Tottenham Hotspur

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Midfielder Lucas Bergvall has signed a new contract with Tottenham, stating he feels he is at "a club with great ambitions".

The 19 year-old, signed from Swedish side Djurgarden for £8.5m in the summer, has now committed his future to Spurs until 2031.

"I worked really hard for this and, with help from my team-mates and the staff, I've developed a lot this season," he told SpursPlay., external

"If you compare to the beginning of the season, I came from the Swedish league, I had a lot to learn and needed to settle down a little bit.

"But I think around Christmas and before that, I started to get more time [on the pitch] and I started to develop.

"It's a club with great ambitions. We've had a tough season but we've learned a lot but we still have a lot to do."

Bergvall said the short-term focus is on the Europa League, with Tottenham facing Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, but added: "The goal is to win everything."

What do you make of this news? How highly do you rate Bergvall and how important is it for Spurs to tie players like him down to long-term deals? Let us know here

Tottenham and Manchester United are both interested in signing French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, 21, from Lyon. (Caught Offside), external

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Ali Speechly
Fan writer

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The less said about Sunday's performance against Liverpool, the better.

Having clearly given up on making any kind of effort in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou and his players have instead turned their attention to Thursday's must-win semi-final against FK Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.

Based on our current form in the domestic league, our chances of winning silverware in Europe this season seem slim, but anything can happen in tournament football.

There is something of a banana skin about facing opposition like FK Bodo/Glimt though, isn't there? The sort of game where everyone else expects you to win – which is exactly the worst type of game for Tottenham Hotspur.

Any true Spurs fan knows better than to assume victory but, at the same time, defeat to this Norwegian team seems too disappointing to contemplate, especially given what we have already had to endure this season.

It is looking increasingly like these will be the final games for Ange as Spurs manager – whether we win this trophy or not – so in all honesty I just want him and his players to make themselves proud on Thursday evening and, most importantly, to give us Spurs fans something to celebrate.

It is essential not only that we win this first leg, but that we do so with a healthy goal difference. That way, even if we struggle away from home in the second leg, hopefully we will already be so far out in front that even we cannot mess it up.

As I have expressed in previous weeks, I am dubious as to how we go from woeful in the Premier League to wonderful in the Europa League, but I would be more than happy for Ange and the team to show me how it is done.

Find more from Ali Speechly at Women Of The Lane, external and on Instagram, external

Everton have made Tottenham forward Richarlison their first-choice attacking target this summer. (Givemesport), external

Spurs will have to sell players to make funds available for new signings this summer. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has warned Tottenham "not to underestimate" Thursday's Europa League semi final opponents Bodo/Glimt because they have been one of the standout teams in this campaign.

Spurs players' will have to recover - and fast - following Sunday's thumping at Liverpool.

"The performance was not good enough," said Reo-Coker on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "The mental side of it for these players, who are going into two legs of a game that can book them a place in a European final, will be interesting.

"I don't think you would want to lose in that manner before such a big game - even if it is to Liverpool.

"No one really expected Tottenham to win because they made eight changes but Ange Postecoglou has now probably dug himself an even deeper hole because how are you going to get these players up again for such a big game?

"I would warn Spurs now not to underestimate Bodo/Glimt. They have been one of the fantastic teams in this Europa League. I have covered them in this competition and they are a sensational footballing side. Whether that be on their artificial pitch at home or grass away.

"They are going to cause Tottenham some serious problems."

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Tottenham, which saw Ange Postecoglou's side fall to a dismal 5-1 defeat.

Here are some of your replies:

Dave: Men vs boys. Same old 'Ange-ball' nonsense. Time to go. You can succeed in Scotland, where there are mostly two teams, but you can't in the Premier League. We probably won't win the Europa league either - we are simply not good enough. Massive clearout required in the close season, including the management because this season has been an embarrassment.

Chester: Not a decent tackler in midfield, awful distribution from the back, every challenge across the pitch lost and one header won in the whole game. Can we win a trophy? If you think you can change all of that in four days, you would be regarded as delusional.

Doug: We are a disgrace. All this focus on Europa League, but we can't beat the likes of Wolves and Ipswich - and we get humiliated by Liverpool three times in a season. We can't defend, we can't pass and I've got no idea what is going on in training. Ange needs to go regardless of whether we win the Europa League or not.

George: This was expected - we shouldn't make it out like it wasn't. Ange should be given the chance to win us the Europa League. If we manage to win it, give him next season to prove himself under normal conditions. We are in bad form in the league, just like any other team has been in the past, and it is a mindset issue not a management issue. A fresh start next season with a potential European trophy under our belts sounds a lot more promising.

Dan: It's gone way past the time for Ange to go. Honestly, how long do we have to put up with this for? The players don't seem to care or show any fight. The attitude is coming from the manager!

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Bournemouth 1-1 Manchester United

• Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham

Atletico Madrid have made Tottenham defender Cristian Romero one of their top targets this summer. (Marca - in Spanish, external)

Tottenham, Newcastle United, Manchester United, West Ham, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all interested in signing Canada striker Jonathan David, 25, when his Lille contract expires in the summer - but Marseille are hoping to persuade the player to stay in France. (RMC Sport, via Get Football News France, external)

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Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, speaking to Sky Sports: "Credit to Liverpool. They're worthy champions – they've been outstanding all year. It was really hard for us. They proved to be too good.

"We were going to face a highly motivated team and so it proved. We started the game OK and tried to make it as hard as possible. We're making a lot of changes to our team on a weekly basis. It's affecting our fluency and consistency, and we're paying the price for that.

"In the first half, what was really disappointing was the manner in which we conceded the goals. I thought we were actually well in the game and had our moments going forward. Once they went in front it was really difficult, with the crowd behind them, to get back into the game.

"In the games we've been blown away by Liverpool, we've been fairly depleted. We've obviously rested a few, which I think we needed. The lads who played have come through OK, which is what we needed."

On the Europa League semi-final on Thursday: "There's a massive opportunity. We'll put all our energies, efforts and focus into that and try to push on to a European final."

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Tottenham Hotspur have lost their 19th game of the season, their joint-most defeats in a Premier League campaign along with the 1993-94 and 2003-04 seasons.

This defeat by Liverpool was the joint-heaviest Spurs have suffered in the league under Ange Postecoglou and guarantees that they will finish a top-flight season in the bottom half for the first time since 2007-08 (11th).

So, how are you feeling after that, Tottenham fans?

What's your verdict on the performance? And are you now worried about Thursday's huge Europa League semi-final?

Let us know

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

Two matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Bournemouth v Man Utd (14:00) - follow all the action here

• Liverpool v Tottenham (16:30) - follow all the action here

All kick-off times BST

Listen to live commentary of both games on BBC Radio 5 Live

Liverpool only need a point to make sure of the title, and it is going to happen against Tottenham on Sunday.

There is an argument that Spurs, and Manchester United too, should go strong in these Premier League games to try to find the rhythm they have been lacking all season, and get the team playing the way we know they can to help them in their Europa League semi-finals.

But I don't see Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou doing that before his side play Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, and I can only see one outcome.

Liverpool have hardly been that sharp of late but they will be determined to win the title in front of their own fans for the first time in 35 years.

They were not able to do that when they last won the title in 2020 because of the Covid regulations at the time, so doing it now is a big deal for them.

I am expecting them to raise their game and blow Spurs away to get the job done.

Sutton's prediction: 4-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

The title is won - or so the prevailing wisdom seems to be.

Liverpool simply need turn up against Tottenham on Sunday and red ribbons will be applied to the Premier League trophy.

In many ways, it is a fair assumption.

Anfield has not been a happy hunting ground for Spurs.

It is 14 years since Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric inspired the north London side to victory there, as Liverpool stuttered under Sir Kenny Dalglish.

Since then, it has been one joyful result after another for the Reds.

Even this season, trailing 1-0 from the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Tottenham, Liverpool simply steamrollered their visitors, utterly untouched in a 4-0 procession to the final.

And that was just six weeks after smashing Spurs 6-3 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League.

Then there is the Arsenal factor. Delaying Liverpool's coronation would only help Tottenham's bitterest rivals. And no Spurs fan wants that, surely?

The graph below underlines just how much more success Liverpool have had points-wise than Tottenham in this fixture.

However, for those who like a bit of jeopardy,... despite the stats, Liverpool have not had it all their own way against Tottenham on home turf.

For the past two seasons, they have hosted Spurs at this time of year and hit four in both games - but also been leaky at the other end.

Indeed, Richarlison famously thought he had rescued a point in the 93rd minute in 2023, only for Diogo Jota to ruin away hopes.

In 2022, it was a May match - and Antonio Conte's side dealt a significant blow to Liverpool's title hopes with a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

During the Covid-affected season before, Roberto Firmino scored in injury time to nick a win for Liverpool and deny Spurs a deserved point.

And that's just the past five seasons.

Who can forget Victor Wanyama's ridiculous strike and Harry Kane's late penalty to grab a point in an enthralling 2-2 draw in 2018?

Or a crucial winner from Mario Balotelli in a 3-2 thriller in 2015?

In other words, games against Tottenham are usually a pretty wild ride - but with the right outcome as far as Liverpool are concerned.

So buckle in for Sunday's title opportunity. It is perhaps not as straightforward as it seems...

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Earlier, we asked you to name the current Tottenham player from a series of clues.

The correct answer is Djed Spence.

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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has insisted he is not thinking about the future of Cristian Romero or any other player at the club as he instead focuses on the Europa League.

Romero, whose contract expires in June 2027, made headlines after saying he "would love" to play in La Liga in response to links with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

But Postecoglou said: "I haven't read the report too closely, but it's like me - if you get asked a question, you have got to answer it.

"If you ask me a lot of questions about my future, you'd probably get some great headlines out of that as well, but it doesn't change [anything].

"Do you know what's important right now? It is not Cristian Romero's future or anyone else's future, it is that we have an unbelievable opportunity to do something special at this football club and, for me and everyone involved internally, that is what we're concentrating on.

"Let's put our heads down and make sure, because I think, for our supporters, that is the most important thing to them. Right now, all they care about is that we're in the last four of a European competition and we want to do something special. That is where our focus is."

Postecoglou was also quizzed on his previous support of Liverpool, who will win the Premier League title if they avoid defeat by Spurs at Anfield on Sunday.

However, Postecoglou said: "I'm an almost 60-year-old adult. I've gone past my boyhood crushes, so it's got no impact whatsoever.

"I have great admiration for the football club. Yes, I supported it when I was younger, but that was 50-odd years ago, so we've well and truly moved on since then.

"You want to go there and compete against obviously a very good side - and compete well."

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Tottenham struggle against teams who press.

Spurs go to Anfield on Sunday knowing that they could upset a potential title party, with Liverpool needing only a point to be confirmed as 2024-25 Premier League champions.

Arne Slot's team, while not as gung-ho as Jurgen Klopp's previous iteration of the Reds, focus a lot on pressing their opponents and could scarcely have chosen a better side to play on Sunday for this reason.

Only Manchester United and Southampton have been turned over in their own third more so far in the 2024-25 Premier League season than Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou's team have faced 291 high turnovers, with United facing 292 and the Saints 308.

Spurs also have the fourth-highest xG against stat in the league (54.3). Only relegated sides Southampton and Leicester, and 18th-placed Ipswich, have bigger values in this category.

Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has also contributed to 20 goals against Tottenham - his third highest total against an opponent, behind Manchester United (22) and Manchester City (21).

Salah has scored 15 and assisted five in just 23 matches versus Spurs.

Sean Byrne
BBC Sport researcher

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at Liverpool (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On injury news: "Don't really have injury problems - only one. Sonny [Son Heung-min] is the one trying to work his way back. He's improving, which is good for us - but not for Sunday."

• On when Son can be expected back: "We'll see. He's improving. First time on the grass today and it's better then it was. It's day by day now."

• On team selection: "Apart from the long-term injuries, everyone from the last game is back really well. Rest of the squad is available."

• On facing Liverpool on Sunday before Europa League semi-final first leg against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday: "We want to go there and compete well against Liverpool. Irrespective of what's on the horizon, that is the primary importance to us."

• On managing fan expectation: "You've just got to deal with what's before you. We are well aware our league form and position is nowhere near good enough. We also know there is an unbelievable opportunity on the horizon. This clubs had many seasons when it has done outstandingly well in the league but doesn't have the opportunity we have now being in the final four of a major competition. That's where the focus is and where the focus should be."

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

Guess the current Tottenham player from these three clues:

• I won promotion to the Premier League while on loan at Nottingham Forest in 2022.

• Since joining Tottenham, I have had loan spells playing in France and Italy.

• I scored in the Carabao Cup win at Coventry earlier this season.

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer