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Arsenal claimed a dominant 4-1 victory over bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the latest edition of the North London Derby.

It was a glorious day for the Gunners, who have now extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to six points thanks to a hat-trick from Eberechi Eze.

Leandro Trossard was the man to give the home side the lead in the 36th minute before Eze doubled their advantage before the break.

The Englishman would have more of a say just 40 seconds into the second half when he took Arsenal's tally to three.

Richarlison struck from just past the halfway line to give fans the slightest shimmer of hope; but all hope was gone when Eze found the back of the net yet again to make it 4-1 and complete his hat-trick.

Story of the match:

Arsenal made their intentions known from the first whistle as the first bit of space they were allowed by Spurs was translated into a great chance for the Gunners.

Bukayo Saka worked the ball to Eberechi Eze, whose dinked ball was hit on the volley by Declan Rice, forcing a strong save out of Vicario just two minutes into the encounter.

As expected, the home side were looking much more dangerous of the two sides, passing better than their rivals, and progressing into much more threatening areas of the pitch.

But truth be told, other than the chance two minutes in, Vicario had very little to trouble him in the early stages of proceedings at the Emirates. Thomas Frank's game plan looked like it was simply to frustrate the home side, something in which they were executing to perfection so far.

Every chance they got to slow the game down, whether it be a throw-in or a free kick, they did just that. This certainly helped to stunt Arsenal's progress and take that edge out of the home crowd.

Saka came close to opening the scoring just past the half-hour mark as his free kick travelled through a lot of bodies before being met by the palm of Vicario, who once again kept this encounter level.

But Spurs' defence would be breached once more in the 36th minute, this time fatally, when Mikel Merino found the run of Leandro Trossard. The Belgian took a wonderful touch to bring the ball under his spell, before turning and squeezing the ball into the bottom corner.

If it was not already, Tottenham's defence was all out of sorts now as their lack of composure was punished yet again. Rice won the ball back in the centre of the park and fizzed a pass through to Eze.

The Englishman showed great feet to sneak his way past two markers before blazing an effort into the bottom left corner to double Arsenal's lead ahead of the interval.

There was a question as to whether Vicario's sight of the shot was blocked by players in offside positions, but VAR confirmed the goal as Spurs now had a very steep mountain to climb.

It had been a miserable half from Spurs, who failed to register a single shot. The game plan fell apart as soon as the opening goal went in, as it looked like Frank's side lacked a plan B.

Arsenal, meanwhile, would have been thrilled as they had the encounter seemingly all but wrapped up prior to the interval. Still, Arteta would be looking for his team to hammer this result home emphatically in the second half

There was a change to both personnel and seemingly formation ahead of the half by Spurs as Xavi Simons entered play as the visitors looked to find a way back into the game.

The evening only became more disastrous for Spurs as it took Arsenal less than a minute to extend their advantage once more, as Eze continued to pile the misery on a team he looked set to join in the summer.

Jurrien Timber found a player in red on his second attempt as the 27-year-old took a touch and buried his effort in the back of the net yet again. This was quickly becoming humiliating for the visitors.

It all looked so pedestrian for Arsenal until a spanner was thrown into the works in the 55th minute.

Joao Palhinha did well to win the ball back in midfield before Richarlison picked up the ball and launched an outrageous effort from just past the halfway line that looped over a backtracking David Raya and into the back of the net.

It was totally against the run of play as the visitors seemed out of the game, but this sparked a glimmer of light into Thomas Frank's men.

Whilst this did inspire a more encouraging portion of play from the visiting side, they were not rewarded for the couple of bright moments that they generated.

Instead, quite the opposite as Arsenal restored their lead with 15 minutes to go as Eze became the first player to score a hat-trick in the North London Derby since 1978.

Trossard did brilliantly to drag the back line out of position before finding Eze in the middle, whose effort flew past a hopeless Vicario to seal this game once and for all.

There would be no response from Spurs, whose remaining energy had now diminished as they had been beaten, and beaten well, at the Emirates. They prepare for another tough test in midweek as they face the Champions of Europe, Paris Saint-Germain.

On the other hand, it was another impressive performance from Arsenal, who are looking more and more like champion material as weeks go by. They will now prepare for a midweek clash against Bayern Munich before returning to Premier League action against 2nd place Chelsea next weekend.

Player of the match:

Eberechi Eze:

Arsenal had plenty of players worthy of being named player of the match, particularly Trossard, but it could not really be anyone other than Eze, who has already etched his name into the club's folklore.

It was an impressive hat-trick from Eze, the second goal being the best of the bunch as he eased past two men before finding the finish. Every goal was as valuable as the other for Arsenal, who, thanks to Eze, now sit six points clear at the top of the table.

It was really a night to be proud of for Eze, who had put in a statement performance against a side that he came so close to joining in the summer.

Declan Rice remains confident in the Arsenal camp ahead of the North London derby.

The midfielder has been hitting his stride as the Gunners evolve with a midfield unit that includes £55 million man Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. The Englishman has excelled as a ‘do-it-all’ figure between both boxes, and he is a big part of why the team are sitting at the top of the table.

They can create a bigger buffer from the competition with a victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. The squad will be without Gabriel Magalhaes due to a thigh injury, and club captain Martin Odegaard might be absent. However, Rice still feels there is enough leadership to engineer a victory.

“I’m feeling probably as good as I’ve ever felt in my game to be honest with you. It probably took me two or three games to get going at the start of the season, but once I’ve fully clicked into gear, I feel like now I’m performing at a really high, consistent level.

“That’s what I want to keep doing, week-in, week-out, keep playing at a really high level, keep trying to be the best player and help the team achieve good things; that’s what I want to do.”

“We’re in a great position ourselves and if we keep winning football matches then good things are going to happen. I feel like our group has got such a good mentality even though we’re a young group, we’re really focused and really calm, I don’t see anyone panicking, or anyone worrying about what anyone else thinks.

“We’re just focused on ourselves and what our manager wants us to do, so I feel like that’s what we’re going to keep doing and we’ve started off really well doing that this season, so it’s been good so far.

“Martin’s our main captain, he’s incredible, but there’s also a group behind the scenes that help Martin out whenever he needs it. On matchdays, they have their own opinions and say things when they need to be said and I feel like that’s where we’re growing as a group now.

“If things need to be said, they get said, and in a constructive way, in a way that helps push other people. I feel like we do have more leaders now in the group than we’ve ever had, so that’s a really good thing for us.

“It means everything. I’ve been involved in four north London derbies so far and we’ve done well in them, but every time we know there’s one coming up, the fans are ready for it and we’re ready for it.

“It’s a different type of energy compared to any other game. It’s an energy where you know you have to go out there and give it everything; every tackle is going to be cheered, every header, every action.

“It’s the biggest fixture of the season for us in terms of what it means, the bragging rights, so to beat Spurs is always nice. We’ve had a good record against them the last few years, even though the games have been tough, we’ve won the football matches and that’s what we want to do again this weekend.”

Tottenham are changing lanes with a new head coach in charge of the club.

Ange Postecoglou finished in 17th place last season in the Premier League, and a Europa League title, ending a 17 year trophy drought, was not enough to keep the Australian in his job. The board looked across the capital, plucking Thomas Frank from Brentford in June to oversee the side.

They are reaping the rewards of the decision as Spurs sit fifth in the table, are unbeaten away from home in the league, and have quickly embraced a new identity. But could that come at a cost?

Set-piece precision

Set-pieces are back in fashion, and Spurs are leading the way with the focus on their offensive value.

Frank has been a longtime advocate of maximising this phase of play. His Brentford team jumped from the Championship with the knowledge that they needed to make marginal gains to get a competitive edge on more talented opposition, and he looked to make the most of these situations.

It is a belief that has followed him into his role. Spurs scored 11 goals from set plays last season, and by the end of October, they had netted five— harnessing the qualities of existing players in the camp.

Pedro Porro is a player whose vision and range of passing have been a pillar in more than just open play. From corners and free kicks, he has the right deliveries to put the ball into dangerous situations.

Kevin Danso, a loanee from Lens at the start of 2025, was the winner of a throw-in competition in the team’s preseason camp. From the performance in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, his ability to hurl the ball into the box has been another significant weapon that Spurs have utilised.

The controlled aggression of Cristian Romero has stood out in this side, especially as a force for good in the last two seasons. He has gone from strength to strength, but there has also been bigger influence from Micky van de Ven in the boxes. The Dutch defender bagged a brace in a 3-0 victory over Everton in October with two goals from corners, and he has scored six times this campaign.

To many fans, this success feels like a world away from the approach of Frank’s predecessor. But Postecoglou brought strengths in many other areas where the Dane still has to show he has answers.

Building from the back

But set pieces cannot solve all of the challenges that Tottenham face. Postecoglou proved that relentless positivity in possession could produce problems for opponents— even if it came at the cost of some defensive stability. By contrast, Frank has emphasised a strategy of finding firm foundations.

The head coach is working without Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, or James Maddison, who have all been absent with injuries. Former club captain Son Heung-min also parted ways with the club after a decade of service, so Frank has felt it is not sensible to place his trust in unsettled pieces.

But some of his decisions also demonstrate that the focus of Frank’s side is shifting offensively. Yves Bissouma, a key player in the first phase for Ange with his ability to progress play centrally, has not featured for the Dane. Brennan Johnson, a brilliant back post box crasher, has also dropped down the depth chart as Spurs no longer create the flow of chances to capitalise on the strength of the winger.

The balance of the midfield has also highlighted how Frank’s focus differs from his predecessor.

Joao Palhinha arrived in the summer as a loanee from Bayern Munich with Premier League experience from his two years at Fulham. Frank was impressed with his work across the capital while at Brentford, and his tough tackling, professional attitude is a valuable asset in this department.

However, Palhinha is not a player who thrives under pressure in central areas. With the strengths of Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall both being more forward thinking, and Rodrigo Bentancur looking for the right rhythm to influence games, Spurs have often struggled to click with the ball.

More recently, since the 3-0 defeat of Everton at the end of October, Frank has shuffled the pack. He has used a 3 + 2 buildup structure that seems to have better platformed Bentancur and given Djed Spence less responsibility to find progressive angles on his ‘wrong’ side as a right footed left back.

But there are still a lot of questions about the sustainability and effectiveness of their ideas on the ball.

Playing percentages

All teams will suffer from the absences of key individuals in their starting eleven, but it has felt like Tottenham are particularly short of ideas when a few key relationships are not present on the pitch.

Cristian Romero remains the spiritual leader of the side, and his progressive passing reflects the kind of bravery that Spurs seem to only demonstrate in fits and spurts to try and access more central areas.

Destiny Udogie is also a key figure: an athletic, ‘natural footed’ fullback, he has found chemistry with Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons. That left sided pod played a prominent part in displays against Brighton, Leeds United, and Copenhagen: three of the most impressive performances this season.

However, the Italian has struggled with knee injuries, and his availability is part of the problem that underlies the struggles of the new £51 million man from RB Leipzig. Maddison appears the more complete player, but it is all the more reason to give Xavi help as he transitions from the Bundesliga.

More often than not, the bailout has been the right sided pair for Tottenham as Frank takes positives from playing percentages, throwing crosses into the box, and asserting physicality on opponents.

Time and again, Spurs have relied on the out ball from Porro to Mohammed Kudus, whose 1 v 1 threat, carrying, and dominant physique have produced something out of nothing for the team.

Tottenham make the short trip across London on Sunday afternoon to square off against top of the table Arsenal, a fixture where Tottenham have failed to win since their 3-0 win back in May 2022 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, thanks to a Harry Kane brace and a Son Heung-Min strike.

You would have to go back to December 2019 for Tottenham's last victory at The Emirates, which was a 2-0 win in the Quarter-Finals of the Carabao Cup, with Son and Dele Alli the Spurs goal scorers that night.

Before the international break, Tottenham welcomed a resurgent Man United side and knew a win may had taken them to third place in the Premier League table depending on other results.

Bryan Mbeumo had other ideas, and continued his fine form by netting, just after the half hour mark ensuring United went into the break with a goal advantage.

Tottenham fought back and scored two quick fire goals through Mathys Tel in the 84th minute and Richarlison in the 91st minute and it looked for all the world that Spurs finally secured their first Premier League home win since the opening day against Burnley.

However, Spurs were denied a victory in the dying embers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by a 96th minute equaliser from Matthijs de Ligt to earn Man United a valuable point on the road.

Arsenal too, were denied victory in stoppage time as they travelled to one of the in form teams in the division, Sunderland.

Dan Ballard opened the scoring for the hosts in the 36th minute, but a goal a piece from Bukayo Saka ten minutes after the break, and Leandro Trossard twenty minutes later looked to have seen Arsenal go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Sunderland's striker Brian Brobbey had other ideas and rescued a point for the Black Cats in the 94th minute to keep their fantastic start of the season going.

Back in January, 2025 Tottenham travelled to The Emirates, but fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Spurs took the lead after 25 minutes, following a Son strike. However, an own goal from Solanke and a Trossard goal just before the break was enough to see Arsenal gain the three points.

In the reverse fixture in at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in September, 2024, Tottenham were beaten 1-0 after a Saka corner was headed home by Gabriel in the 64th minute to earn Arsenal the win.

Team news

Arsenal:

Arsenal, meanwhile, were dealt a massive blow in the international break as centre back Gabriel sustained a thigh injury in Brazil's victory over Senegal at the Emirates, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta saying he could be out 'for weeks'.

The Gunners are hoping there is positive news on Viktor Gyokores, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and skipper Martin Odegaard ahead of Sunday. Arteta kept his cards very close to his chest on their availability ahead of Sunday, with Arsenal having one more training session left to assess.

Tottenham:

Thomas Frank was greeted with a much needed boost going into this weekends North London Derby, as Pape Sarr, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Randal Kolo Muani all trained and have been made available for selection ahead of Sunday's clash.

Ben Davies, Kota Takai, and Archie Gray also trained in Friday's session.

Frank also confirmed that defender Radu Dragusin is very close to competitive minutes as the Romanian steps up his recovery after a long time out with an ACL injury.

Striker Dominic Solanke is still not ready to feature.

Embed from Getty Images

Likely line-ups

Arsenal - Raya, Timber, Saliba, Mosquera, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Sake, Merino, Trossard.

Tottenham - Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven, Spence, Palhinha, Sarr, Johnson, Simons, Kudus, Richarlison

Key players

Arsenal - Bukayo Saka

The winger's recent return to form following injury has been perfect timing for The Gunners, and he just loves a North London Derby, registering either a goal or an assist in his last four appearances against Spurs.

Tottenham - Christian Romero

The passionate Tottenham captain will have to ensure he leads and organises his defence throughout the game, and will have to be at their very best as a collective to stop Arsenal scoring their 11th set piece goal of the Premier League season.

Match details

Where is the game being played?

The match is being played at the Emirates Stadium, London.

What time is kick-off?

The game is scheduled to kick off at 16:30pm GMT on Sunday, 23rd November 2025.

How can I watch?

Speaking to the media at Tottenham Hotspur's Enfield training base on Friday afternoon, Head Coach Thomas Frank delivered positive news on the injury front ahead of his first competitive North London Derby in charge of The Lilywhites.

Over recent weeks, Spurs have been missing as many as ten first-team players, as the club battled an injury crisis for the third consecutive season, however, things are now looking much more positive ahead of Sunday's derby clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Summer signing Randal Kolo Muani, who came off injured at half-time in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United before the international break, is fit and could play, having worn a specially-fitted mask in training as a result of his fractured jaw, which he suffered in a collision with Harry Maguire.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall, who both missed games before the break, have been training with the squad and are available.

The Ghanaian suffered a calf issue following the 1-0 loss against Chelsea and subsequently missed the two remaining games before the break, while the 19-year-old Swede came off in that dreadful home defeat after less than ten minutes owing to a concussion, and due to protocols surrounding player safety, also missed the win against Copenhagen and the draw at home to United.

Bergvall was named in the Sweden squad for their fixtures during the international break, yet was sent home as he had not yet fully recovered, but he is now back fit and raring to go.

In total, eight players returned to training since the conclusion of the international break, with five in contention to feature as the Premier League recommences.

"They are good, most of them. Pape [Matar Sarr] and Lucas [Bergvall] both trained and are available. [Randal] Kolo Muani trained and is available, he will wear a mask. Dom [Solanke] is not ready yet. We want to be absolutely sure when we put him out there, no setbacks."

Woes up front

The number nine position is where Tottenham have largely struggled in recent years since the departure of record goalscorer Harry Kane, but Dominic Solanke, who signed at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign, offered a glimmer of hope in being able to somewhat reach the level of the England captain.

Last season, the former Bournemouth man notched sixteen goals and contributed to eight assists, but Spurs have missed him in his absence, which has lasted the majority of the current campaign, with the striker featuring for just 49 minutes across three substitute cameos in the UEFA Super Cup and Premier League.

If Thomas Frank can get Solanke fully fit and firing, and not risk the repercussions of rushing him back too soon, then Spurs will reap the rewards, whilst adding extra depth to their forward line. After all, he is the current record signing in N17.

Creative spark to return

Whilst it might not seem like he was missed, with Frank's side scoring six goals in the two games he was absent, the addition of Mohammed Kudus to the squad for the North London Derby is a timely boost for Spurs.

Although brief with the update, the Dane has said his summer capture is ready.

Thomas Frank: "He trained today and is available."

The winger, who joined from London rivals West Ham for a £55m fee in the summer transfer window, hit the ground running at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, involving himself in six goals in his first ten appearances, and could be the difference maker as Tottenham look for a first win away at Arsenal in the league since November 2010.

With Gabriel out injured for Arsenal, there could be a chance for the visitors to exploit the void in The Gunners' defence, and Kudus can certainly have a big part to play in that, as you would figure he is one of the first names on the team sheet when fit.

Restoring defensive depth

Another positive that Spurs can take is the fact that they are finally going to have more than three centre-backs available for selection in the near future.

Romanian defender Radu Dragusin, who has missed nearly a year of action with an ACL injury picked up in the UEFA Europa League win over IF Elfsborg last January, has been back in training for some time and even featured for the u21s in a friendly against Leyton Orient during the international break, playing 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, Ben Davies and young Japanese defender Kota Takai, who joined in the summer but is yet to play a single minute, have also returned to the fold.

"Radu is in full training. Played his first 45 minutes in nine months last week. Trained fully today. He is very close to being selected. Kota and Ben both trained with the team today."

Thomas Frank did his best to take the positives from his side's draw against Manchester United but conceded that it was a "painful" result overall.

The North London outfit looked set to grab their first home win in the Premier League since the opening weekend, but a stoppage time equaliser from Matthijs de Ligt meant they had to settle for just a point.

The result means that Spurs have picked up five out of a possible eighteen points at home this season, as Frank admitted there is "a lot" his team can improve on.

"Of course it's tough, of course it is painful, but for me there’s a difference compared to Chelsea is it was a much better performance. Also, we didn’t lose," said the Danish manager.

“I'm very aware there's a lot we can do better, very aware. We are trying to build something here that we want to be unbelievably good and we want all the fans to be extremely happy, but in a tricky moment in the second half against a good team that started well, we kept going. The fans were behind us. You see that energy where both parts are bouncing off each other and going forward. I think that was very nice to feel.”

In a game during which neither side looked particularly dominant, it was Tottenham that seemed destined to put an end to their disappointing home form after two late goals, but a Fergie-time equaliser from United meant the Lilywhites were left disappointed again.

“I know I'll take the positives out of it, but of course when you're in the moment and you think you've won it, you just see all the positivity, everything, everyone is happy, we’ve finally won at home, all that... that's the beauty of the game - sometimes we're on the right end, sometimes we're on the wrong end," said Frank.

“I think it was an even first half. I don't think there was much in it, both sides. You could say we could play a little bit better, on the flip side, we gave United nothing. I know they scored a goal, I’m not looking away from that, and we had a massive chance to Richarlison.

“The second half, the way the players kept going, no matter what, staying in the game, kept doing the right thing, I liked that a lot. Then we got the equaliser, which you know is a fantastic thing. Then we got the winner - we thought it was the winner - then we conceded. You can say there are things we need to do better, yes, and the thing that was very positive, the fans pushed us forward."

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Tottenham Hotspur host Ruben Amorim's Manchester United in North London this weekend as the two teams, both level on points, look to progress further up the Premier League table.

Manchester United have not tasted victory against Spurs since October 2022, when goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes were enough to seal the victory for the Red Devils.

Having not played midweek whilst Spurs clashed with FC København, the visitors are expected to be the fresher of the two sides in this Saturday lunchtime encounter.

But it will be Thomas Franks' side who enter this game off the back of a victory. Their Champions League clash at home ended in a 4-0 victory, whilst United will be looking to regain composure in this one as a quickfire double from Nottingham Forest last weekend ended their Premier League winning streak.

Victory for either side tomorrow would see them temporarily move up to second in the Premier League table ahead of the other nine matches in the top-flight this weekend.

Team News

Tottenham Hotspur:

Spurs remain the club hit the most by injuries so far this Premier League season. The newest addition to this list is Lucas Bergvall. The Swede was forced off the pitch just two minutes into the match against Chelsea last weekend.

Thomas Frank described Mohammed Kudus as 'touch and go' for the encounter with Manchester United, as he also recovers from a knock in the Chelsea match.

There are many others still out, with some of the most notable being the likes of Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. They are set to have multiple players return later this month, but remain thin on the ground for this clash.

Manchester United:

There are no fresh injury concerns for Manchester United following their 2-2 draw at the City Ground last weekend. It looks set to be an unchanged eleven starting this upcoming match.

There is only one player set to miss this encounter for United, that being Lisandro Martinez. The Argentine is closing in on a return to action, but given his injury record for the Red Devils, is set to be slowly eased back into the squad by Ruben Amorim.

Other than that issue, United have a clean bill of health for their trip to North London. However, this could not be any further from the truth for their opponents.

Predicted Lineups

Tottenham Hotspur:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Palhinha; Johnson, Simons, Odobert; Kolo Muani

Manchester United

Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko

Key Players

Tottenham Hotspur - Micky Van de Ven

The Dutchman has been in some seriously good form as of late for Spurs, barring that mistake that led to Pedro's goal last weekend against Chelsea. Other than that, it has been quite the season for Van de Ven.

Astoundingly, the centre-back is Spurs' top scorer in all competitions, so far this season, currently sitting on six goals, 3 of which came in the Premier League.

He also scored midweek in the 4-0 victory over FC København, in what was an early contender for the Champions League goal of the season. With his goalscoring form at the moment, you would not bet against him to put his name on the scoresheet once again.

But while he poses a threat offensively, he needs to ensure that he is at his best defensively against a United side in great goalscoring form.

Manchester United - Bryan Mbeumo

It feels like the obvious pick for the Red Devils, but there is no doubt that the winger is the most in-form of any of Ruben Amorim's men at the moment.

Thomas Frank talked about the pressure piling up on Tottenham performances at home.

Spurs struggled to create anything in a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in their derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The team have picked up just four points from their first five Premier League fixtures at their ground, and media and fans alike are growing frustrated.

The volume of the noise is something that the new head coach is getting used to, but he is embracing the pressure as part and parcel of the game.

“I think there are different types of games. Sometimes, also because everything is accumulating or adding a little bit up, so the number you gain is not a fantastic number. We haven't won at home the last whatever games in the Premier League. Not too many. Completely different games. Some teams are very difficult to play against in that environment. Others are a little bit easier.

“Everything is difficult but, for example, Aston Villa, I think very good competitive performance. Unfortunately, we lost. It just went the wrong way. We could easily have won 1-0. I think Saturday night is an accumulation of a lot of things - a big London derby, always hope we can beat them, we haven't won against them for a long time and that's just added a bit.

“I also think it's fair to say that we're coming off the back of, in many ways, a fantastic season, but also a tough season. If anyone had said that we now have been 17 points after 10 games unbeaten in the Champions League, I don't know what we are – fifth? It doesn't matter where we are now. It's where we are at the end of the season. Everything is not perfect, but there is a decent foundation.

“I think the fans were fantastic the first 30 minutes of the game on Saturday night. I think the noise was incredible and that carried us forward. It seems there was a little bit of a turning point when we conceded the goal. We all get a little bit frustrated, which is natural.

“Of course, I sense there is a tiny bit more attention to everything, but that was the one thing I was 1,000% sure of that would happen. That would be different. Everything else has been the same - 20 fantastic players and people that want to work in the same direction.

“A little bit tactical, technical, coaching, all that. This [media] is the biggest difference. I'm very, very happy I'm not on social media. The only reason I sense there can be something with fans or creativity, it's a lot of questions from the press conferences. It is what it is. It's part of it. No problem.

“I like to speak more about how much [the players look at social media]. Some of the players are very good at it, some of them probably could be a little bit better. I think it's a bit down to individual. I also think some of it also... I like to say I'm still young, but it's another generation. They deal with it in another way than us. If I should start dealing with it, I think I'll deal with it less good than them.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank played down an incident in which two of his players seemingly refused to acknowledge both him and the fans following their 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Shortly after full-time footage emerged of Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence appearing to decline their manager’s request to thank the Spurs supporters after the final whistle: a 'small issue' in Frank's eyes.

And while there have been far worse displays of rank insubordination, that it was these two players - especially Van de Ven as Frank’s vice-captain - felt significant and led observers to speculate about unrest behind the scenes.

It was surely a night to forget for Spurs, who were listless once more in front of their own fans as they stumbled to their third home Premier League defeat of the season - a stark contrast to their blistering form on the road.

Joao Pedro's goal on 34 minutes ultimately decided the game after a poor Xavi Simons back pass gave Van de Ven no chance against the busy Moises Caicedo who teed up the Brazilian to sweep home from close range.

Going behind hardly inspired a response from the hosts, who registered just one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. While Spurs remain in the Champions League spots - at least until Sunday - Frank certainly has much to ponder.

On the defeat and lack of creativity

There were precious few positives for Frank to point to post-match as he conceded that his side were second best as they fell to their third home league defeat of the season. Indeed, Spurs are 17th in this season’s home table.

“We performed badly,” Frank said. “I think we lacked energy and intensity and that freshness, we didn’t have that. Then I think the high pressure they came with, I don’t think we solved it well enough even though we worked on it, so that we need to keep working on.

“I think our high pressure, we lacked a little bit in the beginning until we got on top of it and then they went up 1-0 and we are chasing. Then it’s a bad circle where we are chasing, lacking intensity and energy and bad decisions.”

Not for the first time this season, Spurs failed to create clear-cut openings which will be a cause for concern among supporters and stakeholders alike. Here, they registered 0.05 xG (expected goals), their worst tally since the statistic began being recorded.

“I've never been in charge of a team that created that little in one game, never,” Frank said. “So that, of course, I will look into what we can do to make it better.

“But I think that's one thing. I think everything is a little bit linked. And today, yeah, we didn't hit the level.”

On Van de Ven and Spence snub

Frank was inevitably asked about the Van de Ven and Spence incident during his post-match press conference, and the Spurs boss remained characteristically measured in his response, suggesting it was not a ‘big problem’.

“All the players are of course frustrated,” he explained. “They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that.

“I think it is about - which is difficult to be - consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”

When pressed on the subject, he added: “I think that is one of the small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who are doing everything they can.

“They perform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, so I don’t think it is a big problem.”

On Simons’ omission

Simons is perhaps taking longer to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League than first expected. And while this could be easily managed in other top sides, so bereft of creativity are Spurs that pressure has piled on the Dutch international to produce from the get-go.

But after setting up Pape Matar Sarr on debut, Simons has not delivered any goal contributions in his 10 subsequent matches. Thus, against Chelsea, Frank opted instead for Lucas Bergvall.

Simons did replace the Swede in the first half, though, as the Spurs medical staff followed the Premier League’s concussion protocol after the ball had struck Bergvall’s head.

The reasoning for Simons’ initial omission? The Spurs manager pointed to the schedule, citing a build-up of minutes in recent weeks. He explained: “I think he's played two starts, short turnaround. Also, that energy and freshness I talked about, played 90 minutes Wednesday night. So that's why we decided that, and then he played 70 minutes here.

“So I think that was nothing. It's just because it looks different when you come on after three minutes and get subbed off.”

When asked for his opinion on Simons’ performances and tendency to give up possession, as he did for the goal, Frank said: “I think when players make mistakes on the pitch, if they lose a ball or they miss a pass, of course I can get irritated. In general, I'm not talking about a specific situation.

“But that's part of football. How many times have you seen a player miss a pass or do something? That happens. And that can be flow, that can be confidence, that can be everything, whatever it is. So mistakes are part of football.”