Tottenham Hotspur

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Image source, PA Media

There is a strong argument that Dejan Kulusevski is Tottenham's most important player and also the most improved player in the Premier League this season.

The 27-year-old attacker set up Brennan Johnson's goal in the 2-2 draw at home to Roma in the Europa League, making it two goals and seven assists in 19 games.

But that only tells part of the story, as the Sweden international is third for distance run in the Premier League, clocking up 130.4km, behind just Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes and Bournemouth's Lewis Cook, who have both started more matches than the £37million signing from Juventus in 2022.

When asked about his fitness, speed and stamina, having also clocked in the top 10 for sprints in the league (251), Kulusevski said: "I do a lot. I eat very well, I drink a lot, I sleep as much as possible [and] I try not to stay on my phone. Everything that gives me energy - I do it.

"Like you said, it is difficult every three days to play 90 minutes but I do as much as possible. I try to do a lot of recovery, including ice every day so it is a lot of things.

"I have just one life, one career - I just want to maximise it as much as possible. When I am done with this, I will have no regrets. I am just giving everything I have now and we will see what it will take but I want to improve and see how far I can go."

Having operated mostly in wide positions prior to this season, Kulusevski has moved inside and excelled centrally so far in 2024-25.

When asked if he asked Postecoglou to switch his role, he continued: "The manager just put me there and I have played there before so it was no problem for me. It feels very good. I score and assist so from this position I am always dangerous.

"I want to improve and I want Tottenham to be number one so I have to be at my best to help the team as much as possible."

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Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this season (33), while his three assists so far are as many as he managed in 36 appearances in 2023-24.

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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says Dejan Kulusevski's running is one of his "biggest strengths".

The Swede has covered more distance per game than any other player in the Premier League this season, and Postecoglou believe this stat is "no fluke".

"It's a lot of hard work, probably with some genetics in there." Postecolgou said in his latest news conference. "He just has a real capacity to run at a certain level consistently. His recovery rates are elite. He can go, rest pretty quickly and go again.

"There's also that mental strength to do it. I think a lot of players have the capacity but reach a limit when they are tired. He just keeps going. It's a big part of his football and a big strength of his.

"We've just got to be mindful of overburdening him, but at the moment he still feels really good.

"In his mind, he is very ambitious about how good he can be. He's still a relatively young man and I just have a feeling with him that he will not settle for any level other than the best. He's got this real laser-eyed focus about how good he can be."

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport journalist

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Fulham (kick-off 13:30).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Postecoglou started off with a squad fitness update: "I think everything is all right from [the Europa League draw against Roma on Thursday]. [Cristian] Romero's return is probably the closest, but still unlikely. I'm not ruling him out. He has got to get through some things today and a session tomorrow."

• He also confirmed that Dominic Solanke is "a bit sore" but still available for Sunday's match.

• On their opponents: "I've got a lot of time for Marco Silva. He's stabilised them, the level of performance is good on a weekly basis and they have some good players in there. It should be a good game."

• He was asked about Dejan Kulusevski's impressive running stats: "It's not a fluke - it's a lot of hard work. He has a real capacity to run at a certain level consistently and his recovery levels are elite. There's also a lot of mental strength to it. It's a big strength of his."

• On the state of his squad: "We had four schoolboys on the bench [against Roma] - two of them actually went to school this morning. We're working pretty hard with some limiting factors."

• However, he did show his enthusiasm for the potential of teenage summer arrival Archie Gray: "I'm so excited by Archie. I'm asking him to do some different jobs which isn't easy, but he's playing football and playing at a really high level. That is going to set us up well for the footballer he is going to become."

• Finally, he was asked why Brennan Johnson has scored a lot more goals this season than in previous years: "The biggest thing is around the discipline in the positions he takes up. He's always in the right areas and he's making sure that he's always disciplined about being there. I still think there's more [to come]."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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We asked for your thoughts after Thursday's Europa League game between Tottenham and Roma.

Here are some of your comments:

Alexander: We were lucky to get a draw! Why does Ange persist with playing a 4-3-3 formation with our weakest central defenders? He must have seen that playing two defensive midfielders in front of the back four improved our performance against Manchester City? As it was, our full-backs were left out to dry. He was out-thought by Claudio Ranieri all the way.

Lindsay: We have no-one to slow things down and take the sting out of games when there are fine margins involved. We were far too frantic for the most part. More composure is needed.

Terry: Here we go again. It was a game we should have won on paper. The quickest player on the pitch, who scored a goal by the way, gets substituted. Defensively, we looked so shaky. Why didn't Maddison start, after his performance against Manchester City and also scoring two goals? Spurs could have won but they didn't really deserve to.

Padster: No trophy again this season, I suspect. We don't have the quality of player to play Ange's style. Son is looking past his best and Maddison was totally ineffective when he came on. Poor Solanke was running his socks off yet again with no quality service.

Keighton: Tottenham don't have the strength or depth of squad to win games - or win trophies, for that matter. Maybe new ownership is needed because right now they are a top 10 team, when they should be a top four or more team. Until that changes, and the depth of squad increases with better quality as a whole, the trophy cabinet will stay empty!

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Tottenham midfielder Dejan Kulusevski spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after Spurs' 2-2 draw with Roma in the Europa League on Thursday.

On working hard in games and methods of recovery during a busy schedule: "I have one life, one career. I want to maximise it as much as possible and when I'm done with this, I'm done and I will have no regrets. I'm giving everything I have now. I want to improve and see how high I can go.

"I eat very good. I drink a lot. I try to sleep as much as possible. I don't stay on my phone. Everything that gives me energy, I try to do it - because it's difficult to play 90 minutes every few days. I try to do as much as possible. I do a lot of recovery and do ice every day, so there's a lot of things."

On Fraser Forster replacing injured goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario: "He made a couple of great saves and it's great to have him. He's ready to play, and we also have Brandon Austin, who is a very good goalkeeper.

"We will miss Vicario because he is a fantastic guy, but now it's time for Fraser to step up and help the team. He's a top guy with unbelievable experience and we really trust him."

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Archie Gray speaking to TNT Sports: "It was a tough game for us. We had to dig deep in the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes.

"Apart from that, I thought played well. We were good on the counter-attacks. But the last moment cost us, and we will learn from the mistakes.

"Roma are a top team and sometimes top teams will have spells attacking us. Sometimes you can do your best and still concede."

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Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou speaking to TNT Sports: "It's frustrating, particularly when they score so late in the game. But it was a good game. We should have put it to bed early on and it's disappointing not to see it through.

"We should have shown a bit more composure. We had a couple of chances cleared off the line. We sort of kept them in the game."

On Fraser Forster: "He did well. We expect that from him. He is a very experienced goalkeeper and he did his part."

On scorers Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson: "They were okay. We created a lot of chances. We should have been clinical and won the game."

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Tottenham failed to win a Europa League home group stage match for the first time since October 2014, having won 10 consecutive games prior to Thursday's draw against Roma.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Tottenham's performance, external

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

Eighteen matches make up Thursday's Europa League schedule, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both in action.

• Manchester United v Bodo/Glimt

• Tottenham Hotspur v Roma

Both games kick off at 20:00 GMT

See all of Thursday's Europa League fixtures here

Follow all of the action and reaction

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Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie says Spurs are "working every day to find the consistency we need".

Ange Postecoglou's side have produced some fantastic performances this season - including Saturday's stunning 4-0 win at Manchester City - but have struggled in games they may have been expected to win, losing against Crystal Palace and Ipswich who are both in the Premier League relegation zone.

"It's been difficult because we haven't really found the right consistency," Udogie said before Thursday's Europa League visit of Italian giants Roma.

"We're working every day. We're coming from a big win last week and in the game tomorrow we will try and build the right momentum."

Earlier this campaign, Postecoglou made headlines when saying he "always" wins a trophy in his second season at clubs. Tottenham have not lifted major silverware for 18 years, the League Cup in 2007-08.

Asked about Spurs' quest to end the long wait for a trophy, Udogie said: "We all want to win something. We try and win every competition we are in.

"This season is the second season together so we understand each other, we know the gaffer better and the staff. This is the big difference. We have more confidence in our ability."

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Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League game at home against Roma (20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The broken ankle suffered by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will see him out for "months rather than weeks" and although the Italian has now had surgery Postecoglou said he does not like "giving timelines as it puts on expectations".

• More on Vicario's injury, which he played through in Saturday's 4-0 win at Manchester City: "We saw him at half time but there was no doubt about continuing. It's testament to the man though and externally people will realise what we see internally. He's hard as nails."

• Postecoglou added that signing a free agent is "not going to happen", stating: "That's why we've got a squad of players. We've got four goalkeepers. Fraser [Forster], I've known for a long-time. He's such a strong character in the group and always ready to play."

• On new Roma manager Claudio Ranieri: "It just goes to show the passion he has for the game. It's always nice to meet these people who have had made such an impact on football. He's always come across as a gentleman. That bug you have for being on the touchline doesn't leave you."

• He is pleased with the form of Ben Davies: "I'd doubt anyone who has a passion for this club would say anything other than he has the highest of respect. The testament to his ability is that a number of coaches have all trusted him at different times. He's still performing at a very high level."

• Postecoglou says finishing in the Europa League top eight "certainly needs to be the aim". He added: "Our European form in general has been really good and not in easy circumstances. We've played a lot of young players and given a lot of players game time which has been really good."

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Nick Godwin
BBC Radio London reporter

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I must confess, I am as guilty as the next reporter for failing to spot the signs of Tottenham's crushing victory on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.

I took one look at the defensive line-up and my memories of the Galatasaray game came flooding back.

Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies were no match for Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi. How would they cope with the full frontal assault by Manchester City? My pre-match prediction that they would be swiftly dismantled lasted less than a quarter of an hour into the contest.

There was so much to celebrate about the way Tottenham took City apart, it may seem unnecessarily negative to point out how frustrating Ange Postecoglou's team have been this season.

However, the point still stands - how on earth can a team beaten at home by Ipswich, looking dysfunctional and unconfident, go to Manchester a fortnight later and destroy City like that?

• Not a Spurs fan? Find your club's page here

Timo Werner toiled when he came on against Ben Johnson of Ipswich, but left Kyle Walker – the best right-back in a generation - trailing in his wake when laying on goal number four.

There are now a series of pretty impressive things done by this Spurs team so far this season – including two glittering wins in Manchester and progress in two cup competitions. All of this makes the setbacks that little bit more frustrating – the capitulation against Brighton, the Ipswich fiasco and a rather meek display in the north London derby.

At the moment, these two elements are part of the Tottenham package – the supporters almost price them in. But there is surely a parallel universe in which those slip-ups do not occur and Spurs take their rightful place as consistent major players at the top of the league?

The weekend's result makes you think that universe is not as distant as it might sometimes seem. These statement wins have to become a habit, not simply something to wind fans up when something inevitably goes wrong.

Real Madrid want to sign a new right-back and see Tottenham's 25-year-old Spain defender Pedro Porro as a potential target. (Sport - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wedesday's full gossip column

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

As Ed Sheeran made some headlines this week.

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Manchester United fans hope Ruben Amorim will be 'The Man' but he was hoping for more points than just 'One'.

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Leicester are looking for a 'New Man' as Cooper's reign lasted 157 days.

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Wolves' ended their 'Bad Habits' with their first away win since February.

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Tottenham achieved a nearly 'Perfect' performance and an even better 'Photograph'.

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Liverpool fans wonder what life could be like without the 'Shape of You'.

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Despite Alexander Isak not asking the Newcastle fans to 'Give me Love' they clearly showed that they 'Remember the Name.'

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And the Toon Army will be hoping Monday's loss was just a 'Small Bump'.

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Losing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to ankle surgery just 48 hours after winning 4-0 away at Manchester City broadly sums up Tottenham.

Having gone from big wins to bad defeats already this season, the supporters in North London have endured a rollercoaster of emotions.

But arguably Ange Postecoglou's most impressive win away at the champions is followed by losing his most irreplaceable player.

A statement on social media by the Italian explained how he played on for 60 minutes at the Etihad Stadium with a fractured ankle, and he simply had no other choice but to have surgery.

Spurs have other outstanding players, and while in most positions there are capable backups, the goalkeeper role has come under scrutiny.

There are questions whether Fraser Forster, 36, is still at Premier League level after an injury-hit season saw him play just once last season - and after a couple of shaky performances against Coventry City and Galatasaray this season.

Not investing in a high-calibre backup goalkeeper could cost Tottenham in a crucial month that might define their season.

Tottenham are interested in Wolves' 25-year-old forward Matheus Cunha, with Manchester United also monitoring the Brazil international. (TBR Football), external

Meanwhile, Spurs may look to sign a goalkeeper in January after Guglielmo Vicario suffered a broken ankle that required surgery. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column