Dominic Solanke, born of a Nigerian father and English mother, was pivotal in Tottenham’s 4-1 victory against Aston Villa.

Having fallen behind in the first half, Spurs came out fighting after half-time and would stun Unai Emery’s men with four second-half goals.

Brennan Johnson would get the Lilywhites level, with Solanke then completing Tottenham’s comeback with a brace.

Glenn Murray insisted ‘goals will come’ for Solanke prior to kick-off and the former Brighton man would be ultimately proved right.

Solanke’s first goal against Villa was labelled ‘class’ by Aaron Lennon, with the ex-Bournemouth forward then grabbing his second of the afternoon just four minutes later – a goal which would see the new Tottenham man equal a thirteen-year-old record.

Solanke’s brace will do him the world of good when it comes to confidence, especially when he realises he has just equaled a Tottenham icon’s goal record.

His two goals against Aston Villa now means he becomes the first Spurs player to score at least four goals across their first eight Premier League appearances since Rafael van der Vaart in 2010/11 – according to the Premier League.

Van der Vaart is regarded as an icon by many Spurs supporters and Solanke will hope he can replicate the Dutchman’s success in north London.

Manchester United’s interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the team can turn around their torrid season based on the “spirit” he saw in their two games since the sacking of manager Erik ten Hag.

Moises Caicedo’s second-half strike for Chelsea cancelled a penalty from United captain Bruno Fernandes in a 1-1 Premier League draw on Sunday to spoil United’s celebrations, but Van Nistelrooy said there were positives to be gleaned from their performance after a difficult few days.

The draw saw United climb one spot in the table to 13th after 10 games.

“We’re early in and the performances, with the spirit the players showed, is a foundation to build on… then football qualities will come out,” Van Nistelrooy said. “That’s the foundation to build on, and then there’s time to improve a lot in the ranking.”

Fernandes said he spoke to Ten Hag after the Dutchman was sacked on Monday with United languishing 14th in the table.

“Whenever you see a manager go you have to take some of the blame on yourself, it is because the team is not doing so well,” Fernandes said. “It is easier to get rid of a manager than 15 players.

“I spoke to (Ten Hag) and apologised to him. I wasn’t scoring goals, we are not scoring goals and I feel responsible.”

Van Nistelrooy said the days since Ten Hag was shown the door have been “very difficult” for the team

“Six days, the roller-coaster of emotions, obviously very sad seeing Erik leave, the next day you have to start to focus on getting the lads ready for a performance against Leicester (a 5-2 League Cup win on Wednesday), because 75,000 people are going to show up at Old Trafford, so we have the obligation, and the players feel that they have the obligation to do better.

“They looked also in the mirror, and their reactions Wednesday and today showed that they thought about things as well themselves.”

Van Nistelrooy’s positive view of Sunday’s performance was not shared by everyone.

Former United midfielder turned pundit Roy Keane said Ruben Amorim — Ten Hag’s permanent replacement who will take the reins as of Nov. 11 — should have signed a longer contract,

because “There’s a long way back for this team.

“This is an average United team,” Keane said on Sky Sports. “We don’t know what we are going to get from them, it’s hit and miss. At the end it was a bit more open, but really disappointed. It was so flat. From the manager’s point of view, this team is way off it.”

United’s nine goals through 10 games, third-worst in the league, are their lowest total at this stage of a league campaign since 1973-1974.

While Amorim was named United’s head coach on Friday, Van Nistelrooy has not yet spoken to the Sporting CP boss, but the former United striker reiterated that he is keen to remain with the team in some capacity after Amorim takes over.

“We all will be backing him and helping him to get Manchester United to where we all want it to be,” Van Nistelrooy said. “I think that spirit is the most important to have, and it’s not about individuals, it’s about the club.”

-Reuters

Alexander Isak’s early headed goal lifted Newcastle to a 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Saturday at St. James’ Park, as Eddie Howe’s men delivered a blow to Arsenal’s title chase with their first win in six Premier League outings.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners remained provisionally third in the standings on 18 points, with the two teams above them — Manchester City and Liverpool — playing later on Saturday. Newcastle climbed to eighth on 15 points.

“We didn’t have the greatest start (to the season)performance-wise but we were still picking up results,” Newcastle defender Lewis Hall told TNT Sports. “The last few weeks when we were playing better football we weren’t getting results. This is something we can build on for sure.”

Isak netted his third league goal of the season in the 12th minute after Newcastle worked the ball out wide to Anthony Gordon who then whipped in a pinpoint cross from the right that the 25-year-old Swede, who sneaked in between defenders Gabriel and William Saliba, leapt to head into the far corner past David Raya.

“That was massive,” Isak, who has scored 12 goals in his last 12 home league games, told TNT. “A big game against a big team, I think it means a lot, a bit of a statement to us and to the fans that we can win this game.”

“(Heading) is not my strongest quality,” he added. “It feels good to score. The cross was amazing, I just had to jump and put my head on the ball, so credit to him.”

The Magpies, who beat Arsenal by the same score last season at St. James’ Park, did well to keep the visitors off the scoresheet, swarming them every time they got near the penalty area.

Declan Rice headed a cross just wide of the net in injury time in Arsenal’s best chance of the day, and then held his head in his hands in frustration.

Arteta’s side squandered several other chances, including Bukayo Saka’s header that he sent just wide of the net from Kai Havertz’s cross.

Hall also got in the way of a terrific first-half chance for Mikel Merino who volleyed the ball towards goal in a crowded six-yard box in Arsenal’s only shot on target.

But Arsenal, winless in their last three league games, generated very little otherwise against a Newcastle side riding the momentum of a spirited 2-0 League Cup win over Chelsea three nights earlier.

“We are all a bit sad because we wanted to win today,” Arsenal’s Saliba told TNT Sports. “Unfortunately we didn’t and we didn’t play the game we wanted to play. We deserved to lose today I think.

“We have to stick together,” he added. “Last season we had one period like this and we need to stay together and have the confidence to get out. We all believe we will come back.”

Saturday’s defeat means Arteta’s team have lost successive away league matches for the first time since May 2022.

-Reuters