Tottenham Hotspur go into the latest North London derby against Arsenal on Sunday with their squad down to the bare bones, but caretaker manager Igor Tudor may have just hinted that Randal Kolo Muani is going to start against the Gunners.
Not only are Spurs looking for their first three points of 2026 to move away from the relegation spots in the Premier League, but they also have the opportunity to severely dent their arch-rivals’ title hopes in the process.
Arsenal dropped two points as rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Mikel Arteta’s men on Wednesday night, which has increased the significance of the derby even more with the Gunners stalling in recent weeks as second-placed Manchester City begin to breathe down their necks.
Tottenham Have Solanke Injury Worry
Tottenham were already confirmed to be without 10 players against Arsenal before Tudor’s pre-match press conference on Friday, where he revealed that two players that it had been hoped could be back to face the Gunners – Richarlison and Pedro Porro – are also set to be unavailable.
On top of those dozen absentees, the Croatian manager also said that striker Dominic Solanke had missed parts of training this week due to a throat issue, but didn’t rule the 28-year-old in or out of the North London Derby.
Even if the former Bournemouth attacker is available, should there be any doubts at all over whether he is 100% fit then it could give an opportunity to someone else in the centre-forward role.
Kolo Muani Start Against Arsenal Hinted At
Not only will Tudor want players who are 100% fit for what is likely to be an intense battle, but he also needs players he has worked with regularly all week who he can trust to implement his tactics.
Step forward Randal Kolo Muani, who was one of the few senior players named on the substitutes’ bench against Newcastle last time out, alongside a number of academy graduates.
It’s fair to say that the Frenchman’s loan spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season has been underwhelming, and he is still yet to score in 18 Premier League appearances for Spurs, which Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has called a ‘problem’.
However, the 27-year-old played under Tudor at Juventus at the end of last season, scoring three times in their final five Serie A matches as they secured a top-four finish following a disappointing campaign.
Tudor clearly knows how to get a tune out of Kolo Muani, and the Croat’s update on Solanke on Friday was more than a hint that he could put his trust in the France international from the start against Arsenal on Sunday.
Tottenham Preparing Move for ‘Amazing Goalscoring Midfielder’ After Igor Tudor Advice
Tottenham Hotspur are closely monitoring the 29-year-old midfielder.
About Author
