The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham news and links for Monday, March 7

Good morning and happy Monday, everyone. Since Dele will be reuniting with his Tottenham teammates during today’s match against Everton, I thought it would be a good idea to check in on another former Spurs player: Christian Eriksen.

There are few things at 7:45 a.m. that could make me switch from watching Hull City lose 0-2 to West Brom in the Championship, but how could I say no to watching Eriksen make his first start for Brentford since his cardiac arrest during the Euros?

I changed the channel a few moments too late, missing the Eriksen corner kick that ended up with Ivan Toney scoring his first of three goals that match against Norwich.

Eriksen led his teammates in touches (66), passes (44) and passes in the final third (16).

More importantly: he played the entire 98 minutes of the match.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank after he match said he expected Eriksen to play close to the full 90.

“You can also see there’s more to come from him, which of course is a positive,” Frank told Sky Sports.

But even in a game that ended 1-3 in Brentford’s favour, it was another Eriksen moment that stole viewers’ hearts.

Tottenham’s Danish prince pulled a tactical foul in the 40th minute against Brandon Williams. The Norwich defender, after having fallen down, was about ready to get into a tussle until he realized he was laying on top of Eriksen.

And what looked to be the beginning of a spat ended in a warm embrace.

How sweet is that?

I didn’t have much interest in this game, and I occasionally checked my phone for Hull-West Brom updates. Yet I couldn’t take my eyes off Eriksen, wearing a number that I’m not used to seeing him wearing, still threading through balls and enjoying himself on the pitch again.

Playing 98 minutes of elite football is a remarkable achievement, and I hope he gets the start and the reception he deserves from the away contingent when Tottenham visit Brentford Community Stadium on 23 April.

I am sure he will.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Caravan, by Duke Ellington (with Charles Mingus and Max Roach)

And now for your links:

Tottenham reportedly open talks for £500m stadium naming rights deal

Liga MX suspends Sunday’s matches after dozens injured in brawl

The Athletic ($$): How football has changed outlook on crowd emergencies

Cindy Parlow Cone re-elected as US Soccer Federation president

Charlotte FC set MLS attendance record in home opener