse is standing over a free kick around 30 yards out.
88min: Just one change from Spurs today is a surprise.
82min: Stunning save from Vicario to deny Ward-Prowse’s whipped free kick inside the near post, with Bowen may or may not have got a touch to.
80min: Coufal, Ward-Prowse, Soler and Ferguson are on, replacing Todibo, Paqueta, Soucek and Fullkrug.
79min: A great save from Areola to deny Sarr from distance.
77min: A quadruple substitution being prepared by Potter.
VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer
1174 CommentsManchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both took huge strides towards reaching the Europa League final with convincing semi-final first-leg wins on Thursday
United won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao, who host the final on 21 May, while Tottenham saw off Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in London
Statisticians Opta give United a 97% chance of reaching the final - with 91% for Spurs - meaning an 88% likelihood of both being there
That would create just a sixth all-English final in any major European competition - with half of them involving Spurs
It would also mean six English teams in next season's Champions League
The race for Europe - watch The Football News Show
Opta's data gives only a 12% chance of it not being an all-English final
was hugely impressive - and they will hope home advantage next week means they will get over the line
Spurs may feel like the job is not quite as complete
especially with fresh injury scares surrounding James Maddison and Dominic Solanke
Norwegian Arctic side Glimt's win rate at home in the Europa League since 2022-23 is 70%
compared to 9% on the road - and they have key players returning for the second leg
Manchester United and Tottenham's unusually poor domestic seasons mean that if both teams reach the Europa League final next week and stay in their current Premier League positions
the winner would be the lowest-ranked domestic side to win the competition in the past 15 years
Opta data shows that since the Europa League was rebranded in 2009-10
no team finishing lower than 12th has competed in the final or won it
while Fulham (12th) lost the final in 2010
And this is also the first season with new league phase formats in Europe - previously teams who finished third in their Champions League groups would drop into the Europa League
in theory making the competition harder to win
When West Ham won the Conference League in 2023
they finished 14th in the Premier League that same season
Neither Manchester United nor Tottenham have any hope of finishing anywhere near the domestic European places
The winners of the Europa League go into the following season's Champions League
regardless of where they finish domestically
So a United v Spurs final would guarantee them a return to the mega-riches of European football's top table
That rule is handy for United - who sit 14th - and Spurs - who are 16th - both more than 20 points behind fifth place
Without winning the Europa League, neither of them will be in any European competition next season
It would not have any knock-on effect on any other English teams - with the top five guaranteed a Champions League spot through the league
That fifth spot came as a result of English clubs' performances in Europe this season
Why more than £100m rests on Man Utd winning Europa League
No country's teams have ever won the Champions League
Europa League and Conference League in the same season (albeit the latter is only in its fourth year)
But it could yet happen for England this term - with teams in all the semis
The smallest chance (12.1% say Opta) is for Arsenal
who lost 1-0 at home to Paris St-Germain in the Champions League first leg on Tuesday
In the Conference League, Chelsea have looked like likely winners all season. They won 4-1 at Djurgarden in their semi-final first leg.
It may just be a snapshot in time - especially given Arsenal could be out of the Champions League by Wednesday night.
But, alongside England's four potential European finalists this season, the Premier League could feasibly have around nine or 10 clubs in Europe again next season, depending on permutations.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, asked about the strength of the Premier League on Friday, said: "The number 14 and 16 in the Premier League have so much more funds than the number one in Holland, for example.
"It is not a surprise that English teams go all the way into Europe, especially in the Europa League and Conference League, because they are in a different league when it comes to money compared to other teams.
"The Champions League is more balanced so it's a big achievement from Arsenal that they are still in the semi-final.
"It tells you how much money there is in this league and how strong this league is, but we all knew this. We didn't need this season to know that the Premier League is by far the most competitive league in the world."
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes English success in Europe is closely correlated to budgets.
He said: "Premier League clubs in total generate twice as much money than clubs in La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and probably about five times as much revenue as Ligue 1.
"Therefore it is not a surprise to see 'middle tier' clubs from England having vastly higher budgets than clubs against which they're competing.
"They can turn this into success in European competitions through being able to recruit and retain some of the best talent in Europe that isn't deemed good enough to play for the truly elite clubs in Europe such as PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich."
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tottenham won the 1972 Uefa Cup and lost the 2019 Champions League final against English teams
The first Uefa Cup in 1971-72 was between Tottenham and Wolves in a two-legged final.
Spurs won the first leg 2-1 at Molineux, with Martin Chivers scoring twice, and drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane two weeks later.
It would take 36 years for the next all-English final, which was in the 2007-08 Champions League as Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Frank Lampard traded goals before a shootout that is best remembered for John Terry's miss after slipping.
There were two all-English finals in 2018-19.
Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League in Madrid, with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi.
And Chelsea saw off Arsenal 4-1 in Baku in the Europa League, with Eden Hazard netting twice in his final game for the club.
Two years later Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League, with Kai Havertz scoring the only goal in Porto.
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Spurs produced a (fairly) authoritative performance to earn a two-goal first-leg advantage against Bodø/Glimt
4d ago23.18 CESTPostecoglou describes the injuries to Maddison and Solanke as “just little niggles” and “hopefully nothing too serious”.
4d ago23.18 CESTEd Aarons’ match report from White Hart Lane has landed, and here it is:
With eight minutes to play, this looked like being the night that the Tottenham fans had dreamed about. At times, it was hard to hear yourself think as the emotions of a frustrating campaign poured out with each goal that went in as they raced into a 3-0 lead over Bodø/Glimt.
Brennan Johnson’s opener after just 38 seconds had set the tone against the plucky Norwegian champions, who have somehow reached this stage of the competition for the first time. Further goals from James Maddison and Dominic Solanke seemed to have given them an unassailable advantage ahead next week’s second leg on an artificial surface in the Arctic Circle. But as Kjetil Knutsen’s side have proven time and again during this remarkable run, they never know when they are beaten.
In terms of performance I couldn’t ask any more of the lads. We were dominant, really well organised defensively and were always a threat going forwards. I don’t think the scoreline reflects our dominance but at the end of the day you want to end the first leg in a good position, and we got ourselves in a good position.
4d ago23.13 CESTSid Lowe saw Manchester United plunder a 3-0 lead from Bilbao, Athletic’s (joint) worst home defeat of all time in European competition:
Manchester United enjoyed their night in Bilbao so much that they will surely be coming back. They remain the only unbeaten team among the more than 100 that have played in the Europa League over eight long months, and even if they do fall to a first defeat in seven days’ time, they should be there on its final game in this same stadium, this season given meaning and potentially a triumphant end.
They came to the stadium everyone calls the Cathedral and defeated Athletic Club so convincingly that the second leg carries little threat. No one had won here this year in this competition and Athletic had conceded just 10 times in all competitions; United scored three in a quarter of an hour.
The partying in the stands was at odds with everything taking place on the artificial pitch. There was no irony about the celebrations from the noisy Djurgården fans when their team finally found the back of the net. The roar was deafening and the emotion was genuine. The only problem, though, was that Chelsea were already four goals to the good by the time Isak Alemayehu Mulugeta got the underdogs on the scoresheet in Stockholm.
4d ago23.04 CESTBodo/Glimt’s home results in Europe this season
Only in the last two have they kept a clean sheet:
4d ago23.00 CEST90+4 mins: Tottenham’s 13th corner, Porro taking from the right, is headed away.
4d ago22.59 CEST90+3 mins: Bodo have notably defended deeper this half, not giving Spurs that chipped pass over the defence for a forward to run on to. And without that, Spurs have struggled to create.
4d ago22.57 CEST90+2 mins: An extended spell of pressure from the Norwegians ends with Vicario coming out well to claim a cross.
4d ago22.56 CEST90+1 mins: Into the first of five minutes of stoppage time. Bodo are attacking in numers – another goal for them would transform this tie.
4d ago22.54 CEST88 mins: Porro’s cross deflects behind, but Gundersen heads the corner away.
4d ago22.54 CEST86 mins: Tel is playing at centre-forward now, with Odobert having dislodged him from the left, as Spurs attempt to reopen a three-goal lead.
4d ago22.49 CESTGOAL
the visitors have a shot on target – and it’s only gone in
A couple of nice passes to get the ball to Saltnes inside the penalty area
and he cuts onto his right and has a shot that hits Bentancur’s boot and deflects over Vicario’s dive
4d ago22.45 CEST79 mins: Udogie gets to the byline, cuts infield, and then has a shot from almost no angle at all rather than trying to pick out any of three teammates waiting in front of goal. Haikin would have had to have completely abandoned his near post for that to go in, and he hadn’t.
4d ago22.43 CEST77 mins: More substituting, as Bodo take off Fet and Blomberg and bring on Jensen and Sorli.
4d ago22.41 CEST76 mins: Which is cleared. And Hauge is late into a challenge on Udogie, sending the referee back to his pocket.
4d ago22.41 CEST75 mins: Bodo/Glimt, who have been doing most of the attacking in these last few minutes (without converting it into a shot) win their first corner of the night.
4d ago22.40 CEST75 mins: Now Solanke is down, and feeling his left thigh. He’s being taken straight off, and Wilson Odobert is coming on.
4d ago22.37 CEST72 mins: The ball pings and also pongs around Tottenham’s penalty area for a while, with a couple of defenders improvising backheeled clearances to stop Bodo/Glimt from having a third shot.
4d ago22.36 CEST71 mins: That’s Tottenham’s 19th shot of the match. Their season high is 24, against Manchester United in September.
4d ago22.35 CEST70 mins: … from which Romero heads a food wide of the far post!
4d ago22.34 CEST69 mins: Bissouma does well to steal the ball inside the Bodo half. It runs to Solanke, whose shot deflects off a defender’s boot for an eighth Spurs corner.
4d ago22.32 CEST66 mins: Bodo/Glimt have also made a second substitution, bringing Auklend on for Määttä.
4d ago22.30 CEST65 mins: That substitution has now been made, and the game has restarted.
4d ago22.30 CEST64 mins: Maddison is on the floor, and has been since the goal. He doesn’t exactly look in agony, but there’s clearly an issue with his right calf/knee/something in that limb, it’s not worth taking any chances and Dejan Kulusevski is getting ready.
4d ago22.27 CESTGOAL
and as Haikin takes half a step to his left
4d ago22.26 CESTTottenham have a penalty!60 mins: Both players tried to volley a bouncing ball in the area. Romero got the ball, Sjovold got there second and made contact with Romero’s calf. There was no intent and not a huge amount of contact, but it was a foul.
4d ago22.25 CEST60 mins: After Romero goes down the ball pings around a bit, ending with a shot rebounding off a defender into the referee, who stops the game. He’s now been called over to the monitor to have a look at that incident.
4d ago22.24 CEST59 mins: Romero goes down inside Bodo’s penalty area after a coming-together with Sjovold, and I think Spurs might end up with a penalty here.
4d ago22.23 CEST57 mins: Bjorkan earns the game’s first yellow card, for landing his foot on top of Johnson’s as he tried to poke the ball away.
4d ago22.21 CEST55 mins: Gundersen goes down on the touchline under the most feeble pressure from Johnson. The referee gives the free-kick, and Johnson is a bit miffed about it.
4d ago22.19 CEST54 mins: Another Spurs corner, which is headed clear to Udogie, whose deflected shot is gathered by Haikin.
Updated at 22.27 CEST4d ago22.18 CEST52 mins: Tel wins the header from the corner, but doesn’t control it at all, and Bodo collect the loose ball and launch a briefly vaguely threatening break.
4d ago22.17 CEST51 mins: A foul is rather generously given for a foul on Van de Ven on Tottenham’s left. Maddison takes the free-kick and this time Bodo do with the header, but the ball bounces behind for a corner.
4d ago22.11 CEST46 mins: Peeeeeep! Finally, Spurs had the game restarted.
4d ago22.10 CESTNow the rest of the players, and the officials, are coming out. Bodo are also going to make a substitution, bringing Brede Moe on for Nielsen.
4d ago22.08 CESTThe players actually haven’t come out – only Tel has
Apparently the fourth official has suffered a strained calf
forcing a delay while the officials reshuffle
4d ago21.53 CESTHalf-timely scorecheck:
4d ago21.52 CESTHalf time: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Bodo/Glimt45+2 mins: Spurs have controlled – yes, you read that right – a half of football, scored two goals, and take a deserved lead into the break.
4d ago21.50 CEST45+1 mins: Bodo/Glimt have a chance! Maatta beats Udogie on the right and crosses, Blomberg’s diagonal run from the left to the near post coincides perfectly with the arrival of the ball, and he volleys over from about eight yards!
Updated at 21.50 CEST4d ago21.49 CEST45+1 mins: There’ll be about two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.
4d ago21.48 CEST44 mins: Surprisingly the two teams have attempted and completed a very similar number of passes. Spurs have done almost all of the dangerous attacking, but they’ve been quite direct about it. Not a lot of extraneous passing going on.
4d ago21.46 CEST41 mins: Another long ball out of defence for Spurs. Solanke profoundly outpaces a lumbering Gundersen to reach it first, but the defender gets back to block the shot.
4d ago21.42 CEST39 mins: Save! Bentancur chests down a clearance and slams a volley from the edge of the area that was roaring into the net until Haikin turns it over the bar (I think Udogie took the ball out of play in the build-up, so perhaps it wouldn’t have counted).
Updated at 22.27 CEST4d ago21.41 CEST38 mins: Spurs have now had 10 shots, three of them on target (I’m not sure those Bissouma volleys should count, mind). Bodo have had one shot, and it wasn’t on target.
Updated at 21.43 CEST4d ago21.39 CESTGOAL
34 mins)For the third time already Spurs play a high pass from their own defensive line – Porro this time – behind the Bodo defence
his first touch takes him wide of goal but forces Haikin to shuffle across
which bounces behind two covering defenders and inside the far post
Jarrod Bowen's tenth Premier League goal of the season cancelled out Wilson Odobert's early opener and ensured West Ham United's final London derby of the season would end 1-1
Tottenham Hotspur took a 15th-minute lead through Odobert after Mathys Tel took advantage of a slip at the back to square for his unmarked teammate to knock home
The Hammers hit back within 13 minutes though
when skipper Bowen timed his run perfectly to latch onto Aaron Wan-Bissaka's pass into the penalty area and coolly slot through goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario's legs
Both sides huffed and puffed as they searched for a decisive second
but it would not come for either and the spoils were ultimately shared
Hit play above to watch highlights from London Stadium.
But this being Spurs, things are never quite that simple. Cruising at 3-0 after further goals from James Maddison and Dominic Solanke seemed to have given them a comfortable advantage, a late strike from Bodø/Glimt’s stand-in captain, Ulrik Saltnes, that deflected off the unfortunate Micky van de Ven changed the complexion of the tie in an instant.
Read moreAfter a campaign that has seen them lose an unprecedented 19 Premier League games
Ange Postecoglou’s side will travel to the Arctic Circle for next week’s second leg on an artificial surface – knowing that their season remains very much on the line
Substitute Dejan Kulusevski could have restored their three-goal cushion in stoppage time but instead it was the away side
who have somehow reached the last four despite operating on a fraction of their opponents’ budget
that will take the momentum into next week’s decisive game
There had been a huge sense of anticipation among the home supporters before kick-off
with the giant South Stand transformed into a magnificent tifo display of the Spurs motto “To Dare Is To Do” just before the teams emerged
Postecoglou stressed beforehand the importance of establishing a lead before their mission to a town almost 1,000km north of Oslo for the second leg
although he acknowledged that a side who have knocked out Lazio and Olympiakos in the last two rounds were going to be no pushovers
and midfielder Håkon Evjen suspended and Bodø also missing key defenders
he would have known this was their big opportunity to put one foot in the final in Bilbao
Kjetil Knutsen was able to name only five outfield players on the bench as their yellow-clad fans packed out the end behind Nikita Haikin’s goal hoping to limit the damage
So it could hardly have been a worse start for them when Yves Bissouma – a surprise inclusion by Postecoglou because Lucas Bergvall was ruled out after injuring his ankle in training on Wednesday – found space down the right and picked out Richarlison at the back post
The Brazilian’s header across goal deceived everyone but Johnson
who made no mistake by directing the ball back into the other corner
View image in fullscreenBodø/Glimt celebrate Ulrik Saltnes’s goal in front of their fans
Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesIt was the fastest goal of the season in this competition and most of this impressive stadium erupted in sheer delight
Bodø’s players formed a huddle in an attempt to reset themselves and
they appeared to be just about coping with Tottenham’s threat
Destiny Udogie flashed a volley over the bar at one end before Knutsen was on his feet appealing for a penalty at the other when the Italian clashed with Isak Määttä inside the area but the referee was having none of it
Bodø had been given warning of the danger Maddison posed running in behind their defence when he scooped Cristian Romero’s long ball off target midway through the half
The England midfielder did not make the same mistake twice as he raced on to Pedro Porro’s pass and finished with his left foot underneath Haikin
Tottenham smelled blood and had the Russian goalkeeper not produced an excellent save to deny a stunning volley from Rodrigo Bentancur then they may have been out of sight by half-time
Ole Blomberg could not hit the target when Bodø finally mustered their first sight of goal just before the break
who had celebrated both goals with gusto on the touchline
headed down the tunnel looking like a manager in control of his own destiny
Richarlison did not emerge for the second half and was replaced by Mathys Tel
with Bodø also making a change in their overworked defence
They attempted to take the sting out of Spurs by keeping the ball but found it hard to escape their own half despite shading the possession statistics
Disaster struck just before the hour mark when they failed to clear a free kick and Fredrik Sjøvold caught Romero first as he was trying to clear
The referee initially waved play on but reversed his decision on the advice of the VAR
who was the hero of Tottenham’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt after scoring from the spot in the last round
sat Haikin down before coolly dispatching his penalty into the net
Tel could have given Spurs even more breathing space when his shot from a tight angle was tipped around the post
It was to prove costly as Saltnes ensured there will still be plenty on the line next week
Tottenham Hotspur are back in action on Thursday evening when they square off against Bodo/Glimt in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final
Spurs hold a 3-1 advantage from the first leg but came out of that contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with three injured players
Each of the trip were absent for Sunday's Premier League fixture versus West Ham United at the London Stadium, Ange Postecoglou's side still able to earn a 1-1 draw at their city rivals
Sports Mole rounds up Spurs' latest injury and suspension news ahead of the long trip to Scandinavia
Radu Dragusin
Status: OutType of injury: KneePossible return date: Unknown
Radu Dragusin will remain in the care of the Tottenham medical team over the summer
as the Romanian centre-back will be out for several more months with the serious ACL injury that he sustained in early 2025
Son Heung-min
Status: Major doubtType of injury: FootPossible return date: May 8 (vs
Son Heung-min had been playing through the pain of a chronic foot problem for a while before having to start a spell on the sidelines last month
Postecoglou has acknowledged the South Korean star remains a major doubt for this contest
despite insisting that progress is being made
James Maddison suffered a knee injury in last week's first leg and has been ruled out indefinitely
Postecoglou gave the impression that he did not expect the playmaker to feature again this season
Lucas Bergvall
Status: OutType of injury: AnklePossible return date: Rest of the season
Lucas Bergvall has already been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign having suffered ankle ligament damage in the same game as Maddison sustained his knee injury
Dominic Solanke
Status: Minor doubtType of injury: ThighPossible return date: May 8 (vs. Bodo/Glimt)
Although Dominic Solanke suffered a thigh issue in the first leg and subsequently missed out on Sunday, Postecoglou has suggested that the forward will have recovered in time to take his place in the squad on Thursday.
Tottenham have no players suspended for this game.
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Maddison had initial scans showing that the injury was worse than initially anticipated
and further scans are reportedly set to take place in the next 48 hours to determine the severity of the former Leicester City man's knee injury
including if he has been dealt any ligament damage
The injury to Bergvall, already Spurs best box-to-box midfielder
Tottenham will have to try and win the Europa League
including a likely clash in the Final against fellow Premier League giants Manchester United
Maddison has been vital to Tottenham from a creative, progressive, and even goal-scoring perspective this season with nine goals, seven assists, and more than two fouls drawn per game in the Premier League
whose vital goal contributions will not be a factor for Tottenham in these crucial Europa League fixtures
The injury to Maddison could mean more opportunities for Mikey Moore and further chances for Archie Gray
who is already vital to Tottenham with Bergvall out for the campaign
Things have gotten tougher for Tottenham from an attacking perspective
but at least South Korean superstar Son Heung-min should be ready for a return from his injury by the time Tottenham expect to face Manchester United in the Europa League Final
the most important thing now will be seeing the true extent of the damage to Maddison's knee
this isn't a long-term thing that puts Maddison at jeopardy of missing matches to start the 2025/26 season or
ends up being something that lingers and puts the 28-year-old at risk of re-injury
Maddison has been one of the few veteran signings working in Spurs favor
They wouldn't have gotten this far in the Europa League without him
and they may have even been at legitimate risk of relegation in the Premier League without Maddison functioning as one of their top three goal threats and one of their top three creators at the same time
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The injury to Bergvall, already Spurs best box-to-box midfielder
Maddison has been vital to Tottenham from a creative, progressive, and even goal-scoring perspective this season with nine goals, seven assists, and more than two fouls drawn per game in the Premier League
West Ham United v Tottenham HotspurPremier League
West Ham United will be eager to bounce back to winning ways and spark a strong finish to 2024/25 when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to London Stadium for their final derby of the campaign on Sunday
following last weekend's narrow defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion
and currently sit 17th in the table with just four fixtures to go until the summer break
While Graham Potter's men remain 15 points clear of already-relegated 18th-place side Ipswich Town
they know that a string of good results over the coming weeks could yield a run up the standings
with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 13th just five points ahead
Just one place and one point above the Irons in 16th
Tottenham have endured a difficult season of their own
and in the league have lost five of their last six
including a 5-1 thrashing at champions Liverpool on their most recent outing
Things have been better for Ange Postecoglou's men on the continent
and while they will arrive in the east of the capital halfway through their two-legged UEFA Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt
they will be hoping to build momentum back on the domestic front
with both teams firmly focused on securing all three points to boost their season run-in
Read on for everything you need to know ahead of the match..
Tickets for this sold-out game are still available on the Ticket Exchange
with Season Ticket Holders who cannot attend this fixture relisting their seats for other supporters to buy
Click HERE to check availability or relist
Supporters are urged to arrive early at London Stadium on Sunday as security and ticket checks will be in place at all entry points
There are no planned disruptions to TfL Underground services on the Central and Jubilee lines
though there are set to be issues on the Bakerloo
the Docklands Light Railway and the Lioness
Suffragette and Windrush lines on the London Overground
Supporters using these services are highly recommended to check their routes before departure
there are planned disruptions on Greater Anglia and c2c mainline services
as well as the Southeastern network that serves Stratford International
Stratford and Stratford City Bus Stations are located in close proximity to Stratford station
Buses that run to these stations are numbers: 25
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network
There is no parking available at London Stadium
Restrictions will be in place and enforced in the local area
Sunday’s 2pm kick-off will NOT be broadcast live in the UK
but will be shown across the world by the Premier League’s international broadcast partners
If you live outside the UK, click HERE for details of Premier League listings in your territory
You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app
We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media
Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on BBC Radio London
and worldwide on our official website and app
As West Ham United prepares for our home Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, the Club is proud to stand in support of football as a game for everyone
West Ham United has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination
diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the Club and we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcome to attend our fixtures in a safe environment
is unacceptable behaviour that has no place in football and has criminal consequences. West Ham United will take the strongest possible action against any individual found to be engaging in such behaviour
including potential lifetime bans and referral to the police
The Club can also face disciplinary action if any of its supporters are found to have engaged in this behaviour
which is not representative of the West Ham United fanbase and will not be tolerated by the Club
West Ham United provides a number of support mechanisms on matchday to ensure that supporters can report any incidents discreetly and in confidence
To report any incidents during Sunday’s match
you can speak with the nearest steward or Supporter Liaison Officer
You can also contact West Ham United at [email protected]. Please provide as much information as possible
We are proud of the diverse and inclusive values that our Club and community stand for
We ask all Hammers supporters attending Sunday’s match to reflect those values – and to back the team with passion
West Ham United’s 2024/25 Official Programme for Sunday’s Premier League derby fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium is available to purchase online now!
Following the historic, combined men's and women's issue for the Premier League and Barclays Women's Super League games against Southampton and Manchester United respectively
the Club has once again produced a bumper 132-page programme for the men's team's upcoming visit of Ange Postecoglou's Spurs
complete with a bespoke cover illustration and an additional eight-page pullout
a brainteasing quiz and plenty of games for our younger Hammers
The largest publication in English football
this weekend's Official Programme is still priced at just £4
representing remarkable value for money for supporters of all ages wanting exclusive interviews
attention-grabbing opinions and eye-catching photographs
columns and statistics and insightful content from across all areas of the Club
The Official Programme is the definitive Claret and Blue publication for West Ham fans
Click HERE for more information, and HERE to purchase your copy
Sunday marks Charity Partner Blesma’s annual Awareness Day at London Stadium
Blesma is a UK Armed Forces charity dedicated to supporting serving and ex-Service men and women who have experienced life-changing limb loss
The charity offers lifelong support to those who have served our country
providing a range of services including prosthetic and mobility assistance
benefits advice and a variety of activities designed to enhance wellbeing
Blesma has supported over 61,000 limbless veterans
To find out more about Blesma and how to support their vital work, please click HERE
Graham Potter will hold his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. However, we do know that long-term absentees Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville will miss the game, with the latter having recently undergone surgery on his hamstring injury
Evan Ferguson will be fighting for selection again
having been ineligible to face his parent club Brighton & Hove Albion last time out
while Edson Álvarez will be assessed after missing the last two matches
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is a doubt for this weekend's clash
having missed their last three Premier League fixtures through injury
everything looked good at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou had kicked off his reign with a ten-match unbeaten run that saw Spurs storm to the top of the Premier League table
And although results had been less consistent for the next few months
Tottenham still went into the final seven matches of the 2024/25 campaign in the top four and on course for UEFA Champions League qualification
the north Londoners would lose five of those seven matches
all to clubs rivalling them for a top-four finish
and ultimately slip to a fifth-place finish and settle for a place in the UEFA Europa League
While fifth in his first season in charge was
that late-season downturn in results continued into the current campaign
leaving the aforementioned Europa League as Tottenham’s only hope of returning to continental competition in 2025/26
Spurs have won just eleven of their 34 Premier League games and sit in the bottom third of the table
albeit with a bizarre positive goal difference generated by a series of emphatic early-season victories
Those pre-Christmas wins over the likes of Everton
Manchester City and Southampton seem like a lifetime
Since thumping reigning champions Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on 23 November
Tottenham have won five and lost 14 of the 22 Premier League matches they have played and dropped from sixth to 16th in the table
with early-round wins over both Manchester clubs and a semi-final first-leg victory over Liverpool raising hopes of a first trophy win since 2008
only for the Reds to thump Spurs 4-0 in the second leg at Anfield
An FA Cup fourth-round exit at Aston Villa ended that chance of silverware
leaving the Europa League as the only route open to Postecoglou
who said last September ‘I always win things in my second year’
finishing fourth in the new Europa League league phase
then defeating West Ham’s recent European opponents AZ of the Netherlands and Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany in the knockout stages to set up a two-legged semi-final with Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt
the first of which will be played in north London on Thursday evening
Victory over Bodø/Glimt and either Manchester United or Athletic Club of Bilbao in the final would secure Spurs a place in next season’s Champions League
prove Postecoglou right and end 17 years without a major trophy
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have met 57 times in the Premier League
The Irons are unbeaten in the sides’ last four matches at London Stadium
Before 1-1 draws in April 2024 and August 2022
Michail Antonio scored the winner in October 2021 and was also on the scoresheet alongside Jesse Lingard in a 2-1 triumph over Jose Mourinho’s team behind closed doors in February of that year
Tottenham did beat West Ham three times on the trot at home in all competitions between December 2021 and February 2023
until Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse strikes powered David Moyes’ men to a 2-1 win in north London in early December 2023
Spurs did triumph in the teams' most recent meeting
powering Ange Postecoglou's men to a 4-1 win in October 2024
This particular match-up also has a reputation for a wonderstrike or two
Manuel Lanzini rescued a point with a 30-yard screamer as the Hammers overturned a three-goal deficit to draw 3-3 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2020
while two years earlier Pedro Obiang stunned Wembley Stadium with an unstoppable long-range rocket in a game that finished 1-1
Referee: Michael OliverAssistant Referees: Stuart Burt and James MainwaringFourth Official: Ruebyn RicardoVAR: Darren EnglandAssistant VAR: Peter Wright
Michael Oliver will referee a West Ham United fixture for the 45th time in his illustrious career on Sunday
40-year-old Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father
at the age of 14 and became the youngest referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium when he took charge of the 2007 Conference National play-off final
He had already become the youngest Football League assistant referee and referee when he became the youngest Premier League referee when he took charge of Birmingham City’s 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers on 21 August 2010
UEFA Super Cup final in 2022 and EFL Championship Play-Off final in 2023
He is five short of 400 Premier League appointments and has passed 750 matches at all levels
Included in those 755 games were three at UEFA Euro 2020
three at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024
in addition to Nations League ties and international friendlies
For more information about the officials, click HERE
as they talk down Tottenham’s pressing ahead of the second leg in Norway
Given how well Tottenham Hotspur performed in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie
the expectation is that the Lilywhites see it out in Norway
which could have been more had they taken their chances and killed the tie off in north London
with the fixture still finely poised at 3-1
Bodo/Glimt players remain confident that they can turn the tide in front of their home fans at the Aspmyra Stadion
After the match, defender Fredrik Sjovold spoke to Avisa Nordland about Spurs‘ pressing and the weakness he believes he has spotted in their system
The defender argued that Tottenham’s press is vulnerable and not much better than what is seen from mid-table Eliteserien sides
He said, relayed by VG: “We just have to play simple and not give the ball away too easily
I think their pressure will collapse pretty quickly
“It is a very good team and they are good with the ball
but the pressure is no better than an okay Eliteserien team
Defender Jostein Gundersen echoed similar thoughts
insisting that it is often more difficult to break down teams in the Eliteserien during that phase of play
The defender said: “It is often more difficult to break down Eliteserien teams in that phase of the game.”
Midfielder Ulrik Saltnes also highlighted how disjointed Spurs’ pressing has been and feels confident they can take advantage of it in the second leg
He said: “I would say that it is possible to exploit
It is something we have figured out quite well
and which I hope we can exploit even more in the home game.”
While the Bodo/Glimt players are convinced that there is a flaw in Tottenham’s game, Ange Postecoglou remains adamant that his side will finish the job when they travel to Norway.
The Tottenham boss made it clear that all his players need to do is replicate their first-leg performance
and they will be on their way to a European final
I thought the players were outstanding today
I thought our performance was everything it needed to be
really well organised and disciplined defensively and really calm going forward and created good opportunities for ourselves and maintained pressure
which does not I think reflect our dominance in the game
but if we repeat that performance next week and it will be enough for us to get through.”
Of course, the mind games have started and the Bodo/Glimt players are clearly trying to get in the heads of the Spurs squad – Tottenham just need to focus
play their football and the advantage should tell
The Blues head coach admitted in her pre-match press conference that
after the title was claimed in midweek in Manchester
she was considering resting several players who have featured in most of our matches this term
It has resulted in Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze being left out of the squad this afternoon
with Bompastor naming an unfamiliar back four for today's game
Hannah Hampton remains in goal and will be protected by Ashley Lawrence, Sjoeke Nusken, Maelys Mpome and Guro Reiten
Oriane Jean-Francois will sit in midfield behind an attacking front five of Maika Hamano, Erin Cuthbert, Catarina Macario, Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd. Mia Fishel leads the line as she continues her journey back to full fitness after injury
Dominic Solanke ended an 11-game goalless run
Dominic Solanke's first-half penalty kept Tottenham Hotspur's season alive as they defeated Eintracht Frankfurt to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League
Tottenham wasted several chances to take control of the tie during a 1-1 draw in the first leg last week
but in Frankfurt Ange Postecoglou's side spent large spells without the ball and under pressure
Spurs were awarded a penalty as half-time approached when Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos mistimed his jump and clattered into James Maddison while attempting to claim a long ball forward
Maddison's team-mates were incensed when referee Davide Massa failed to award a spot-kick
though he changed his decision after a video assistant referee (VAR) review and booked Santos
Solanke stepped up to take the spot-kick - Postecoglou appeared to indicate he wanted the striker to take it - and stroked the ball down the middle as Santos dived to the left
Maddison - who initially continued after receiving treatment - was replaced in first-half stoppage time by Dejan Kulusevski
Spurs struggled to keep the ball in central areas after losing the England midfielder
and spent the first 15 minutes of the second half repelling wave after wave of Frankfurt attacks
Though the hosts dominated possession after the break
Tottenham threatened on the counter-attack and from set-pieces
Cristian Romero headed narrowly wide from a corner just after the hour mark
before Rodrigo Bentancur headed over from a similar situation
Guglielmo Vicario produced a magnificent save with his legs to keep out Fares Chaibi from close range as Eintracht upped the pressure
before Leeds loanee Rasmus Kristensen dragged wide with the goal gaping following a cut-back
Tottenham will face either Lazio or Bodo/Glimt in the final four
'You're going to have to put up with me for a bit longer'
Bodo-Glimt seal Spurs meeting after historic shootout win
It has been an abysmal season for Tottenham and their supporters
but with one last shred of hope on the line
and in the second half managed to weather a Frankfurt storm on a rainy night in Germany
limiting the hosts to half-chances and going close through a curling Mathys Tel effort
they almost succumbed to the kind of defensive mishap that has plagued their Premier League campaign
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike looked primed to score after a Santos goal-kick split the Spurs defence in half
but Micky van de Ven recovered to deny the Frenchman with a last-ditch tackle
The penalty was the defining moment of the night
and not just because it produced the game's only goal
Maddison's self-sacrifice summed up an attitude that has been lacking at times this season
a willingness to put bodies on the line and stand firm in the face of adversity
The result was a mature performance from a side that has looked anything but for much of this season
and the prize just a third European semi-final in 44 years
With little else to play for and Postecoglou's job on the line
Three games now separate them from a first trophy win in 17 years
Eintracht FrankfurtManager: Dino Toppmöller
Richarlison Match OfficialsReferee: Davide MassaVideo Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di PaoloAssistant Referee 1: Filippo MeliAssistant Referee 2: Stefano AlassioFourth Official: Matteo MarcenaroAssistant VAR Official: Daniele ChiffiMatch StatsKey
Scroll LeftScroll RightEintracht Frankfurt have only won one of their five meetings with Tottenham in European competition (D2 L2)
that lone victory came on the only occasion in which they’ve hosted them in a knockout stage match
beating them 2-1 in the Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final in 1981-82 (second leg)
Tottenham have lost six of their last seven knockout stage games away to German opponents in Europe (W1)
while failing to score in four of their last five such matches
being eliminated by RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in 2019-20
Tottenham have only progressed from one of their previous 10 knockout stage ties in European competition after failing to win the first leg at home
progressing past Ajax in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2018-19 (lost 0-1 in the first leg
before winning on away goals – 3-3 on aggregate)
Eintracht Frankfurt are looking to reach a third UEFA Europa League semi-final
having previously done so in 2018-19 and 2021-22
The only team to have currently qualified for more than three in the competition is Sevilla
who have done so five times (Manchester United are currently on three ahead of their second leg versus Lyon)
Tottenham will be aiming to qualify for a second major European semi-final within the last seven seasons
having done so in the UEFA Champions League in 2018-19
This would be as many as they qualified for in the previous 44 seasons beforehand
Tottenham have only kept one clean sheet in their last 19 away matches in the UEFA Europa League (1-0 v Qarabag in November 2015)
while Eintracht Frankfurt average over two goals per home match in the competition (55 scored in 27 home games)
Hugo Ekitiké has been directly involved in seven goals in the UEFA Europa League this season (four goals
only two strikers have been involved in more in a Europa League campaign for the German side: Luka Jovic (11) and Sébastien Haller (8)
Son Heung-Min will overtake Harry Kane (67) to become Tottenham’s all-time leading appearance maker in major European competition (68)
Son is averaging a goal every 217 minutes in the UEFA Europa League this term
which is his worst ratio in an edition where he’s made more than two appearances
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul
Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt) wins a free kick in the attacking half
Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt) is shown the yellow card
Delay in match because of an injury Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Delay in match because of an injury Kauã Santos (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked
Hugo Ekitiké (Eintracht Frankfurt) header from the centre of the box misses to the left
Assisted by Farès Chaïbi with a cross following a corner
Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked
Rasmus Kristensen (Eintracht Frankfurt) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner
The central challenge of Tottenham’s Europa League campaign has been to step onto the pitch and become a different team
To transform themselves from the side who have lost more than half of their league games into something else
qualities that we do not see from them most weekends
That was how they got past AZ in the round of 16, staying calm after a disastrous first leg to overcome them at home in the second. That was how they got past Eintracht Frankfurt in the last eight, producing a mature, canny defensive performance in Germany to make it through to the semi-finals. And that was what we saw again from Spurs for most of this first leg against Bodo/Glimt
This was the biggest game Spurs have played since the 2019 Champions League final
but the whole historical memory of the Ange Postecoglou era
His legacy will be defined by these two games and the final
It felt as if the crowd and the players understood the weighty stakes
What made this performance so impressive was that Spurs showed us strengths that they have kept under wraps for so much of this year
They did not simply throw everything at Bodo/Glimt
to try to blow them away with attacking football
leaving themselves vulnerable in the process
It felt like a tactical plan tailored to this game and this opponent
This was a Tottenham performance built on experience
The traits Postecoglou kept proudly pointing to afterwards were Spurs’ discipline and organisation
Lucas Bergvall went down with an ankle injury in training
Postecoglou did not turn to Pape Matar Sarr or Dejan Kulusevski
And the 28-year-old repaid all that trust in full
sitting alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and shutting down almost every single Bodo/Glimt attack
It made you wonder where this Bissouma has been all season
Postecoglou had another choice to make on the left-hand side
who had started the last four straight games on the left
But rather than either of the 20-year-olds
It was his first start out wide for Spurs since October 2023
He was utilised to use his physical power in the box
It only took him 38 seconds to win the far-post header to help Brennan Johnson score the opening goal
Tottenham were happy to play a game you might not always associate with them
They were calm enough to wait when Bodo/Glimt had the ball
confident that Bissouma and Bentancur gave their defence protection
knowing that Richarlison and Dominic Solanke had the physical edge over their opponents
James Maddison was always willing to run beyond
and he was threatening even before he scored Spurs’ second goal
All of the intricate but blunt possession football was being played by the visitors
After Solanke put Tottenham 3-0 up, the tie was in their hands. The frustrating thing was that they were unable to push even further. Richarlison was taken off at half-time, then Maddison and Solanke were taken off after feeling knee and quad twinges respectively
Spurs had lost that physical edge in the final third
but not the players who could hold onto the ball and slow the game down
When Ulrik Saltnes pulled one back for Bodo/Glimt
A very good night was suddenly merely a good one
A tie that was almost won is now a tie that must be won all over again
He argued that if Spurs play next Thursday like they did here
came up with new game plan and won a game where they had been written off
and they will keep the door shut on their hosts
Anyone can make a plausible case against Spurs doing it
They will be further out of their comfort zone than ever before
on an artificial pitch north of the Arctic Circle
against a team who are almost unstoppable at home
Tottenham have limped from league defeat to league defeat this season
and even in Frankfurt they conceded enough big chances to get knocked out
The last time they played on an artificial pitch, they needed extra time to beat Tamworth
The last time they had a two-goal first-leg lead in a European knock-out tie
against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League quarters four years ago
Jose Mourinho only lasted a few more weeks
this is a European campaign that now deserves to be judged on its own terms
This was Spurs’ 13th Europa League game this season
They have not always been brilliant but they have always found a different side
They have relished the freedom of travelling light
Their path from Bodo to Bilbao is clearly lit up in front of them
(Top photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
Read moreWest Ham’s visionless board should be alarmed by the apathy in the stands
Some fans were still strolling in at kick-off
plenty had stayed away and there was silence when the teams emerged
who made eight changes before they look to protect a 3-1 lead in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Bodø/Glimt on Thursday
could not have asked for a gentler welcome
even going out of their way to help the visitors into the lead after 15 minutes of soporific football
who has struggled since his £40m move from Wolves last summer
failing to clear his lines before Odobert made it 1-0 summed up the damage Potter has to repair during pre-season
The centre-back had time to deal with a harmless ball down the left flank but played himself into trouble by twice wafting clearances against Mathys Tel
A nothing situation became one fraught with danger
leaving Odobert to stroke home his first league goal of the season after Richarlison dummied Tel’s pass into the winger’s path
View image in fullscreenWilson Odobert beats Alphonse Areola to give Spurs the lead
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesPostecoglou was pleased with his side’s effort
Avoiding a 20th defeat of a sorry league campaign was a boost
although the Spurs manager was more worried about whether James Maddison will shake off a knee injury in time for the trip to Bodø
who was more optimistic about Dominic Solanke’s chances off recovering from a thigh complaint
Postecoglou acknowledged that his changes disrupted their rhythm
which allowed West Ham to feel their way back into the contest
“They scored against the run of play,” Potter said
“Because of the moment we’re having it’s tough
It is a surprise that Bowen wants to stay and fight
West Ham’s captain would not be short of suitors were he to press for a move but his motivation remains undimmed
If only others in claret and blue were as driven
The winger never stops going and West Ham were again indebted to him when he equalised in the 28th minute
The goal came from Mohammed Kudus switching play to Wan-Bissaka on the right
The wing-back had time to slide a pass down the line to Bowen
who encountered no resistance as he darted away from Ben Davies
dribbled inside and threaded a low finish through Guglielmo Vicario’s legs
Yet if that was a reminder of how easy it is to make chances against Spurs
West Ham looked determined to match them for defensive ineptitude
They could have trailed again when Lucas Paquetá lost possession in midfield; Richarlison shot wide
Spurs threatened through Tel and Pape Matar Sarr
Vicario denied Bowen and James Ward-Prowse whipped a free-kick over after coming off the bench
Paquetá appeared to be crying when he picked up a late yellow card
Tottenham have allegedly been impressed by the progress of one Bundesliga starlet ahead of the summer window
It has been widely reported that Spurs are keen on signing Jamie Gittens on the back of his outstanding showing for Borussia Dortmund this season
It emerged last week that Chelsea had moved into pole position to land Gittens after reaching out to the England Under-21 international’s camp regarding a switch to Stamford Bridge
However, Tottenham Hotspur have now been handed some good news by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg
who has revealed that a proposed swap deal between Gittens and Chelsea youngster Carney Chukwuemeka is no longer being considered by Dortmund
Plettenberg explains that Enzo Marseca’s men remain ‘very keen’ on landing Gittens and have made their interest clear to the player’s camp
the race for the 20-year-old’s future remains wide open
with Dortmund not negotiating with anyone at this stage
The journalist adds that Bayern also have their eye on Gittens
but the Bavarian club’s priority target remains Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz
It was reported a little over a week ago by Sky Sports Germany that Dortmund are prepared to sell Gittens for a fee of around €50–€60m (£42.8m-£51.4m)
The same information was also carried around a month ago by Bild, who said that Dortmund will not accept anything less than €60m (£50.6m) for Gittens.
It is clear that Tottenham would have to pay a premium to land the youngster, particularly given Dortmund’s tendency not to budge from their asking price while selling their young talent.
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Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Lucas Bergvall's season is likely over after he sustained an ankle injury in training
Lucas was forced to sit out of Thursday night's Europa League semi-final first-leg win over Bodø/Glimt after Ange reported that he had tweaked his ankle
it now looks like the midfielder will now miss the rest of our 2024/25 campaign after sustaining damage to ligaments in his ankle
Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon ahead of Sunday's trip to West Ham United
it looks like the injury is significant enough to probably keep him out now for the rest of the season
He tweaked his ligaments in his ankle so he is out."
Ange said: "It's something you see all the time
he just went to turn and his ankle gave way
earlier in the season) and others we've had in training
labelling their performance as “completely unforgivable.”
While Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League performances have left much to be desired, the same cannot be said about their Europa League displays
The Lilywhites continue to impress in Europe, and just on Thursday, they put one foot in the finals at San Mames, after Tottenham secured a 3-1 win against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final first leg
The task for Tottenham in the return leg is pretty straightforward
as they just need to avoid a defeat by a three-goal margin
as they now look to overturn a two-goal deficit next Thursday
particularly the fact that they conceded so early in the game
Speaking after the game, Kjetil Knutsen said, as relayed by TV2 Cover: “We are once again in an extremely difficult situation when we concede a goal after 40 seconds
they were very disappointed and lost energy
but I think we can take a lot of energy with us from this match
“And it will be completely different for us at Aspmyra
we can handle situations in the build-up game better than in this match.”
While the manager will be hoping his side can turn the tide
the latest predictions from Opta’s AI state that Tottenham would get past Glimt in the semi-finals
Bodo/Glimt still have an ace up their sleeve
and that is their artificial turf at the Aspmyra Stadion
There was no such artificial surface at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
and the Glimt manager believes that it ultimately cost his side
there is a difference between playing a match on grass and a match on artificial turf
“We lose too much in those types of situations
The other thing is that we have too many ball losses
The Norwegian outfit are no pushover and they have already proven in the knockout phase that they are formidable at home
Spurs need to be wary that they are not on the wrong side of the story
because a comeback from Glimt would all but end Tottenham’s 2024/25 season
The midfielder is unlikely to make the trip to Norway
James Maddison’s involvement in Tottenham’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt is in serious doubt, manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed
The midfielder was forced off with a knee injury updat the first leg
and the Spurs boss admitted in the hours afterwards that “it doesn’t look great”
Postecoglou expressed fresh concern over the player’s availability
Speaking after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham
We’ll probably get some clarity tomorrow [Monday]
It is fair to say it’s not looking promising
It’s better news for Dominic Solanke
with the striker in contention for the second leg
Postecoglou also brought Solanke off in the second half of the first leg due to the striker feeling pain in his quad
West Ham and Tottenham share the spoils in turgid London derby
Tottenham ratings vs West Ham: Lively Tel unable to inspire derby win
“Dom is improving,” the Spurs boss said on Sunday
Tottenham ended a four-game losing run away from home with a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium
where Wilson Odobert’s opener was cancelled out by a strike from Jarrod Bowen
“I’m proud of the players’ efforts,” Postecoglou said
The individual players haven’t played a lot regularly
“I thought the efforts today were outstanding
We were disappointed with the goal we conceded
but aside from that we nullified their threat as well as we could.”
The Spurs boss added: “I think we were dangerous going the other way
who has now offered a pointed response to the Spurs midfielder
Spurs carry a 3-1 advantage into the second leg and are very well-placed to book a place in the Europa League final
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the semi-final second leg in Norway has been the artificial surface in Bodo
which travelling sides have had difficulty adapting to his season
Ange Postecoglou has played down any concerns about playing on astroturf
insisting that his side only need to be focused on replicating the discipline and organisation they showed in the first leg
Kulusesvski also spoke about the challenge that lies ahead for Spurs in the second leg
and the Tottenham man admitted that it will be ‘strange’ to play on astroturf
He said (TV 2 via Sport Witness) about the pitch that Tottenham will encounter in Norway: “It’s strange
It’s going to be difficult because we have to have a different plan
Jostein Gundersen has now pointed out that there is nothing Bodo/Glimt can do about their surface
The Norway international also played down the impact the surface will have on the contest
Gundersen said in response to Kulusevski’s comments: “I wonder what he thinks we should do differently in Bodo city
it’s not that easy to have anything other than artificial turf
It’s still football and they should be good enough for that.”
The Bodo/Glimt centre-half is under no illusions about what to expect from the Premier League side
pointing out that it is their biggest game in half a decade
He expects Postecoglou’s men to come well-prepared for the contest and look to take the game to the home side on Thursday
Gundersen said about Bodo/Glimt’s opponents: “I think they will come very well prepared. For Spurs, it is their biggest match since they were in the Champions League final (2019)
It is the most important match of the year
I think they will give everything they have to take us.”
Two of the biggest underachieving clubs anywhere across Europe’s top leagues, West Ham and Tottenham have been nothing short of an embarrassment all season
An unusually – but understandably – quiet London Stadium atmosphere watched a pretty drab and tame affair play out between the two rivals
The result means West Ham have now won just three of Graham Potter’s 16 games in charge since he took over in January
The performance needs to be looked at in context and it was much the better result for Tottenham
Spurs had a Europa League semi-final a few nights ago and have the second leg next Thursday night
making this very much a Spurs second string
West Ham meanwhile had all week to prepare
a near fully fit squad bar a couple of long-term absentees and no excuses
West Ham and Tottenham fans had dubbed this derby something less than complimentary rhyming with ‘El Classico’
So let’s not make any because while players can’t be accused of a lack of effort
it was the usual suspects who turned up and performed to their best while far too many others flattered to deceive
Max Kilman has been criticised for his performances recently
And he was ridiculously sloppy to gift Tottenham the lead in the first half
West Ham had enjoyed most of the ball until Kilman twice kicked it against Mathys Tel after a hopeful punt up-field from Spurs
turned inside and found a teammate or hooked it upfield
Instead he twice kicked it directly at the chasing Tel who was then able to walk into the box and lay the ball to Wilson Odobert for one of the easiest goals he’ll ever score
Although questions also have to be asked of Jean-Clair Todibo
failing to offer Kilman an option for a pass which then left him miles off the play when Spurs robbed the ball on the edge of the box
Todibo seems to play the game in second gear
he needs to sharpen up his play and his focus
Jarrod Bowen – who else – equalised with a clever run and finish after being played in by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who else?
It was the usual trio who shone for the Hammers but others need to up their game or leave the club this summer.
Alphonse Areola, 6.5/10: Did not have much to do in truth. Difficult to criticise him for the Spurs goal but could have perhaps closed Odobert quicker? But that’s harsh. Defence seems nervous in front of him but that could be totally unrelated.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 9/10: West Ham’s best player YET AGAIN. Hammer of the Year was absolutely everywhere, a brilliant signing who others must elevate their performance levels to match. Man of the match, another assist.
Jean-Clair Todibo, 5/10: Lackadaisical approach sums up his debut season. He’s either not fully fit, still, or thinks he is far better than he actually is. Plays the game at jogging pace. Jury most definitely still out and West Ham still have to pay £32m for him.
Max Kilman, 3/10: Poor of late after being one of West Ham’s most consistent players for much of his debut season. Made a ridiculous error in a game against a big rival.
Aaron Cresswell, 7/10: Says a lot that 35-year-old left-back Aaron Cresswell was West Ham’s best central defender against Tottenham. Sad but scarily true. May have little choice but to sign him up to a new deal at this rate.
Emerson Palmieri, 3/10: Almost completely anonymous. Forgot he was even playing at one point. No wonder Ollie Scarles took his place. West Ham need a new left-back this summer.
Lucas Paqueta, 4/10: Really poor performance from Lucas Paqueta who gave the ball away several times in dangerous areas. West Ham’s most creative passer was playing in the defensive third for most of the game. Clearly not right in himself either as he burst into tears when booked for a foul.
Tomas Soucek, 7.5/10: Some may disagree but ever-reliable Tomas Soucek was absolutely everywhere and put in his usual selfless, committed performance for the team. He thwarted Spurs on countless occasions by winning so many headers. He was involved in all West Ham’s better moves, including the one which resulted in Bowen’s goal.
Mohammed Kudus, 6.5/10: Flattered to deceive once again. Tried hard but seems to have lost that X-factor which made him such a constant threat last season. Partly down to playing in a poor team it should also be noted. West Ham are absolutely dreaming if they think they are getting anywhere close to £80m for their faded star boy.
Jarrod Bowen, 8/10: Captain Jarrod Bowen was excellent as always even if he wasn’t at his brilliant best. Superb run and nutmeg finish for the goal.
Niclas Fullkrug, 7/10: Worked hard and gave Tottenham’s defenders a bruising encounter. But this was only their reserves – there was no Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro or Destiny Udogie – and Fullkrug looked short of the pace and energy needed to make a big impact in the Premier League. His hold-up play was good and the team does look better with him up front. But more dynamic striker options are needed in the summer. Even if Fullkrug stays.
Subs: Carlos Soler, James Ward-Prowse, Evan Ferguson, Vladimir Coufal and Konstantinos Mavropanos – 6/10 base ratings. Ward-Prowse wasn’t a million miles away with a free-kick at the death but his wait to equal David Beckham’s record goes on.
Tottenham Hotspur 1 at Full timeLiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool51TottenhamTottenham HotspurTottenham HotspurFull timeFTHalf Time Liverpool 3
Tottenham Hotspur 1 HT 3-1Key EventsLiverpoolL
Gakpo (34')Goal 34 minutesMohamed Salah (63')Goal 63 minutesD
Udogie (69' og)Own Goal 69 minutesTottenham HotspurD
Solanke (12')Goal 12 minutesAssistsLiverpool,D
Maddison (12')Venue:AnfieldAttendance:60,415606 phone-in
Relive the action as Liverpool thrash Tottenham to clinch Premier League title
are crowned English champions for 20th time
'The only thing now is to send my appreciation to Klopp' - read Slot's reaction
How Slot guided Liverpool to the title - read more
Thanks for joining us today as Liverpool bagged a 20th league title with a 5-1 rout of woeful Tottenham
Read the match report by clicking the report tab on this page
Have a look at our football index to see several other reaction pieces - and the rest of today's football news.
And if it's Liverpool reaction you're after specifically, check out their club page here.
20415Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:59 British Summer Time 27 April19:59 BST 27 AprilOnly managers from 10 nations have ever won the English top-flight title - with the Netherlands joining the list today
22517Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'We were outstanding'published at 19:57 British Summer Time 27 April19:57 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
Liverpool
Liverpool boss Arne Slot to BBC Match of the Day: "I think from the moment we arrived on the bus everyone could feel that we were never going to lose this game
The fans were so supportive before and during the game
Even at 1-0 down you felt this team and the fans could get it over the line
"Conceding from a set piece is always difficult but from that moment we were outstanding
Tottenham's focus was probably more on Thursday but you still have to win it and we did."
On whether Jurgen Klopp has been in touch: "I am 99.9% sure that if I pick up my phone there will be a message from Jurgen
So many moments in the season the two of us have had contact
I think he showed last season what a wonderful human being he is by introducing me
But what mattered most is the team he left behind that was able to win the trophy"
On becoming the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League: "It is very special because we have had some great managers
On trying to win it again next season: "That is something we are definitely going to try
But first we are going to enjoy the last few games"
47425Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'I am part of the history of this great football club'published at 19:55 British Summer Time 27 April19:55 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "Looking back I have enjoyed the whole day
"You could see looking in their eyes how much it meant to them today
"It was impossible for us to not get that point or win today
From this moment now I am part of the history of this great football club."
57222Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:54 British Summer Time 27 April19:54 BST 27 AprilImage source
Arne Slot is the third youngest manager to lead a side to the Premier League title
with Chelsea) and Kenny Dalglish (with Blackburn)
51620Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:52 British Summer Time 27 April19:52 BST 27 AprilI feel Paul didn't plan his bread supplies very well there
will I wait until Liverpool have just won the title to try the Anfield shop?'
36017Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It's like a carnival'published at 19:51 British Summer Time 27 April19:51 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
Liverpool fan Paul on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I live opposite Anfield
"I was going to go out and get some bread
It's people who ordinarily don't take much interest in day to day football
"They have been top of the league since November."
30067Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:49 British Summer Time 27 April19:49 BST 27 AprilLiverpool have guaranteed their Premier League title with four games remaining
Only six other sides have done that (or with more games to go)
The record is the Reds' 2019-20 season when they won it with seven games remaining
54919Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It feels completely different to 2020'published at 19:48 British Summer Time 27 April19:48 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
35323Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 27 April19:46 BST 27 April
Sealing the title at Anfield 'a great way to end a wonderful season' - Murphy
30532Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Slot's done unbelievable'published at 19:44 British Summer Time 27 April19:44 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It means everything to us
"Everyone has been in the party spirit since the moment they woke up in Liverpool today
"After the initial wobble we recovered well and it ended up being a good afternoon
"He's [Arne Slot] done unbelievable
"It was about getting into the rhythm and we have managed that - we are delighted for him and for all of ourselves."
On the celebrations: "On the schedule we're in tomorrow
but that will be getting cancelled!"
52826Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'He must be skipping through the meadows'published at 19:42 British Summer Time 27 April19:42 BST 27 AprilLiverpool win Premier League title
Danny MurphyBBC pundit and former Liverpool midfielder
60237Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedGet Involvedpublished at 19:40 British Summer Time 27 April19:40 BST 27 April#bbcfootball
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Without doubt the owners of LFC need to back Slot in the transfer market this summer
You recruit from a position of strength if you have any sense
122933Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Our young midfield will have learned a lot'published at 19:39 British Summer Time 27 April19:39 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur
73623Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedGet Involvedpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 27 April19:35 BST 27 April#bbcfootball
261956Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Just the beginning for Slot and for these players'published at 19:34 British Summer Time 27 April19:34 BST 27 AprilFT: Liverpool 5-1 Totteham
Daniel SturridgeFormer Liverpool striker on Sky Sports
I truly believe there is more that Liverpool can achieve
When a manager comes in and does it in his first season
it gives you that belief that you can go on and replicate it
I'm sure there will be some recruitment
contracts that will be sewn up to keep their best players for longer periods of time
This is just the beginning for the manager and for these players and I'm really excited for them
Chief football writer at AnfieldLiverpool were crowned Premier League champions in style - and drew level with Manchester United on 20 titles - as Tottenham Hotspur were demolished on a day of wild celebrations and emotion at Anfield
Arne Slot's side needed only a point to complete the formalities of their coronation
although Spurs briefly threatened a plot twist when former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke headed them into an early lead
the title was signed and sealed with three goals before the break that sent their expectant fans into ecstasy at the high point of Slot's spectacular first season in succession to Jurgen Klopp
Luis Diaz turned in Dominik Szoboszlai's pass from close range to put Liverpool level after 16 minutes
the goal given after the Hungarian was initially adjudged to be offside
Any lingering doubts and anxiety were banished eight minutes later when Alexis Mac Allister fired spectacularly past Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario from the edge of the area
And Anfield's title party really started when Cody Gakpo was allowed time and space inside the area to turn and score Liverpool's third after 34 minutes
Liverpool laid siege to the Spurs goal in front of the Kop in the second half
Mohamed Salah cutting inside to get on the scoresheet
before accepting a phone to take a memorable selfie after 63 minutes
Destiny Udogie turned into his own net under pressure from Salah six minutes later
The win allowed triumphant Liverpool to celebrate a title win in front of their own fans for the first time since 1990
as they last lifted the trophy behind closed doors at Anfield in 2020 during the Covid pandemic
Liverpool fans, what did you make of the performance?
How did you rate Tottenham's display?
this was Anfield's day of destiny'
Slot thanks Klopp moments after Liverpool win title
20 of the best photos from Liverpool's momentous day
'No-one expected this' - how Slot guided Liverpool to the title
Liverpool rejoin Man Utd on 'perch' with 20th title
It was almost 35 years to the day since Liverpool and their fans sampled the sense of triumph that comes with clinching a title in front of their own supporters
when Queen's Park Rangers were beaten 2-1 on 28 April 1990
Liverpool's triumph came during the pandemic
so this was a celebration three decades in the making for many fans - and they celebrated in a style befitting the long wait
Anfield was surrounded by fans hours before kick-off
the team coach emerging from plumes of red smoke on this landmark day
never settling for the one point they required
sweeping Spurs away in a manner that illustrated the remarkable work done by head coach Arne Slot in his first season
In what many regarded as the impossible job
the calm and measured Slot has overseen the smoothest of transitions as Liverpool have claimed the title at a canter
And the joy of the day was encapsulated by Salah's response to scoring Liverpool's fourth goal
dropping to his knees in front of the Kop before taking a selfie that will become a prized possession
The second half was simply the build-up to the release of emotion and celebration at the final whistle following a victory that was every bit as convincing as the campaign that has led Liverpool to the Premier League title
red smoke came from all sides of Anfield as Liverpool as Slot and his staff congregated in the centre circle and the entire squad raced to the Kop
Murphy on phenomenal first season for Slot
Tottenham threatened to disrupt Liverpool's planned title celebrations for a grand total of four minutes before reverting to this season's type to play the role of invited party guests to perfection
Once Diaz had restored parity after Solanke opened the scoring
Spurs gave Liverpool the run of Anfield in the manner they have during so many of their 19 Premier League defeats in this dismal season
Manager Ange Postecoglou was without injured captain Son Heung-min
while he kept defensive pair Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven on the bench
before Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg at home to Bodo/Glimt
perhaps understandable given the prize within their opponents grasp
The visitors simply subsided in the face of Liverpool's assault - even their attempts at any sort of damage limitation falling woefully short
must now try to lift his players as they try to salvage this desperate season with a European trophy
Salah on securing Premier League title by beating Tottenham
We found it hard to get a grip on Liverpool - Postecoglou
Yellow Card at 34 minutesDiogo Jota 68'
substituted for Diogo Jota at 68 minutesNumber 8
substituted for Richarlison at 67 minutesNumber 22
van de Ven Match OfficialsReferee: Thomas BramallVideo Assistant Referee: Craig PawsonAssistant Referee 1: Simon BennettAssistant Referee 2: Dan RobathanFourth Official: Chris KavanaghAssistant VAR Official: Darren CannMatch StatsKey
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1:41:00Liverpool v Tottenham
2:30:00Head to HeadSeason so farPremier League
Scroll LeftScroll RightLiverpool are unbeaten in their last 15 home games against Tottenham in all competitions (W11 D4)
winning the last three while scoring four goals each time
Tottenham have won just two of their last 24 Premier League games against Liverpool (D6 L16)
They’ve also failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 18 against the Reds in the competition
Tottenham have conceded 10 goals against Liverpool this season
losing 6-3 in the Premier League and 4-0 in the League Cup semi-final second leg
They last conceded more against an opponent in 2013-14 (11 vs Man City)
while the most they’ve conceded is 14 (vs Chelsea in 2001-02)
Tottenham (37) are 42 points behind Liverpool (79) coming into this match
It’s the second highest number of points Spurs have been behind a side they’re facing – they were 43 behind Arsenal when they met at White Hart Lane in April 2004
with the Gunners securing the title against them that day
Liverpool have already won as many Premier League games this season as they did last term (24)
while victory in this game would also see them equal their points tally from last season (82) with four games to go
Tottenham have lost 18 Premier League games this season
only losing more in 1993-94 and 2003-04 (19 both times)
Liverpool have scored at least once in each of their last 29 Premier League games
since a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in September
It’s the second longest scoring streak in a single campaign
after Arsenal who scored in all 38 games in 2001-02
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored 15 goals against Tottenham Hotspur in all competitions
only netting more against Manchester United (16) in his European club career
11 of those 15 goals have come in the Premier League
with only Alan Shearer (14) netting more against Spurs in the competition
If he plays it will be Luis Díaz’s 100th Premier League appearance
He would be the 60th player to reach this milestone for Liverpool
the third most of any club after Arsenal (70) and Chelsea (63)
Richarlison has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances (4 goals)
though Tottenham have lost all four of these games
only Matheus Cunha (5) has scored in more defeats than Richarlison this term
Kostas Lianos
Digital Sports ReporterPublished: Invalid Date
MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham "absolutely" do not deserve to play in the Champions League next season
That is according to an Arsenal legend who insists it would be "unfair" if either United or Spurs win the Europa League this month
Man Utd and the North Londoners are the absolute favourites to compete in the final on May 21 at San Mames after dominating Athletic Bilbao and Bodo/Glimt respectively in the first leg of the semi-finals
The Red Devils destroyed Bilbao 3-0 in Spain on Thursday and dealt Ernesto Valverde's side a devastating blow in heir hopes of playing in the final that takes place in their own stadium later this month
And Tottenham defeated Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in London and now need to survive the Norwegian outfit's artificial pitch that has claimed so many other big names this season
Emmanuel Petit admits the Premier League duo have a massive chance to save their "terrible" season
But one of them will still advance to next season's Champions League if they win the Europa League
is adamant none of them deserve to be among Europe's elite next season after their disastrous campaigns
Nevertheless, the ex-Chelsea star wishes both teams luck ahead of their crunch second leg.
Petit told FastSlots: "Tottenham and Manchester United both have the chance to save terrible seasons in the Europa League
Both teams don't deserve to be among the Champions League teams for the next season
"I wish the best of luck for Manchester United against Bilbao
"Spurs could spring a surprise
but I don't expect anything from Spurs or Manchester United this season
if one of those clubs wins the Europa League