The Independent

Tottenham Hotspur’s Destiny Udogie has revealed that his £150,000 Range Rover was broken into following Spurs’ 2-1 defeat against West Ham on Saturday (17 January).

Posting on Snapchat, the 23-year-old defender shared footage of the vandalised car, which had its rear window caved in. Glass can be seen scattered inside the vehicle’s boot.

Udogie captioned the footage: “Yeah goodnight.”

The Tottenham Hotspur board were debating whether to give Thomas Frank the Borussia Dortmund Champions League match on Tuesday, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, after the shock 2-1 loss against West Ham on Saturday.

The 2-1 home defeat to completed a dismal week for the Dane, with the club hierarchy having previously been intent to try and withstand pressure and give the coach space.

The hierarchy are understood to have been divided on the issue last Saturday – after another 2-1 home defeat, that time to Aston Villa – but the atmosphere this weekend turned toxic in the manner that had initially been warded off in that FA Cup match. The nature of West Ham's late winner – a messy goal bundled home in the 93rd minute by Callum Wilson – only made it worse.

Further meetings are expected on Sunday as Tottenham’s hierarchy consider Frank’s future.

Spurs had been mindful of the fact that Frank had been adapting to a bigger club, with an incomplete football infrastructure and many of his best attackers missing for some time. They wanted to at least give him the chance of working through better conditions, but now fear the situation may be irretrievable.

Some are nevertheless pleading patience, especially as Tottenham can still qualify for the Champions League top eight. That situation is further complicated by how there are only two days – Sunday and Monday – before that crunch match against Dortmund.

Should Spurs ultimately sack Frank, Xabi Alonso is a name that would have appealed, and has been raised within the club, but he feels he will have better options over the coming months.

The same might apply to Oliver Glasner, who stunningly left open the possibility that he could leave Crystal Palace, after the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland. The Austrian already announced on Friday that he will leave at the end of the season – with Manchester United known to be interested – but events may now have accelerated his departure.

The Spurs faithful fully turned on Frank with the South Stand singing “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and the manager admitted: “Of course, I’ve probably had better times. It’s probably not the best time of course, but I understand, I’m the man in charge, so the blame will go to me. That’s fair.

“No problem in that sense. As long as they are backing the players, doing everything they can to support them and drive them forward, that’s what we do and we will keep going forward. If you’re not winning enough, we know you will not get enough support from the fans, but when we’re winning, it will change. When we start winning again, which we will do. I’m not in doubt of that.

“I think you all saw the game today, we could easily have won this one 2-1. I think it’s no excuses, but also the reason we’re a little bit down to the bare bones with players and we also need some of the offensive players to score a goal or two. All that is difficult for me to do like that and click with a finger, but I can promise that I’m sitting here, giving everything, every single day. I feel the trust from everyone and there’s only one way, we need to keep going.”

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Tottenham are closing on bringing out-of-favour Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher back to the Premier League after hijacking Aston Villa’s move for the former Chelsea product, who has now undergone a medical ahead of a £35m switch as the January transfer window heats up.

Gallagher isn’t the only England international to have garnered strong Premier League interest, with Arsenal joining the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. The Eagles skipper is said to prefer a move to the Gunners or Liverpool, but Manchester City are desperate to overcome any hurdles and secure his signature this month, while European heavyweights Bayern Munich have now also expressed an interest in the England centre-back.

Mikel Arteta’s side are also rumoured to have entered the race to sign Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, with one outlet even reporting they will offer Gabriel Martinelli in a swap deal, but Chelsea, who have reportedly made a huge bid for Federico Valverde, are also reportedly still interested in Vini Jr.

Manchester United have meanwhile confirmed the appointment of Michael Carrick as interim manager and now look to strengthen their squad before the window closes, with Carlos Baleba, Marcos Llorente and Elliot Anderson all rumoured as targets, although Man City are also said to be eyeing Nottingham Forest talisman Anderson.

And while United’s managerial picture looks clearer for the short-term, speculation remains frantic over the future of the Real Madrid dugout after Xabi Alonso’s shock exit, with the Spanish giants hoping to lure former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp back into coaching in what would be a spectacular move.

First, Pape Sarr jetted off to the Africa Cup of Nations with pre-tournament favourites Senegal. Then, Lucas Bergvall pulled up with a muscle complaint in the 3-2 loss at Bournemouth. Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury late on at the Vitality Stadium. The Uruguayan is now sidelined for the next three months.

Suddenly, Tottenham have gone from an abundance of fit central midfielders, to just two. Well, three if you consider Yves Bissouma, but Thomas Frank hasn’t this season, and neither will we. Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray are the senior options for the under-fire Spurs boss. Even then, the latter is only 19 years of age.

Confirmation of Bentancur’s absence forced Spurs into action. The north London side, as reactive as ever, suddenly entered the race for Conor Gallagher. Spurs are long-term admirers of the former Chelsea man, and they are finally landing a long-standing target. The 25-year-old looked set for a move to Aston Villa, only for their Premier League rivals to trump the Villans in the race to land the out-of-favour Atletico Madrid star, with Gallagher expected to complete his Spurs switch imminently.

Do Spurs really need a midfielder of Gallagher’s profile? Well, not entirely. But what they do need is bodies in a key area of the pitch. The England international brings a wealth of Premier League and European experience to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Gallagher’s an energetic, high-presser who’ll essentially act as Frank’s high enforcer in the middle of the park.

As the Villa defeat showed, Spurs need this tenacious presence in the midfield. The Villans essentially walked through the Spurs squad on their way to Emiliano Buendia’s opener in their 2-1 FA Cup third round win in the capital.

Gallagher would have at least showed a modicum of defensive diligence to prevent the goal from happening in the first place. The issue, though, isn’t surrounding Gallagher’s work rate. Fans should be happy to welcome the midfielder to the club, even with his Chelsea roots.

Rather, the issue stems from the lack of progression, both as a club and a team. Villa were a cut above Spurs in their FA Cup clash at the weekend. Ten years ago, Spurs were a team competing for the Premier League title. In that same season, Villa succumbed to relegation as they finished bottom, 22 points off safety.

In the time since, Villa have shown the requisite nous in the market to invest properly in the squad. Spurs… less so. It comes back to Spurs’ reactiveness in the market. Would they have gone all guns blazing for Gallagher had Bentancur not required surgery for a hamstring injury? That… remains to be seen.

Additionally, Gallagher isn’t the ball progressor Spurs so desperately need. It’s no secret that Frank’s side are struggling to advance play through the middle of the pitch. Indeed, they have attempted the fewest through balls (11) in the Premier League this season. Nine players have attempted more. Manchester City have tried 16 through balls in 2026 alone.

Getting the attacking players on the ball in the final third is pivotal for any team. Yet Spurs just aren’t getting the likes of Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel involved as frequently as fans would hope. It means Spurs rank fifth bottom for shots per 90 (10.2) in England’s top tier this term. They’ve generated just 23.87 Expected Goals in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, and are far and away the division’s biggest xG overperformers.

The attacking numbers are damning. And while the addition of Gallagher is welcomed as Spurs seek to add depth in a vital position, he isn’t the solution to the club’s progression woes. That’s not to say Gallagher can’t pry apart defences.

In his, and Mauricio Pochettino’s, final season at Chelsea, only Cole Palmer (11) registered more Premier League assists than Gallagher (7) for the Blues. His 53 key passes and 11 big chances created were also both second for Chelsea, serving to highlight this weapon in Gallagher’s arsenal.

However, to put simply, Spurs are crying out for a deep-lying playmaker, of which Gallagher is not. He’ll make surging runs forward from deep, and this progressive nature to his game will help as this pragmatic Spurs side transition from defence to attack. It’s all well and good bringing in a midfielder of Gallagher’s profile, though, without addressing the elephant in the room.

We’re at the midway stage of the transfer window and Spurs remain in the market for another central midfielder and a winger, the latter to mask Mohammed Kudus’ injury and Brennan Johnson’s Crystal Palace switch. Hayden Hackney and Aleix Garcia of Middlesbrough and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively, are rumoured targets to ease the playmaking issues that are holding Spurs back.

Gallagher’s addition, as sideways a move as it may seem on paper, is a step in the right direction. At this stage, Spurs need bodies in midfield and Gallagher immediately elevates the quality of the squad. On the transfer window as a whole, though, his signing needs to be the first on the journey rather than the endgame. Failure to build upon the ex-Blues midfielder’s arrival, and the club will be in for a very bumpy second half to the season.

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BTS to play at Tottenham Hotspur stadium as part of 2026 world tour

The Associated Press

Tuesday 13 January 2026 17:48 GMT

K-pop group BTS has announced a 2026-2027 world tour, featuring over 70 dates across Asia, North America, South America, Australia, and Europe.

The tour will kick off in South Korea in April 2026 and run until March 2027, marking their first headline shows since the 2021-22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour.

For UK fans, they will do two nights in London, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, in addition to dates in Spain, Germany and France. They will also perform in 12 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico as part of the tour.

This announcement follows the group's return to music on 20 March, after a nearly four-year hiatus during which all seven members completed South Korea's mandatory military service.

Presale tickets for ARMY Membership holders are available on 22 and 23 January, requiring registration on HYBE's Weverse platform. General sale for all regions will commence on 24 January.

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Liveupdated

Transfer news live: Arsenal enter Vini Jr race, Spurs’ £35m deal, Man Utd to appoint manager

All the latest January transfer window news, gossip and rumours

Arsenal are rumoured to have entered the race to sign Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, with one outlet even reporting they will offer Gabriel Martinelli in a swap deal, but Chelsea, who have reportedly made a huge bid for Federico Valverde, are also reportedly still interested in Vini Jr as the January transfer window heats up.

The Gunners face plenty of competition to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who is said to prefer a move to Arsenal or Liverpool, but Manchester City are desperate to overcome any hurdles and secure his signature this month, while European heavyweights Bayern Munich have now also expressed an interest in the England centre-back.

Another England international, Conor Gallagher, looks set to return to the Premier League from Atletico Madrid as he heads for a medical at Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Aston Villa to a £35m deal, while Manchester United will appoint Michael Carrick as their new manager today.

United may then look to strengthen their squad before the window closes, with Carlose Baleba, Marcos Llorente and Elliot Anderson all rumoured as targets, although Man City are also said to be eyeing Nottingham Forest talisman Anderson.

Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals in The Independent’s live blog below:

Got a transfer window question for our Chief Football Writer?

Our football insider Miguel Delaney will take you behind the scenes of the Premier League, answering your questions on transfers, managerial shake-ups and the forces shaping top clubs in 2026 in an exclusive Q&A later this week.

He says: “The January transfer window has been quiet so far, with Antoine Semenyo’s move from Bournemouth to Manchester City standing out as the biggest deal – but that may now be the spark for more. Industry figures expect it to be very busy towards the end. I’ll discuss that and much more.

“As The Independent’s Chief Football Writer, I’ve spent years covering transfers, managerial appointments, and speaking to sources about the behind-the-scenes workings that shape top clubs.

“I’ll be here to answer all your football questions – from the managerial merry-go-round and the head coach versus sporting director debate to potential January and summer moves and how these stories are likely to play out across the Premier League and Europe.”

Join the Q&A here:

Miguel Delaney answers your football questions – from transfers to managers and more

Our football insider Miguel Delaney takes you behind the scenes of the Premier League, answering your questions on transfers, managerial shake-ups and the forces shaping top clubs in 2026

Luke Baker13 January 2026 09:25

Chelsea make huge bid for Federico Valverde

Chelsea are keen to build their midfield around Real Madrid star Federcio Valverde and have submitted a €120m (£104m) bid.

That's according to Fichajes, who claim new boss Liam Rosenior is a big fan of the Uruguayan

Valverde is considered “indispensable” at Real Madrid but they will consider “unrealistic bids” which this alleged £104m offer may qualify as.

Luke Baker13 January 2026 09:13

European giants join Marc Guehi chase

Bayern Munich have entered the chase to sign Marc Guehi with Florian Pettenberg of Sky Germany reporting they have made phone calls over the past few days to try and convince him to sign in the summer, having previously met his agent.

Man City are desperate to sign the Crystal Palace centre-back during this transfer window, to ease their defensive injury crisis, and as we reported yesterday, they intend to overcome any obstacles to make that happen.

Arsenal and Liverpool are targeting the England international upon the expiry of his contract in the summer and Guehi has been reported to prefer a move to one of those two clubs.

Luke Baker13 January 2026 08:59

Man United set to appoint Michael Carrick today

Manchester United are poised to choose their interim manager for the rest of the season with Michael Carrick now the frontrunner to take charge, ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Darren Fletcher, who has been in the role for two games, and Ruud van Nistelrooy were also in contention to oversee the remainder of the campaign, though the Scot’s candidature may have been damaged by their FA Cup exit to Brighton.

United conducted face-to-face interviews with Carrick, their former captain, on Thursday and Solskjaer, the scorer of the winner in the 1999 Champions League final, on Saturday.

Carrick is believed to have interviewed well and went unbeaten in a three-game stint in caretaker charge of United in 2021, before having three seasons as Middlesbrough manager. He should be appointed today, ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend

Luke Baker13 January 2026 08:44

Arsenal enter Vinicus Jr race - and offer Martinelli swap?

Not exactly reliable sources but as a bit of fun, a couple of unreliable outlets in Spain are reporting Arsenal chasing Vinicius Jr.

The Real Madrid superstar has been unhappy at the Bernabeu, although the departure of Xabi Alonso may change things slightly, and Fichajes are reporting Arsenal’s interest, with Chelsea also said to be in the hunt.

Meanwhile, Defensa Central are going one step further and claiming the Gunners have offered winger Gabriel Martinelli in a swap deal.

They say Martinelli has been offered around Europe as Arsenal look to raise funds to improve their attack and hope for a straight swap with Vini Jr because they value Martinelli at around £87m – similar to his Brazil team-mate.

Colour me sceptical...

Luke Baker13 January 2026 08:42

Conor Gallagher to undergo Tottenham medical amid £35m deal

Conor Gallagher will be returning to the Premier League with Tottenham, as they beat Aston Villa to secure his signature in a £35m deal.

Gallagher had been happy at Atletico Madrid but was open to a return to England and Spurs offered a higher fee and greater wages than Villa, in what is seen as an effect of Daniel Levy no longer running the club.

Tottenham had a midfield need after Rodrigo Bentancur sustained an injury that will keep him out for several months, with 25-year-old Gallagher seen to fit the bill as he tries to force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the World Cup.

He will head to the UK today to undergo a medical with Spurs, according to reports.

Luke Baker13 January 2026 08:38

Aston Villa survive, and the nature of this FA Cup tie might mean Thomas Frank does, too. For this week at least.

His Tottenham Hotspur players at least gave it a go, which is all that most supporters would say they want. Many had been loudly booing with Villa 2-0 up at half-time. A few still were at full-time, but the anger had been tempered by a rousing second-half display in which they pushed Unai Emery’s side to the edge.

That stopped the atmosphere around this tie getting toxic, where so many other games on the day offered that old-fashioned magic.

The very responses still said a lot. Villa so relished securing win that Ollie Watkins vigorously celebrated the final whistle to his fans, albeit very close to Joao Palhinha’s face, which resulted in a push and a lot of afters.

Frank did defend his player, saying that Watkins was “provoking” it a bit in that he could have walked a slightly different route, and saying that Spurs “need passion” - if “also cool heads”.

Tottenham have been so starved of that kind of conviction that a club previously seen as having a special relationship with the FA Cup were left consoled by a defiant elimination.

The truth is that it couldn’t have got much worse. Villa’s two goals - from Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers, respectively - were taken with such ease that it looked like a tie involving a Premier League side and one much lower in the pyramid.

Unai Emery’s team were almost indulging themselves, as could be witnessed in the Buendia flick back for Rogers. How couldn’t they when Youri Tielemans was able to play the ball straight through the four-man midfield for Buendia’s own first goal? The second goal then involved some supremely slick one-touch football.

Such insouciance may have sparked something in Spurs. Frank spoke about “more spirit, energy, determination”.

They rallied, and began to intensely press such Villa indulgence at the back. It produced their first big chance of the second half, which set a certain pace for Wilson Odobert’s fine strike.

Pace, indeed, might have been part of it.

Villa had pressed so hard in the first half that it was like they couldn’t sustain it any more. It was like that in their last trip to north London, for that 4-1 defeat to Arsenal. The prospective injury to Boubacar Kamara, who had to go off in the opening minutes, will give greater concern in that regard.

Emery spoke of the “responsibility” of finally bringing a trophy back to Villa, and it would have all the more emotional resonance if it was the FA Cup, a competition they have not won since 1957.

One of the reasons that clubs of their resources haven’t of late, however, is that they usually get to a point where they have to make big decisions on where to apportion their energies. A top-three finish is within their sights. The Europa League poses a real opportunity. But then there’s the allure of the FA Cup.

How Spurs would love to have such concerns.

They are already out of both domestic cups, with Frank saying that “hurt”.

The home game against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday week is now huge, for Spurs’ entire season as much as their Champions League campaign.

There is a danger that it could all be over.

Judging by the fan reaction, many would like the Frank spell.

That won’t happen this week but it’s hard to see how he can survive a setback to an even more downbeat West Ham United next Saturday.

It’s equally hard not to have some sympathy for Frank.

The Dane can get some criticism for being “media friendly”, amid the perception that spares him from more negative analysis, but it is true he has stood out as an erudite and impressive speaker.

One of the most illustrative issues at Spurs, in fact, is that he doesn’t look himself. Even when answering questions on everything from Villa’s “provoking” to transfers after the match, Frank was just unrecognisable to the charismatic character that would be so expansive at Brentford.

That’s what the weight of a bigger club can do.

It’s not just the scale, either. It’s the schedule. As Frank spoke about the injury effect on his squad from “four games in 10 days”, as Richarlison also had to go off, it was like he seemed cowed by the very calendar. Few would have expected this when he came into the job.

He doesn’t look himself in this role, a perception that took on an element of farce when Villa supporters began to sing “Thomas Frank, he’s an Arsenal fan” in reference to the cup he drank out of at Bournemouth on Wednesday.

This isn’t to say his tenure is irretrievable, but it right now has the feel of everyone at Spurs enduring a bad situation at least until events force someone to make a decision.

The reality, of course, is that Spurs need far more interventions than just the coach. This is a club that are by now an almost lower-scale higher-dysfunction Manchester United.

If they were to sack Frank, for example, it would likely be the third season in six where Spurs have had to get a caretaker manager in mid-season.

That is a lot of campaigns “written off”, a lot of wasted time, that should provoke bigger questions about what is actually being done before.

And, yes, the squad can probably play much better than they have under Frank - as this second half proved - but part of the underperformance is the disparate manner in which it’s been put together.

Right now, how many Spurs players would Champions League-level clubs take? How many would Villa take? Micky van de Ven? Archie Gray? Palhinha?

The latter showed some fight. That is all Spurs fans want. The club nevertheless needs much more.

Villa, as a contrasting example, just have so much more.

They just need to follow with a trophy.

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Liveupdated

Tottenham v Aston Villa live: Solanke returns to offer under-pressure Frank boost for FA Cup third-round tie

Spurs bid to turn their season around through the FA Cup as they host high-flying Aston Villa

Tottenham host Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round as Thomas Frank faces a pressure clash in the all-Premier League tie.

Spurs have one win in six games and fell to a 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in midweek to add to the unhappy atmosphere in north London. With the club struggling in the Premier League, the FA Cup represents Tottenham’s best chance of success this season but they face a tough tie against high-flying Villa.

Unai Emery’s side remain in an excellent position in the Premier League despite Arsenal recently ending their 11-game winning run, as well as the midweek draw at Crystal Palace. Villa’s last silverware was 20 years ago, in the 1996 League Cup, while their last FA Cup triumph was in 1957.

Both of these clubs have a proud history in the FA Cup, with Tottenham winning the trophy eight times to Villa’s seven. Follow live updates from the FA Cup third-round tie, which is live on BBC One, below:

FA Cup, Europa League or Premier League top four?

Aston Villa have a 10-point cushion to fifth-placed Brentford in the Premier League, so their position in the top four is looking secure.

So do Villa stick or twist? Focus on the Premier League and try and catch leaders Arsenal, or go for silverware in either the Europa League or FA Cup?

“Winning the FA Cup,” Morgan Rogers said, without a second of doubt, when asked by the BBC.

“I’ve been here when we’ve been in the top four. To win the FA Cup, something different, I’ve never won a trophy, would be really nice.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 17:00

No Martinez but Rogers starts for Aston Villa

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez does not make the squad due to injury, with Marco Bizot stepping in. Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans are rested but the likes of Morgan Rogers and Ezri Konsa start. Emi Buendia and Lamare Bogarde come in.

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde,Kamara, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Malen

Subs: Wright, Lindelof,Mings, Tielemans, Watkins, Digne, Garcia, Sancho, Hemmings.

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:56

Solanke returns for depleted Tottenham

There’s no Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur or Lucas Bergvall for Tottenham but Thomas Frank has at least been boosted by the return of Dominic Solanke, back in a Spurs squad for the first time since August. Frank has gone as strong as he could, given the absences.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Davies,Joao Palhinha, Gray, Odobert, Simons, Tel, Richarlison.

Subs: Kinsky, Solanke, Scarlett, Byfield, Spence, Dragusin, Udogie,Muani, Williams-Barnet

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:54

Tottenham v Aston Villa team news and line-ups

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Palhinha, Gray; Tel, Xavi, Odobert; Richarlison

Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Maatsen; Bogarde, Kamara; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Malen

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:47

Dominic Solanke returns to Tottenham squad? Team news coming up

Oh, hello? Is that Dominik Solanke with the Tottenham squad? Full team news coming up shortly.

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:42

Thomas Frank confirms Mohammed Kudus out until April

Tottenham’s dwindling midfield options have taken a mammoth blow after Thomas Frank confirmed Mohammed Kudus will be sidelined until April with injury.

Kudus went down with a thigh injury in last weekend’s draw with Sunderland, with Frank revealing the problem involves a tendon in his quad and will therefore require a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

"Mohammed Kudus unfortunately is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” he said ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Aston Villa. “That is one where we expect him back after the March international break."

Thomas Frank confirms Mohammed Kudus out until April in huge Tottenham injury blow

Kudus went down off the ball with a thigh injury against Sunderland last weekend

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:30

Cristian Romero given further ban for behaviour in Liverpool defeat

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has been given a further one-match ban and been fined £50,000 for his behaviour in his side’s defeat to Liverpool last month, in which he was sent off.

Romero admitted to a Football Association charge of "acting improperly by failing to leave the field of play promptly" after he was shown red in the 93rd minute of Tottenham's 2-1 home loss on 20 December.

The Spurs captain was dismissed for a second bookable offence after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate late into the contest, which came after the Argentinian had been fouled by the Liverpool defender.

He already had a yellow card to his name for dissent earlier in the second half and was then alleged to have behaved in a "confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the referee" after being sent off.

Following a hearing, an independent regulatory commission has now imposed a one-match suspension and a £50,000 fine.

Cristian Romero given further ban for behaviour in Liverpool defeat

Romero was sent off against Liverpool before failing to leave the field in a proper manner

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:15

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank explains gaffe after holding Arsenal-branded coffee cup

Thomas Frank defended himself after a picture emerged of the Tottenham manager holding an Arsenal-branded coffee cup before Spurs’ defeat by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Frank walked around the pitch before kick-off holding the cup, which displayed the club crest of Tottenham’s bitter north London rivals.

Leaders Arsenal were the previous visitors to the Vitality Stadium, having celebrated a 3-2 success at the ground on Saturday.

“I definitely didn’t notice it,” Frank said of the cup. “I think it’s fair to say we’re not winning every single football match so it would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal’s (emblem on).

“They have been in the changing room the game before us. It’s normal to take a cup, give me an espresso, I do that before every game, so I think actually it’s a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that.

“We’re definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to be worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club. Of course I would never do that. That’s extremely stupid.”

Thomas Frank explains gaffe after holding Arsenal-branded cup before Spurs defeat

The manager was seen holding a cup bearing the club crest of Tottenham’s bitter north London rivals

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:00

Thomas Frank on 'opportunity' of facing Aston Villa in FA Cup

"We're working very hard every single day to make sure we perform well. We want to land in the best possible position in every season. The thing we need to look at is the game on Saturday. The FA Cup, a good opportunity against Villa, a very good team that is flying at this moment in time, but a good opportunity to progress in the FA Cup, a tournament that is very important for the club, for the fans, that we have won eight times in our history.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 15:45

Unai Emery looks ahead to facing Tottenham in FA Cup

“Difficult, very difficult. Firstly, because it’s Tottenham, with the players they have, with the coach they have. We are playing in their stadium. They’re going to have their supporters helping them. Of course, they have travelled, a lot of supporters of us, and it’s important to feel them here with us, and how we are competing is the objective. To compete, to get our structure strong with the players in the starting 11, and with the players being subs in 90 minutes, and enjoy the way we are doing.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 15:30

Tottenham host Aston Villa in an all-Premier League FA Cup tie, with Thomas Frank’s side in desperate need of a result to restore morale at the club.

The Dane’s side suffered a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth last time out and have only won one of their last five games.

Villa meanwhile are flying under Unai Emery, having won 12 games on the bounce and sitting third in the Premier League table.

In a further blow to the hosts Villa have also won three times on the spin against Tottenham, so will be confident of progressing to the fifth round.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When is Tottenham v Aston Villa?

Tottenham host Aston Villa on Saturday 10 January at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off at 5.45pm GMT.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the game live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the BBC starting at 5.30pm and TNT at 5pm GMT.

UK viewers can also catch the fixture on streaming services BBC iPlayer and discovery+, and the BBC Sport website.

Team news

Spurs suffered a major blow in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland as Mohammed Kudus picked up a quad injury that will rule him out until April.

Captain Cristian Romero will also miss out for disciplinary reasons, having been handed a one-match suspension by the FA for his reaction to being sent off against Liverpool last month.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury against Bournemouth and is another relegated to the sidelines, while Lucas Bergvall is a doubt after coming off with a muscular issue.

Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain out, while Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Aston Villa meanwhile are missing Amadou Onana with a hamstring injury and Tyrone Mings is not yet back after hamstring trouble of his own. Ross Barkley is also out injured while Evann Guessand is in action at Afcon.

Predicted line-ups

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Tel, Richarlison; Kolo Muani

Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins