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England midfielder Jude Bellingham was ruled out of Real Madrid’s LaLiga clash against Valencia with a shoulder injury. The in-form 20-year-old, who has scored 13 goals in 14 Real appearances since his £88.5m summer switch from Borussia Dortmund, suffered a dislocated shoulder during last Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano. Bellingham was this week included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia. A Real Madrid statement issued on Saturday said: “After the tests carried out today on our player Jude Bellingham, he has been diagnosed with anterior instability of his left shoulder, a consequence of his recent dislocation. “Bellingham is out for today’s match against Valencia.” Bellingham was named among the substitutes for Wednesday night’s 3-0 Champions League win over Portuguese side Braga, but manager Carlo Ancelotti did not use him as his side cruised to victory. Read More Is England’s Kane-Bellingham strike force the best in the world? The future of football: Why the U-17 World Cup highlights an evolving game Real Madrid issue Jude Bellingham shoulder injury update

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was given a three-game ban by the Big Ten for the team's sign-stealing scandal. But there's still a possibility he can coach the team's game against Penn State.

Two minutes: that’s how long it took for Tottenham Hotspur to ease a first few lingering nerves that a decimated defence might make them a less-effective team, following that wild and wacky defeat to Chelsea last time out. It wasn’t the end of them by any means, but it gave Spurs both an early lift and something to fight for. And 88 minutes: that’s how long Ange Postecoglou had to observe and realise that – despite his makeshift team’s obvious effort, desire and willingness to go above and beyond – there just wasn’t the cohesion and balance needed to keep out the best attacks in the Premier League. And that was before Wolverhampton Wanderers’ late turnaround. Brennan Johnson it was who scored early, tapping in after a typically fast-flowing move down the right flank but Spurs rarely threatened thereafter and it was a very different type of performance for the majority of the rest of the game. Even so, they still led until just when the injury time board was being raised; a magnificent first touch and volley from Pablo Sarabia later, matters were levelled. And with the latest of late sucker-punches, Mario Lemina slid in to send the home fans delirious, six minutes past the 90, for Wolves 2-1 Tottenham. In between, a whole lot happened to give Postecoglou both reason for optimism and pause for thought. While the back line was very much a restructured one, the attack was merely the same, but different: James Maddison’s injury meant his scheming and invention was replaced by Pape Sarr moving slightly higher up, a ferocious runner into the channels and still a hard-working operative in deeper areas. But without Maddison as that connection, and perhaps without the left-wing thrust from deep of full-back Destiny Udogie, Spurs found it a lot more difficult to break out of their defensive shape, a lot more difficult to maintain possession high upfield. Their intermittent threat, when it came, was of the counter-attacking variety, mainly through Dejan Kulusevski’s ball-carrying, and rarely with the weight of numbers to make a telling final difference. At the other end of the pitch was where the real tale was told, where Postecoglou’s real lessons to take from the match were. Eric Dier was making his first league start of the season, recalled at centre-back, alongside Ben Davies – just a second start for him. Both played well, is the starting point of any assessment. But the issue is that they played well individually: recovery challenges, last-ditch clearances, a couple of vital interceptions of low crosses and cut-backs. There was not, as would perhaps be expected given their minimal gametime this term, any semblance of cohesion, of understanding, of partnership. That has been the big plus at the back this term for Spurs, the rapid way in which Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have filled in for each other, complemented each other’s skillsets and coped with attacks between them. Here instead – and add in a switched-to-left-back Emerson Royal under the same headings – it was all about each defender desperately trying to be that last man, get that last touch, make that last block to protect the fragile lead. There shouldn’t be any blame headed to Dier or Davies for that, as both reasonably did as much as they could, but Spurs’ lack of cohesion saw them exposed and exploited time after time by a very progressive – and very wasteful – Wolves attack. The hosts averaged fewer than 12 shots per game in the Premier League this season; they had surpassed that tally well before the hour mark here. But a combination of wayward strikes, those aforementioned blocks and frankly odd decision-making meant Guglielmo Vicario was nowhere near as tested as he might have been. In the end, it took shots number 16 and 17 to beat the Italian, and to beat Spurs. But as harsh as that late turnaround in scoreline might feel at the final whistle, the truth is a more ruthless and prolific team, one who averages more than Wolves’ 1.3 goals per game this season perhaps, would have had the points sewn up far earlier. Postecoglou can take solace in the heart and effort, and the fact that a third of Romero’s ban is over, plus the entirety of Udogie’s. But had Spurs held out, the truth of the game wouldn’t have been any different to the boss, they’d just have more points at the end of it. Van de Ven in defence and Maddison in attack have been core components of both recovery and intricacy in Spurs’ play this season, and neither have obvious replacements. Work lies ahead over the international break to ensure Tottenham’s early season promise doesn’t fade away entirely in the aftermath of that damaging defeat to Chelsea. Read More Wolves vs Spurs LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Football fan convicted of racially abusing Rio Ferdinand Wolves vs Newcastle United LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Malmo v Elfsborg is the Swedish title decider you (probably) haven’t heard about Chelsea’s downward spiral offers stark warning to Man City Chelsea will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later, says Pep Guardiola

Wolves’ stunning late show rocked Tottenham and denied Spurs the chance to return to the top of the Premier League. Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to snatch a thrilling – but deserved – 2-1 victory. Brennan Johnson’s early strike – his first Spurs goal – had given the visitors the lead and they looked on course for a smash-and-grab win at Molineux. Tottenham rode their luck as Wolves constantly let them off the hook until Sarabia and Lemina sparked a sensational finish. They were heading two points clear at the top of the table but have now suffered successive defeats. Wolves, meanwhile, hit back from their controversial 2-1 loss at Sheffield United to underline the clear progress they are making under Gary O’Neil. Spurs suffered their first wobble under Ange Postecoglou in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea having also lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January with injuries. Suspensions to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie compounded their issues before arriving at Molineux yet they initially showed no scars from Monday’s chaos and took the lead after just three minutes. It was poor from Wolves, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes were hoodwinked by Dejan Kulusevski’s cute drag and flick which allowed Pedro Porro to cross low for Johnson. He had run on the blindside of Nelson Semedo and, with the defender caught out, tapped in from close range. It was the Wales international’s first goal since April – which also came against Wolves. Far from being shellshocked, the hosts responded well and Ben Davies blocked a shot from the rampaging Ait-Nouri as Wolves’ tenacity left Spurs flustered. Tottenham were needlessly tentative at the back, perhaps from Monday’s carnage, but continued to survive with Wolves’ final ball consistently failing them. They still needed Guglielmo Vicario to save well from Lemina before the midfielder had a header deflect over and the goalkeeper also gathered Toti Gomes’ effort in stoppage time. Wolves emerged after the break in the same combative fashion and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde ballooned over with Matheus Cunha also curling wide. The hosts were getting closer and should have levelled after 54 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan missed a golden chance. A poor corner eventually fell to Gomes and his shot deflected into the path of Hwang but, with just Vicario to beat, the seven-goal forward scuffed wide. Without star man Pedro Neto Wolves lacked a killer touch, similar to Tottenham – missing main schemer Maddison – who had created nothing since their early opener. The hosts’ dominance had nullified Spurs but they were still behind and their desperation for a leveller began to leave spaces, with Johnson curling wide after a rare break. Wolves looked to be running out of ideas with time ticking by, although Sasa Kalajdzic wastefully headed over, and Giovani Lo Celso almost snatched an undeserved second with two minutes left but Jose Sa turned his effort over. Little suggested the drama to come but Wolves then turned the game on its head in stoppage time. O’Neil’s side finally got the leveller they deserved when substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, collected Cunha’s clipped ball and smashed past Vicario. Then, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Sarabia was sent scampering after a quick free-kick and he found Lemina to turn in and send Molineux wild. Read More Ben Stokes and Joe Root give England hope of ending World Cup on a high From Covid to the Copper Box: Maia Lumsden relishes her ‘unbelievable’ return On this day in 2015: Stuart Lancaster resigns as England head coach Mauricio Pochettino: Easier for new players at Man City than ‘evolving’ Chelsea Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks Harry Maguire ‘showing he can do the job’ – Erik ten Hag

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It all comes down to this: Malmo v Elfsborg, separated by three points, meeting in the last game of the season with the Allsvenskan title on the line. It has been dubbed “the final” by Swedish media. Malmo will deploy more security guards than at any game in the club’s history. Elfsborg’s fans will be “caged” in one corner of the Stadion Malmo, in an effort to stop celebrations or fury spilling on to the pitch. Malmo shouldn’t even be alive in this race. Henrik Rydstrom’s free-flowing team lost 4-2 at third-place Hacken last weekend and thought they were done. But somehow Elfsborg only mustered a draw at home to relegation-threatened Degerfors, scoring a 95th-minute equaliser but failing to add their Aguero moment at the death. The pressure got to both teams, and so it goes to the wire. Malmo and Elfsborg are wildly contrasting clubs. While Elfsborg hail from a small town, Malmo is Sweden’s third city, the literal and metaphorical birthplace of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and its football team is the most successful in the country’s history with 22 league titles. Their style of play is unique in Swedish football, and eight or nine players can often be found filling the same side of the pitch to progress the ball upfield, or to quickly win it back in hunting packs. They play with a positional freedom that looks off the cuff, but contains patterns of passing and movement drilled on the training pitch by the innovative Rydstrom. Rydstrom is an unusual character in football, with a masters degree in literary studies and a past writing music reviews in magazines. He is known for his strong socialist principles and his outspoken comments have drawn criticism from right-wing politicians. The manager has been described in the Swedish media as “methodical, process-driven and sophisticated” in his approach, and his methods extend to giving players tactical homework. The coach demands utter dominance of the ball – Malmo’s average possession this season is 64.8 per cent, a long way clear of the rest and higher even than Manchester City in the Premier League (63.2). But he is no disciple of Pep Guardiola. Rydstrom’s style has been likened to the fluid Brazilian football of Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz, who recently led his team to the Copa Libertadores and whose “anti-positional” tactics – dubbed Dinizismo – are in stark contrast to Guardiola’s more rigid structure so popular in Europe. Elfsborg are a more typical Swedish team, defensively stable, with the most clean sheets this season. They don’t sit deep, but possession is not of high importance to head coach Jimmy Thelin, whose team are dogged and difficult to play against. Elfsborg have committed more fouls than any other side in the league. But there are no prizes for aesthetics, as the Swedish daily newspaper Expressen stressed this week. “Style plays a role only if it culminates in glory,” writes Noah Bachner. “Defeats can be erased from memory if ultimately they don’t affect the final table. But only one thing counts. You can drag up statistics on short passes, shots taken, how many Swedish Krona per point and every expected goal. You can moan about Elfsborg’s way of playing … But only the trophy matters.” Elfsborg are based in a town called Boras, not far from Gothenburg (the name Elfsborg refers to the region). They have won six Swedish titles in their 120-year history, the most recent in 2012, and their home ground is nicknamed ‘Elfsborg Fortress’ – a riff on an actual fortification off the coast of Gothenburg – in appreciation of what a notoriously hard place Boras is to go and win. What plays in Elfsborg’s favour is that Malmo have consistently been found wanting in the biggest moments under Rydstrom. “If you want to take charge of the title race, which Malmo had and lost several times, you have to take points from the teams you’re fighting against,” writes Bachner. He has a point: Malmo have not won any of their five games this season against key rivals Djurgarden, Hacken or Elfsborg, who thrashed Malmo at the Fortress in May. Malmo had 73 per cent possession, took 19 shots and scored no goals. Elfsborg committed 26 fouls and scored three. Rydstrom’s reputation as more than just a coach who paints pretty pictures depends on this result. “My conviction is that Rydstrom is right for Malmo, regardless of how it goes on Sunday,” adds Bachner. “But I am equally convinced that nothing is going to stop him from being branded as something other than a winner [should Malmo lose]. Another missed opportunity, after slipping again like last Sunday, will take time to scrub away.” But this time it is Malmo with home advantage. Elfsborg do not have a Fortress to defend. They are the visitors, and they must travel 150 miles south into the lion’s den to claim the prize that narrowly eluded them last weekend. For Elfsborg, a point will do. Malmo must win. It all comes down to this. Read More Pochettino learnt lessons from infamous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ to mature as manager Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Chelsea will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later – Pep Guardiola Pochettino learnt lessons from infamous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ to mature as manager Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Chelsea will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later – Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola expects Chelsea to be back challenging for the title in the near future. Chelsea last won the Premier League during Guardiola’s first season at Manchester City in 2016-17. Since then it is City who have dominated the competition, taking the crown in five of the past six campaigns. Chelsea did edge out City in the 2021 Champions League final but there has been plenty of turbulence at the London club since, and they currently sit 10th in the table. Guardiola, who takes his side to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, said: “Chelsea remain one of the more important teams in England. “It’s true that in the Premier League they were not close to winning it in these last seasons but they’re still one of the strongest teams, there’s no doubts about that. “I see that in the last games they are alive, they have good spirit, they are aggressive, they have a good pattern. The quality is there. “It’s one of the toughest games that we have during the season. Sooner or later Chelsea will be there fighting for the titles, and I guess sooner than later.” Chelsea have had a rocky start to the campaign under new manager Mauricio Pochettino but Guardiola has no doubt they will come on strong. He said: “It’s normal. They are getting better. Every manager needs his time – it’s a new club, new players but they’ll be a top contender because the quality in all departments is there.” Two of Chelsea’s better performers this season have been the former City pair of Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling. City academy product Palmer, 21, switched clubs in August having grown frustrated at a lack of opportunities at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola said: “The reason why was that he wanted game time. Now he has it, so congratulations. “He’s a guy who came from the academy and if he is having success it’s good for him and we wish him the best. I’m really pleased for him.” Sterling won four Premier League titles and the FA Cup at City and Guardiola recognises him as a dangerman this weekend. Guardiola said: “He’s playing really good, he’s back in his best moments, best performance, (from) what I’ve seen lately. “He always creates incredible dangers for the opponents.” Read More From Covid to the Copper Box: Maia Lumsden relishes her ‘unbelievable’ return On this day in 2015: Stuart Lancaster resigns as England head coach Mauricio Pochettino: Easier for new players at Man City than ‘evolving’ Chelsea Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks Harry Maguire ‘showing he can do the job’ – Erik ten Hag ‘I heard what I heard’ – Tom Curry stands by racism claim against Bongi Mbonambi

Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham have already passed plenty of tests this season – but he will not let the absence of nine first-team players at Wolves offer up an excuse for a dropoff in performance. Spurs suffered their first defeat of the Premier League campaign on Monday in a chaotic 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, which could have further consequences in the long term. Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero were sent off during the London derby, while Micky van de Ven (hamstring) and James Maddison (ankle) suffered serious injuries that will rule them out until January. Postecoglou, however, is no stranger to a challenge given Harry Kane’s departure on the eve of the new campaign. “The first test? Losing the greatest ever player in this competition the day before the start of the season? Nah, piece of cake,” Postecoglou pointed out. “We lost players to almost season-ending injuries. Nah, don’t worry about it. Mate, there are tests all the time. “In my whole career, I figured out there are only two states of being as a manager: under siege, or it’s coming. I’m well aware that every day nothing runs smooth. There’s always challenges out there. “I just try and make sure I don’t change my state of being. It is what it is. “I try and focus on what’s important. We’re still building a team and an environment where people want to win. It’s not going to change from week to week. “It’s fairly extreme even for a person of my experience to lose five players in one game, but that doesn’t mean it’s any worse than anything we faced so far and it’s being a bit disrespectful to this group of players to say that everything has gone their way because it hasn’t. “From day one there’s been a real resilience and character in the group and they’re going to have to show it again. The first test? Losing the greatest ever player in this competition the day before the start of the season? Nah, piece of cake Ange Postecoglou recalls losing Harry Kane from the Spurs squad “We’ve had plenty of reasons not to be where we are, plenty of excuses in terms of the disruptions we’ve had already and some of the challenges we’ve had to face. “Fair to say we won’t be using any kind of reason for us not to perform at our best tomorrow.” Two of Postecoglou’s key decisions at Molineux and over the next couple of months will be trying to fill the void left by both Van de Ven and Maddison. Van de Ven’s injury on Monday resulted in Tottenham adopting an extremely high line and while Guglielmo Vicario impressed in the sweeper-keeper role, pundits questioned the tactic. But Postecoglou said: “I don’t try and lose games purposefully, trust me. I’m very much for trying to win a game of football. I get it’s slightly unconventional, that I kind of understand, but you don’t get from Australia to the Premier League by being conventional. “And trust me, this isn’t the first time people have questioned my madness. It’s got me to where I am and I continue to do it because I believe we can win that way, not because of any other reason.” Eric Dier made his first appearance of the season off the bench on Monday but is set for a regular role with Van de Ven injured until January and Romero suspended until next month. Postecoglou added: “Eric has been part of this football club for a very long time. “Every day he’s another one who has trained hard. He hasn’t had a lot of opportunities, but that’s because we’ve been pretty settled in terms of our back four and we haven’t had the need to put him in there. “He’s always been ready to be called up. Now he gets the opportunity. I thought he did well the other night. “I thought he handled it really well. His experience will be important for us, particularly with Micky’s absence and Romero being out for three games.” Read More Harry Maguire ‘showing he can do the job’ – Erik ten Hag ‘I heard what I heard’ – Tom Curry stands by racism claim against Bongi Mbonambi Katie Boulter has come ‘full circle’ as GB return to Copper Box for BJK Cup tie Mauricio Pochettino learned lessons from famous battle to mature as manager Mikel Arteta warns Aaron Ramsdale not to rush decision over Arsenal future Dawid Malan: I want to play on but I don’t know what my England future holds

Mauricio Pochettino claimed it is easier for new players to settle at Manchester City than at Chelsea due to the huge upheaval at Stamford Bridge during the last 18 months. Eight of the 11 that started Chelsea’s 4-1 win at Pochettino’s former side Tottenham on Monday have joined since owner Todd Boehly bought the club in May 2022, with a further nine named amongst the substitutes. Only three of the side that began Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over City in the 2021 Champions League final are still at the club – Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva – whilst all 12 of the substitutes from the game in Porto have departed, along with manager Thomas Tuchel. By contrast, Pep Guardiola can still call upon seven of the 11 that started in the final, with the group having formed the nucleus of the side that won the competition last season along with the Premier League title and FA Cup. Few of the players signed by Chelsea under Boehly have enjoyed an instant impact despite a combined total transfer outlay of over £1billion, whereas City have seamlessly incorporated new recruits into their side, most notably Erling Haaland who netted 52 times during his debut season. Ahead of Sunday’s meeting with the champions at Stamford Bridge, Pochettino said much of that contrast in fortunes is down to City already having in place the kind of settled culture that he is starting to build at Chelsea. “When you arrive at a club and in a team that is very confident and solid in how they operate and in their structure, always it’s easier,” he said. “If you arrive at a club that is in a process of building something – (City) are ahead (of Chelsea). “When a player arrives in a very consistent organisation, it’s only about performing. But the possibility of a player signed by City to perform is higher than if we sign a player here, at the moment. “We are trying to find the best organisation, the best way to operate, the best way to play, to know each other. At City, you arrive and Pep… doesn’t need to talk too much. The player knows everything they need to do and how they need to behave. “They know how it works, the club. But here we are all new. Too many players (are new) and the organisation is in a moment where it is evolving and developing, and trying to find the best way to work.” One player who has impressed since arriving at Stamford Bridge is Cole Palmer, who swapped the Etihad Stadium for west London on the final day of the transfer window. The 21-year-old has been a standout performer during the improved form that has seen Chelsea win three of their last five in the league and discover an attacking fluency that was conspicuously absent last season. “It’s not fair to say it surprised me (that City let Palmer go) because now he’s performing and he didn’t play too much at City,” said Pochettino. “We’re two different clubs with different visions and different objectives. “Maybe Chelsea fits really well for Cole, but maybe it would have happened with different players.” Asked if there was a player whom Palmer reminds him of, Pochettino added: “(Angel) Di Maria, no? It’s difficult find someone to compare.” The Argentina winger struggled after swapping Real Madrid for Manchester United in 2014 and never settled in England, a problem Manchester-born Palmer has not faced. “He’s from Manchester,” said Pochettino. “It’s not easy for a Manchester boy to come to London and to adapt and to settle here. “(But) he knows the Premier League. It’s easy for him to adapt a new club. When a player comes from outside of England, you don’t know if they’ll understand the language, culture, food, weather.”

Harry Maguire will report for England duty next week re-established as a first-choice defender for Manchester United. When Gareth Southgate’s squad met up in October Maguire had made only two starts for Erik ten Hag’s side all season but he has been ever-present in the starting XI since, usually in a partnership with veteran Jonny Evans as Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof have had to bide their time. Maguire and Evans is not a pairing many would have seen coming in the summer, when Maguire was being linked with a move away from Old Trafford and Evans was a free agent after leaving relegated Leicester. An injury to Evans will see a change made when Luton visit on Saturday, but Ten Hag said Maguire was keeping former Real Madrid defender Varane, a key part of last season’s success, out on merit. “Harry Maguire is doing very well at the moment, and I am very happy with that,” he said. “As I always said, Harry Maguire can do the job — and now he is showing he can do the job. “Last year Harry didn’t play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition.” Ten Hag sees Maguire and Varane as being in direct competition for the right side of central defence. Although Maguire has spent much of his career on the left, Ten Hag does not like the balance of his side with the 30-year-old there. “There are moments in certain games where they can play together and they have already proven they can do it,” he said. “But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left.” Last season, the partnership Varane formed with Lisandro Martinez, protected by Casemiro, helped United win the Carabao Cup and return to the Champions League. But with Martinez and Casemiro currently out injured along with Luke Shaw, and Varane out of favour, there is a different look at present. “The injuries don’t help us,” Ten Hag said. “So often you have to swap the back four and then you don’t get the routine. In such moments, it is so important to have routines. “We had a new keeper (Andre Onana) coming in and every time you form a new back four and they know the rules and principles, but the routines are not the same. “Communication is so important, but that is all split-second decisions. You need that cooperation and you need it 100 per cent because when it doesn’t work, then you concede goals at this level.” Wednesday’s dramatic 4-3 Champions League defeat in Copenhagen made it nine defeats from 17 games in all competitions for United this season, piling the pressure on Ten Hag amid on the ongoing wait for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in the club to be completed. “Nothing has changed (in our approach),” Ten Hag added. “We stay in the same issues because we are not in the best moment, but I think I see that we are going forward, like at Fulham (a 1-0 win last weekend), and I thought Copenhagen was a very good game and we have to build on that. “Andre Onana came new in and in the last games has stepped up, Rasmus Hojlund is a new striker and he came in and is stepping up. That is good stuff. “We had some good midfield balance in the last two games, and hopefully we can keep that without new injuries in such departments and then I think we can really improve and find our success this season.” Read More Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks ‘I heard what I heard’ – Tom Curry stands by racism claim against Bongi Mbonambi Katie Boulter has come ‘full circle’ as GB return to Copper Box for BJK Cup tie Mauricio Pochettino learned lessons from famous battle to mature as manager Mikel Arteta warns Aaron Ramsdale not to rush decision over Arsenal future Dawid Malan: I want to play on but I don’t know what my England future holds

Emma Hayes reveals why she has decided to leave Chelsea.

Mauricio Pochettino said Chelsea’s victory at Tottenham on Monday proved he has matured as a manager in the years since his first spell in England. A frenetic 4-1 win in north London came amid two red cards for the hosts as emotions threatened to spill over in a manner reminiscent of the so-called ‘Battle of Stamford Bridge’, when Pochettino’s Spurs lost their discipline and a two-goal lead to concede the 2015-16 Premier League title. After that game, which confirmed Leicester as champions, Pochettino was criticised for allowing his players to lose control of the match and let slip the chance of claiming a first league title since 1961. Yet on Monday it was his former side whose discipline failed them, with Spurs losing Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie either side of half-time before Chelsea capitalised with a late hat-trick from striker Nicolas Jackson to seal a third straight away win in the league. Pochettino has previously said he believes he is calmer now than when he was appointed at Southampton in 2013, and that composure was evident amongst his players as they kept their heads on a wild night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “I learned a lot from the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ seven years ago,” he said ahead of his side’s home meeting with Manchester City on Sunday. “I got criticised a lot after this game. Too many people said it was may fault because I didn’t give or teach the players how to behave and to control emotion in a game like this. I learned a lot. “What I can say is the type of game (on Monday) is about tactics, it’s about form, it’s about the approach of the game and how you prepare. Also, it’s about how you control emotions. “One thing we can say my players managed really well is the control of emotions. We played 10-12 minutes not in a good way, not how we wanted. When we conceded the goal it was a big hit for us, we were in shock. “After this moment we started to control the game. At 11 v 11 we created chances, had a goal disallowed. Then we forced them to make mistakes. We played 120 minutes. I think we deserved to win. It was crazy but fair.” The game was notable for its total of 21 added minutes after there were nine VAR checks, which led to both red cards being shown as well as a penalty for Chelsea and five disallowed goals. Pochettino defended the role of the video referee and said that Spurs could have no complaints about the result. “Tell me one (VAR) decision that was not fair,” he said. “There was even I think a few decisions more when Tottenham were lucky. You cannot say VAR was (unfair) for us. When you watch the game again, Tottenham were very lucky to finish with only two less than us. “When there is emotion on the pitch, it’s difficult to control from the outside (as a coach). I was guilty seven years ago. But Ange (Postecoglou) wasn’t guilty (on Monday). “I learned. I watched the game again. It’s important to see how the players keep calm in a tough moment and to force (Tottenham) to make a mistake, then to win the game. That was the option.” Chelsea will be looking for their fourth win in six games in the league when they face Pep Guardiola’s champions on Sunday. Pochettino added: “Chelsea are never underdogs. The feeling is always that you are Chelsea. When you say Chelsea, it’s impossible (to feel the underdog). The history is there. We cannot go and say we are the victim of the day. We need to try to be protagonists with our personality, with our character. “We went to Tottenham and finished the game 4-1. It shows that we have character and talent to compete and to fight with the best clubs in England. Now it’s about building that confidence that for sure will help us to be more competitive.” Read More John Stones out of Chelsea clash but injury not as bad as feared Andy Murray and coach Ivan Lendl split for a third time Mikel Arteta warns Aaron Ramsdale not to rush decision over Arsenal future Dawid Malan: I want to play on but I don’t know what my England future holds Evan Ferguson signs new Brighton contract until 2029 Football rumours: Tottenham identify Lloyd Kelly as January transfer target