Football Insider

Micky van de Ven has faced criticism after his tackle on Saturday led to Alexander Isak suffering a suspected broken leg.

Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but were left reeling after the game following the news that their £125million man will face an extended period on the injury table.

Van de Ven had attempted to block the Swede’s opening goal, but only made contact with the attacker in a challenge that forced him off.

Scans are now expected to confirm the news that Isak has fractured his leg and is expected to miss around three months of action.

Xavi Simons was sent off against Liverpool in the same game, after a late raking tackle on Virgil van Dijk‘s calf.

Frank Leboeuf slams Micky van de Ven

Van de Ven’s tackle did not receive much attention in the moment, with it appearing to be just a regular attempted block.

Isak felt the pain immediately, barely even looking up to see that he had scored before he winced and grabbed at his leg.

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Replays showed that Van de Ven had slid in a scissor motion, making contact with the striker’s lower leg, and the challenge has faced closer inspection following news of the injury.

Speaking to ESPN on Sunday, former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf said: “I love the way Micky van de Ven is behaving and the way he plays football, and I love the player, but he has to be punished.

“I’m sorry, you cannot get out of that when you broke the leg of somebody. You take a chance, you’re a defender. I was a defender and never injured any player.

“You can tackle, you can be hard, but you have to know and be in control of what you do. And, I’m sorry, in that manner, and the result says a lot, Van de Ven was not in control.

“And for me, that’s maybe unfortunate, but something has to come out. He cannot again be released with nothing after that tackle.”

Former PGMOL Chief weighs in on Van de Ven challenge

Following the goal, referee John Brooks did not pay any attention to Van de Ven, nor did the video assistant referee.

And neither did any Liverpool player, for that matter, with the main concern being with the safety of Isak.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett said: “Frankly, in reviewing this clip, I believe that the Tottenham player has made a genuine attempt to play the ball.

“The VAR in its operational role will have checked the lead-up to and the scoring of the goal. Clearly both the Referee and VAR were happy for the goal to stand and that no offence had taken place.

“The only route available to Liverpool is to go down the legal route.”

Whether the Reds would want to engage in a legal situation in this case, remains to be seen over the coming weeks.

Alexander Isak is set for an extended period on the sidelines after suffering a “suspected leg break” against Tottenham.

Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, with the Swede’s goal handing the visitors the lead.

Micky van de Ven attempted to block the shot, sliding in and making contact with the striker, who was unable to continue.

Arne Slot could not share much information about Isak’s injury after the game, but the Liverpool boss was clearly concerned.

Hugo Ekitike is expected to step up in Isak’s absence, with the Frenchman representing the only other natural striker in Slot‘s squad.

Liverpool to confirm Alexander Isak fears

Isak has not really got going for Liverpool yet this season, scoring just three goals across 16 appearances since completing his record £125million move from Newcastle United.

But his goal against Tottenham was well-taken, and may well have acted as a turning point for the Swede.

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It was immediately obvious that the 26-year-old’s injury was serious, however. Despite scoring, there was no semblance of a smile on his face.

With assistance, Isak could walk off the pitch, alleviating some immediate fears, but Liverpool fans will have a stinging memory of Virgil van Dijk walking off against Everton after rupturing his ACL.

However, Isak’s injury is in his lower leg, not his knee. David Ornstein reported on Sunday night that the striker is set to be ruled out with a leg break, with scans set to confirm the pessimistic initial diagnosis in the coming days.

The Sweden international is expected to be out for a few months, with the fracture being to the left side of his leg.

Liverpool’s transfer plans could be altered

Slot has been left in a bind by the news ruling Isak out. The Dutchman was already without Mohamed Salah after the winger left for the African Cup of Nations, and is now left with a serious dearth of attacking options.

Cody Gakpo is also injured, but is expected to return before the start of the January transfer window.

There have been plenty of rumours that Salah could be set to leave in the winter, with Saudi Pro League clubs circling following his public criticism of Slot.

Isak’s injury may well flip Liverpool’s stance on such a move on its head, however. In the Reds’ current state, an injury to Ekitike would prove catastrophic, and extending that situation until the return of Isak appears implausible.

Instead, decision-makers may well look to bring in a third striking option, who could well take the form of a younger option to develop once the Swede is back.

Xavi Simons deserved a straight sending-off for his challenge on Virgil van Dijk during Tottenham’s defeat to Liverpool on Saturday.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee John Brooks should have shown a red immediately on 20 December.

Cristian Romero was also given his marching orders as the Reds claimed a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having kicked out at Ibrahima Konate in added time.

It was a fully-fueled game between the two Premier League sides, as it always is, with Alexander Isak potentially breaking his leg while scoring what would turn out to be the winning goal.

Xavi Simons’ red card was the easiest decision of the weekend

Simons lasted just 33 minutes before being sent off, but only after the referee was sent to the pitch-side monitor to check the challenge, having dished out a yellow card to begin with.

It was just the first of eight yellow cards and two red cards in North London, with much of the attention taken away from goals for Hugo Ekitike, Isak, and Richarlison.

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Brooks was accused of waiting for VAR to make decisions for him this weekend, and given just how blatant the Dutchman’s foul was, Hackett appears to agree with that notion.

Premier League referees have been under the microscope during the 2025-26 campaign, and that has not changed in the slightest this weekend.

John Brooks should not have needed VAR to send off Tottenham star

Hackett, exclusively speaking to Football Insider on The Final Whistle, was happy with the awarding of Simons’ red card, but admitted that it was a simple decision without the need for VAR.

“What surprised me is that John Brooks initially gave a yellow card. It was a good use of VAR because, when you look at the replays, there’s no doubt that it was a straight red,” he said.

“I think his manager [Thomas Frank] might be having some words with him on Monday, just to stop this aspect of this game. It was an unnecessary challenge.

“I worry because of what we’ve seen in recent weeks, with players coming in at speed and the landing target on the lower ankle or top of the foot. I don’t think there should be any hesitation.

“There are times when there are no sanctions, and what will happen is that players will end up on the bench injured. It’s good that the referee eventually got a red card – it was fully deserved.”

Brentford and Ipswich Town have joined the race to sign Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson in January, sources have told Football Insider.

Crystal Palace have already registered their interest in the former Nottingham Forest star, 24.

Now Premier League Brentford and Championship outfit Ipswich have let it be known that they are interested in a January loan deal.

Tottenham are weighing up whether to let Johnson go in the upcoming winter window.

He has four goals from 20 appearances in all competitions this season, but has started only six of Tottenham’s sixteen Premier League matches.

Johnson is wanted by Palace

Johnson will forever be a hero in the eyes of many Spurs supporters after he poked home the winner in May’s Europa League final against Man United to earn the club some long-awaited silverware.

He scored 18 goals in 51 appearances last season to properly nail a place in the team down under Ange Postecoglou, but things have not worked out for him under Thomas Frank so far.

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Football Insider recently revealed that Palace are preparing to make an offer for Johnson with a January move away from Spurs in the offing.

Frank has admitted that he wants to keep Johnson at the club next month, so a move could well depend on his desire for increased game-time in the second half of the campaign.

Spurs struggles could leave to move

Johnson has started six of Tottenham’s 16 league matches this season but has not scored since the team’s 2-0 August win over Man City.

He has regularly been overlooked for the right-wing slot in favour of summer signing Mohammed Kudus, who has already provided six Premier League assists, as well as two goals, since his arrival.

Johnson has a Tottenham contract that runs until the summer of 2028, and also includes the option of a a further 12 months.

Florian Wirtz finally came to life on Saturday as Liverpool saw out a 2-1 win over nine-player Tottenham.

It was a much-needed victory for Arne Slot’s side as they picked up back-to-back wins in the division, as they built on last week’s 2-0 win over Brighton.

While many performed well at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one of the standouts was Wirtz, who picked up his first league assist for Liverpool against Spurs.

The German international played a beautiful ball to Alexander Isak, who opened the scoreline to make it 1-0.

With Wirtz having a dreadful season at Anfield to date, it was clear that the attacking midfielder was back to his best.

Florian Wirtz puts in dominant display vs Tottenham

According to Fotmob on 20 December, Wirtz was excellent against Spurs.

The attacking midfielder completed the most dribbles in the match at four, while also boasting a passing accuracy of 91 per cent, as he also created two chances.

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The performance had been a long time coming, with the former Bayer Leverkusen star struggling to adapt to the Premier League

As a result, it showed signs that Wirtz would not be a Liverpool flop after initial concerns at the start of the season that this would be the case.

Now, the challenge for the 22-year-old is to ensure that these performances are done on a consistent basis as the Reds look to recover from what has been a dreadful season to date.

Tottenham vs Liverpool – The key stats

Despite the performance of Wirtz, there is clearly plenty of work that needs to be done at Liverpool.

At the end, the Reds were lucky to survive, despite Spurs being down to nine players.

In fact, Tottenham produced more shots at 15 and a higher xG at 1.01 compared to Liverpool who just had 8 and a 0.6 xG.

Against a more in-form opponent with 11 players, it could have easily been a different result, with Slot’s side on the verge of imploding once again on Saturday.

Hopefully, over Christmas, the manager can work out what is causing this issue and address it before it costs Liverpool more points.

Crystal Palace are preparing to step up their interest in Tottenham star Brennan Johnson as they aim to make a strong start to the January transfer window.

That is according to former Tottenham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Spurs could soon give the green light for the 24-year-old to leave.

The Wales international has featured 19 times under Thomas Frank, with 10 of those appearances coming from the start, but questions linger about his long-term role.

As a result, the Eagles are preparing to make a move as Oliver Glasner targets attacking reinforcements amid an unprecedented level of fixture congestion in South London.

Ismaila Sarr’s participation at AFCON with Senegal has further weakened the Eagles’ front line, while a lack of depth has made Palace’s priorities clear.

Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace development expected

Brown told Football Insider on 14 December that Tottenham are bracing for offers for Johnson and would be prepared to let him go either on loan or permanently.

The former scout, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that while Palace are considering a number of targets, Johnson is high on their list.

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“I’m sure Tottenham will consider offers to let Brennan Johnson go,” he told Football Insider.

“It could be on loan, or it could be permanent, because both of those would suit Tottenham for different reasons, so it will depend on the buying club and what they’re after.

“Palace have been watching him, he’s high on their list of targets.

“So if they get the green light from Tottenham, he’s somebody they could be tempted to make a move for, because he plays in a position where they don’t have many options.

“They want to strengthen, the manager has been calling for it publicly, and if they want to back him they’re going to want to do it early.

“I think they have to be careful, because of the type of player he is, he doesn’t necesarrily fit everywhere.

“If they think he’d be a good fit for the role they want him to play, then go for it, because as I say, I expect Tottenham will be willing to let him go.“

Crystal Palace accelerating January transfer plans

Football Insider revealed in August that Glasner was left frustrated at Crystal Palace as a result of their slow start to the summer transfer window.

Since then, the boss has made clear his desire to strengthen his squad in the mid-season window if he is to lead Palace to further success after their FA Cup victory.

Glasner has previously spoken out confessing he would like to add more players to his squad in January to enable further rotation and allow him to rest key players.

This comes after Football Insider revealed in September that Crystal Palace must match Glasner’s ambitions if they want him to agree a new contract.

Speculation about the boss’ future has lingered, with Palace now beginning contingency planning, although they remain hopeful he will stay.

Premier League interest in Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma has waned ahead of the January window, sources have told Football Insider.

Bissouma was being tracked by Everton and West Ham back in September, but neither are understood to be likely to take their interest to the next level this winter.

Sources have indicated to Football Insider that neither club view the Mali international as a “top priority” for the upcoming window, with both parties needing to strengthen elsewhere in their squads.

That is set to push Tottenham further towards their contingency plan of triggering a one-year extension on Bissouma if they fail to sell him next month, rather than losing him for free in the summer.

Yves Bissouma has no future at Tottenham whatsoever

Bissouma has been cut adrift from the first-team squad at Tottenham in recent months, after another disciplinary issue early into Thomas Frank’s reign.

The ex-Brighton man had issues with his timekeeping during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, and he was axed from the squad for Spurs’ UEFA Super Cup final back in August for the same issue.

He hasn’t made a single competitive appearance for the Lilywhites since then and was notably left out of their squad for the Champions League.

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Frank has made it clear that there is no way back for Bissouma with the North London outfit ahead of his contract expiring next summer, and the possibility of Tottenham extending his deal for another year is merely intended to try and protect his transfer value.

A sale in January is Spurs’ preferred scenario by far, but they may be forced into using their back-up plan if interest doesn’t build again in the coming weeks.

Yves Bissouma situation could be altered by Thomas Frank sack

Tottenham have no immediate plans to sack Frank despite their recent struggles, but the pressure on the Dane has continued to build after another defeat.

His team were beaten 3-0 away at Nottingham Forest last weekend, a result that has left them languishing in 11th in the Premier League table, despite enjoying a bright start in the opening months.

Frustration is mounting towards Frank from some sections of the fanbase, and that could leave the club hierarchy with a difficult decision to make in a few months if the situation doesn’t improve.

Bissouma has no way back while the ex-Brentford boss is in charge, but things could easily change if he were to lose his position before the end of the season.

The arrival of a new manager typically resets the entire squad back to square one, and that could give Bissouma the opportunity to make up for his mistakes at the club.

Tottenham have been tipped for a rogue appointment as shouts for Thomas Frank to be sacked grow louder in North London.

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Frank is under no immediate pressure as Tottenham boss, but with defeat to Nottingham Forest, supporters are growing restless.

Spurs are currently sitting 11th in the Premier League table, and with Frank no longer picking Joao Palhinha regularly, the manager’s decisions are being seriously questioned.

Brendan Rodgers had been linked with a Premier League move, but with the former Celtic boss now jetting out to Saudi Arabia, rumours are swirling about who could potentially arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Former Spurs players Robbie Keane and Ryan Mason have both moved into management, and the former has now been tipped to return to North London to save the Lilywhites from further embarrassment.

Ramon Vega wants Robbie Keane to take over at Tottenham

Speaking live on talkSPORT (15 December, 8:40am), Ramon Sosa said: “Robbie Keane, the Irish boy, in Ferencvaros, has done very well. He’s just beaten Rangers as well. He would be a good one.

“As an ex-player, he knows the psychological side of the dressing room. For me, what’s missing with Thomas [Frank] is that I don’t see him inspiring his players.

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“I don’t see inspiration, connection, or this respect that managers get. It’s shown by the body language on the pitch. That’s where a Premier League manager needs to earn it. Everyone thought he was a tactic master – what tactic master?

Responding to Vega’s admission, Ally McCoist said: “Robbie Keane, who is a great lad and is doing a great job, deserves a chance, but I’m not sure what he’s capable of at Tottenham. With that current squad of players, I don’t know if he’s going to alter things dramatically.”

What has Keane done since going into management?

Despite spells with Mohun Bagan in India and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, his most impressive spell so far has been in Hungary, recently overseeing Ferencvaros’ 2-1 win over Rangers in the Europa League.

He has won 32 of his 54 games in charge, with Ferencvaros currently sitting second in Hungary’s top division, and just one point off the top of the table.

Ferencvaros are also sixth in the Europa League table, with a very real chance of securing a spot in the round of 16, and remaining matches against Panathinaikos and Forest.

Huge names have been linked with Spurs over the years, and there is huge pressure on whoever replaces Frank after the likes of Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and Ange Postecoglou.

Supporters were shocked when Daniel Levy made the decision to part ways with Postecoglou, especially after leading them to silverware last season, and it appears even more baffling now.

Compared to Keane, Frank has won 10 of his 25 games in charge at Spurs, with fans beginning to riot against the manager and ownership. The atmosphere is becoming toxic.

I don’t understand why Thomas Frank is not starting Tottenham player who’s won 106 Premier League duels this season

Joao Palhinha started on the bench again for Tottenham on Sunday as they were battered by Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, with goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ibrahim Sangare going without reply.

Thomas Frank‘s side looked to have turned a corner with two positive performances against Brentford and Slavia Prague, but Sunday’s loss was a return to normality.

Frank is already facing calls for the sack at Tottenham, just six months after he arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham are set to be active in the January transfer window, but there is some uncertainty over whether the Dane will even still be in charge by the end of December.

Alan Pardew baffled by Thomas Frank’s usage of Joao Palhinha

Tottenham signed Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich in the summer, with the midfielder’s arrival looking a genius move after his early performances.

The 30-year-old was hugely impressive in games against Manchester City and PSG at the start of the season, and remained a consistent force, even as the team’s form slowed.

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Recently, however, Frank has elected to drop the Portugal international from the starting line-up, favouring the likes of Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Against Newcastle United, Palhinha did not even make it off the bench and faced limited minutes against Brentford and Nottingham Forest.

It would appear that Frank is attempting to address Tottenham‘s struggles to create chances, although the situation has not improved substantially since the switch.

Former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has questioned the decision, and told talkSPORT on Sunday: “I don’t understand why he is not starting for the team, personally.

“I think he has the experience to really guide you through some consistency, it’s consistency that is the problem.”

Thomas Frank delivers bizarre response when questioned on substitutions

Palhinha did get on the pitch against Nottingham Forest, but both his and Ben Davies‘ introductions were made when Tottenham were already 2-0 down.

The likes of Brennan Johnson and Mathys Tel remained on the bench until the 80th minute, sparking some confusion among Tottenham fans.

Questioned on the decision, Frank said: “We had four offensive players on the pitch. So I felt that, just to back to the bit before where I say we’re disjointed.

“So if you’re disjointed, you can have 11 offensive players on the pitch, it will not help. So we need to be in sync. And then it helps, and hopefully we can find a way back after that.”

Disjointed or not, Tottenham were losing and in desperate need of attacking intervention. Unsurprisingly, that did not arrive with the introduction of Palhinha or Davies.

If the Dane is looking to inspire confidence, he is only succeeding in encouraging the exact opposite with his baffling decisions.

Rangers would find it very difficult to turn down an offer from Tottenham for Nicolas Raskin in January, sources have told Football Insider.

The Belgium international is a hugely important figure in Danny Rohl’s plans at Ibrox, but the Bears would likely succumb to a significant offer if it arrived in January.

Tottenham emerged as a potential suitor for Raskin back in October, and sources have now told Football Insider that they have been impressed by the midfielder’s performance at both club and international level.

The Glasgow giants are “extremely reluctant” to lose the 24-year-old in the middle of the campaign, but could be left with no choice if Spurs firm up their interest with a concrete offer.

Danny Rohl’s arrival has boosted Nicolas Raskin’s importance

Raskin’s future at Rangers has been uncertain for several months now, and he was continuously linked with clubs from across Europe during the summer.

There were several Premier League links for the former Standard Liege star, but none ultimately materialised before transfer deadline day.

Raskin fell out of favour in the early stages of the campaign under Russell Martin, but Rohl’s arrival has seen his level of importance at Ibrox return to its previous status.

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He has started in all eleven competitive games since the German’s appointment at Rangers, and he has even managed to complete the full 90 minutes on nine of those occasions.

Rohl is keen to keep hold of his star man in January, but that appears to be a difficult ask if the lure of the Premier League and its finances come to the table.

Raskin contract reveal eases pressure on Rangers to sell

Raskin’s contract at Rangers expires in the summer of 2028, despite previous suggestions that his deal in Govan would reach its conclusion one year earlier.

That recent reveal has added some valuable additional security for the Gers as they bid to try and keep hold of their star man.

The urgency surrounding a potential sale of Raskin is no longer so high, given that the immediate risk of losing him on a free transfer has now been significantly reduced.