Tottenham forward Randal Kolo Muani made his mark against PSG in the Champions League earlier this week
Tottenham fans finally witnessed the best of summer loanee Randal Kolo Muani when the club faced PSG in the Champions League earlier this week. The Frenchman was one of the standout performers for the Lilywhites in Paris, playing a crucial role in all three goals scored by Thomas Frank’s side. He led the line with confidence and developed an effective partnership with Richarlison up front.
Kolo Muani has not enjoyed an easy start to life at N17, with injuries repeatedly halting his progress in North London. He was brought in to replace Dominic Solanke after the England international suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury. But the summer loanee did not have the best luck either, as he picked up a dead leg almost immediately after joining the club.
The Frenchman took a month to recover but encountered another setback as soon as he regained full fitness earlier this month. He fractured his jaw after a collision with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, sparking fears that the striker would face a lengthy spell on the sidelines. However, credit to the medical team, Kolo Muani only missed the international break and returned in time to feature in Spurs’ next match.
Randal Kolo Muani must perform consistently for Tottenham now
Randal Kolo Muani finally broke his duck for Tottenham in their Champions League clash with PSG. Having joined the Lilywhites on loan from the French champions in the summer, it was fitting that he opened his account against his parent club. He looked sharp and match-ready, especially considering the 26-year-old missed most of pre-season due to uncertainty over his future and ongoing transfer speculation.
Now, Thomas Frank has challenged the striker to maintain this level and deliver consistent performances at N17 in the coming weeks. Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Tottenham Hotspur), Frank said,
“Yeah, definitely. I think it was exciting. You can just see the three… I suppose the link-up play, the pressure, that was everything last night. I think the exciting thing was around the first goal, the way the header, the vision he had to hit it back towards goal to Richy.”
The Spurs boss added,
“His goal, how quick he reacted and so on, and his finishing there. Then the third one, where he got through, showed that little bit of pace, got the ball with him, just clinical in the finish. Now it’s about doing that consistently every game.”
Frank admitted it was encouraging to see Kolo Muani rediscover his confidence and rhythm after a difficult start to the season. The Danish manager praised the striker’s involvement in all three goals against PSG, highlighting his vision for the first, his sharp reaction for the second, and his pace and composure for the third. But he also challenged the 26-year-old to make such performances a regular occurrence moving forward.
Kolo Muani will now aim to keep his place in the starting eleven for the upcoming match against Fulham. It is vital that Spurs secure all three points at home against the Cottagers, especially given their poor Premier League home form at N17. And it goes without saying that the 26-year-old will play a key role in determining whether the North Londoners walk away with a positive result.