Football365

According to reports, Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane ‘could return’ to the Premier League next year amid interest from Manchester United.

Kane left boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur during the 2023 summer transfer window. He was sold to Bayern Munich for around £86m after he entered the final year of his contract with the Premier League outfit.

The England international was linked with several Premier League clubs before he joined Bayern Munich, but Daniel Levy was reportedly unwilling to negotiate with rival clubs.

This made a move abroad more likely and he’s scored 61 goals in his 61 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions. Despite this, Bayer Leverkusen upstaged them as the Bundesliga giants failed to win a trophy last season.

Under new head coach Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich have made a strong start to the new campaign. They are unbeaten in ten Bundesliga games and five points clear at the top of the table.

READ: Man Utd top injury table with 57 Premier League games missed

Man Utd were among the clubs interested in Kane when he left Tottenham last year and they have been heavily linked with the experienced forward of late.

The Red Devils have struggled in front of goal this season, so new head coach Ruben Amorim could push the board to bring in a new forward in January or next summer.

A recent report claimed Man Utd and PSG have already submitted record ‘offers’ to Bayern Munich for Kane as Amorim wants ‘two resounding failures’ to leave.

A new report in Spain claims Kane ‘could leave Bayern Munich and return to the Premier League’ as Man Utd ‘want’ to sign him.

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Man Utd star ‘wants’ transfer to Real Madrid or Barcelona after being told to ‘get a job somewhere else’

👉 Ruben Amorim picks ‘preferred No.9’ at Man Utd as Alejandro Garnacho ‘sulk’ cause revealed

👉 Man Utd transfers: Amorim eyes £112m Premier League duo as his first two signings

The report claims Kane ‘could be tempted’ to sign for Man Utd by ‘the lure of a return to his homeland and the chance to lead a revival’ at Old Trafford.

‘Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane could be one of the most surprising moves of the transfer market if his return to England is confirmed.

‘Manchester United, under the direction of new arrival Ruben Amorim, have reportedly made the English international one of their priorities to strengthen their attack.

‘This operation, which would be a coup for the Red Devils, would mark the return of the striker to the Premier League after his departure from Tottenham.

‘Kane’s adaptation to German football has been swift and effective, establishing himself as a key player in Bayern’s attack.

‘However, Manchester United’s interest poses a dilemma for both the player and the Bavarian club. Although Bayern have no intention of parting ways with their top scorer, the possibility of an astronomical offer could make the Germans reconsider their stance.’

Premier League referee David Coote reportedly organised a “drugs party” just before, during and just after the Carabao Cup clash between Tottenham and Manchester City, where he was the fourth official.

Coote was suspended by PGMOL earlier this week after a video was released showing him calling Jurgen Klopp a “German c*nt”, in which he appeared to be inebriated, before later footage emerged of him sniffing white powder in a hotel at Euro 2024.

And now, another of his ‘pals’, or perhaps the same one, has told The Sun about a time when Coote was messaging him to arrange a “drugs party” at a Travelodge to take place immediately after the clash between Spurs and City on October 30.

Coote is reported to have booked the Travelodge room at 7.38pm, just 37 minutes before the game was due to start and sent a booking confirmation to one of the people invited at 8.04pm.

Coote then messaged his so-called friend at half-time, saying “hope you’re getting ready”.

The source told The Sun: “On the day of the game he was messaging me repeatedly and wanting a drugs party after he’d finished at Spurs.

“He didn’t book the Travelodge until just before kick-off, then sent a notification 11 minutes from the game starting. It was crazy.

“City striker Erling Haaland was on the bench, so I was watching them on TV pretty much side by side.

“And moments before and afterwards he sent me messages.

“When he messaged me at half-time I thought it was so surreal.

“Surely he should have been concentrating on the game, not arranging drugs parties.”

Coote was supposedly then angry when his friend cancelled on him at the last minute.

The friend added: “I didn’t feel like meeting up in the end so told him I couldn’t make it.

“He went mad and asked for the £73.99 total booking fee back.”

MORE ON THE DAVID COOTE CONTROVERSY ON F365

👉 Has referee scrutiny produced a generation of ‘egotistical’ sociopaths?

👉 Fans should be ‘wildly up in arms’ about David Coote and his ‘racist’ slur

👉 Gary Neville claims ‘stitched up’ David Coote shouldn’t be ‘cancelled’ for ‘sloppy’ decision

UEFA opened an investigation into Coote on Thursday after they were made aware of the footage of him sniffing white powder, and the PGMOL were approached by The Sun for further comment after this new development.

It was revealed earlier this week, by another ‘friend’ that Coote doesn’t enjoy officiating at Everton because of “the young scousers screaming” and also had choice words to say about Liverpool star Andy Robertson.

The source The Sun: “I believe that the FA and the governing body of the referees have to make sure that the sport we all love is protected and being officiated by the right people. My message to David Coote is…there’s help out there.

“The video of him bad-mouthing Klopp didn’t surprise me at all.

“He said to me Liverpool would definitely not win the Premier League. It just makes me question the kind of people running the Prem. He also described Andy Robertson as a ‘Scottish prick’.

“He did say that the worst place to referee was Goodison Park due to the young Scousers screaming, shouting, swearing at him and calling every name under the sun before the games had even started. And he mentioned he hated going to Bournemouth because it was just such a long way away.

“He did mention about Coventry City versus Oxford United on a Friday night on Sky Sports. He couldn’t really be a**** with this game…the fact that he had to go and referee in front of an empty Ricoh Arena. He said ‘I’m a bit too big for this’.”

If recent results are anything to go by, Tottenham Hotspur need to bolster their defence having conceded five goals in two games last week.

What makes things worse for Ange Postecoglou’s side is the fact they have invested heavily across the backline, though have failed to see any real improvement in that department.

The Australian boss’s options of Cristian Romero, Micky Van De Ven and Radu Dragusin are set to be added to as he aims for his team to stop leaking goals.

Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah is out of contract at the end of the season, and Caught Offside are reporting it is unlikely the Germany international signs a new deal for the Bundesliga club.

TBR Football have also noted that the north London club have already held talks with the defender ahead of a potential move.

Tah was pivotal to Leverkusen’s success last season as they ended Bayern Munich’s eleven-year dynasty after winning Bundesliga while going unbeaten.

He played 48 games across three competitions, with his fine form catching the eye of Liverpool and Manchester Untied chiefs in the summer.

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Man City man ‘open’ to Tottenham transfer with Guardiola ready to sell £100m star to ‘sign big name’

👉 Man City, Southampton players dodge Premier League Worst XI; Spurs, Villa pairs included

👉 Premier League winners and losers: Liverpool strengthen grip as Dr Tottenham saves another patient

Tah was also part of the Germany squad for the Euro’s in the summer, with many expecting him to join Bayern soon after, especially after the departure of Matthijs De Ligt who joined Manchester United, but no move materialised in the end.

At 28-year-old, Tah still has a lot more to offer, and could add some much needed experience to a youthful backline. The report though suggests Spurs would almost definitely need to qualify for the Champions League to stand any chance of bringing Tah to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Currently, they are three points adrift of arch-rivals Arsenal in fourth, but it doesn’t get much easier for them as they face Manchester City after the international break.

Postecoglou may argue though that there is no better time to face City, who are on a spell of four game winless streak; the first time it has ever happened to Pep Guardiola in his career.

Spurs will be free to agree a pre-contract agreement with Tah should his situation at Leverkusen remain the same come the January transfer window.

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is set to face a spell on the sidelines with the FA finally putting an end to an ongoing investigation.

Ange Postecoglou‘s side will be without the Uruguay midfielder, who has played an important part this season, with a report from The Daily Mail saying he could miss a lengthy amount of games, and as many as seven.

Bentancur allegedly made a racist remark towards South Koreans while on Uruguayan TV, with the FA confirming they had charged the midfielder for an ‘aggravated breach’ of their rules.

Bentancur will have been left feeling red faced with his actions considering Tottenham captain Heung Min-Son is South Korean. Son revealed his fellow teammate was close to tears when the South American apologised to him.

READ: Five PL moves for Ruud van Nistelrooy post-Man Utd include replacing Ange Postecoglou at Spurs

In September, Son said: “At the moment because of the FA process I can’t say much about it, but I love Rodrigo, I love him. We’ve a lot of good memories since we started playing together when he joined.

“He knew and he apologised straight afterwards. We were on holiday. I was at home. I didn’t even realise what was going on when he sent me a long message and you could feel it was coming from his heart.

“When we came back for pre-season he felt really sorry, and almost cried when he apologised publicly and personally as well. He felt like he was really sorry. We are all human and all make mistakes and we learn from it.”

Son continued: “He knows he made a mistake but I’ve no problem at all with him. We move on as a team-mate and friend and as a brother. We move on together.

“We have to wait for what the FA says in their process. I can’t say much but what I can say is I love Rodrigo, there’s nothing more to say.”

READ: Tottenham chiefs set ‘priority target’ for Postecoglou in potential ‘blow’ amid ‘losing patience’ claim

The report says Bentancur is ‘set to be hit with a huge ban for the racial slur’.

‘The Football Association are set to hit Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur with a lengthy ban for making an alleged racist remark about South Koreans while on Uruguayan TV.

‘Multiple sources have told Mail Sport the midfielder is likely to receive a seven match ban – but that figure is unconfirmed.

‘Nevertheless, Bentancur is set to miss a lengthy period for Ange Postecoglou’s side in what will arrive as a major blow to Spurs.’

As well as apologising in private, Bentancur also took to social media to say sorry to his teammate. Meanwhile Spurs also put out the following statement: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the Club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter.

“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.

“We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.

“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our Club, within our game or within wider society.”

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur have set their ‘priority target’ for the 2024/25 season and it ‘would be a blow’ for Ange Postecoglou if he fails.

The former Celtic boss took over at Tottenham ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and he was lauded at the start of last season as he overhauled their style of play following Antonio Conte’s dour spell in the dugout.

Under Posteocoglou, Spurs struggled during the run-in as they missed out on the Champions League but it was still a successful debut season for the Aussie.

However, Tottenham have endured a frustrating start to the 2024/25 season as they have five wins, one draw and five losses in their eleven Premier League matches. Their run of results after the October international break was a mixed bag as they beat Man City and Aston Villa but lost against Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

This leaves Spurs tenth in the Premier League and Postecoglou is currently the fifth-favourite to be the next manager sacked.

READ: Five PL moves for Ruud van Nistelrooy post-Man Utd include replacing Ange Postecoglou at Spurs

A new report from Football Insider claims Spurs have set their ‘priority target’ for this season as they ‘expect to return to the Champions League’ this term.

Postecoglou is said to have ‘plenty of credit in the bank’, but it ‘would be a blow’ if Spurs miss out on the Champions League.

‘The Australian has plenty of credit in the bank with club chiefs after his first season in charge at Spurs, which saw the club finish fifth.

‘He has spoken publicly about his vision of winning a trophy with the Lilywhites, but it is believed Champions League qualification is the ‘priority for the club.

‘Sources say missing out on Europe’s premier club competition would be a “blow” for the manager’s long-term future – with his contract set to run until June 2027.’

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Man City man ‘open’ to Tottenham transfer with Guardiola ready to sell £100m star to ‘sign big name’

👉 Man City, Southampton players dodge Premier League Worst XI; Spurs, Villa pairs included

👉 Premier League winners and losers: Liverpool strengthen grip as Dr Tottenham saves another patient

A former Chelsea boss is the current favourite to replace Postecoglou, but The Evening Standard correspondent Dan Kilpatrick has provided an insight into “what Daniel Levy and the board are thinking” and insists they are “committed to seeing this through”.

“So, I don’t know what Levy and the board are thinking. To be honest, I think all the noises from the club, that they sort of accept that this is a medium-term venture,” Kilpatrick said on the Tottenham Way podcast.

“I mean, they’ve talked about being successful in the here and now, but they’ve also talked about building a squad, that they want to be successful in four or five years’ time.

“And that’s been obvious in the age profile of the players they’ve signed, the three teenagers over the summer, two more coming next year.

“So, I think that there is a kind of commitment to see this through, or at least keep saying where it goes. But again, I can understand anyone associated with Spurs who’s losing a bit of patience or getting frustrated.”

It was obvious, wasn’t it?

When Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to Manchester United in the summer to become Erik ten Hag’s assistant, it immediately felt inevitable that he would be named a variation of interim, caretaker or acting manager at Old Trafford this season.

This switch came sooner than expected as Man Utd‘s dire start to the 2024/25 campaign forced INEOS to make a decision they should have sanctioned in the summer as Ten Hag’s prolonged stay of execution ended.

Wary of another Ole Gunnar Solskjaer situation, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. moved quickly and decisively to appoint Ruben Amorim, who has a major job on his hands and is already reportedly looking to offload two ‘resounding failures’.

With Amorim’s start date delayed until the international break, temporary boss Van Nistelrooy was given the reins for four matches and won three. He was fortunate in that two of the games were against Leicester City, but he exuded calmness and his natural leadership skills came in handy as he managed to steady the ship.

Van Nistelrooy is adored at Man Utd and there is also affection for him in the squad. But Amorim was never likely to keep a man with clear managerial aspirations from the previous failed regime on board and the Dutchman’s departure was confirmed shortly after Ten Hag’s replacement got off the plane from Portugal on Monday.

The ex-Man Utd assistant came close to joining Burnley before his former club swiped him away in the summer, but he could land a Premier League job after passing his fleeting audition at Old Trafford and there are five potential next moves for the 48-year-old…

Wolves

Being prematurely linked with the Man Utd job has cursed Gary O’Neil, who rapidly plunged from being the next big thing to a mega-fraud as Wolves have picked up just 11 points from a possible 63.

Wolves fared better after the October international break as their unfortunate 2-1 loss against Manchester City preceded draws with Brighton and Crystal Palace. Then at the weekend, Wolves *finally* won their first Premier League game of the season, beating Southampton 2-0.

The infamous Michael Owen meme comes to mind when a Premier League side beats Southampton and O’Neil – who is among the favourites to be the next manager sacked – will do well to still be in a job by the end of the festive fixtures as 19th-placed Wolves are deep in trouble.

Wolves’ squad isn’t at the ‘too good to go down’ level, but their current ceiling is higher than 19th and Van Nistelrooy will surely be one of the frontrunners if/when O’Neil is axed.

READ: Amorim Man Utd honeymoon over with ‘concerns raised’ as Tuchel wastes ‘precious time’

Crystal Palace

A welcome visit of Dr Tottenham gave Palace a much-needed boost, but Oliver Glasner’s side immediately crashed down to earth as they were dominated in a 2-0 home loss to Fulham on Saturday.

Glasner headed into this campaign as one of the safest managers in the Premier League as his side had the dizzy heights of a top-half finish as a seemingly realistic target. But it seems that the end of last season came at the worst possible time for Palace, who have not been helped by a difficult summer transfer window.

Like O’Neil, Glasner has gone from being linked with a European giant – Bayern Munich – to being at risk of being sacked by relative minnows as Palace have reverted to type after their superb run-in efficiency exceeded all logic.

If Palace do not suddenly rise from the relegation picture to mid-table, Steve Parish could feel forced to push the panic button and seek another new manager. As is also the case with Wolves, appointing Van Nistelrooy would be a risk given the fear of relegation, but this bold call would be in keeping with the past decisions made by the ambitious board with Glasner and Patrick Vieira.

MORE PREMIER LEAGUE FEATURES ON F365…

👉 Top ten football swears features Didier Drogba, Mary Earps and new entry David Coote

👉 Overrated Liverpool midfielder one of five Premier League players happy international break is here

👉 REVEALED: Why Liverpool will officially be massive bottlers if they don’t win Premier League title

Everton

A Man Utd-esque dreadful start to the season for Everton led to calls for a change as a ‘sensational return’ was on the cards, but Sean Dyche did Sean Dyche things against Palace and Ipswich Town as the pressure on him eased following these two huge victories.

But more misery is always just around the corner for Everton, who head into this international break on a three-game winless run.

You still have to fancy their final season at Goodison Park being full of extreme lows and the odd high, which ultimately results in the fortunate escape of a 17th-placed finish.

Ahead of the stadium move and further boost of an expected takeover, Everton need survival at the very minimum. As he often does, Dyche will likely save the Toffees before his pragmatic approach is ditched for a forward-thinking manager at the start of a new bright era for this long-suffering football club. Ruud would fit the bill…

West Ham United

The goalless draw between West Ham and Everton was a chore for all involved, but the outcome certainly suited Dyche more than Julen Lopetegui, who is surely edging ever closer to the sack.

His appointment in the summer following David Moyes’ exit was underwhelming. One negative manager replaced another and it was hard to foresee a scenario where Lopetegui would give frustrated West Ham supporters the excitement they were craving at the end of the Scotsman’s reign.

Lopetegui was backed in the summer as West Ham – on paper at least – made some positive signings. But this huge investment is not paying off as Lopetegui struggles to get a tune out of his talented but misfiring squad.

West Ham are sitting just five points above the bottom three in the Premier League table and assuming Lopetegui’s eventual replacement is not another like-minded manager, Van Nistelrooy or another successor could stumble on a great job given the calibre of squad at his disposal.

READ: Premier League winners and losers: Liverpool strengthen grip as Dr Tottenham saves another patient

Tottenham Hotspur

Dr Tottenham has been particularly generous with his time at the start of this campaign as they handed Palace and Ipswich Town their first wins of the season.

It’s as hilarious as it is nonsensical that this spell has also included wins over Manchester City and Aston Villa as Tottenham have been held back by their infuriating inconsistency.

A once-lovable Aussie manager has become increasingly fed up as he’s been weighed down by Tottenham’s ineptitude. This fuelled speculation surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s future, but the fan resentment should be reserved for Daniel Levy as his head coach is just the latest in a long list of victims to be dragged down by Spurs.

While Levy needs to be shown the door first, Postecoglou will be ousted long before the chairman, who must be running out of ideas as he searches for an end to Tottenham’s prolonged trophy drought.

How about a Manchester United legend from the long-heralded Sir Alex Ferguson era that’s reminisced about way too often on The Overlap? ‘Lads, it’s Tottenham’, we know. But this is one of few remaining options for a failing and increasingly desperate Levy.

Remind yourself why Tottenham are like they are by reminiscing over Ange Postecoglou’s predecessors. How many of the 16 permanent Prem managers can you recall?

Spurs remain an unfathomable enigma, lurching from world-class one week to p*ss-poor the next.

Postecoglou has the same issue as so many who have gone before him. How do you solve the Spursy problem?

Sixteen have tried before Postecoglou since football was invented in 1992. Can you recall those poor souls? We’ve given you the year they took over and even their nationality, FFS, so you’ve no excuse really.

We haven’t included caretaker managers because no one wants to spend their Tuesday typing ‘Ryan Mason’ a dozen times.

If you enjoyed that and need more reasons to run down the clock to the weekend, we’ve got plenty more quizzes here. And our friends at Planet Football have even more.

If you’re quizzed out, don’t miss these…

Tottenham are looking to land Man City winger Jack Grealish over the next couple of transfer windows with the Citizens ready to let him leave, according to reports.

Man City had got off to a good start in the new Premier League season but recent form has been terrible with Pep Guardiola’s side losing their last four matches in all competitions.

Grealish has played a bit-part role, similar to last season, so far for Man City, with the England international starting just four Premier League matches and six games in all competitions.

And former Man Utd and Aston Villa scout Mick Brown – who is still well-connected in the Premier League – revealed a week ago that Man City could look into cash in on Grealish with the Citizens looking to “sign a big-name winger”.

Brown told Football Insider: “I’m not sure about Jack Grealish. He’s been in and out of the team again this season and he’s not a regular feature there.

“They’re happy with what Doku and Savinho bring to the side. I’ve heard City could look to sign a big-name winger as they feel the squad could be strengthened in that position – that would be for next summer.

“But then where does Grealish fit in the squad? He’d be facing even fewer starts. I think, if they do sign a new option, they could look to move him out to make space.

“They might want to make some money back on him. He’s on big wages as well so that would free up some of the budget.

“I’m sure it’s something he’d be open to as well because he wants to play football – I know Jack from his time at Villa and he’s always wanted to play regular games.”

MORE MAN CITY COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Guardiola ‘chooses’ £37m Rodri replacement as Man City ‘withdraw from negotiations’ for Barcelona star

👉 Man City: APT ‘new challenge’ mooted with upcoming Premier League ‘vote unlikely to solve dispute’

👉 Premier League winners and losers: Liverpool strengthen grip as Dr Tottenham saves another patient

And now Football Insider are back with new information and claim Premier League rivals Tottenham have ‘sights on a sensational deal to sign’ Grealish in the summer transfer window.

The report adds:

‘There is a feeling at the club that they need to bring in a player capable of slowing down the game, with Grealish’s ability to draw fouls and drag the team forward a valuable asset.

‘However, it is unlikely a deal will be agreed in January as City are keen to keep their squad players on the books amid a growing injury crisis.’

Man City winger Grealish would apparently be ‘open’ to a transfer to Tottenham but Sputs must qualify for the Champions League.

The report continues:

‘Tottenham are planning to be ambitious in the transfer market and they are now lining up an move to land Grealish’s signature.

‘The England international has fallen out of the starting lineup under Guardiola and is said to be keen on a move to secure more regular playing time.

‘Tottenham are viewed as a potential destination, with both parties thought to be open to a potential deal if City allow him to leave.

‘A deal is also thought to hinge on whether Tottenham can qualify for the Champions League, with questions over whether Grealish would want to take the step down.’

Man Utd have made a record-breaking offer for Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane as the Red Devils look to provide Ruben Amorim with increased firepower, according to reports.

The Red Devils sacked Erik ten Hag after a terrible start to the new Premier League season with the Dutchman leading them to just three wins in their opening nine matches.

Ruud van Nistelrooy put four more points on the board in the two Premier League matches since Ten Hag’s departure by beating Leicester City and drawing with Chelsea.

Man Utd moved quickly to bring in Ten Hag’s permanent successor in Amorim with the Portuguese coach arriving in Manchester yesterday after winning his final match as Sporting Lisbon manager 4-2 against Braga over the weekend.

And there are already plenty of rumours about which players could arrive in the next couple of transfer windows as the Red Devils look to give Amorim some support.

There are some doubts as to whether Amorim has the right players to suit his 3-4-3 formation, which he preferred to play at Sporting, while there are serious questions about the strikers at Man Utd.

The Red Devils spent a lot of money to bring Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee to Old Trafford but the Man Utd duo, although still early days, have so far failed to live up to their exciting reputations.

And now reports in Spain claim both Man Utd and Paris Saint-Germain have made an ‘offer’ worth €130m (£107m) – which would be a record-breaking deal for the Red Devils – to sign former Tottenham striker Kane.

Kane has been in sensational form since swapping Spurs for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023 with the England captain bagging 61 goals in 61 matches for the Bavarians.

MORE ON MAN UTD FROM F365…

👉 Van Nistelrooy one of five to leave Manchester United after talks with Ruben Amorim

👉 Ruben Amorim hints at Man Utd formation change as Ten Hag replacement starts ‘very difficult’ job

👉 Man Utd make shock move for ‘unhappy’ Chelsea star as Amorim’s first signing

But ‘his adventure at the Allianz Arena could be really short’ as Man Utd and PSG ‘already have around 130 million euros ready to ensure that the former Norwich City or Leicester City player ends up leaving Germany’ next summer.

While PSG are looking for a goalscorer to replace Kylian Mbappe, new Man Utd boss Amorim has ‘ordered the purchase of a footballer who can lead the project’.

Amorim wants to replace ‘two resounding failures’ in Zirkzee and Hojlund after Ten Hag was ‘convinced’ the pair were ‘very interesting footballers’.

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has pinpointed three key failures of Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Petit told Instant Casino: “The results of Manchester United simply weren’t good enough under Erik Ten Hag. Players didn’t improve under him. That is a deadly combination if you’re a manager of a top club and you want to stay in the job.

“I also don’t think that Ten Hag’s communication was good enough. He was not good in the press conferences in terms of explaining what he wants to do on the pitch, and he was always trying to find excuses, while trying to put in the front of people’s minds what he won, what he did for Manchester United.

“Smile, joy, passion, communication. They weren’t there for Ten Hag.

“You have to also question his record in the transfer market. He was responsible for signing so many players that underperformed and failed. I think he signed far too many players that he knew from Holland too. So much money has been spent on the players that he’s been asking for.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has criticised the inconsistency shown by Tottenham but admits that he now expects that from Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Pressure on Postecoglou reached a high at the end of October when Spurs lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the Premier League with Postecoglou’s men struggling to climb the table.

Since then they have beaten defending Premier League champions Manchester City in the League Cup and hammered Aston Villa 4-1 in the league – but Tottenham and Postecoglou are now under pressure again after back-to-back losses against Galatasaray and Ipswich Town last week.

Tottenham went 2-0 behind against the newly-promoted Tractor Boys on Sunday with Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap scoring two first-half goals.

Spurs came back into the match in the second half through a Rodrigo Bentancur header, while they had a goal disallowed for hand ball, but they didn’t have enough as they lost 2-1 to Kieran McKenna’s side.

And former Arsenal striker Wright insists it’s what he expects from Tottenham nowadays with Spurs often following up a good display with a poor one.

Wright said at half-time on Premier League Productions: “This is Spurs and what they do, I don’t mean that disrespectfully. When they are in a good run and you think they can put more results together, they throw a performance like this out there.”

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365…

👉 Ange out? Spurs fans should surely save their ire for Daniel Levy…

👉 Former Chelsea boss obviously favourite for Spurs manager job as Angeball doubts resurface

👉 Postecoglou ‘takes responsibility’ after Dr Tottenham give Ipswich first Prem win of season

Speaking after the match, Postecoglou was unhappy at his side’s first-half performance, he said: “It was hugely disappointing and, from my perspective, unacceptable, because we started the game nowhere near the levels we needed to be and gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

“In the second half, we had the ascendancy and enough opportunities to get the job done, but we didn’t do enough with it.”

Postecoglou added: “We were far too passive without the ball, allowed them to feel comfortable, and that’s what we don’t want to do when we’re at home, especially, and we paid a price for that.”

On Ipswich trying to slow the game down and disrupt the flow of the game, Postecoglou contiunued: “It’s part of the Premier League now. Clubs are strategically doing it. You can almost work by your clock that every 20 minutes, someone will go down, and they’ll come over and get instructions from the coach.

“If we want to overcome that, we have to make sure that we don’t give opposition teams the opportunity to get ahead in games and try to kill it, then we can control that. It’s up to the officials to work out.”