The Independent

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claimed League Two side Accrington Stanley were a more difficult opponent for the Reds than Tottenham in their Carabao Cup semi-final.

Arne Slot’s side romped to a 4-0 win in the second leg at Anfield, easily overturning the 1-0 deficit that they had faced from the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, when Lucas Bergvall had given his side the win.

And the abject nature of Spurs’ performance leaves yet more questions over the tactics and future of manager Ange Postecoglou, with Sky Sports pundits heavily criticising the Australian and his players.

Carragher questioned Spurs’ overall approach in a game that saw the visitors register zero shots on target, saying that Accrington Stanley gave Liverpool “more trouble” in the sides’ FA Cup meeting in January, which Liverpool also won 4-0.

“I am not saying this to make a headline. I think Accrington Stanley, Liverpool didn’t have their best team, but they gave more trouble to Liverpool than Tottenham tonight,” said Carragher.

“He’s [Postecoglou] a manager who is just trying to find something and what he’s trying is not working. But this is not just this run. This goes back to last season. I think they’ve lost 20 out of the last 45 games. It’s an awful lot,” Carragher added.

“We’re talking almost 50 per cent of the Premier League games he’s lost going back. This is not just this season.

“Tottenham had such a brilliant start to his first season – top of the league after 10 games. He continued to go with the idea even with nine men – since then the record is horrendous for Tottenham.”

The former Liverpool defender went on to suggest that he wasn’t surprised about the outcome of the match.

"It's Tottenham!” Carragher said. “When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?

"The odds were massively in favour against Liverpool, they're at Anfield, they're the best team in the country, possibly the best team in Europe right now.

"But it's not just this Spurs team. They never shock you, never do something out of the ordinary,” he added.

Liverpool have work to do when they host Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg this evening.

The Reds lost the first leg 1-0 in London after Lucas Bergvall scored late in the game to give Spurs the win and, more crucially, a slim advantage heading into tonight’s match at Anfield. Arne Slot’s men have the ability and willingness to come from behind and reach the final at Wembley. Liverpool have lost just one of their last seven, when Slot fielded a weakened team in the Champions League against PSV, and two goals from Mo Salah in their recent win over Bournemouth means their leading goalscorer is in top form.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have struggled to build any momentum in their recent games but a confidence-boosting win over Brentford came at the right time for Ange Postecoglou’s side. They’ve won consecutive games for the first time in a month and hope to avoid defeat this evening to secure a spot at Wembley.

Ange Postecoglou has insisted Mathys Tel will be a Tottenham player next season.

Spurs pulled off an eye-catching deadline day move when they brought in Bayern Munich forward Tel on a six-month loan.

The deal includes the option for Tottenham to make the move permanent for a fee of 55million euros (45.8m) plus 5m euros (£4.1m) in add-ons and, while Tel has a say in that clause, the PA news agency understands he has already agreed a six-year contract which highlights his willingness to stay long-term.

Asked ahead of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Liverpool if Tel will be a Spurs player next season, Postecoglou declared: “He’ll be a Tottenham player, mate.

“He’ll be a Tottenham player. I think he’ll show everyone he’s going to be a Tottenham player in the next six months. I didn’t bring him here for six months.

“I think he is very, very exciting. When you meet him, you realise he’s got that bit about him as a person who has enormous self-belief and confidence in what he can do and what he wants to do.

“Even though he’s young, physically he’s already in a place where he can take on the enormous challenges of being an attacking player in the Bundesliga and I think he can handle the Premier League.

“He’s a goalscorer, he can take people on, he’s got speed. He is exciting. I’d be very surprised if there was a club that wouldn’t be interested in somebody like him.

“Irrespective of the situation we’re in, us being able to get him in and the circumstances behind it, is fantastic for the football club.”

Postecoglou defended Tel’s right to take his time over the decision after it appeared talks with the 19-year-old had collapsed last Friday before a conversation with the Spurs boss on Sunday seemed the clincher.

All eyes will be on what role Tel has in Tottenham’s biggest match of the season away to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, where they hold a one-goal advantage from last month’s first leg.

While Spurs’ form in the Premier League has taken a hit over the past three months due to a hefty injury crisis, Postecoglou has navigated cup progress and they are on the verge of a first Wembley final in four years.

Current captain Son Heung-min featured in that Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City and is the longest serving player after Ben Davies, who joined in 2014. Postecoglou can sense in the duo a desire to end the club’s well-documented 17-year trophy drought.

“I think he’s got a real clear focus in his eye that he senses an opportunity for us as a football club, not just for himself, to have success this year,” Postecoglou said of Son.

“Ben Davies is another one who’s really stepped up in recent times. Two guys who have been at this club for a long time and understand what success will do for this club.

“For Sonny, everything he’s done for the club, it would be more than fitting for him to get some trophies to add to his status at this club.”

A cauldron of noise awaits at Anfield, but Postecoglou knows Spurs have earned the right to be in this position after wins over Coventry, Manchester City and Manchester United already in the competition.

“To get to a final, it’s going to be hard earned,” Postecoglou added.

“It’s a massive night for us but I think we’ve earned the right to be in this position even though it’s been a real difficult season for us.

“We’ve earned the right to make a big impact.”

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin needs surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage and faces an indefinite spell on the sidelines.

The Romania centre-half sustained the injury during last week’s Europa League win against Elfsborg and was withdrawn at half-time.

Tottenham said: “We can confirm that Radu Dragusin will undergo surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee.

“The 23-year-old defender suffered the injury during our UEFA Europa League victory against Elfsborg last Thursday.

“Radu will be assessed by our medical team to determine when he can return to training.”

Dragusin, signed from Genoa for £25million in January last year, has made a total of 28 appearances for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, including 14 Premier League starts.

Postecoglou has been short of options in central defence in recent weeks due to an ongoing injury crisis and signed Kevin Danso from Lens on an initial loan deal with a view to a permanent deal towards the end of the transfer window.

Centre-half Micky van de Ven returned from an injury lay-off against Elfsborg but did not make the squad for the weekend win against Brentford, while regular starting partner Cristian Romero remains sidelined.

Alongside Danso, Spurs also added Mathys Tel to their squad on deadline day to bolster Postecoglou’s options further up the field.

PA

Brentford fc host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this afternoon with the aim of moving into the top half of the table.

The Bees hope to build on a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace when they welcome the struggling Spurs and Thomas Frank’s side know three points would lift them above Brighton into 10th. Bryan Mbeumo is in a rich vein of form with four goals and an assist from his last five league outings and could cause serious issues for Tottenham’s makeshift defence.

Ange Postecoglou is under increased pressure to turn around Tottenham’s league form with Spurs on a three-game losing streak. They are down to 16th in the table and are juggling an ever-growing list of injuries which doesn’t help matters. Radu Dragusin is the latest defender to pick up a knock though Tottenham were given a boost by the return of Micky van de Ven for their Europa League win over Elfsborg during the week.

Liveupdated

Tottenham have announced the signing of defender Kevin Danso from Ligue 1 side RC Lens.

Danso is a 26-year-old central defender and will join the north Londond club on an initial loan until the end of the season with Tottenham having an obligation to make the move permanent in the summer.

The total deal is believed to have cost around €25m (£21m) and Danso has agreed a deal to keep him at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium until 2030.

Fellow Premier League club Wolves had a verbal agreement with Danso who was due to undergo a medical with the midlands team on Sunday 2 February but the defender switched his allegiance to Spurs at the last minute.

Wolves were told of the Austria international’s intentions to join Spurs following their 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs, meanwhile, have been in the market for a defender after repeated injuries to their defensive line has seen them slip to 16th in the table. Radu Dragusin is the latest to pick up a knock having been injured in the Europa League win over Elfsborg on Thursday.

Micky van de Ven made his return from injury in the same game but Cristian Romero remains absent. As such Tottenham are in need of Danso’s services.

The club released a statement announcing Danso’s signing which reads: “We are delighted to announce the signing of Kevin Danso on loan from Ligue 1 side RC Lens, subject to international clearance and work permit.

“The Austria international defender will join the Club on loan until the end of the season, with an obligation to make the deal permanent in the summer. He will wear the number four shirt.

“A commanding centre-back, he joined RC Lens in August, 2021, and an impressive second season saw him named in the Ligue 1 team of the year after helping the French side to a second place finish, which saw them claim a spot in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage.

“During his time with RC Lens, Kevin made 128 appearances for the club in all competitions, finding the net on four occasions.

“On the international stage, he has featured for Austria across numerous age categories and earned his senior debut in September, 2017. He has 24 caps for his country to date and represented Austria at Euro 2024.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s unpredictable season will feature knockout football in the Europa League after Spurs claimed a top-eight place.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sit 15th in the Premier League but the Europa League offers them the chance to end their long trophy drought, and Spurs should stand as one of the favourites when their injury crisis clears.

After winning their first three Europa League fixtures this season, Spurs wobbled and suffered defeat to Galatasaray before dropping points against Roma and Rangers. But a win over Hoffenheim, followed by three points again Elfsborg got Tottenham over the line.

What has been a difficult season for Tottenham could still end with a trophy but their fate now rests on Friday’s knockout draw.

After finishing as the fourth seeds in the league phase, Spurs are paired with third seeds Manchester United in the knockout bracket.

The knockout play-off ties were drawn on Friday with the 13th, 14th, 19th and 20th seeds now facing off for a right to make it into next month’s draw. The winners will they face United or Spurs.

Those ties are Real Sociedad vs Midtjylland and Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar.

The Europa League play-offs take place across 13 and 20 February. As the seeded teams in the play-off draw, Real Sociedad and Galatasaray will play the second legs at home.

The draw for the last-16 then takes place on February 21.

The Europa League last-16 takes place across 6 and 13 March. As the seeded team, Tottenham will be home in the second leg.

Ferencváros vs Viktoria Plzen - to play Lazio or Athletic Club in last-16

Twente vs Bodo/Glimt - to play Olympiacos or Rangers in last-16

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax - to play Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon in last-16

AZ vs Galatasaray - to play Man Utd or Tottenham in last-16

Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad - to play Man Utd or Tottenham in last-16

PAOK vs FSCB - to play Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon in last-16

Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht - to play Olympiacos or Rangers in last-16

Porto vs Roma - to play Lazio or Athletic Club in last-16

The draw for the Europa League play-offs takes place today as the match-ups for the new format’s first knockout round are decided.

The three British sides in this season’s Europa League – Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers FC – are already through to the last-16 after claiming one of the top-eight spots in the inaugural league phase, and they will have to wait for next month’s last-16 draw to find out their possible path to May’s final in Bilbao.

United and Spurs finished third and fourth in the league standings respectively, and will face one of either Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland in the last-16, while Rangers, who came eighth in the league standings, will play one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Fenerbahce.

Tottenham Hotspur’s unpredictable season will feature knockout football in the Europa League after Spurs claimed a top-eight place.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sit 15th in the Premier League but the Europa League offers them the chance to end their long trophy drought, and Spurs should stand as one of the favourites when their injury crisis clears.

After winning their first three Europa League fixtures this season, Spurs wobbled and suffered defeat to Galatasaray before dropping points against Roma and Rangers. But a win over Hoffenheim, followed by three points again Elfsborg got Tottenham over the line.

What has been a difficult season for Tottenham could still end with a trophy but their fate now rests on Friday’s knockout draw.

The four clubs Tottenham United could face in Europa League last-16

After finishing the league phase as the fourth seed, Tottenham progress directly through to the last-16.

While Friday’s draw will determine the exact position of the teams in the bracket, Tottenham know they will face one of the following teams in the last-16:

In the play-off rounds, 13th or 14th will play one of 19th or 20th, and vice versa. Tottenham will play the winner of one of those ties, to be revealed in Friday’s draw.

Here’s the full list of the potential last-16 matches:

When will Tottenham’s opponents play their Europa League play-off?

The Europa League play-offs take place across 13 and 20 February. As the seeded teams in the play-off draw, Real Sociedad and Galatasaray will play the second legs at home.

Here’s the full list of potential play-off ties, to be drawn on Friday:

When will Tottenham play their last-16 Europa League tie?

The Europa League last-16 takes place across 6 and 13 March. As the seeded team, Tottenham will be home in the second leg.