Despite early signs of improvement, Thomas Frank’s time at Spurs has come under immense pressure in recent weeks, and he could be fighting for his job. The challenges have been considerable, forcing Frank to balance tactical evolution with the immediate need for stability. Navigating this stretch successfully could prove pivotal not only for his tenure but for Spurs’ direction moving forward.
The last five games have demonstrated a team struggling to find rhythm and consistency, which has seen Spurs give up valuable points. The FA Cup match against Aston Villa was one of their worst performances under Frank, as Villa dominated Spurs to advance to the next stage.
At home to West Ham, the Lilywhites lacked finesse in the final third and failed to capitalize on a fixture that looked likely to go their way, but the Hammers stole the win late on, adding to Spurs’ troubles.
After three consecutive defeats, Frank was desperate to turn things around in their Champions League outing against Dortmund. Spurs handled the pressure and outplayed the German outfit, coming away with an important victory.
Relegation-threatened Burnley followed next, a fixture that proved to be another missed opportunity ahead of preparing for Frankfurt in the Champions League away from home. Returning to league action, Spurs have tough games coming up and must use this fixture against City to regain belief and potentially secure a positive result.
While Manchester City has encountered a few short-term obstacles, it fits a familiar pattern rather than signaling any lasting decline. Their dominance remains intact beneath the surface, and with a refreshed squad taking shape, this period looks set to serve as the foundation for another sustained run at the top, especially with arguably the best manager in world football on the touchline in Pep Guardiola.
Coming into this fixture, City has seen a mixed bag of results, something that doesn’t usually happen very often to a Guardiola team. On the back of a confident win at St James’ Park against Newcastle, City were taken by surprise in the Manchester derby as United were relentless in coming away with not just the win but also bragging rights.
A Champions League outing was next against Bodo Glimt, and it was the Norwegian side who were victorious on the night in a fixture where City lacked their usual firepower up front. After three tough away matches, the Citizens returned to the Etihad, proving form is temporary, but class is permanent, with dominant performances against Wolves and Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Now with restored confidence, Guardiola will aim to control proceedings against Tottenham and secure a victory as they look to stay within touching distance of first-place Arsenal.