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      Chelsea ‘offer Christopher Nkunku in swap transfer for Bayern Munich’s 19-year-old sensation Mathys Tel’

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      CHELSEA have offered Christopher Nkunku in a sensational swap deal for Bayern Munich ace Mathys Tel.The Blues have been keeping tabs on £40million-rated Tel, 19, since last summer.Chelsea continue to monitor Bayern Munich ace Mathys TelCredit: GettyChelsea have offered Christopher Nkunku in exchange for TelCredit: AlamyAccording to The Mail, the West Londoners have made an enquiry for the winger during the January transfer window.Meanwhile, Bayern are keen to bring Nkunku, 27, back to Germany after his stunning four-year stint at RB Leipzig.And Bild reporter Christian Falk claims Chelsea have proposed a swap deal.The Premier League giants have offered the France international to Bayern in exchange for his younger compatriot.Read Moe on ChelseaTel has seen his playing time limited at the Allianz Arena with only 12 appearances across all competitions under his belt.But Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund insists the club want to hold on to the France Under-21 international.Freund said: “Mathys is a great talent and should play an important role for us.“Our clear goal is for Mathys to make his breakthrough with us. Of course if a player is unhappy, we can talk about it. But we are very happy with him”.Most read in FootballBest new sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesNkunku, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to cement a place in Enzo Maresca’s starting line-up with Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer proving to be more clinical.The versatile forward has only scored two goals in 18 Premier League appearances.Chelsea clash with Shamrock Rovers temporarily stopped as Christopher Nkunku pelted with TOILET ROLLHowever, the Frenchman has amassed a total of 13 goals and four assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.Chelsea, though, are keeping their options open as it’s often hard to land major targets during the winter market.That is why club chiefs are also keeping tabs on Ipswich Town’s in-form star Liam Delap.Nevertheless, Chelsea are prioritising a centre-back with Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi posing as their top target. More

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      Inside Pep Guardiola’s £2.7million luxury bachelor pad in Manchester as Man City boss ‘splits from wife after 30 years’

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      MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola resides in a £2.7million luxury Salford apartment.Reports emerged in Spain yesterday that Guardiola, 53, split with wife of 30 years Cristina last month.Pep Guardiola lives in a Salford apartmentCredit: MENThe Man City boss spent £2.7m on the property in 2017Credit: MENPep, 53, has split from wife CristinaCredit: GettyThe couple had been living apart for nearly five years, after Cristina moved back to Barcelona to run her fashion company.In 2021, Guardiola bought an 8,000-square-foot mansion in Pedarlbes, the most expensive area in Barcelona, for £8.55million.When in Manchester, however, the experienced boss preferred to live in an apartment closer to the city centre.Upon moving to the Etihad in 2017, Guardiola forked out £2.7m on a luxury apartment in City Suites.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLRather than heading to a sprawling mansion in the leafy Cheshire suburbs, Guardiola instead opted for the “most desirable address” in Salford.His apartment is situated in a private section of a 16-floor hotel, and is located near several designer shops and high-end restaurants and wine bars.Guardiola also has access to an 18-metre indoor spa pool, exquisite spa and sauna facilities as well as a 24-hour gym.In addition to these amenities, the City boss also has two private parking spots, a 24-hour concierge team, dry-cleaning services and access to a private executive lounge.Most read in FootballGuardiola has three kids with wife CristinaCredit: GettyOperations director Gavin Bailey told the Manchester Evening News in 2017: “It’s not like a hotel.”We’re trying to make it more special, this is effectively your home during your stay, and we run it that way.Pep Guardiola reveals Kyle Walker has asked to LEAVE Man City with England defender set or £400K-A-WEEK Saudi transfer”We have people here for four nights but then we also have people here who are staying for 12 months.“It might be someone on a work assignment here, or a theatre production company here who were here for three months, we have TV people, sports people, you might recognise people walking around the building but we try to run it as though this is your space.”According to Spanish outlet Sport, Guardiola’s relationship with Cristina remains “cordial, stable and friendly” despite their split.The pair met at Cristina’s family clothes store when he was just 18, as he modelled for designer Antonio Miro.Guardiola’s apartment is located in Manchester’s ‘most desirable area’Credit: MENThe City boss has access to a private pool and jacuzziCredit: MENSerra Claret stock many brands he has worn on the touchline, such as Dsquared2, CP Company and Armani.And in January 2024, Guardiola revealed Cristina helps pick out his matchday outfits.He told Men In Blazers: “My wife is the best in the world at many things, but especially in fashion.”So she says normally to me, don’t wear this or wear that, so I follow her.”I am smart enough to know that when people are much much better than me, follow their advice, and hers is really good.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe pair wed in an intimate ceremony in 2014.They have three children together; Maria, 24, Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17.Guardiola attended the Wimbledon Championships with wife Cristina and daughter Maria last summerCredit: APPep and Cristina had been together for 30 yearsCredit: Rex More

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      Moment Millwall star scores with ‘strangest goal ever seen’ as fans say ‘straight from Phil Jones school of finishing’

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      MILLWALL ace Mihailo Ivanovic scored perhaps the strangest goal in FA Cup history against Dagenham & Redbridge.The Lions beat the Daggers 3-0 at the Den on Monday in the third round clash.Millwall ace Mihailo Ivanovic scored perhaps the strangest FA Cup goalCredit: GettyIvanovic tapped the ball with his head while lying on the grassIvanovic led Millwall to victory against Dagenham & RedbridgeCredit: GettyThat brought back memories of Manchester United hero Phil Jones’ classic head blockIvanovic, 20, led Alex Neil’s side to the fourth round of the FA Cup albeit in absolutely unconventional fashion in the half-hour mark.George Honeyman delivered a pinpoint cross from the left and found Jake Cooper at the far post.Cooper got the header and set Ivanovic for one of his own from close range that was barely saved by Dagenham & Redbridge goalkeeper Elliot Justham.The ball rolled back towards the Millwall ace who was lying on his stomach on the grass.Read More on FootballAnd in a moment of pure instinct – or absolute madness – the striker used his head to tap the ball behind the net and break the deadlock.The Serbia international then celebrated by pointing to his head as his team-mates and the crowd watched in awe.That brought back memories of former Manchester United ace Phil Jones’ legendary head block in 2015 against Arsenal.The iconic moment took place when Jones slipped while turning back to block Olivier Giroud’s path to goal.Most read in FA CupGiroud found the opportunity to shoot but the ex-England international was determined not to be beaten and in a moment of raw passion he decided to put his physical wellbeing on the line.The former defender lunged in front of the shot and cleared it with his head.Fans call for Jose Mourinho to stick to his word with Millwall hunting for new manager Fans were left staggered after Ivanovic’s own version as they stormed social media.One tweeted: “Mihailo Ivanovic with possibly the strangest finish we’ve seen.”Another commented: “Straight off from Phil Jones school of finishing.”A third wrote: “Phil Jones nodding appreciatively.”This one posted: “Contender for headed goal of the season.”And that one gushed: “One of the best headers I have seen.”Millwall sealed qualification in the second half with a brace by Casper De Norre and now face a massive fourth round tie at Championship rivals Leeds. More

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      Lazio sack falconer after he gets penile implant ‘to increase sexual performance’ and shares explicit pictures

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      LAZIO have sacked their club falconer after he shared explicit pictures of his penile implant on social media.Juan Bernabe had been with the Italian giants since 2010, sending an eagle soaring around the Stadio Olimpico on match days.Bernabe has worked at a number of clubs across EuropeCredit: GettyThe Spaniard, who previously worked with Benfica and Ludogorets, was a fan favourite thanks to his bond with club mascot Olimpia.But Bernabe’s time at Lazio has now been cut short after he shared explicit images online.The 56-year-old underwent medical treatment for a penile implant and revealed the results to followers on social media.His intimate posts caused uproar among Lazio’s hierarchy.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBernabe had previously been suspended by the club in 2021 after singing a pro-Mussolini song.And with the club sitting fourth in Serie A, a decision was then made to end all links with him.An official statement read: “Lazio, shocked to see the photos and images of Juan Bernabeu, announces that it was ended, with immediate effect, all relations with this individual, given the seriousness of his behaviour.“The Company is aware of the pain, shared by all, that the loss of the eagle in the next home games will cause to fans.Most read in Football“But it believes it’s not possible to be associated, especially with the historical symbol of the eagle, with a subject that has made the continuation of the relationship inadmissable.”Addressing his sacking, Bernabe responded: “The operation does not make me a porn star, I had a health issue. As for the president? He is not upset about the photos, he is a man too.”Che Adams and Billy Gilmour show off their Italian with Serie A cult heroPrior to his exit, Bernabe revealed he had the implant to “increase his sexual performance” and had no regrets over his behaviour.He said: “I put the video on my private profile so it’s a private thing. If people then circulate it what can I do?”My conscience is clear, I published it only to let people know about the surgery.“I’ve never regretted anything, let alone doing it for something that has a medical purpose.“I had the surgery to increase my sexual performance because I am very active. I need to ejaculate whenever I have free time.“A wonderful surgery, I had it to be as good as I was when I was young. My erection is natural but with this device I press a button that allows me to perfectly control both the erection and the timing.“Everyone likes sex, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t take drugs, but I like sex like all men and we men always try to have a greater sexual capacity.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I would advise people to have this procedure because previously I relied daily on pills to increase my sexual potency.“Being able to control my erection is a step forward for my life. When I have free time I always want to have sex. I would like to do it at least once or twice a day.” More

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      Gabriel Jesus set for months out after suffering suspected ACL injury as Arsenal target loan transfer as cover

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      ARSENAL have been dealt a major injury blow with Gabriel Jesus out for months with a suspected ACL tear.The Brazilian striker had only recently returned to Mikel Arteta’s starting XI.Gabriel Jesus has suffered a suspected ACL injuryCredit: PAThe Arsenal star went down during his side’s FA Cup defeat to Man UtdCredit: GettyJesus was stretchered off and will now be out for monthsCredit: AFPJesus, 27, netted three goals in Arsenal’s previous four games before starting the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.But his FA Cup adventure was cut short following a collision with Bruno Fernandes.Jesus collapsed in a heap before writhing on the ground in pain.He then received lengthy treatment from medics before being stretchered off the field.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd the Athletic claims Jesus is now facing a long time on the sidelines after suffering an injury to his ACL.Further specialist reviews are scheduled for Tuesday to establish the full extent of the damage.But the striker is now all-but guaranteed to miss the remainder of the season.Arteta admitted: “We know more now. Not looking good at all.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS”We need one more specialist and we will have more information this afternoon. I don’t want to confirm anything until the final report. It is the doctor’s job.”We were very worried at the time and we are very worried today.”Arteta not sure about trophy hopes after ‘incredible’ Arsenal loss With Jesus set for an extended period away from the pitch, Arsenal could be forced to dip into the January transfer market.The Gunners could explore a potential loan deal for a striker, but they will not be able to sign anyone from the Premier League due to their two allocated slots being taken up by Raheem Sterling and Neto.Instead, they will have to look abroad.Arteta and Co may reignite their interest in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic before the window closes.Arsenal pushed to sign him three years ago but lost out to Juve just before the January deadline.However, the Serie A giants could be open to letting him go this month.They reportedly offered him to Manchester United as part of a swap deal for Joshua Zirkzee last week.READ MORE SUN STORIESDiscussing the possibility of signing another forward this month, Arteta added: “We are actively looking in the market, the same since day one. We would be naïve not to do that.”We are trying and let’s see what we are able to do.”Arsenal ratings vs Man Utd as Martinelli looks lively but wasteful Havertz costs Gunners another trophy chanceKAI HAVERTZ missed two sitters and a penalty in the shoot-out as Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup.The Gunners huffed and puffed but failed to find a winner, even after extra-time, against Manchester United’s 10 men.And it all went wrong in the penalty shootout as Altay Bayindir saved Havertz’s effort.Here is how SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rated the Arsenal stars…DAVID RAYA – 6Could do nothing about United’s goal and produced a stellar stop to deny Zirkzee in extra-time.JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Very effective on the overlap and worked well being fed by Odegaard.Tested a couple of times by Alejandro Garnacho who proved a problem on the counter-attack.WILLIAM SALIBA – 7Dealt with Hojlund well although the striker did not pose much of a threat.GABRIEL – 6Terrible error to lose possession to Alejandro Garnacho who was put through on goal and set up Bruno Fernandes to score.Made amends with a brilliant finish Bukayo Saka would have been proud of.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 5A quiet game at left-back, probably should have got forward more particularly after United went down to ten men and had Garnacho filling in at right-back.JORGINHO – 5Kept things ticking over in the middle and was always an outlet for his team-mates.MIKEL MERINO – 4Anonymous in the middle. Difficult to see what he brings to this Arsenal side.Missed a good chance to put his side ahead moments after the equaliser and was taken off shortly after that.MARTIN ODEGAARD – 7A pleasure to watch. Made everything happen, his ability to turn on the ball in the middle of the park created opportunities time after time.But he missed the chance to win the game from the penalty spot.GABRIEL JESUS – 6Lovely pass to break the lines and put through Martinelli, who found the back of the net but was offside.Fell awkwardly when defending a cross in the first half and was carried off on a stretcher.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Was the main attacking threat in the first half with his direct style causing the visitors all sorts of problems.Produced good movement and a finish to match but his goal was disallowed for offside.KAI HAVERTZ – 3Won the penalty after a deft touch past Maguire.But he missed two sitters including one just three minutes from time to win the match, and his penalty miss proved decisive in the shoot-out.SUBSTITUTESRaheem Sterling (for Jesus, 40mins) – 6Looked sharp when he got the ball and did well in the build-up to Havertz winning the penalty.Declan Rice (for Merino, 73mins) – 6Almost scored with what might have been his first touch but his header was brilliantly saved.Should have grabbed the winner in the dying moments but his low effort was again superbly matched by Bayindir.Leandro Trossard (for Lewis-Skelly, extra-time) – 5Will wonder how he didn’t score after Matthijs de Ligt produced a goalline clearance to deny him.Blazed over with an effort from just outside the box.Thomas Partey (for Timber, 101mins) – 5Put in a few good crosses. Came close to a winner with an effort that was deflected narrowly over the bar.Kieran Tierney (for Jorginho, 113mins) -His arrival onto the pitch was greeted with a big cheer but he did not have much time to impact the match. More

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      David Moyes reveals he nearly returned to Everton FOUR TIMES after leaving for Man Utd as he replaces axed Sean Dyche

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      THE Moyesiah was back at Finch Farm — and admits he does not have much time to deliver a miracle.Certainly less than in his first stint. In charge of Everton for 11 years before joining Manchester United in 2013, David Moyes was all smiles as he completed his stunning return to Merseyside.David Moyes admits he nearly returned to Everton FOUR times after leaving Man UtdCredit: PAThe Scot previously spent 11 years managing the ToffeesCredit: PAThe Scotsman revealed he had come close to a Goodison return on numerous occasions before the stars finally aligned.With Everton 16th in the Premier League, one point off the relegation zone, the 61-year-old is out to steady the ship. He wants to ensure the club move to their gleaming new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as a top-flight club. And maybe, just maybe, he could get Everton back into Europe.As he entered the room, Moyes said: “I see plenty of old faces, mine included,” before posing with the Everton shirt, something which would have seemed impossible a few weeks ago  before Sean Dyche was sacked.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLMoyes, whose second spell at West Ham ended in the summer, said: “I’ve had other opportunities to consider other jobs. Quite a few since I’ve left West Ham. I didn’t feel ready for it, anyway.“But this was too big an opportunity to turn down. I want to try to show I can do it again. I’ve come very close to coming back on three or four occasions.“I’ve had talks at different times in my career to come back and for different reasons it’s not quite happened.“That’s football. It used to be going back didn’t sound good but I returned to West Ham and we won a European trophy.Most read in Football“I hadn’t been back at Finch Farm since the day I left. My first day as  manager, I went into a dressing room with David Ginola, Paul Gascoigne,  Duncan Ferguson and Thomas Gravesen.“With me being a really young coach, I was saying, ‘My goodness, they won’t even know who I am’. I walk back in a  different stage of my career. People know me a bit more, the players will know me.Stefan Borson reveals why Everton’s new owner is the best option the club could have hoped for “I know a lot of the players and some of them who I’ve probably tried to sign. I hope that we can get together and work well and make something happen.”Moyes says this opportunity is a shock, following Dyche’s exit. Now he must prepare for tomorrow’s visit of Aston Villa.He said: “Sean was doing a really good job. I didn’t see any changes materialising at the time. I wasn’t necessarily out there looking to go back but, as everybody knows, this is a different beast to me.“There’s a lot of people in this room who have probably seen the last few years at Everton. It’s been a difficult time and I admire a lot of them for steering it through a difficult period.”And Moyes, thanks to the club’s new owners, will be given a few quid to spend in the January transfer window.He said: “The damage has been done through a long period of time but we’ve had a great time here and I’d love to be part of making it better, if possible.  “At the end of it there’s a stadium. The stadium looks the business, looks elite. So we need to start getting some elite players.”In his first spell, Moyes almost steered Everton into the Champions League — until a controversial decision from ref Pierluigi Collina in a play-off at Villarreal in 2005 cost them.Moyes said: “Last time, we got away from relegation trouble and went on to a sixth, seventh and ninth finish in three or four years in the Premier League.READ MORE SUN STORIES“At Everton, I remember feeling like a team who were challenging against the top teams trying to be in Europe. I did it quite quickly at West Ham.“My idea is to try and do everything as quickly as I can here because I am not going to be here for 11 years like I was before.” More

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      THREE Premier League clubs fearing points deductions with charges set to be handed out on PSR D-Day

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      PREM club chiefs could face points deductions – when League bosses lay formal charges for breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules last season.All the clubs who had posted aggregate losses over the previous two seasons had a hard deadline for their 2023-24 accounts on December 31.Prem club chiefs could face points deductions for breaching Profitability and Sustainability RulesUnder rules voted in by the clubs in 2023, charges must be then laid by League bosses within 14 days, with the cases dealt with and any punishments imposed before the end of this campaign.Clubs are limited to “allowable losses” – once spending on infrastructure, the youth and women’s teams and community projects is taken off – of a maximum £105m over three seasons, with the limit £22m less for any seasons spent outside the Prem.Last term, Nottingham Forest were deducted four points for busting their £61m loss limit by £34m. The City Ground club admitted in March that they were on course for PSR losses of between £12m and £17m. READ MORE IN football That is despite finally being able to include the £47m sale of Brennan Johnson to Spurs in their calculations.But the previous losses meant they entered the season already £9m OVER their 2023-24 loss limit of £83m.Meanwhile, Everton – who had already been hit with a six point penalty for breaches the previous season – lost two more for posting losses of £16.5m.The Toffees, now under new ownership, were looking at a loss of around £90m for the previous two campaigns and were once again sailing close to the PSR wind.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThose sales were part of an end of season transfer merry-go-round which also saw Everton pay £9m for Villa’s Tim Iroegbunam, Chelsea sell Ian Maatsen to Unai Emery’s men for £37.5m and buy youngster Omari Kellyman for £19m.Those deals led to Prem chiefs warning clubs that they must not use loopholes in the rulebook to avoid PSR penalties and that they are duty bound to act “with utmost good faith” towards the competition and rivals.Ange Postecoglou praises hosts Tamworth after hard-fought FA Cup win There were arguments that charging each other potentially inflated fees – with incoming transfers “amortised” over contract lengths while sales can be lodged at full book value – to get round PSR provisions was a breach of that undertaking.Leicester, who successfully argued they were not under Prem jurisdiction because they had been relegated to the Championship last season, are thought to be most at threat after cumulative losses of £124m for the final three seasons before they were relegated.But it is understood that two other clubs may be close to the cut line and could find their figures queried by Prem legal chiefs, opening them up to charges that could have major repercussions. More

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      How Tottenham can kill off Arsenal’s title hopes with Ange Postecoglou’s ‘wheels of chaos’ tactic

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      ARSENAL face a make-or-break North London derby as they look to shrug off back-to-back cup defeats.Mikel Arteta’s side drew against Brighton before falling to a Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle.Ange Postecoglou’s wheels of chaos could kill off Arsenal title hopesCredit: GettyBut Mikel Arteta will need to be brave if he is to earn a huge win against SpursCredit: GettyThey then exited the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United.Yet all is not lost, because the Gunners have the chance to regroup and refocus their attention on the Premier League title battle, currently six points behind Liverpool.However, their next match could be a season-defining game for them as they host bitter rivals Tottenham on Wednesday.Ange Postecoglou’s side have been in sticky form of late, beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup before needing extra time to triumph over National League side Tamworth.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSunSport’s Will Pugh and tactical guru Dean Scoggins have highlighted five areas how Spurs could KO Arsenal’s title bid this season.Organised chaosThere is a perception about Tottenham that they play a very wild style of football, and while this is true to a degree there is more than meets the eye within Postecoglou’s system.The Aussie manager’s uniquely rigid attacking structure incorporates a left-hand set and a right-hand set of players.And in the last few weeks, that system has – believe it or not – been adapting amid a flurry of errors from young and inexperienced players parachuted into the team due to an injury crisis.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe current treatment room list means the likely centre-back pairing for this game will force Radu Dragusin to be paired alongside Archie Gray, with brand new goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in goal.Spurs will look to nullify their mistakes by playing out from the back even more than has been seen previously, with Yves Bissouma dropping into the space between them as they split to receive the ball.Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou channels his inner Gladiator as he defends his gung-ho tacticsTottenham have been ravaged by injury that has seen Postecoglou tweak his tacticsTypically Spurs build up with just one pivot player, but this has changed to two in recent weeksSpurs normally deploy two wheels of chaos on either side of the pitchIn attack, Tottenham look to operate as a pair of wheels on either side of the pitch but without much crossover to the other flanks.In this system, only the centre-backs, holding midfielder and striker are asked to stick to their main position, often allowing them to dominate possession due to overloads.Unfortunately, this system can make Spurs susceptible to teams setting up against them, as Arsenal did at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season.Underlap, overlap, wandering freeTottenham are a team who often do not look to generate chances through crossing from out wide, but do tend to score a lot with cutbacks.This is often due to Spurs relying heavily on underlaps with the wingers hugging the touchline while the fullbacks – likely to be Pedro Porro and Djed Spence against Arsenal – invert centrally.Spence, a right-footed full-back, has been particularly impressive deputising for Destiny Udogie at left-back in the last few weeks.In a perfectly executed gameplan, this pair of wheels allow for the full-backs to move forward into a dangerous area before being able to find a cutback for a more central team-mate.The three-player units on either side of the field allow for underlapping full-backs to be as deadly as a wingerA quick passage of passing can unleash an underlapping defender into a dangerous areaOne of the main sources of Postecoglou’s frustration this season has often come with Spurs giving the ball away and the wheels literally falling off.But to that end the former Celtic boss has tweaked his tactics. The first change to the system has been to concede some ground and move the team deeper to accommodate for Gray and Dragusin not being as quick as Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.The full-backs are also not going forward as quickly, with Porro in particular showing much more discipline in the last few weeks.The third change has been to use to two pivots to collect the ball and build up instead of one, with Bissouma and one other dropping in to help the ball progress.Sterling effortIt does not take a genius to figure out Bukayo Saka’s absence from the Arsenal team has hit them hard.The Hale End graduate has been a talismanic figure for the Gunners since breaking into the team, and was their spearhead across their last two title challenging campaigns.While most teams may tend to split attacks more evenly across the field, Arsenal often played much more down the right, mainly due to Saka’s excellence and his strong link with Martin Odegaard.Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus had both played in the role before getting injured themselves, which almost certainly means Raheem Sterling is going to be asked to play there against Spurs.The former Liverpool and Manchester City star will be key for Arsenal if they are to get anything from the game.Raheem Sterling will be asked to deputise for Bukayo Saka with Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus both injuredSterling will need to emulate the way Saka receives the ball on the touchlineThe winger can step inside with the ball and drag the defenderThis could allow for an overload with a bombing full-back or a pass to Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz or Gabriel MartinelliWhat Arteta will ask the ex-England international to do is pick up the ball on the run, rather than with his back to goal, allowing him to then make a diagonal run into an interior position.Movement like this will allow Sterling to crossover with Kai Havertz in a nightmare rotation for the Spurs defence, offer a lay off to Odegaard, or try and find Gabriel Martinelli as he bombs up the left flank.The presence of Spence up against Sterling will create a unique opportunity for Arsenal to exploit, with Jurrien Timber potentially being allowed to go up the space left on the outside.Sterling, 30, has flattered to deceive since arriving at the Emirates on loan.He had an indifferent game against Man Utd on Sunday, but could have a watershed match against Spurs as he is finally given the chance to prove he can help the misfiring Gunners hit their mark.Art stoppersThere is a perception around Arsenal that they have failed to hit the same heights as they did last season, having struggled to score in open play in many games this campaign.Despite going out of the FA Cup, Arsenal still have the chance to make a Carabao Cup final if they can muster a heroic performance against Newcastle at St James’ Park.They can also close the gap on the top of the league if some results go in their favour, which would serve to turn the current negative narrative of the club around.Arteta has built the bedrock of his team on being defensively sound, and are actually set up in such a way that they have an extra player screening to prevent counter-attacks.Arsenal are build on a rock solid defensive foundationDeclan Rice and Mikel Merino are screening midfielders ideal for stopping counter-attacksBut Arsenal can often look too rigid as a result of this safety first approachAnd unless Arteta unlocks one of them to run beyond the midfield his team could lack a creative sparkDeclan Rice and one of Mikel Merino or Thomas Partey are often the players charged with this duty, but the key to unlocking Spurs may need to come from Arteta taking the shackles off of his team.While Arsenal have a dangerous attack on paper, the lack of movement from midfield – while often proving defensively sound – hurts their chances of open play goals due to there not being enough movement to give opposition defenders cause for concern.Consequently, this has led to their attack becoming stodgy due to it being too rigid.However, to break down Spurs, Arsenal may need to unlock one of these screening players to make runs beyond the defence and give the defence food for thought.King Dom’s comeToothless Tottenham needed to bring on talisman Dominic Solanke to beat Tamworth in the FA Cup.There was a lot of debate over whether he would be a better signing for them than Ivan Toney, but 11 goals and six assists already this season have proven Solanke to be the right deal.But there are still many aspects of his game which do not get the credit they deserve, such as his effort, ability to track, pressing and overall world class team ethic.Solanke is often overlooked for a lot of the off-ball work he makes to open space up for team-mates.These exploits can include his runs forcing a defender to commit to marking him or pinning defenders.Against Arsenal he is likely to target William Saliba rather than Gabriel Magalhaes in the air.Spurs will look to use the England international as a key pivot player up front, using him to play off the two wheels on either side of their attack.Solanke is often able to unlock defences when he has runners such as Brennan Johnson going beyond the defensive line in behind, with this ability being integral to a number of goals through pre-assists.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe 27-year-old will be key for Spurs’ front-footed defence against Arsenal, while his team-mates know if they can use him to his best he will help them create a dangerous chance even if he is not the one to finish it off.And it is thanks to the likes of Solanke, that the last game Arsenal would want at the moment is Tottenham. 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