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Thomas Frank was finally able to stride on to the turf without facing hostility after his most important victory as Tottenham head coach.

The pressure valve has been released by the manner in which Spurs fought back to earn a point at Newcastle United on Tuesday, before securing a fully-deserved win against his former club Brentford.

It was only seven days ago that relations between the Dane and supporters questioning his credentials hit a low when he claimed those who jeered goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario after his mistake in the defeat against Fulham were not "true Tottenham fans".

Criticising your own support is a hazardous strategy and often ends very badly, which is why this Spurs' win carried more significance for Frank and his players.

This was a banana skin of a fixture, with the danger that the club where Frank was idolised - the one he established in the Premier League - might turn up on his new doorstep to pile on the agony.

Frank may only be 15 league games into his Spurs reign, but serious doubts have been posed about his suitability for the job by a demanding fanbase.

It is premature to suggest the tide has turned for Frank, but it may have at least stopped coming in. This victory will calm nerves.

Frank has, at times, looked like a man struggling to adapt to the size of the Spurs task after working in a lower-profile role at Brentford. But the club's hierarchy are keen to back him, though they are also aware of the disconnect that has existed with supporters.

If Frank averts further crises, Spurs are in a position to provide spending power in the January window, while chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is a renowned cool head, who importantly offered support to Mikel Arteta during his early struggles as Arsenal manager.

It should be remembered that Frank took over a squad that, despite winning the Europa League last season, had finished 17th in the Premier League after losing 22 games out of 38.

As always, however, results dictate events and more specifically Frank's future, so Spurs' response to last Saturday's defeat by Fulham at least offers encouragement.

Frank's approach has been condemned as negative by his detractors - one more suited to Brentford than Spurs. That criticism was cranked up in November after the home defeat by Chelsea and the 4-1 loss at Arsenal in the north London derby, but the signs were positive here.

He has been hit over the head with poor expected goals (xG) statistics. So he can point to the fact that against Brentford, Spurs produced their second-highest xG total in a league game this season (2.15), their highest number of shots on target (seven), plus their lowest number of shots faced (four), shots on target (one) and lowest xG against total (0.29).

The statistic that mattered most, though, is the one that always does.

It should have been more than 2-0, but it gave Spurs only their second league win at home this season, and their first since Burnley were beaten on the opening weekend of the season.

On Spurs looking more threatening, Frank said: "I think it's because of a few things. I like the look of the team in general. It's a little bit of everything."

He added: "I think it was a very good performance overall. A quite complete performance. Offensively we looked a big threat going forward. We were much more dynamic and producing good chances and good moments. I really like that.

"Also on the defensive side of things, we kept them to four shots throughout the game. It was a really good performance. The fans were amazing from the off and the players were thriving off them. To have that complete collaboration together, I really loved that. It was a great win.

"We felt we needed a top performance for all of us and if we can do more of this together, then this can be the fortress we dream of. It is one step forward, there are a lot of steps to be there every week consistently but I loved it. I think the fans were very good."

It was also the day when Xavi Simons, who has struggled to make a consistent impact since his £51.8m summer move from RB Leipzig, finally showed what all the fuss was about.

Simons' run and cross put Richarlison's opener on a plate after 25 minutes. Then two minutes before the interval, he recovered from losing possession to run from just inside his own half and accelerate away from Brentford's defence, scoring his first goal for Spurs.

The Netherlands forward revelled in his free role, pulling the strings behind a front trio of Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani.

It was a performance that delighted his manager, who said: "I am really so pleased for him because he has been working so hard on the training pitch and in the gym.

"He is a 24/7 pro and wants it so badly. I think he has been on a good run and close to being decisive. Today with an assist and a goal, very good."

In 2025, before this win, Spurs had played 16 league games at home, winning only three and losing 10. This is the pattern Frank has to change.

The toxicity of last week had gone in line with the improved performance, with gallows humour returning as one fan responded to the applause at half-time by cupping an ear then asking: "What's that strange noise?"

It will have been music to the ears of Frank – but he will know Spurs must continue the upward curve at home to Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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Brentford manager Keith Andrews has been speaking to Sky Sports after the defeat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: "It was really disappointing. A disappointing performance. In the first half, it didn't feel like the levels we have been performing at. In this league if you're not quite at the levels, you can be punished. That is certainly what happened in the first half.

"I think we will be searching for the reasons [why we weren't at it]. The group so far have raised expectations, I would say, from what people thought initially. The belief I have in these players and this football club is huge. It's one bump in the road.

"Today in the first half is probably the first time I've felt we weren't really at the levels needed."

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media after taking all three points against former club Brentford: "I'm happy with so many things. I think it was a very good performance overall, a quite complete performance.

"Offensively, we looked a big threat going forwards. We were much more dynamic and producing good chances and good moments. I really like that. Also the defensive side of things, we kept them to four shots throughout the game.

"The fans were amazing from the off and the players were thriving off them. To have that complete collaboration together, I really loved that. It was a great win.

"We felt we needed a top performance for all of us and, if we can do more of this together, this can be the fortress we dream about. It is one step forward. There are a lot of steps, but I loved it."

On their xG being higher today than in recent games: "I think it's because of a few things. I like the look of the team in general. It is a little bit of everything today."

On Xavi Simons' performance: "I'm really so pleased for him because he has been working so hard on the training pitch and in the gym. He is a 24/7 professional and he wants it so badly. I think he has been on a good run and he is close to being decisive."

Tottenham goalscorer Xavi Simons has also been speaking to the media: "It feels really good, I'm really happy to win the three points. Step-by-step we are working to bring that to the fans."

On scoring his first Premier League goal: "When I received the ball I said to myself: 'Just go'. I know I'm quite fast with the ball so I saw some space and I went towards it.

"It means a lot to me as I've been through new situations in my private life and in football. But you have to handle that every day and come into the club with the mindset of working. For sure I knew it would come, it was just a matter of time. I put the work and dedication in every day and it was important to score, but the most important thing was the three points.

"I was hungry to play. I want to play football. I want to enjoy being here every day, with the fans, and making my dreams come true."

YELLOW CARD

Tottenham 1-0 Brentford

That's a really naughty challenge by Cristian Romero!

Brentford's players want referee Rob Jones to show a red for that late tackle but the Argentine escapes with a caution.

How many is that for Romero this season?

CLOSE!

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

Antoine Semenyo races to the byline and somehow fires a shot that's destined for the bottom corner.

Robert Sanchez produces a stunning save and Evanilson can't finish from a yard out.

Delap injured after physically imposing 30 minutes

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

Nizaar Kinsella

BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Chelsea striker Liam Delap has been extremely physical in his battles today but has ultimately dislocated his shoulder.

He was defensively marking at a set-piece and his marker fell on him, dislocating his shoulder, and he has immediately been taken off for teenage striker Marc Guiu.

Interestingly, Delap was probably lucky not to be booked after kicking out and catching Marcos Senesi with a stray arm in two separate incidents.

It feels a bit like the "throwback no. 9" was a victim of his own approach.

Big lift for Spurs

Tottenham 1-0 Brentford

Phil McNulty

BBC Sport chief football writer at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Unselfish work by Xavi Simons for the goal Spurs have deserved. Good run then spotted Richarlison before putting it on a plate for Brazilian.

Really positive atmosphere in here - and you have not been able to say that very often this season.

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Get Involved

Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

Jay: What a fantastic job David Moyes has done at Everton. After the last few seasons of fighting relegation, a top 10 finish will be a great step in a new direction for the club.

Shades of Kompany

Man City 1-0 Sunderland

Shamoon Hafez

Football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

An early Christmas cracker from Ruben Dias, what a hit that is.

The game was meandering and it needed something special to break the deadlock, the defender provided it.

That goal has shades of Vincent Kompany to it.

GOAL - Newcastle 1-0 Burnley

Bruno Guimaraes

Straight from a corner!

How on earth did Bruno Guimaraes do that?

The Brazilian whips it in and it goes over everyone and falls into the back of the net.

Great skill by the Newcastle captain and his side lead.

Post

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

Liam Delap and Marcos Senesi are getting well-equipped with each other.

This time it's from a Chelsea corner and Delap is dragged over by Senesi and the striker can't continue.

He's dislocated his shoulder, apparently. Ouch.

GOAL - Man City 1-0 Sunderland

Ruben Dias (31 mins)

Pick that one out!

Sunderland have kept Manchester City at bay well so far, and they don't expect much by way of danger when the ball comes to Ruben Dias 30 yards out.

However the City centre back channels his inner Vincent Kompany with a thumping shot into the top corner. It may have taken a deflection off Dan Ballard, but the City fans will not care.

YELLOW CARD

Tottenham 1-0 Brentford

Spurs fans haven't had a lot to cheer about at home this season. But they're in fine voice after Richarlison's goal.

The goalscorer, by the way, has been hurt after being caught on the shin by Michael Kayode, who gets a yellow for that.

'Tottenham have been the better team'

Tottenham 1-0 Brentford

Steph Houghton

Former Manchester City and England captain on Final Score

Tottenham have been the better team, they have started really well.

That was a fantastic ball in by Xavi Simons and it's a great finish from Richarlison.

Post

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

Liam Delap and Marcos Senesi are at it again.

The Chelsea striker tries to get in front of the Bournemouth man and gives him a hand to the face.

There's not really much in that but certainly one to watch.

GOAL - Tottenham 1-0 Brentford

Richarlison

How Spurs needed that!

It's a smart move as well, a ball is played down the wing into the path of Xavi Simons who does well to square it into the path of Richarlison.

Are Spurs heading for a rare home win in the league?

Tottenham's Xavi Simons starts a Premier League game for the first time since 8 November, while Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Archie Gray also return to the starting line-up.

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

Substitutes: Bergvall, Danso, Davies, Johnson, Kinsky, Joao Palhinha, Odobert, Sarr, Tel

Mikkel Damsgaard makes his 100th appearance for Brentford, who make four changes after the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Kaoyde, Van den Berg, Collins, Ajer, Henderson, Yarmoliuk, Schade, Damsgaard, Ouattara, Thiago

Kelly Somers: Why did you want to be involved in football?

Mauricio Pochettino: When I was a child, it was a thing which began to grow in my body, my brain, my blood. Maybe because my dad, my family, always felt passion for football. But when I try to remember, I go back to my grandad's farm when I was very little. I would have a ball in my hand and I would play.

Kelly: So you used to play football on a farm?

Mauricio: Yes, on my grandad's farm. I started to play with my brother, my dad. That's when I started to feel a passion for the game.

Kelly: Can you remember the first team you played for?

Mauricio: In my hometown of Murphy. I played there. But because my dad was a Racing Club fan, I grew up supporting them. Then I moved to Newell's Young Boys, and grew my career there in the academy and first team.

Kelly: Can you remember a time in your young career that you thought, 'I've got a chance of making it here... it could be my life'?

Mauricio: It was never in my head that I was going to make a living playing football. When I was 13, 14, when Newell's Old Boys signed me, that's when I realised, 'I am not only playing, this might be a way to build my career and be a professional'. That's when I realised I was not only playing for fun, but to survive in life and earn money.

Kelly: Can you remember a time when you thought, 'I want to be a manager'?

Mauricio: It started to grow little by little in my mind, when I was 27, 28. I moved from Espanyol to Paris St-Germain. I started to notice how the coaches dealt with situations. I started to challenge my coaches, to notice why they dealt with things. Then it is up to you - your character, your capacity to understand and make decisions. If you get asked to make a decision, and you say, 'wait'... like people say now, 'I'll ask ChatGPT' ... no, you need to make decisions very quickly, store knowledge from different people, and believe in yourself.

Kelly: If you could relive one match from your career, what would it be?

Mauricio: Player or coach? Changing the result or reliving the experience?

Kelly: Whichever way you want to go with it.

Mauricio: One game I want to go back to and relive, as a coach, is the Champions League semi-final with Ajax [as Tottenham manager in 2019]. That was one of the best moments in my career, my life. The feeling was amazing. The emotion... it was one of the greatest moments. And the final in Madrid [which Spurs lost 2-0 to Liverpool], I will try to play again this game, for sure. I have no regrets, but if you gave me the opportunity, I would not like it to finish the same way.

Kelly: Describe to me a young Mauricio Pochettino. What were you like growing up?

Mauricio: I don't know if you can be more happy than when you were a child. My first memories are very happy.

Kelly: Describe to me the home set-up... what it was like being in your household.

Mauricio: My parents, my brothers on the farm... I grew up on a farm until I was six years old. It was amazing, with my dogs, horses, but it was a place of work. My dad was a farmer. He had only one pair of shoes - for Sundays. What I learned as I evolved as a man was to respect life, respect people. That's because if you grow in a place with animals, they don't judge you. They show love and you share all these things in life. It is a massive lesson and a nice environment for a child to grow in. I love the city, but when you are a child growing up in a natural environment, you can learn a lot.

Kelly: We will all be watching the World Cup next summer. What can we expect out there?

Mauricio: It is going to be amazing. The USA is an amazing country, with amazing people and fans. I invite people to go and visit America, and share the excitement. It is a massive opportunity for the USA to show how football, soccer...

Kelly: Still football? Or are you trying to call it soccer?

Mauricio: No, it's soccer! They push me to say soccer!

Kelly: It must be exciting to be spearheading that, and be part of that - coming from a football culture and instilling what you have learned in your career to them?

Mauricio: The motivation is massive. Sometimes you feel people don't understand the culture of football... soccer. Sometimes you need to live with people who can help you. There are coaches out there who say you need to understand the culture of American players. I say, 'no, the most important thing is the culture of soccer'. They need to know, and we need to translate that to the American players. After one year, we are making great progress, and building with people who are starting to realise the language of soccer is only one - it doesn't matter if you are American, Brazilian, English... there is only one language of football. We are excited to build a team which is competitive to win in our own country, to try and get the result.

Kelly: Is there a part of you which misses the Premier League? Do you still watch it a lot?

Mauricio: Yeah, I watch a lot. The Premier League is the best in the world. Of course I miss it. I am so happy in the USA, but I am always thinking about returning one day. It is the most competitive league, and of course I would love to come back again.

Kelly: Tell me one thing about you, Mauricio, which would surprise me.

Mauricio: I am a very good chef, particularly barbecues.

Kelly: Then why do you live in England!

Mauricio: It is possible to do with umbrellas when it is raining! I barbecue steak, veggies, fish, chicken. I am very good, very confident. When I was a player, I did it with my team-mates, and as a coach.

Kelly: You've done barbecues for your players?

Mauricio: At Tottenham, every 10 days or two weeks, we prepared a barbecue. We had chefs and I would help.

Kelly: [Former chairman] Daniel Levy has left Tottenham now. You had a relationship with him when you were at the club. What did you make of the news of him leaving and the legacy he's left?

Mauricio: I was very surprised. We still keep in touch. Our relationship was always good. His legacy is there. It's amazing what he did for the club. We're in contact and one day I'd like to share a coffee with him. He made it a possibility for me to manage a club like Tottenham - one of the best clubs in the world with an amazing fanbase. I'm very grateful to him and proud to be part of the family of Tottenham.

Kelly: If you could achieve only one more thing in your career, what would it be?

Mauricio: Talking about the Premier League, and we are in London... to win the Premier League and the Champions League. We were so close in Tottenham. I want to achieve this. I am still young, I have the energy, experience and motivation to try in the future. Outside, to make my family feel proud - my sons, my wife, my dog, my horses, my mum and dad, my granddaughter...

Kelly: You have a granddaughter?

Mauricio: Yeah, eight months now. The most important thing is the people who are around you, and want to be with you. That is the most important thing you can achieve.

Spurs suffering at home

When the Premier League fixture list came out in the summer many Brentford fans will have immediately circled the dates of their two games with Tottenham as they looked forward to a reunion with former manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane's highly successful nine-year stint with the Bees - seven as head coach - saw them rise from the Championship to become an established Premier League side.

However, his tenure at Tottenham has got off to a poor start and rumours about his future were swirling as they registered a third defeat in seven days after a dismal showing against Fulham at home last Saturday.

A last-gasp overhead kick by Cristian Romero at Newcastle in midweek steadied the ship somewhat, but their performance in a 2-2 draw again arguably posed more questions than it did answers.

They now return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a place that has seen more spells of booing than it has goals of late.

Over the last 13 months their only top-flight victories in front of their own fans have come against Manchester United, Southampton and Burnley.

And only the Burnley win was under Frank. Fourteen of the 19 points (73.7%) they have accrued under his stewardship so far have come in away matches.

He desperately needs a victory to get the fans back onside, as the prospect of a sixth successive league match without a win is not one Spurs fans will tolerate quietly. Defeat would also be their fifth in a row at home in a league London derby, something they have never done before in their 143-year history.

Andrews confirmed there are no fresh injury concerns ahead of their second trip to north London in four days.

He refused to confirm if Igor Thiago will return to the starting line-up, after starting on the bench at Arsenal, saying: "I'm not going to tell you the team, but he's clearly in a good place."

On Thiago's Premier League Player of the Month nomination: "He's played very, very well. He's getting this type of recognition with the goal return and the performance levels that he's been producing on a consistent basis."

The Bees made five changes in their defeat at Arsenal and Andrews was asked about squad rotation: "I have zero concern about making changes, it's needed at times because it's a long season."

He added: "You don't achieve anything with 11 players. The feel of the group needs to be fresh. Every player needs to feel involved in the process on a day-to-day basis."

Andrews said his squad are "in a good place" and have coped well "despite the exertions of the last two games over a space of a few days".

On their struggles away from home: "In terms of performances, how close the games have been, we're learning a lot as a group, myself included. With substitutions, the impact that they can have on games is vital - controlling the feel of a stadium and feeding off the opposition crowd."

With Spurs managed by former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Andrews was asked about his relationship with the Dane: "Thomas is someone I regard as a friend. He's a big part of the reason why I wanted to come to the club. I have a lot of respect for him and what he achieved at this football club. He was a really successful part of the club's history."

On if it will affect his players: "We're not robots. Naturally, there will be emotions of certain levels involved in the game because players had relationships with the staff, but equally we're preparing for a game that we want to absolutely compete in."

Tottenham Hotspur may be sitting in a far more comfortable league position this season under Thomas Frank, but a deeper look at their underlying numbers offers a reminder that this alone rarely tells the whole story.

Spurs are 11th after 14 games, already looking slightly more stable than they ever did during last year's turbulent campaign, yet the data shows Ange Postecoglou's side actually performed better in several important attacking and ball-progression areas despite finishing 17th. The radar chart below shows the difference between the two managers and their respective sides.

Last season's team, for all its chaos and volatility, consistently put opponents under pressure in ways Frank's Tottenham have not yet replicated. Spurs under Postecoglou drew far more fouls (12.7 per 90 to 8.5), a sign of how often they carried the ball into dangerous spaces and forced defenders into uncomfortable positions.

Their non-penalty expected goals output was also significantly higher (1.47 vs 0.97), suggesting that even in a season dominated by scrutiny, Postecoglou's side created better and more frequent chances than the current version.

Interceptions tell a similar story. Spurs won the ball back more often under Postecoglou (8.47 per 90 compared to 6.57), reflecting a team that pressed aggressively and defended on the front foot.

That momentum translated into how they moved the ball as well: progressive receptions sat at nine per 90 last season but have fallen to six under Frank, illustrating a drop in how often Tottenham manage to receive possession in advanced zones. Penalty-area passes (PPA) have also dipped slightly, again pointing to a reduction in dynamic, high-tempo attacking play.

Frank's Spurs are different, rather than ineffective. They cross more frequently (22.8 per 90 versus 19.8), signalling a more structured, delivery-based build-up that relies less on chaos and more on patterns. The approach has brought greater control and steadier points return, even if it sacrifices some of the incision and unpredictability that characterised the Postecoglou era.

The story told by the numbers is not that Spurs were better last season, the table clearly says otherwise, but that the foundations of their attacking play were more productive in several advanced metrics. This iteration of Tottenham looks calmer, more organised and more robust, but also a touch less explosive.

In many ways, Frank has stabilised the club. What remains to be seen is whether Tottenham can marry that new-found control with the attacking sharpness that, statistically at least, was more evident under Postecoglou.