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Tottenham Hotspur's starting XI delivered a solid performance despite significant rotation by manager Ange Postecoglou. With the upcoming second leg of the Europa League semi-final away at Bodø/Glimt taking priority, Postecoglou opted to field a largely second-choice lineup.

With Premier League positioning taking a back seat and a crucial week ahead for the club, here’s a look at this afternoon’s player ratings.

Tottenham player ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – 6/10

Vicario had a moment of sloppiness, to concede against Jarrod Bowen. However, todays stand-in captain made up for it with a great goal line save late in the second half to keep spurs at 1-1. Had bright and poor moments throughout the game however and can’t fault him too widely.

Djed Spence – 6/10

The heavily rotated backline allowed for Spence's return to the starting XI today. He linked up well with Tel at times attackingly and put in a solid defensive shift – especially a crucial block against an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross.

Ben Davies – 7/10

Mr Reliable put in a good shift this afternoon against West Ham. Davies, however, could’ve put in a better attempt to prevent Bowen’s goal, but the blame should be shifted more toward goalkeeper, Vicario.

Kevin Danso – 7.5/10

A passionate performance from a player who always looks so comfortable stepping back into the starting XI. Looked comfortable throughout and carried the ball toward, creating waves for an attack.

Archie Gray – 6.5/10

The young, makeshift right back had a good performance this afternoon. With key players having returned from injury, the fans haven’t seen much of Gray recently – but everyone can see the potential every time he plays.

Yves Bissouma – 6/10

Bissouma maintained good momentum after his impressive performance against Bodø/Glimt – but didn’t make a massive impact.

Pape Matar Sarr – 6.5/10

A decent but forgettable performance from Sarr as he played the full 90 this afternoon.

Dejan Kulusevski – 5/10

With James Maddison’s injury looking more significant than fans hoped, Kulusevski needs to put in better performances to fill the gap. He disappeared today in midfield, struggling to cement himself and create chances for the attacking players. However, he has just recently returned from a foot injury – so might just need some more time to settle in again.

Mathys Tel – 7/10

Had a positive 90 minutes today, constantly trying to make something happen down the left wing. He looked dangerous but stumbled at the final hurdle of finishing off a chance. Tel pressed well, forcing defender, Max Kilman, into a defensive mistake and capitalising to assist Wilson Odobert’s goal, whilst also playing a great ball to Richarlison – who should’ve taken his chance.

Richarlison – 6/10

Missed a great chance to put Spurs ahead, opting to square the ball across goal instead of taking a shot on himself. It wasn’t a poor performance from the striker, but he could’ve played a bigger role going forward. With Dominic Solanke injured for today’s game, Richarlison did well – producing good hold-up play and drawing fouls from the opposition.

Wilson Odobert – 7/10

Despite not having the loudest display today, Odobert registered his first Premier league goal for Spurs. With most of the play going down the left-wing, Odobert didn’t get as many chances as he would’ve liked.

Substitutions:

Mikey Moore – 7/10

With Thursday’s game the most important this season, Postecoglou held back on substitutions, aiming to keep his starting players fit. He only brought on 17-year-old Mikey Moore in the 68th minute.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Robert Vilahamn has admitted that Spurs will reflect on their WSL schedule at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after they lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea.

A 35th-minute penalty from Catarina Macario was enough to seal all three points for the WSL champions.

Spurs have played three matches at the THS this campaign, losing 3-0 to north London rivals Arsenal, 1-0 to Manchester United and now 1-0 to Chelsea.

It epitomises their drop-off from last campaign, where they beat Arsenal 1-0, Leicester City 2-1 and West Ham 3-1.

Post-match, Vilahamn told VAVEL that Spurs will reflect in the summer about their WSL schedule, and potentially play a mix of quality at the club’s main stadium moving forward.

“That’s something we need to reflect on. You get both the top teams and the teams around us, so you get a chance to score more goals and compete like this in some games. We want to have the fans here, no matter if we have a full stadium or like today, it’s a really good atmosphere," he said.

"The product becomes better. We play better football here. Today, we could have scored. [Against] Arsenal, we were not good at all. [Against] Man Utd, we defended very well.

"You can see that we take steps at this big stage. I think the future will be that we have different teams, so we can make sure we are competing even more in front of our fans. Today we did it against Chelsea. That’s one of the questions we need to decide in the summer with the new CEO. How many games can we have here? This is our home and where we want to be."

Despite defeat, Tottenham produced one of their best and most competitive performances of the season.

They were unlucky to go 1-0 down via Macario's penalty, and Charli Grant should have equalised straight away, but she directed her effort straight at Hannah Hampton. Unsurprisingly, Vilahamn was pleased with his team post-match.

“The players are buying into how we want to play. They are doing it really well against a good opponent," he outlined.

"The good thing is that the players are brave. We played some really good football. [It's] definitely a good step to show we can compete against one of the best teams in the world, but disappointed we didn’t get at least one point."

He also highlighted that it symbolises Spurs' season, with one mistake and a lack of confidence in front of goal eventually costing the hosts.

He said: "But if you want to summarise this season, if we make a mistake, they score, and if we get a really good chance, we don’t score. It’s a good step for us even if we lose the game.

“It’s that kind of season, but it’s also coming down to quality. Chelsea are that good in those moments, and we struggle a bit, obviously. To build confidence, it takes time."

Tottenham travelled to an anticipating Anfield to take on a Liverpool side that needed one more point to claim the title of Premier League champions.

Spurs scored the first goal of the match through a well-executed header from Dominic Solanke in the 12th minute, following a corner taken by midfielder James Maddison.

After a positive start for Tottenham, it was soon halted after Luis Diaz scored the first goal of Liverpool’s five, four minutes later. The goal was originally offside before it was overturned by VAR, but Liverpool’s next goal then followed in the 24th minute with a showstopper from Alexis MacAllister. Cody Gakpo scored their third following poor play from Tottenham in the 34th minute.

After the game restarted it was only a matter of time before Liverpool’s top goal scorer and the one of the Premier League’s finest Mohammed Salah scored and their fifth goal was scored by Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie following a defending error. Despite the 4 minutes of pressure that Tottenham put on Liverpool in the first half the champions took all 3 points after another disappointing performance for the North London side.

Here are the ratings for the Tottenham players in today's match:

Tottenham player ratings

Gugliemo Vicario - 3

Despite the goals being out of his control, the Tottenham goalkeeper's performance was far from perfect with his footwork and passing accuracy. This will concern Tottenham fans with big games coming up in the next coming weeks.

Ben Davies - 2

Ben Davies among the other Tottenham defenders struggled with the pace and physicality of the Liverpool front line today, although on occasion he made some critical stops to prevent a higher score line for Liverpool. His strengths were not utilised after Liverpool forced Tottenham to hold a high line.

Archie Gray - 3

Archie Gray had a 45 minute cameo for Spurs today and didn't create much of an impact as he wasn't met with the ball on the pitch very often, and got substituted at half time.

Destiny Udogie - 3

Udogie was dominated by Mohamed Salah throughout the game, which Salah's gameplay being predictable as ever. He also scored the fifth goal for the Reds through a defensive mistake in the second half. Tottenham fans won't be happy to see Salah be able to play so freely on the right-hand side, with Udogie’s poor effort to prevent the league’s top goal scorer.

Djed Spence – 3

Amongst the other Spurs players, Spence looked frustrated on the pitch today as he struggled to get into the game at most points and spent a lot of the game not looking in his best form.

Kevin Danso – 4

Kevin Danso has a lot more to show in a Spurs shirt, and although today wasn’t his day. He showed bright spells and created the most impact out of all the defenders on the pitch. A lacklustre defensive performance nevertheless from the team conceding multiple goals, but he showed there is more potential to be unlocked.

Lucas Bergvall – 3

Lucas Bergvall faced his toughest challenge in a Spurs shirt yet, as he faced the best midfield trio in the league this season, which caused a struggle for the Spurs midfielder, but the first half showed glimpses of what he can do and why he can be a key player in the midfield for Tottenham going forward.

James Maddison – 3.5

James Maddison created Spurs brightest moment in the game which was the goal converted by Solanke, it came from a well taken corner from Maddison, but the rest of the first half he didn’t create much impact. Postecoglou then replaced him at half time as a precaution for their Europa League semi final first leg coming up on Thursday.

Brennan Johnson - 3

It wasn’t Johnson’s game today. He didn’t see much of the ball and couldn’t get into the groove of the game, after one bright run in behind in the first half, it wasn’t his afternoon.

Dominic Solanke – 4.5

Dominic Solanke was Tottenham’s only goal scorer and delivered a superbly taken header in the 12th minute of the game that stunned the ever confident Liverpool fans. He caused problem for the Liverpool back line at times and created his teams most hopeful moment of the match.

Mathys Tel - 3

The game got away with him in the second half with the game being dominated by the Reds, nevertheless he had some bright spells throughout the first half, and looked like he could create positive moments in this team.

Substitutes:

Pape Matar Sarr- 3.5

He replaced Archie Gray at half time and took control of the ball at times. Spurs’ possession, but Liverpool remained in control of the match in the second half.

Dejan Kulusevski - 3

He made his appearance after being substituted on at half time and didn’t seem to have many bright moments, and although the game was dominated by the Reds, didn’t see much of the ball.

Wilson Odobert - 1.

He replaced Mathys Tel, had a couple good moments, but didn’t seem to have enough time to make a big impact.

Richarlison - 1.

Tottenham Hotspur currently boast an impressive list of talented players out on loan, scattered across clubs in both domestic and international leagues. These loanees have been gaining valuable experience, developing their skills, and, in many cases, thriving in regular first-team environments.

While it’s expected that some of these players may be sold permanently or loaned out again next season for continued development, there’s growing excitement around a select few who appear ready to return to North London and challenge for a spot in the managers first-team plans.

With the summer window approaching, fans are already looking ahead with anticipation, eager to see which of these returning stars will walk out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in N17 and make a real impact in the Premier League.

Although technically still on loan, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Bryan Gil, and Manor Solomon are already considered surplus to requirements and are set to join their respective clubs permanently this summer.

Several promising youngsters, like goalkeeper Josh Keeley and midfielder George Abbott, have impressed during their loan spells but are likely to head out again to continue building valuable experience. Centre-backs Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington have also enjoyed standout seasons away from North London.

However, with Luka Vušković arriving, Kevin Danso likely staying, and another central defender potentially incoming amid speculation around Cristian Romero’s future, both could be sent on loan again – perhaps this time to clubs in higher divisions.

Argentinian striker Alejo Veliz has had a frustrating year in Spain, struggling for game time at both Sevilla and Espanyol. There are now rumours of a return to Rosario Central in his homeland. Still only 20, Veliz remains a player full of potential and could yet find a path back into Spurs’ plans.

Meanwhile, Will Lankshear, currently with West Brom, has found it tough to make a major impact in the Championship. That said, regular game time is vital at this stage of his development, and another loan spell seems likely.

However, for a select few players, the situation feels different. Fans are eager to see them step into the first team – and we believe they’ll soon get the opportunity to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Jamie Donley

If any loan player has earned a shot next season, it’s Jamie Donley. Currently thriving at Leyton Orient, the young forward has been a standout figure in what’s been an impressive campaign for the League One side. His manager has labelled him a “special talent” on multiple occasions – and the numbers back it up.

With eight goals and nine assists in 37 appearances, Donley has been a consistent and influential presence in the starting XI. His creative output has been remarkable, producing 54 chances and delivering 25 successful crosses. But it's not just in attack where he excels – his defensive contributions are just as eye-catching.

He’s made 154 recoveries, 15 blocks, and won 38 aerial duels, showing his commitment and versatility all over the pitch. He's proved he can show up against Premier League sides - by scoring a screamer in the FA Cup against Manchester City. Tottenham Hotspur have a genuine all-rounder on their hands.

Although there is always a possibility that he could see himself heading out on another loan, with performances like this; fans will be eagerly calling for Donley to be given his chance under the lights at N17.

Alfie Devine

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has been thriving on his loan in Belgium, playing for Westerlo, and playing alongside fellow Spurs loanee – Luka Vušković.

Devine has been a name floated around Tottenham for many years – with hopes he’d become the next big player. The young prospect has now been on three separate loans over two seasons, and we will be hungry to make Westerlo is last. Former manager, Antonio Conte, was a big admirer of the player, so there is no doubt he has the capability to show up on the big stage.

Five goals in 25 appearances for Westerlo this season, will have fans eager to get him back in a Spurs’ shirt and putting in big performances.

Luka Vušković

Luka Vušković isn’t just a top prospect – he’s one of the most exciting teenage talents in world football right now. Born in 2007, the newly turned 18-year-old already carries himself like a seasoned pro.

Standing at 6’4”, the commanding centre-back has been a standout all season, not only marshalling the backline but also making a serious impact in the final third. He’s featured in 32 matches this season, starting all but one – a testament to his importance in a side currently sitting third in the Belgian Pro League.

Even more impressively, he’s notched seven goals and two assists – phenomenal numbers for a central defender of his age, and defenders in general. His acrobatic and frankly jaw-dropping free-kick put him on everyone's radar, and Tottenham are lucky to call him theirs. Vušković’s defensive intelligence, aerial dominance, and composure on the ball would pair beautifully with Micky van de Ven’s raw pace – potentially forming a formidable partnership for the future.

While some might say he’s one for the long-term project, Spurs fans are already itching to see him in the first team now.

Min-Hyeok Yang

A young Korean talent? We’ve seen this before. Yang arrived to North London from Gangwon FC in January, and was swiftly sent out west to adapt to English football. It’s always hard for players to loan to settle in mid-way through the season, but Yang has impressed so far at QPR.

He’s started eight games, with two goals and one assist. The dynamic and versatile forward can play across the front line, offering Spurs’ essential depth out on the wings. Many fans will hope he can emulate the performances of fellow South Korean, and Tottenham legend, Heung-Min Son. Comparisons shouldn’t be made between a fresh youngster and one of the greatest Premier League wingers of all time, but fans can dream.

At only 19-years-old, he’s one for the future, and could definitely return this summer, and cement his place in the first team.

It was another Premier League match to forget for Tottenham Hotspur as they fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday.

On his return to the N17, former Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo guided Forest to an accomplished victory in north London

Within the opening 20 minutes, the Lilywhites found themselves with a mountain to climb. Guglielmo Vicario couldn’t keep out Elliot Anderson’s deflected strike before Chris Wood powerfully headed in Forest’s second.

Both central defenders were taken off at the interval and Spurs threatened to reduce the deficit.

Harry Toffolo heroically cleared off the goal-line to thrwart Dejan Kulusevski while Matz Sels made a couple of saves to deny Richarilsom.

The Brazilian striker eventually breached the Belgian’s net with an accurate header but his effort proved to be only a consolation.

Another league loss for Ange Postecoglou and his players leaves them in 16th position with just five games left to play.

Here are the player ratings following a display bereft of quality in north London:

Tottenham players ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – 2

It was another disastrous showing from Vicario with the Spurs stopper being at fault for both goals.

The Italian made a strong stop early on, diving low to his left-hand side to deny Morgan Gibbs-White from range.

Despite the deflection, the ‘keeper should have done better for Anderson’s goal. The flick off Bentancur didn’t deviate the ball away from his direction and the Italian got two strong hands to the effort.

His blushes were then spared minutes later by VAR. Once again, Vicario got a strong glove to an attempt, this time from the head of Chris Wood, and it still breached his net.

His lacklustre performance carried on as more indecisive goalkeeping assisted Forest once again. The former Empoli man came to gather a deep cross only for Wood to beat him to ball and nod into an empty net.

Pedro Porro - 6

Porro was Spurs’ biggest creative force tonight and registered an assist in the closing stages.

The full-back delivered an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Richarlison who directed the pass into the bottom corner.

However, it was his poor headed clearance which presented Anderson with the opportunity to strike the opener.

Cristian Romero - 3

It was a poor half from the Argentine defender and he was axed at half-time after picking up a yellow card.

The World Cup winner didn’t track the movement of Wood for the second goal, which allowed the New Zealand international to jump unchallenged and head in.

Romero picked up a booking for a rash challenge on Anderson after escaping a caution for a couple of full-blooded tackles.

Postecoglou opted to manage the captain’s minutes, which was a sensible decision considering his aggressive nature.

Micky van de Ven – 5

Alongside his defensive partner, the 23-year-old also didn’t reappear for the second half.

Van de Ven wasn’t to blame for any of the goals but arguably could’ve done more to distract Wood for the second goal.

Djed Spence – 4

Spence failed to impose himself on proceedings against his former club. The Englishman typically uses his strength and athleticism to nullify attackers and drive up the pitch. Both aspects were missing against Forest tonight.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 4

The Uruguayan stuck out a lazy leg to block Anderson’s shot which helped it past his own goalkeeper for the first goal.

Bentancur was lackadaisical in possession. On a few occasions, an attempt at a cultured header to a teammate ended up finding an opposition shirt.

Pape Matar Sarr – 5

Sarr was overwhelmed by the Forest midfield, which prevented him from recycling possession to his regular standard.

In the second half, the Senegalese midfielder was almost playing as an auxiliary striker with late bursts into the box. Unfortunately for Sarr and Spurs, he couldn’t make a meaningful contribution and looked more erratic than composed.

Dejan Kulusevski – 4

On his return to the starting eleven, Kulusevski was rusty and error-prone. The synergy between him and his fellow attackers was virtually non-existent.

In fairness to the Swede, he was desperately unlucky not to find himself on the scoresheet. His clever header from a corner was acrobatically blocked on the line by Toffolo.

Everyone of a Spurs persuasion will be hoping he can rediscover his pre-injury form in time for the Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.

Wilson Odobert – 6

Odobert was enthusiastic down the right-flank, but wasn’t on the same wavelength with Richarlison on their first start together.

The Frenchman recorded the first shot on target for the hosts with a curling effort that troubled Sels.

Richarlison – 7

Richarlison marked his return to the starting eleven with a well taken header in the 86th minute.

The striker’s season has been plagued by injury but he has wreaked havoc every time he has made an appearance.

He was a tricky customer for the typically assured defensive pairing of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo and escaped their attention on a few occasions.

Sels produced a stunning save to claw out a header from the Brazilian but was beaten by a similar effort in the dying embers. He powerfully found the corner with a textbook header from Porro's cross.

In just 383 league minutes, Richarlison has scored four times this season, for an average of a goal every 96 minutes. If the former Everton forward had stayed fit this season, Tottenham’s fortunes might have fared slightly better.

Mathys Tel – 4

In the first period, the Bayern Munich loanee looked lively off the left and was terrorising Neco Williams.

The teenager snatched at a loose ball inside the box with a wild effort that went high and wide of the target.

After the break, Tel’s end product left a lot to be desired and lacked a cutting edge.

Substitutes

Kevin Danso – 6

Danso got some important minutes in the tank with the European semi-final on the horizon.

The 26-year-old was given licence to go forward and displayed his impressive distribution with some incisive passes that broke the lines.

Ben Davies – 5

Davies replaced Van de Ven at the break and performed his tasks astutely. His evening was made a lot easier by Forest's reluctance to score a third goal.

Brennan Johnson – 4

The Welshman was introduced with 20 minutes remaining of the game but couldn’t make an impact.

Dominic Solanke – 4

Solanke was sent on to play alongside Richarlison although he didn’t receive the appropriate service.

Lucas Bergvall – N/A

The young midfielder provided some energy and enthusiasm for the final quarter of an hour.

Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt shared the spoils in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie with a 1-1 draw.

Frankfurt took an early lead through star player Hugo Ekitike in the sixth minute, but Pedro Porro equalised for the hosts 20 minutes later with a stunning backheel.

Spurs had more shots and chances after equalising, but they lacked the cutting edge in the final third.

Tottenham and Frankfurt have both been labelled as inconsistent this season. Spurs, when clicking, can produce exhilarating and electric football and Frankfurt are often dangerous on the transition.

Their inconsistencies were shown throughout this match, though. Dino Toppmöller's side, manager since 2023, didn't offer any threat in different scenarios, whilst Spurs went through periods of the match full of misplaced passes.

Ange Postecoglou's team currently sit 14th in the Premier League table, and any hope of ending their 17-year trophy draught lies solely on the Europa League. But this wasn't a performance that will fill fans with hope that they can go away to a daunting stadium – the Deutsche Bank Park – and reach the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time since 2019.

Story of the Match

Tottenham made two changes to the side that beat Southampton 3-1 on Sunday. Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven came in for Djed Spence and Ben Davies.

Frankfurt lost 2-0 away to Werder Bremen on Saturday, and they made just one change. Rasmus Kristensen, on loan from Leeds, replaced Nnamdi Collins at right-back.

In front of 57,849 fans at a raucous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Frankfurt found the perfect start by taking the lead six minutes in. The German side are well-known for their transitional threat and, as they dispossessed James Maddison in the middle of the park, they showcased it again.

Ellyes Skhiri played it out wide to Ekitike, who cut inside and rifled a stunning low effort into the bottom right corner. The former Paris Saint-Germain star has been their main threat all season and his quick burst of pace and stunning finish silenced the hosts, who struggled to find their rhythm early on.

Frustration grew for the hosts in the first 25 minutes, but matches can change in a second. Spurs were the beneficiary of football's famous old story moments later, with Porro equalising with a stunning backheel.

Solanke found Maddison out wide; he went on a dancing run into the box and the playmaker found Porro within the box. In a congested area, the Spaniard produced a spectacular backheel to finish off a brilliant passage of play.

Spurs dominated possession throughout the first half, averaging 61%, but they lacked the cutting edge. Frankfurt came closest to scoring again before the whistle blew; goalscorer Ekitike nearly replicated his moment of magic, but this time he fired his shot directly at Guglielmo Vicario.

Any chance that Frankfurt did get came on the transition. They often targetted Spurs' right-hand side, avoiding the pace and power of Van de Ven, and it nearly ended up with another goal at the start of the second period. Jean-Mattéo Bahoya was slipped in behind, but the 19-year-old opted to square it across the face of goal, which Spurs eventually cleared, instead of shooting.

But Spurs remained on top. Lucas Bergvall nearly scored one of the goals of the season 55 minutes in, cutting inside two midfielders before rifling a shot off the crossbar. Heung-Min Son followed that up with a curling effort from the left, only to be denied by an outstretched save from Kaua, whilst Maddison's driven effort was saved by the 21-year-old.

As the match seemed to peter out, Spurs had two golden opportunities to snatch victory. With eight minutes to go, substitute Spence cut it back into the box for Brennan Johnson, but the winger fired his effort high of the goal. Meanwhile, with essentially the last kick of the game, Van de Ven's downward header was miracolously tipped over the bar by Kaua.

Player of the Match – Lucas Bergvall

This wasn't two world-class teams going head-to-head. Instead, it was two sides who had clear flaws and didn't take advantage. However, one shining light for Tottenham once again was young central midfielder Bergvall.

In his first season at the club, Bergvall has continually improved, and he asserted himself in the middle of the park tonight in emphatic fashion. The 19-year-old nearly scored a stunning goal as well, rattling the bar with an audacious effort from distance.

Tempers have reached boiling point among the Tottenham faithful, who’s displeasure has been a resultant effect of their team’s horrific form, which has left Ange Postecoglou fighting for his job.

This situation is all too familiar for Tottenham, who have had five permanent managers in the last six years- many of whom have had infamous outbursts, which has often been the final straw during their managerial stints.

As for Postecoglou, it seemed as though this moment took place last week against Chelsea, when he cupped his ear to the travelling Spurs fans while celebrating Pape Matar Sarr's goal (which ended up being disallowed). This was after chants criticising the Australian's decision to replace Lucas Bergvall with the Senegalese midfielder in the 64th minute.

Postecoglou was swift to address this incident, claiming that his actions were misinterpreted: "We just scored, I just wanted to hear them cheer." However, many have not been convinced by this and seem to be losing faith in the manager, who started his Tottenham career so well.

Extreme pressure ahead of Frankfurt tie

Tottenham's Europa League quarter-final clash on Thursday, against the 2022 champions, Eintracht Frankfurt, is being regarded as one of their most important games in recent history.

There is no doubt that the Premier League campaign has been nothing short of catastrophic, and Tottenham also fell short in both domestic cup competitions. The prospect of Europa League success though, provides one last glimmer of hope for Postecoglou, who will be desperate to bring an end to the miserable 17 year trophy drought.

Tottenham approach the game off the back of a 3-1 victory over Southampton, who were subsequently relegated. But full priority will be devoted to the Europa League quarter-final first leg, the first time Tottenham have reached this stage of a European competition since their memorable run to the Champions League final in 2019.

Tottenham's mixed record against German opposition

In their last outing against a German side, Tottenham came through 3-2 victors away at Hoffenheim, in the seventh week of the inaugural League table phase.

The last time Tottenham faced Frankfurt was during the 2022/23 Champions League group stage, firstly drawing 0-0 at the Deutsche Bank Arena. Then a month later, winning 3-2 at home, thanks to a brace from Son Heung-Min and a Harry Kane penalty.

The hosts have also enjoyed success against Borrusia Dortmund, beating them four times consecutively from 2017-2019. Son Heung-Min was once again heavily involved in this successful spell, in-fact the South Korean has netted seven times against German opposition during his time in North-London.

On the other hand, Tottenham have also suffered heavy defeats to German teams in recent years. Including a 7-2 demolition at home Bayern Munich in 2019, a game which influenced the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino - who is one the favourite candidates to take over at Spurs if Postecoglou gets sacked.

RB Leipzig also comfortably saw off Tottenham 4-0 on aggregate during the same campaign, and if Frankfurt were to replicate this type of performance, it would likely seal the fate of Postecoglou.

Daniel Levy under severe scrutiny

The common theme during all the managerial transitions and turbulent form displayed by different squads, is the aggrieved attitude towards the Tottenham hierarchy, most notably Daniel Levy.

Since taking over as the Chairman at Tottenham in 2001, the club has won just one trophy, the League Cup in 2008.

Commonly associated with greed, with the accusation of prioritising business over success. The nature in which the club is run is believed to have infected generations of teams with weak minded mentalities, with Spurs being well renowned as a team who never perform when it really matters, in the bid to seal silverware.

This was reinforced by former captain Hugo Lloris, who raised the question "Does the club really want to win?" after he revealed in his autobiography that Levy gifted the squad with watches, which had engraved 'Champions league finalists', prior to the final against Liverpool in 2019.

At the centre of this disapproval is the common pattern that Tottenham fail to optimise their investments into improving the team, combined with having the lowest wages of the so called 'big six'- with Tottenham's involvement seeming a distant memory.

What makes this even more infuriating is that Tottenham became the most profitable Premier League team in history in 2023 (BBC), with merchandise and season tickets being among the highest in Europe. Despite this, Levy constantly emphasises the need to be cautious with transfer spending- something many former managers have addressed as previously mentioned.

The reality of the situation is that Tottenham are at an extremely crucial stage in their history, and decisions to be made in the near future will very much dictate the direction of the club.

The stakes against Frankfurt could not be higher, with the demand for silverware greater than ever.

Former Tottenham striker Frederic Kanoute believes Spurs must "look into the mirror" and take responsibility as they look to win their first trophy since 2008.

Kanoute, now 47, made 72 appearances for Spurs between August 2003 and 2005. He scored 22 goals, parterning lethal duo Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe in the final third.

The 38-time Mali international, who was also named 2007 African Footballer of the Year, is now working with LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football to help get more young children active.

At the launch of a second football site at Harris Academy St John’s Wood in north-west London, the former Spurs forward told VAVEL that they must take responsibility in an attempt to end their barren trophy draught, admitting that he doesn't believe their past few managers, including Ange Postecoglou, are bad coaches.

"They are stuck in a certain position, even though sometimes we think they're going to finally find a way up. I think sometimes things have to be to be found more in the organisation and the management of the club itself, and have a clear direction," he told the site.

"I don't know what's happening, so I'm not even criticising, but I think sometimes going on the coach, because we know he's done some great work in the past few years, and all of a sudden he's not a good coach anymore.

"I don't really buy into that. Sometimes you can be a little bit singled out as a coach and you accept that, but also you have to go a little bit deeper sometimes. The club itself has to look into the mirror as well and try to take responsibility."

Spurs currently sit 14th in the Premier League, with their only hope of tangible success coming in the form of the Europa League. They host Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday in the first leg of the quarter-finals.

Kanoute's work with LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football reaches new heights

Kanoute has been retired since 2013 after an illustrious career that included spells at Spurs, West Ham and Sevilla. While countless professional athletes look to set off into the sunset, the Malian likes to help the community.

The programme from LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football, who engage with over 5,000 young people in London weekly, has been running since 2022, and it has welcomed in more than 200 youngsters in a bid to support the growth of grassroots football.

The new site, which Kanoute was speaking at on Saturday, will facilitate 16 participating teams in a league, supported by a record number of LALIGA clubs. Access to football remains at the forefront of the programme's mission.

Kanoute, who is also a consultant for grassroots projects in Mali and Zambia, is delighted with the impact of the event.

"I think the partnership with Bloomsbury Football is very positive. What attracted me was the social impact. Of course, there's a technical impact and allows kids to develop their football on the technical side, but as well, giving access to more kids and tackling that financial gap," he said. "I think it's a very positive initiative."

The former striker later added that he is hopeful it will stop kids from getting involved in the wrong activities.

He said: "We're hopefully going to see that there are things that are difficult to see from your own eyes because maybe some of those kids, we never know what they would have done if they wouldn't have come to train on a regular basis and have a positive activity like this."

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Ange Postecoglou has urged the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy to wait it out to reap long-term rewards, whether that be with him or someone else. The Australian has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks and months.

"At some point, I think the club needs to stick to something. If I say it now, it sounds self-serving and defeats the purpose, so maybe not now… but I think that if you want to change the course of your events, you need to change materially a lot of things in terms of the way your outlook as a club."

The rumour mill is continually swirling, with new discussions emerging every day regarding the state of the former Celtic boss' tenure at the club, with speculation stating that the decision at the end-of-season review will be heavily reliant on the UEFA Europa League knockout stage. Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva have already had their names thrown into the hat, alongside Brentford's Thomas Frank.

Postecoglou, however, believes the best chance of turning the club's fortunes around depends on sticking with a manager through thick and thin, something Spurs have not done since the reign of Mauricio Pochettino.

Although these are unprecedented times for the club domestically and they are on track for their worst season since they were relegated in 1977, the Australian has a contract until 2027, but who knows whether the club will see fit to stick with their current Head Coach in an attempt to finally undergo that painful project they have craved for years.

Backlash from interaction with fans

Last night's loss to Chelsea was another episode in the clashes between Tottenham fans and Ange Postecoglou.

It is not the first time a situation has occurred between the loyal supporters and the man who makes the decisions on the pitch - a man who will be held responsible for overseeing a side who are currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League.

The decision to bring off Lucas Bergvall for Pape Sarr was met with boos and chants of "you don't know what you're doing" from the travelling supporters, however, the Senegalese thought he had struck an equaliser less than five minutes later, with Postecoglou celebrating by cupping his ear and waving to the away end before VAR disallowed the goal.

Although he has since stated he didn't mean it in a harmful way, instead wanting to hear more noise to celebrate making it 1-1, it is just one of a number of incidents which have taken place.

When asked why he bothers dealing with aggro from fans, he supplied a mature answer, saying that he is trying to quash 'bullying' which could then be taken out of a football ground and into schools or onto the streets.

"If somebody says [picks up his phone and holds it up, as if recording], 'Hey, I didn't like that article', what do you think they are trying to achieve? What I think they're trying to achieve? They're not really interested in answering the question, they just want a reaction. They want their five minutes of fame because that's what this [the phone] gives them.

"Why are you holding up a phone? What are you trying to do? So you can put it on social media and say, 'Look, I got Ange Postecoglou to react, isn't that great'. I can take it, I'm 60 years old, I don't care. What if they take that in the schoolyard, what if they do that in general life, what if they do that to you?"

The incident that he is referring to was the clash he had with a fan when entering the tunnel at Craven Cottage following the 2-0 defeat before the international break, their last match before the defeat at Stamford Bridge, however, he also had a fiery exchange with fans at Bournemouth in December.

Has it been all doom and gloom?

Whilst it has been tough to follow The Lilywhites since their incredible start to the 2023/24 campaign, Postecoglou clearly believes it's harsh to dismiss the job he has done since taking over from the mess the side was left in by Antonio Conte.

“Fair to say this year hasn’t worked out. But that’s the other thing. We finished fifth last year. In another year, that would have been a Champions League spot. With people, it just doesn’t register. If you have five years at a club and you have maybe one or two disappointing years but you have three really strong years you’d say: ‘I’ll take that.’ But here you can’t have one good year … and last year was a good year, I don’t care what anybody says.

"We lost Harry [Kane]. I know everyone talks about our start. We lost Harry. We finished fifth. We changed the way we played. But it seems like, well, you have one good year, you have one poor year and then that’s it. Let’s move on to the next.

"But that’s what I accepted so I can’t sit here and say: ‘Ah, woe is me.’ That’s the challenge I accepted. Fair to say at the moment I’m not doing a good job of turning that mind-shift around. But as I said earlier, I am a fighter. I will continue fighting until told otherwise.”

Possibly, there is an egotistical issue amongst Spurs fans and their team, having had multiple years of Champions League football and high league finished under Mauricio Pochettino.

What some may seem to disregard from the memory bank is that the Argentinian changed the outlook at the club and although they have regressed in recent years - and there is no excuse for the current season, albeit it's seen unbespoke circumstances with injuries - has it been all bad under Ange's reign?