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More pressure piled on Frank as Forest outclass Spurs. Video, 00:07:46More pressure piled on Frank as Forest outclass Spurs

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"It's pretty evident if no-one gets the time, no-one can turn it around. This is not a quick fix."

Thomas Frank was clear with what is needed after watching Tottenham's weak defeat at Nottingham Forest.

He is confident he will get time to finally tap into Tottenham's potential. But that was not on display at the City Ground.

Mistakes allowed Callum Hudson-Odoi to score twice, and the game was over before Ibrahim Sangare's stunning third.

Spurs won just six of their final 19 games of last season and even lifting the Europa League after beating Manchester United was not enough to save Ange Postecoglou.

Frank replaced him but after winning six of his opening 11 games, he has won just four of his next 14.

Tottenham, 11th in the Premier League and six points adrift of the top five, have changed the manager but their problems remain.

"I think Frank is a really good manager and we have to remember that all managers need time," said ex-England winger and BBC Match of the Day pundit Theo Walcott. "Spurs are not in a terrible position either.

"I think the disappointing thing from their fans' point of view is that this is an opportunity to do even better because of how close the middle of the table is - and how no-one is really standing out massively in that middle pack."

Spurs arrived looking for a third straight win in all competitions for the first time in more than a year - but instead Frank was picking through the wreckage of another damaging defeat.

The 2-0 win at Manchester City in August has long been forgotten and has been replaced by the memories of a 4-1 derby humbling at Arsenal, a 1-0 loss to Chelsea and further home defeats to Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Fulham.

Half of rock bottom Wolves' points total this season has come at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Spurs rescued a 1-1 draw in stoppage time.

Their home win over Brentford last week was the first Premier League victory at home since their opening game in north London against Burnley in August.

There have been Champions League wins over Villarreal, Copenhagen and Slavia Prague but the inconsistencies which have dogged Tottenham for years remain.

Frank only joined in the summer from Brentford, replacing Postecoglou, but it has still left him looking vulnerable with supporters, even if he has clarity of thought.

"I do everything to control my emotions, which is a hurricane inside me, because, of course, it's deeply frustrating that we are not doing better after three good performances," said Frank, who described the display at Forest as "burning, annoying".

"It is extremely important to be calm and measured and of course, have very, very direct and clear messages at the right time so they're not in doubt of what I think, because I'm very honest about where we are as well.

"I was also very honest, today was a very bad performance. No two ways about that, but also know that to change this, this will take some time.

"No one will want to hear about that. It's just reality. I think the ones who have followed the club and the team, I think it's fair to say there's been a few not too consistent performances, and that's the thing. We are working very hard."

Frank made a triple substitution on 59 minutes, bringing on Ben Davies, Joao Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall for Djed Spence, Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur - with Spence clearly unhappy with the decision.

Former Arsenal forward Walcott felt the changes would only add to fans' frustrations.

"I was thinking 'you are losing the game, why bring on defensive players?' That is the worry," he said. "The attacking side of Tottenham's play, and that is why the fans are frustrated too. Seeing that happen today is not going to help."

Frank, though, was supported by Sean Dyche after Forest recorded a third straight win over Spurs.

"You bring new players in, you don't just click your fingers with a group of players," he said. "They signed players you've got to re-educate in your way.

"But there is no time now. You're a hero to zero every week now, and that's just the nature of the world, not just football.

"He knows what he's doing without a doubt."

Guglielmo Vicario's errors - leading to the first two goals - cannot be ignored. At the end he trudged back towards the Tottenham fans and held up his hands in apology.

He was far from the only culprit for a wretched defeat but the spotlight will shine further on the 29-year-old after previous errors.

Frank had to defend him following his mistake against Fulham, which gave Harry Wilson a crucial goal, and said Spurs fans who abused him can't be true supporters.

There were few left in the away end at the final whistle so Vicario will have been spared the vitriol at the City Ground but there are few places to hide.

Frank refused to blame the Italy international for the first goal, where his pass put Gray in trouble and allowed Sangare to pinch the ball to set up Hudson-Odoi,

"No, I think you see that every week in the Premier League, and from every team all over the world. So, there's no problem with that," he said.

"After the first goal we lost structure and we were more disjointed and then 2-0 kills the game off. It doesn't help we made two mistakes with the first two goals but that can happen in football. We just need to keep doing the right things, so everything looks the right way."

Former England goalkeeper and Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart also absolved Vicario of blame for the first goal.

"He's passed it with the intention of Archie Gray bouncing it first time out to Cristian Romero. The press from Forest is very good and as soon as Gray takes more than one touch it looks like a bad pass from the goalkeeper," said Hart.

"That is something they will do every day in training without any problem.

"If you're being overly critical, Vicario might have been better off giving it to Gray on his stronger right foot, which would make the pass to Romero easier. But you can see from Gray's own reaction he should have dealt with it better."

Yet again, as Spurs looked to progress under Thomas Frank, they came crashing down in arguably their worst performance of the season.

Defeats to Arsenal, Bournemouth and Fulham have been poor - chastening at times, especially to the Gunners - but the surrender at the City Ground could be labelled as a further low.

They were second best throughout and did little to suggest they are able to move forward in their present state.

Guglielmo Vicario's first mistake - passing to put Archie Gray under too much pressure from Ibrahim Sangare and allowing Callum Hudson-Odoi to score - was bad, but the tone had already been set.

Forest pressed and were richly rewarded. Tottenham had no answer. Richarlison was anonymous, as was Xavi Simons, and Premier League debutant John Victor was completely untroubled in the home goal.

Frank will need to defend his goalkeeper again but the whole team deserves criticism as they failed to handle an energised Forest.

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'We made it hard for ourselves'

FT: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool

West Ham United

West Ham captain Katrina Gorry speaking to Sky Sports: "Disappointing. I thought we made it hard for ourselves. We were against ten for a good chunk of the game and I don't feel like we really capitalised on it well enough. They are a good side in transition and it is something we needed to be aware of, and unfortunately we are only taking a point out of this one.

On positives to take: "We'll have to look back on that I think. Look, we scored some good goals but I don't think we utilised the extra player well enough."

'We believed in it all the way'

FT: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool goalscorer Beata Olsson, speaking to Sky Sports: "We do it all together. We go into this game and we want three points but then we had to adjust a bit with what happens but we did that so well. Everyone is fighting so hard. It is nice that we believed in it all the way so we could get the point."

On Taylor's half time team talk: "He said that we did fine in the defence and that we should keep our shape, but we should try to play a bit more down the sides to actually pin them down a bit. We got some good crosses into the box and I think that's what turned it around for us."

On taking it as a positive point going forward: "I think we will all be disappointed because we went into this game wanting three points and we know we could get that. I even thought we could have got that with one player down. I had a feeling we could score another goal, but I guess we will be happy about it in the long run."

'It will be tough, but we are confident'

FT: Brighton 0-3 Chelsea

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor speaking to Sky Sports:

"I'm really pleased with the performance and the result. Coming here, being able to score three goals, to create as much as we. created and to keep a clean sheet, it's a really good performance.

"It was a great performance from Sandy Baltimore individually. It's great when you have players with that talent. It was important for us to get that first goal, and then it was easier in the game."

On what she told her players at half-time:

"I always ask the team to find a good balance between keeping the ball and also having the desire to hurt the opposition. Sometimes we need to improve our runs in behind, to have a more direct style of football but also open the spaces in midfield. I think in the second half we were able to do that a bit better than in the first half.

"It's always better to finish with a win before the break. That's the best way we could have ended the year in the WSL."

On the unfamiliar position of trailing the league leaders:

"Since when I joined the club we have always been at the top of the table, this is the first time we are behind. That's fine, sometimes that happens, I still trust my players and know the quality we have.

"There are many games left for us to reverse the situation. It will be tough, Man City are performing really well, Arsenal and Man United and all the teams in this league are really good. It will be difficult, but we are confident and that's the only thing we can do, to still have belief, because everything is possible."

'I’m honestly speechless'

FT: Man City 6-1 Aston Villa

Manchester City

Man City striker Khadija Shaw speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about reaching 100+ goals for the club: "Speechless. I don’t really know what to say to be honest. Coming into this game I knew that if I scored it would have been a really good milestone for me, but I’m honestly speechless. I don’t know what to say."

On the way she took her goals: "I think it’s a little bit of everything. Sometimes it’s instinct. Sometimes it’s practice. You practice in front of goal and the more you’re in front of goal the more confident you become. When I come in the games I know I have to be ready in the box for when the balls come and the service comes. I would say a little bit of both."

On reaching this milestone after a challenging year: "Yeah definitely. The beginning was a bit challenging, a bit difficult. Even a couple of weeks ago with what happened back home [in Jamaica] mentally it was a bit tough, but for me I just try to do the best that I can."

"I have always said that I try to focus on what I can control because when I focus on what I can control, the rest can do its bit. For me, a good job today, four goals, six points, and we keep going."

'I've had to play at training to make up the numbers'

FT: Brighton 0-3 Chelsea

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton manager Dario Vidosic speaking to Sky Sports:

"I thought we defended quite well in the first half, we conceded a world-class goal. That deflated us a little bit,.The Second half starts and we score an own goal trying to clear it. Then they found their groove. It was a tough one."

On the performance of goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley:

"It was good, she handled the week well, coming in. She's done well and there was not much she could do about the three goals. She made some really good saves."

On Brighton's injury issues:

"It's difficult for us at the moment, we've had academy kids stepping up to help us, I've had to step in at training just to make 11 v 11s. We prepare the best we can, but the intensity and everything lifts when you play the girls who were on the field today and the ones who came on.

"That change of speed caught us off. We never really got our rhythm, then we got a bit negative and weren't moving as much. We had one or two chances but weren't able to create more."

On the first half of the season:

"It's really positive. In the first 11 games I've fielded the same 11 only twice, every other week we have been forced into changes through injuries. You need a bit of time, players play together and find their rhythm, their connections, we have been lacking that. That is my wish to Santa, that everyone stays fit and healthy in the second half of the season."

'We can’t take anything for granted'

FT: Man City 6-1 Aston Villa

Manchester City

Man City boss Andree Jeglertz speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "We are creating so many scoring chances in different ways and scoring so many goals, I’m happy about that of course. We will continue doing that hopefully, but we need to continue working hard every day.

"We can’t take anything for granted. What we have done nobody will take that away from us but it’s in Spring that everything will be determined."

On Khadija Shaw's performance: "She is of course a great player and a great person I am really happy to have her in my team. To be able to score as many goals in the league like she is doing in the last years is fantastic. It shows something about the qualities.

"In every game she is a great teammate also. She knows everything is not about her. She is working every day to help the team to become a bit better. Happy to have her in the team. "

Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur: Women's Super League stats & head-to-head  BBC

Goalkeeper John Victor makes his Premier League debut for Nottingham Forest.

He keeps his place from the Europa League win at Utrecht with Matz Sels out with a groin injury but Sean Dyche makes eight changes from Thursday's victory.

Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic and Neco Williams return along with Igor Jesus, Ibrahim Sangare, Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson and Omari Hutchinson.

Nottingham Forest XI: John, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Hutchinson, I. Jesus.

Subs: Gunn; Morato, Douglas Luiz, Ndoye, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Zinchenko, Abbott.

Thomas Frank makes two changes to the Tottenham side from the Champions League victory against Slavia Prague.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Randal Kolo Muani replace Joao Palhinha and Wilson Odobert, who are on the bench.

Brennan Johnson returns to the bench after missing the mid-week win.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Spence, Gray, Romero, Porro, Van de Ven, Bentancur, Kolo Muani, Kudus, Xavi, Richarlison

Nottingham Forest's Europa League campaign is a problem for their boss Sean Dyche, because it is a distraction from their relegation fight.

Of course Forest want to do well in Europe but if you asked Dyche what his priority is then it has to be climbing the table.

As for Tottenham, I still don't know what we are going to get from them.

Yes, they have won back-to-back home games against Brentford and Slavia Prague but that doesn't mean they have turned the corner.

A lot depends on what kind of team Dyche puts out on Thursday against Utrecht but if he focuses mostly on Spurs then I can see this being a very tight game.

I have already gone for a lot of draws this week, but this is another one where I don't feel confident backing either team to win it.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Premier League LIVE: Sunderland vs Newcastle, Palace vs Man City, Forest vs Spurs & West Ham vs Villa  BBC

Nottingham Forest seek to move further from the relegation places when they host Spurs at the City Ground on Sunday. BBC Sport explores some of the key talking points around this game.

Forest's 2-1 victory at Utrecht on Thursday was their first away win in a major European competition for 30 years.

The display was an improvement from the inferior showing at Everton last weekend, during which Forest shipped three Premier League goals without reply for the fourth time this season.

"We were nowhere near it on the physical side," admitted Sean Dyche after the 3-0 loss on Merseyside. "We were trying to come here to play, but we didn't start well. The players deserve a lot of credit, but they have to fight and play to their shape. We were well short of that."

Anderson is key

Elliot Anderson was one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the previous Premier League outing. The England midfielder had the most touches of any player with 94, completed the joint most passes with 60 and won 12 duels – two more than anyone else.

Anderson's importance to this Forest team is well documented and no other Premier League midfielder has contributed more line-breaking passes in the opponent's half this season than the 23-year old.

Forest completed the Premier League double over Spurs last season but Dyche has a poor record against the Lilywhites. The 54-year-old has won two of his 17 Premier League clashes with the north London club, drawing five and losing 10, with his last victory back in February 2022 while in charge of Burnley.

Frank finding solutions

Tottenham travel to the East Midlands seeking to win three successive games for the first time under Thomas Frank. The pressure had been mounting on the 52-year-old head coach after a series of limp London derby performances, but it appears one of the solutions to his side's problems was right under his nose.

Gray matters

The appearance of Archie Gray in central midfield has coincided with back-to-back home victories for Spurs and the 19-year-old is staking a serious claim to be part of Frank's starting XI going forward.

The teenager was comparable to a Swiss army knife under Ange Postecoglou last term and he was used in a multitude of positions, with centre-back and right-back his most common.

This season, he has predominantly played in his favoured midfield birth and seems, for now, to be the missing link between defence and attack.