Football365

Ange Postecoglou has belittled Erik ten Hag’s achievements at Manchester United after hearing suggestions his Tottenham side are “not worthy” of competing in the Champions League next season.

Spurs have endured a miserable campaign which sees them sitting 16th in the Premier League table having lost five of their last six games.

The Europa League is their only saving grace, with glory not only ending a 17-year trophy drought but also booking their place in the Champions League next term.

Postecoglou’s side first have to get past Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final before a possible meeting with either Manchester United or Athletic Club in the final.

The Australian came out swinging once again in his press conference, hitting out at those who are trying to “diminish” the accomplishment of winning the Europa League, aiming a jab at Ten Hag in the process.

“I’ve seen people trying to diminish it in some respects,” Postecoglou told the assembled media. “I’ve heard people say, ‘well it’s the equivalent of Man Utd winning the FA Cup’. No it ain’t. I’m sorry. Not on any world is it the equivalent.

“Others are suggesting we are not worthy of the Champions League. Again, things that are designed to diminish what’s ahead of us, which is an unbelievable opportunity. Irrespective of how this season has gone we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else, a special moment watching this football club.

“Look, this season could have gone very differently and we could be flying in the league but it wouldn’t make this opportunity any different. The opportunity is the same and I’ve made that clear to the players. What we have before us is a semi-final in a European competition and the opportunity to win a trophy and get Champions League football.”

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Spurs midfielder James Maddison insists the players aren’t paying attention to the “narrative” of Postecoglou facing the sack and remain right behind their manager.

“We are behind the manager 100%,” said Maddison. “I think he’s a great man.

“We have had a poor season, especially in the league. We’ve been very good in Europe, but the league season has been unacceptable.

“He’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount.

“And listen, the narrative [of Postecoglou’s position being under threat] is something we players are trying to keep away from because it’s not healthy.

“I just know that I come into work every day and see the lads listening and taking on the messages on how he wants us to play and doing the best for this club, and we are in a really good position in Europe, where we can still have a special season under his management.

“I will continue to do that until the day he isn’t here. He’s my manager and I respect him an awful amount and that will continue.”

Tottenham turn their attention to Europea League duties this Thursday night as they welcome Norway’s Bodo/Glimt to London for the first leg of their semi-final tie.

There’s no denying that Spurs have made a complete mess of their domestic campaign, but their season is not over yet.

Winning the Europa League would not only secure the club’s first trophy in 17 years, but it would also guarantee Champions League qualification. In short, continental success would go a long way in making up for their domestic woes.

But before Spurs can start planning their trophy parade, they have the small matter of a European semi-final to contend with.

While their opponents may not look like much at first glance, there’s no denying that Bodo/Glimt have made it this far on merit.

The Norwegian side have already defeated a number of big clubs in the Europa League this season, including Porto, Braga, Besiktas and, most recently, Lazio. Superlaget even came close to stunning Manchester United, eventually losing the league-phase match 3-2 at Old Trafford.

Kjetil Knutsen’s side are not easily intimidated, and they certainly have nothing to fear from an out-of-form Tottenham side.

Spurs come into Thursday’s crunch tie on the back of a 5-1 thumping at Liverpool – a result which condemned the club to their fifth Premier League defeat in six games.

Such results won’t do Tottenham’s confidence any good as the side look to save their season with Europa League success.

Here, we take a closer look at everything you need to know ahead of Thursday’s first leg clash.

Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt prediction

If you didn’t know the context behind this fixture, you would have no qualms about backing the Premier League side to win and do so comfortably.

However, with Spurs in the midst of a catastrophic season and Bodo/Glimt proving they can hang with the big boys, this is not an easy fixture to predict.

On one hand, Tottenham will have to get out of the blocks quickly. With the first leg taking place in London, Postecoglou’s men will be looking to make the most of home advantage ahead of a tricky trip to Norway.

The town of Bodo is located so far up north, Spurs may have to contend with freezing temperatures and snowfall. With that in mind, building a healthy advantage is the key for Postecoglou’s side.

Both teams have been involved in high-scoring encounters lately, with each seeing 22 goals scored across their last six matches in all comps.

In terms of specific individuals, Dominic Solanke is the one to watch. With Spurs needing to be on the front foot, Solanke could have a big role to play considering he has scored two goals in his last three outings.

Tottenham team news

Postecoglou made eight changes for last weekend’s trip to Anfield and is expected to revert to his strongest starting XI for Thursday’s European semi-final.

As a result, Rodrigo Bentancur, Micky van den Ven and Cristian Romero should all feature in the starting line-up.

The big injury doubt for Spurs concerns Heung-min Son, who has missed the last four games. The South Korean could be saved for the second leg in Norway.

Defender Radu Dragusin is out with a knee injury while Antonin Kinsky and Timo Werner are not registered for the knockout stages of the competition.

Tottenham expected line-up

Bodo/Glimt team news

Bodo/Glimt will be missing a number of their key players for this first leg in London.

Andreas Helmersen, Patrick Berg and Hakon Evjen are all suspended and will watch Thursday’s game from the sidelines.

Defender Odin Bjortuft is also on the absentee list after being forced off the field with a groin injury in a recent league match.

Bodo/Glimt expected line-up

Haikin – Sjovold, Nielsen, Gundersen, Bjork – Fet, Auklend, Saltnes – Blomberg, Hauge, Hogh

Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt how to watch and listen

Tottenham v Bodo/Glimt will be shown live on TNT Sports at 20:00 on Thursday, May 1. Fans can follow radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt stats

– This will be the first ever competitive meeting between Tottenham and Bodo/Glimt

– Tottenham have won all four previous games against Norwegian opposition

– Bodo/Glimt have lost all three European meetings with English clubs

– This is Tottenham’s ninth European semi-final, last reaching the final four of the Champions League back in 2018/19

– Bodo/Glimt are the first Norwegian side to reach a major European semi-final

– Including qualifying matches, Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 19 home European games

James Maddison has admitted Tottenham’s league form has been “unacceptable” and warned that talk surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s future is “not healthy”, but insists the squad remains fully behind their under-pressure boss.

With Spurs clinging to European hopes after a frustrating domestic campaign, Maddison didn’t shy away from the criticism, calling out their poor Premier League performances while making it clear that Postecoglou still has the dressing room.

“We are behind the manager 100%,” said Maddison. “I think he’s a great man.

“We have had a poor season, especially in the league. We’ve been very good in Europe, but the league season has been unacceptable.

“He’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount.

“And listen, the narrative [of Postecoglou’s position being under threat] is something we players are trying to keep away from because it’s not healthy.

“I just know that I come into work every day and see the lads listening and taking on the messages on how he wants us to play and doing the best for this club, and we are in a really good position in Europe, where we can still have a special season under his management.

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“I will continue to do that until the day he isn’t here. He’s my manager and I respect him an awful amount and that will continue.”

Maddison recently returned from a spell on the sidelines and has been thrown back into a squad that’s been decimated by injuries throughout the season.

Those absences have played a huge part in Spurs’ Premier League decline, with the club currently sitting 16th on 37 points – just two places above the drop zone.

Injuries to key players like Heung-min Son, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero have forced Postecoglou to shuffle his line-up repeatedly.

Son remains a doubt for the upcoming Europa League semi-final against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, as the Spurs boss confirmed the forward is still training away from the squad.

Despite their domestic woes, Spurs have enjoyed a strong run in Europe, navigating their way to the final four of the Europa League with impressive displays. They now face the Eliteserien champions, who are aiming to pull off a major upset after a dream run to the semis.

While the Europa League may now be Tottenham’s best hope of salvaging something from a disappointing season, Maddison’s comments reflect a dressing room still committed to their manager’s vision amid mounting pressure from the media.

Spanish side Atletico Madrid have made their ‘first formal offer’ for Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero, according to reports.

Spurs are having an awful season in the Premier League with Ange Postecoglou’s side currently 16th in the table after losing 19 of their 34 matches this term.

Tottenham have lost their last three Premier League matches and conceded 11 goals in the process with Postecoglou’s men winning one game in their last eight.

Postecoglou has been linked with the sack for most of the season but there was apparently some sympathy from the Tottenham hierarchy with the Australian overseeing an injury crisis at one point.

However, with most players returning, the Spurs boss is now under intense pressure after their 5-1 capitulation on Sunday and now Tottenham could lose some of their best players in the summer.

Spurs can boost their chances of keeping their top players if they can win the Europa League, where they play Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, which will give them a spot in next season’s Champions League.

And Atletico Madrid are trying to tempt Tottenham into selling Romero with Spanish website Fichajes insisting that the La Liga side have made their ‘first formal offer’ for the Argentina international.

It is understood that Atletico are trying to ‘close the signing’ of Romero after ‘preparing its first super offer’ of €50m (£43m) and they are ‘moving decisively in the transfer market’.

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Atletico, who are looking to strengthen the centre of their defence, are ‘aware that competition will be tough and that the player himself is very open to a change of scenery heading to La Liga’.

But Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy ‘asks for more money’ and the report adds:

‘Diego Simeone’s team needs to restructure its defense in light of the imminent departures of Axel Witsel and Cesar Azpilicueta, and the likely departure of Clement Lenglet, who will have to return to Barcelona at the end of his loan. Atleti currently only have Jose Maria Gimenez and Robin Le Normand, making it urgent to bring in a top-tier center-back.

‘Romero, one of Spurs’ pillars, has a current contract, but his desire to try his luck in the Spanish league could facilitate negotiations. Although Tottenham is demanding around €70 million to let him leave, those at the Metropolitano are confident that the player’s willingness could be key to lowering the English club’s financial demands.

‘Atletico Madrid also wants to accelerate negotiations to sign the Argentine defender ahead of the Club World Cup, which will be held this summer. The Madrid club hopes to complete the signing during the first few days of the transfer window, aware that they will have to act quickly if they don’t want other European clubs to join the bidding.’

Yes, Liverpool are champions, but let’s focus on who had a miserable weekend, because that’s much more enjoyable.

Here is the Premier League’s worst XI of the weekend, with match ratings taken from WhoScored.

GK: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur) – 5.20

Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen (5.32) has been saved by a helpless and hopeless Vicario, who conceded five at Anfield on Sunday.

The Spurs No.1 made two saves but ultimately, conceding five goals should almost always result in a goalkeeper earning a spot in the Premier League Worst XI.

Vicario has shown promise as a shot-stopper and occasional sweeper-keeper, but his poor form this year is slipping under the radar. His decision-making and kicking have been erratic, turning him into a liability rather than just a goalkeeper who looks vulnerable at corners. The Italian appears to unsettle everyone around him, and his command of the penalty area is virtually non-existent. Damning comparisons to Heurelho Gomes on social media are harsh – but justified.

RB: Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur) – 5.28

No errors leading to any of Liverpool’s five goals, no red or yellow cards, no own goals, nothing like that, just a good old-fashioned absolute stinker.

Spence lost seven of his eight duels, committed a foul, lost possession 20 times, misplaced 11 of his 27 attempted passes, conceded five goals, failed to complete any of his three take-on attempts and was dispossessed three times. Not a good day at the office.

CB: Jean-Clair Todibo (West Ham) – 5.83

Oh, West Ham. What are we going to do with you?

For once, Manchester United seem to have dodged a bullet rather than been obliterated by one. Todibo has been very disappointing in the Premier League this season and the Hammers have now signed him permanently for £36million. Their pants have been pulled down.

Todibo again struggled this weekend as West Ham lost in quite ridiculous circumstances at Brighton. A goal up heading into injury time, two late goals consigned Graham Potter’s men to a 3-2 defeat. The Frenchman didn’t win any tackles, make any interceptions and was dribbled past once.

CB: Conor Coady (Leicester) – 5.99

The Conor Coady derby went exactly as expected. An in-form Wolves side put already-relegated Leicester to the sword and were unlucky not to win more handsomely than 3-0.

It was the Matheus Cunha show at Molineux and Coady could not handle him or Jorgen Strand Larsen.

LB: Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur) – 5.85

This Spurs full-back did score an own goal against Liverpool and joins Vicario and Spence in our back five.

The own goal really knocked the stuffing out of Udogie’s rating because, statistically, he wasn’t actually that bad. He still won three tackles and made two interceptions while winning six of his eight duels.

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DM: Sander Berge (Fulham) – 5.87

Fulham might have won against Southampton but they were very, very close to a draw at St Mary’s, which would have been enough for the Saints to reach 12 points and usurp the 11-point haul of 2007/08 Derby County.

Berge was brought off at half-time after failing to make a positive impact.

RM: Ben Johnson (Ipswich) – 5.16

Despite a couple of shockers from Solly March (5.66) and Brennan Johnson (5.61) for Brighton and Spurs, respectively, Johnson signed up for a place in the worst XI when he received a first-half red card against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.

LM: Mathys Tel (Tottenham Hotspur) 5.71

Tel might be regretting his decision to sign for Spurs, but 1) he knew what he was signing up for, and 2) it’s not as if he has looked a level above his teammates; he can’t claim he’s surrounded by duds while being blameless himself.

The 20-year-old Frenchman had an error leading to a goal in Sunday’s 5-1 defeat against the freshly-crowned champions and his only shot was blocked.

AM: Julio Enciso (Ipswich) – 5.39

Kieran McKenna’s game plan was thrown out the window by Johnson’s 36th-minute red card, so not long after that, Enciso decided to pull back Jacob Murphy in the box to concede a penalty. Was there enough contact to justify a grown man falling to the floor? No. Was it a penalty regardless? Yes. And was Enciso very silly to put his hand on Murphy? Very silly indeed.

Enciso has shown some promise on loan at Ipswich this season but his parent club, Brighton, won’t look too much into his poor performances considering how bad the Tractor Boys have been.

On top of his penalty blunder, Enciso lost possession 15 times and only completed eight of his 12 attempted passes.

ST: Beto (Everton) – 5.33

Beto’s error led to Nicolas Jackson’s decisive strike in Chelsea’s crucial victory over Everton.

The big striker did force a good save out of Robert Sanchez with his only shot of the game but he failed to make a positive impact as David Moyes’ side lost at Stamford Bridge.

ST: Evanilson (Bournemouth) – 5.58

A debatable Evanilson red card is rated more heavily by the algorithm than Jamie Vardy’s (5.72) penalty miss for Leicester against Wolves. It was never a penalty anyway…

The Brazilian assisted Antoine Semenyo’s opener against Manchester United but was very quiet other than that and the sending off. So really, not quiet at all.

Gary Neville labelled Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall as “pathetic” during Spurs’ 5-1 defeat to newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool.

The Reds just needed a draw to win the Premier League title on Sunday but they did it in style by putting five past Ange Postecoglou’s men at Anfield.

Tottenham did open the scoring on 12 minutes through Dominic Solanke but Liverpool soon rectified that when Luis Diaz scored only four minutes later to equalise.

Further goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and an own goal from Destiny Udogie gave the Reds a comfortable win and saw Tottenham remain in 16th position.

Manchester United legend Neville was not impressed by Spurs midfielder Bergvall for Liverpool’s third goal which started their procession to the title.

When defending a corner at the front post, Bergvall was only able to flick the ball into the danger area with Gakpo there to score his ninth Premier League goal of the season.

On the Tottenham midfielder, Neville said on Sky Sports commentary: “Bergvall’s header is appalling, it’s pathetic. He half ducks his head.

“I have no idea what he’s doing. It was a free header and he ended up glancing it into his own box.

“But take nothing away from Gakpo, what he does really well is get it away so quickly. It’s a good strike.

“Spurs are the perfect opponents for Liverpool today. They just don’t smell danger.

“Liverpool have got so many players out there who will punish any mistake at any level.”

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Tottenham boss Postecoglou will come under even more pressure after the result against Liverpool with Spurs suffering their 19th defeat in 34 Premier League matches.

Postecoglou told a press conference: “Credit to Liverpool, worthy champions and they have been the outstanding team all year, consistent and again today obviously. I thought we started the game well and sort of made things difficult for them.

“Even apart from the goal, I thought just in general we had decent territory but once they got in front with the atmosphere inside the stadium fair to say it was going to be difficult for us to claw them back and that’s how it proved.”

When asked about the balance between performances in the Europa League and Premier League, Postecoglou added: “It’s not easy, it’s not easy on the players because if you sort of look at Liverpool’s line up you can almost pick it on a weekly basis. I had made a lot of changes but I just felt it was necessary.

“A lot of our players have missed a lot of this season with injuries and it wasn’t just about bringing them back but managing their minutes because obviously we want them ready. Guys like Micky and Romero today could have played but they’ve missed so much of the season that we’ve just got to be really careful about when we use them.

“Guys like Pedro and Bentancur have played a lot this year. It has been a juggling act for sure and that hasn’t helped the team, hasn’t helped the players and when you’re facing the best you pay that price.”

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur have turned their attention to one of their former managers with Ange Postecoglou set to leave the club this summer.

Spurs have endured a disastrous campaign in 2024/25 as they have spent most of the season in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Postecoglou was praised for making a positive impact during his debut season as Tottenham narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification, but results and performances have fallen off a cliff this term.

Injuries have impacted Spurs more than most, but they have been far from good enough as they have failed in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Tottenham’s run in the Europa League has been a saving grace and they face Bodo-Glimt in the first leg of their semi-final next Thursday.

READ: Elanga to Man Utd, Solanke to Liverpool in Premier League re-sign list

It has been suggested that the Australian head coach could save his job by winning the Europa League, but a recent report revealed Spurs will look to appoint a new manager even if they end their trophy drought this season.

Spurs are already linked with several potential replacements and a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claims they ‘want’ to re-hire Jose Mourinho.

This is likely utter bullsh*t because Mourinho did not exit Spurs on good terms, as he left a couple of days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.

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Since departing Spurs, Mourinho has had spells at AS Roma and Fenerbahce. His stint with the Turkish giants has been mixed and he’s been heavily linked with a potential return to the Premier League of late.

The report claims Spurs are ‘considering’ Mourinho with two ‘key factors’ in his favour, with Chelsea legend and current Coventry City boss Frank Lampard supposedly another option.

‘His experience and ability to handle pressure situations would be key factors in this new environment, where a strong-willed player with a proven track record in Europe is sought.

‘Although no decisions have been made, the return of the Portuguese coach is beginning to take shape as a real possibility. Frank Lampard is also on the list.’

Chelsea legend Joe Cole has backed Mourinho to inspire a “real bounce” from his next club if he returns to the Premier League.

“Genuinely, I think he’s a genius,” Cole said.

“I really do hope we see him in the Premier League again. He still’s got it and I would love to have him back on these shows. He loves England. He loves London.

“Whichever club he comes in, will get a real bounce. I think Jose will stay for the next five, 10 years. But three-four years, you are going to win something, he’s your man.”

Liverpool will confirm themselves as Premier League champions if they beat Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Super Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp is long gone, but Liverpool haven’t skipped a beat under Arne Slot — a man who arrived quietly and now finds himself 90 minutes away from a title party.

Slot’s side has turned Anfield into a fortress again, winning 12 matches during an unbeaten 14-match run, and Spurs are the latest lambs to the slaughter.

They haven’t won at Anfield since Harry Redknapp was still telling the world he didn’t know how to send an email. They’ve conceded four in each of their last three trips here, so we don’t have high hopes for them on Sunday.

They’ve lost 10 of 16 away matches, with their typically fun, frantic, and often ineffective style failing to lay a glove on anyone other than teams in crisis.

Mohamed Salah may not be in peak form, but he has bagged 27 goals and 18 assists this campaign. The Egyptian tends to enjoy this fixture, registering 20 goal involvements in 23 matches against Spurs.

It’s nailed on that Liverpool lift the trophy at Anfield on Sunday — and they’ll do it on the back of a win. We just need to find a way to profit from it.

Liverpool vs Tottenham prediction

There’s little sense in backing Slot’s side to win the match at 1/4. Venturing into the handicap market is a risk, because we know that Spurs can score goals.

Both teams have scored in nine of the last 11 meetings, so that may be a good angle to take into consideration, with generous odds of 5/4 about a home win with both teams finding the net.

Tottenham’s terrible away record of 10 defeats in 16 Premier League matches offers little to no hope that they can delay Liverpool’s title procession.

Even if Arsenal drop points on Saturday, we suspect the party atmosphere will allow the Reds to celebrate at Big Ange’s expense.

Mo Salah has enjoyed this fixture over the years by knocking in 15 goals and laying on five assists. Even though he hasn’t scored in five, he’s been relentless in trying to find the net.

He tried his luck seven times during Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Leicester, and he may find just as much space against Spurs.

Liverpool team news

Liverpool’s only confirmed absentee at this stage is defender Joe Gomez. The Reds can field their strongest team as they look to wrap up the title.

Trent Alexander-Arnold may be nearing the end of his Liverpool career, but he’ll join Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson in defence.

Ryan Gravenberch has been a standout performer alongside Alexis Mac Allister in midfield.

Salah failing to score in five feels like the worst goal drought in the history of football, but Liverpool’s main man likes a goal against Spurs.

Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz should beat out Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez to the attacking spots.

Liverpool expected line-up

Alisson – Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson – Gravenberch, Mac Allister – Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo – Diaz

Tottenham team news

Radu Dragusin is ruled out due to injury, while Son Heung-min is a doubt. Even if he recovers, Postecoglou may opt to rest him ahead of Thursday.

Djed Spence could replace Destiny Udogie with a view to their midweek Europa League semi-final.

It could be an otherwise full-strength team, with Big Ange opting to withdraw key players early in the second half.

That may mean a midfield three of Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison.

Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Matthys Tel will form the front three.

Tottenham expected line-up

Vicario – Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence – Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison – Johnson, Solanke, Tel

Liverpool vs Tottenham: How to watch and listen

Liverpool vs Tottenham will be shown live on Sky Sports HDR, Sky Sports Main Event, and Sky Sports Premier League at 16:30 on Sunday, April 27. Full match commentary will be on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

Liverpool vs Tottenham stats

– Liverpool are unbeaten in 14 matches at Anfield, winning 12 and drawing twice.

– They’re also unbeaten in 15 home matches against Tottenham across all competitions, winning 11 and drawing four.

– Liverpool scored four goals in each of their last three home games against Spurs and have already struck 10 past them this campaign.

– Liverpool have scored in every Premier League game they’ve played at Anfield this season, but have also allowed 10 of their visitors to score.

– Mo Salah has scored 15 goals and assisted five in 23 meetings with Tottenham. He’s currently on 55 goal involvements across all competitions.

– Tottenham have lost 10 of their 16 Premier League away matches.

– Tottenham have lost despite scoring on 13 occasions across all competitions.

Crystal Palace’s hard-earned 2-2 draw at Arsenal on Wednesday night was another significant step towards Liverpool’s long-inevitable coronation as Premier League champions, but also a reminder of the strides Palace have made under Oliver Glasner.

Drifting along just above the relegation zone with 25 points from 25 games when he was appointed in February last year, under the Austrian’s watch the club have now amassed 70 points from their last 48 games.

Only the current Premier League top seven have managed more in that time.

That Palace total dwarfs that managed by both Tottenham (56) and Man United (54) over the same period while also beating out other notable mid-table overachievers like Bournemouth, Fulham, Brentford and Brighton.

And the picture might have looked even rosier for Palace had it not been for their appalling start to the 24/25 season. They didn’t win any of their first eight games of the season, losing five. That run accounts for over a third of Glasner’s total Premier League defeats at the club.

With 45 points from their 34 games this season Palace appear set to break new ground and reach 50 points for the first time ever in a Premier League season having been almost heroically consistent in always reaching 40 but never 50 since their return to the top flight over a decade ago.

Palace’s stuttering start to this season can perhaps be explained by adjusting to life without Michael Olise, now starring for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, but they have put their slow start firmly behind them now.

Only Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Villa and Newcastle have more points than Palace in 2025, with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest notable names below the Eagles on that particular table alongside the season’s more conspicuous and hilarious bed-sh*tting big clubs.

And it’s not only in the Premier League where Palace have excelled, with an FA Cup semi-final to come this weekend against Aston Villa at Wembley.

Here is the full Premier League table since Glasner’s appointment on February 19 2024:

Tables are fun, aren’t they?

You can build your own custom table, between any two dates on any particular day or matchday, going as far back as when football was invented in 1992.

Scott Parker having ‘admirers’ at Spurs in the Ange Postecoglou replacement search makes a mockery of their ‘free-flowing, attacking and entertaining’ DNA.

A week on from marvelling at a shortlist which contained four names whose only shared trait was that they were among the few above Spurs in a Premier League table who might feasibly consider inheriting this risible dumpster fire despite the considerable occupational hazard posed to their health and career prospects, we must again revisit those Daniel Levy quotes from 2021.

“We are acutely aware of the need to select someone whose values reflect those of our great club and return to playing football with the style for which we are known – free-flowing, attacking and entertaining – whilst continuing to embrace our desire to see young players flourish from our Academy alongside experienced talent.”

They appointed Nuno Espirito Santo as Jose Mourinho’s replacement six weeks later, then sacked him for Antonio Conte five months after that.

In the same end-of-season letter to Spurs fans written to try and explain why the future of an exasperatingly dogmatic manager had dominated the discourse of a season in which they threatened to end their long trophy drought, Levy admitted that “we lost sight of some key priorities and what’s truly in our DNA”.

Four years later, history has repeated itself but that DNA can be found all over the scene of what has been a criminally poor season. Only three Premier League sides have scored more often than Spurs, whose games have involved the most goals of any team, and they are the only club with two representatives in the top 10 teenagers to have played the most minutes, even if neither Archie Gray nor Lucas Bergvall exactly came through the system in north London.

Ange Postecoglou has delivered on those promises if nothing else. His guarantee of a second-season trophy will at least remain alive into the final month of the season. But a generationally, historically abysmal Premier League campaign cannot be excused.

Spurs are on to beat their worst Premier League finish (15th, currently 16th), lowest Premier League points total (44, currently 37) and highest number of defeats in a season (19, currently 18). After a summer in which they broke their transfer record and spent more than £100m, and from a strong platform Postecoglou himself installed a season before, no manager should expect to survive on those numbers at this level.

Then comes the lurch. It was present as far back as Levy’s first managerial change at Spurs, when he traded in George Graham for Glenn Hoddle. He has since substituted Juande Ramos for Harry Redknapp, then Mauricio Pochettino for Mourinho in moves entirely atypical of how a competent club with clarity of vision and courage in their convictions should operate. But if the ‘admirers’ within Spurs of Scott Parker’s work have any sort of sway to push forward his summer candidacy then this slide might not necessarily stop soon.

Parker is an undeniably talented coach yet the ludicrous artificial inflation of his reputation has been a career hindrance rather than help. A Championship promotion expert who has never avoided relegation in any of his Premier League seasons should not even be able to earwig any conversations at Spurs; at least Tim Sherwood kept Aston Villa up.

And especially after this particular season the idea that Spurs could appoint Parker and rely on how he is ‘well-liked by supporters and also coached within the club’s academy set-up’ is preposterous. Even Levy cannot be foolish enough to think it would go down well, and Parker’s philosophy has undergone a quite noticeable shift this past year.

In no world does the “free-flowing, attacking and entertaining” Spurs DNA tally with scoring fewer goals than 14th-placed Norwich and shattering records for defensive miserliness in the second tier. Burnley have kept 29 clean sheets this season; Spurs have mustered 13 in almost two whole seasons under Postecoglou. Their 29th most recent Premier League clean sheet came in March 2022.

Are the 55 Championship minutes of Enock Agyei enough evidence of Parker’s trust in youth? That is the only playing time afforded to a Burnley academy graduate this season and only two players younger than 22 have been given starts for the Clarets. Luca Koleosho has rarely been seen since being dropped in January and Wilson Odobert joined Spurs last August.

That Parker could make the same move is unfathomable and it even being a point of discussion is absurd. He might one day fulfil his undoubted potential in the dugout but he failed at Club Brugge and his two previous English clubs in Fulham and Bournemouth evolved and improved significantly after he left.

Bayern Munich panicked into appointing Burnley’s manager because their in-built advantages meant they could afford to. If Spurs believe the world’s most effective stepping stone can provide the answer to their problems they are even more lost than first feared.