london-now.co.uk

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank was pictured using an Arsenal-branded cup ahead of his side’s 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium, where leaders Arsenal – Tottenham’s bitter north London rivals – were the previous visitors, having celebrated a 3-2 success at the ground on Saturday.

The image quickly spread on social media, fuelling frustration among some Spurs fans.

Mr Frank said: "I definitely didn’t notice it.

"I think it’s fair to say we’re not winning every single football match, so it would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal’s emblem on.

"They have been in the changing room the game before us.

"It’s normal to take a cup, give me an espresso, I do that before every game, so I think actually it’s a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that.

"We’re definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to be worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club.

"Of course I would never do that.

"That’s extremely stupid."

The Tottenham boss, already under pressure due to poor results, saw his side fall to a late defeat courtesy of Antoine Semenyo’s stoppage-time goal for Bournemouth.

Mr Frank said: "I think it’s fair to say everyone involved in Tottenham, it’s a tough one to take today.

"Hopefully everyone can see how hard we worked to get everything in the right direction.

"Overall the performance was good, especially the second half, in a game where we deserved to get more.

"That is extremely painful to be part of, so of course people are frustrated – that’s natural.

"It’s very tough to sit here right now and we haven’t got anything out of overall a good performance."

The defeat leaves Tottenham with just two wins from their last 12 Premier League fixtures.

Semenyo’s decisive strike marked his 10th goal of the season and came on his 26th birthday, earning him a standing ovation from home fans as he was substituted shortly after.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola praised the forward’s attitude.

Mr Iraola said: "He deserved this moment; I’m happy football has given him this moment he will not forget.

"It’s not easy to do what he has done (play against Arsenal and Tottenham amid talks with City) because a lot of the players would have acted differently.

"He’s never found excuses.

"He was ready to give whatever we needed.

"We’ve pushed a lot to keep him until the last second here and it’s fair he leaves with the feeling he has had at the end: with the substitution, with the reception of the supporters.

"He has earned all this.

"I’m very happy for him because he’s a top player but especially a top person."

The win ended Bournemouth’s 11-match winless run.

Antoine Semenyo is on the verge of a £65million move to Manchester City.

The former England forward led the line for Bill Nicholson’s Spurs side in the early 1970s, winning two League Cups and the UEFA Cup.

A statement from Tottenham said: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of our legendary former striker Martin Chivers.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to Martin’s family, friends and former team-mates at this incredibly sad time.

"Our players will wear black armbands during this evening’s fixture against AFC Bournemouth.

"Rest in peace, Martin. One of the all-time greats."

Chivers began his career at Southampton, helping the Saints win promotion to the top flight in 1966 under Ted Bates.

He moved to White Hart Lane in January 1968 for a then-club and British record fee of £125,000.

Despite a serious knee injury, Chivers became a central figure in a Spurs team that reached four finals in as many years.

He scored both goals in the 1971 League Cup final win over Aston Villa and played a key role in securing a third-place finish in the First Division that same season.

Chivers was pivotal in Spurs' 1972 UEFA Cup victory, scoring a memorable long-range goal in the first leg of the final against Wolves.

The 1972-73 season saw him score 33 goals as Spurs lifted the League Cup again and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, losing to Liverpool on away goals.

For England, Chivers scored 13 goals in 24 appearances.

His final appearance was the 1-1 draw against Poland at Wembley, which saw England miss out on the 1974 World Cup.

Chivers made 367 appearances for Tottenham, scoring 174 goals before moving to Swiss club Servette ahead of the 1976-77 season.

He later played for Norwich, Brighton, and had a brief player-manager spell at Southern League Dorchester.

He also spent time at Norwegian club Vard and finished his playing days with 10 appearances for Barnet in 1982-83.

In retirement, Chivers ran a hotel and restaurant in Hertfordshire and worked in media, including a stint with BBC Radio.

He remained a familiar face at Tottenham matches, regularly appearing as part of the club’s matchday legends hospitality team.