“JUST IN”- Richarlison ‘leaks’ Tottenham team news against Arsenal in message to team-mate
Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has hinted that teammate Dominic Solanke will make his return for the much-anticipated north London derby against Arsenal. Solanke, who became Tottenham’s record signing after joining for £65 million, has been sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained during Spurs’ opening match of the season against Leicester. That injury kept him out of Tottenham’s last two games, but there is now optimism that he will be back in action just in time for the crucial clash.
Manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Solanke has fully recovered and is now back in full training, making him available for selection. Solanke’s return would be a huge boost for the squad as they face their fierce rivals. Despite the official confirmation, Tottenham had kept fans guessing about Solanke’s status, as the club’s social media team had not featured him in any posts during the week leading up to the match.
However, Richarlison may have accidentally let the cat out of the bag. The Brazilian forward, who is known for his lively social media presence, responded to an Instagram post by Solanke, which celebrated his 27th birthday. Solanke had shared a heartfelt message, thanking fans for their birthday wishes and including a prayer hands emoji and a white heart, indicating his gratitude. Richarlison, in a seemingly light-hearted response, commented, “Sonny will give you a gift tomorrow bro,” accompanied by a smiling emoji. This playful message strongly suggested that Solanke would be back in the starting lineup, potentially partnering with Tottenham’s captain, Son Heung-min, for the high-stakes derby.
While this exchange on social media might have excited fans, it also inadvertently revealed a key tactical decision for the upcoming match, something that Ange Postecoglou is unlikely to be pleased about. Managers often keep such information under wraps to prevent giving the opposition any advantage, and Richarlison’s comment might have spoiled Postecoglou’s strategy to keep Solanke’s involvement a surprise.
As for Richarlison, his own availability for the derby is in doubt. The former Everton man came off the bench in Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over his old club in the second week of the season but missed the team’s defeat at Newcastle United. He picked up an unspecified injury during training, which is expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks. With his absence, Tottenham will have to rely on other attacking options, and Solanke’s return could prove to be timely.
The stakes are high for Tottenham, as they look to avenge their poor record against Arsenal from last season, when they failed to win either of the league encounters under Postecoglou’s leadership. Adding to Arsenal’s concerns, the Gunners are set to be without several key players, including Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, and captain Martin Odegaard, all of whom are nursing injuries, creating a potential midfield crisis for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Despite this, Postecoglou has warned his players against underestimating their rivals. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the Australian manager made it clear that Arsenal remain a formidable opponent even without their star players. “That’s a hell of a trap to fall into if you think they are reliant on two players (Rice and Odegaard),” he remarked. “If we go in there thinking they are somehow weakened, we are going to get punished. If we go into it thinking they are going to be very strong, which I think they will be, then we have got to be at our best.”
For Tottenham, this north London derby could be a defining moment in their season. With Solanke potentially back in the fold and Arsenal missing key players, Spurs’ supporters will be hoping for a memorable victory. However, as Postecoglou has cautioned, complacency could be dangerous, and the team will need to stay focused if they are to come out on top in one of the most intense fixtures of the Premier League calendar.