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Igor Tudor has urged Tottenham to think like a "small team" as they attempt to pull themselves away from Premier League relegation danger.

The Croatian's first game in charge of Spurs after replacing Thomas Frank until the end of the season finished in a 4-1 loss to fierce rivals Arsenal last weekend.

Tottenham are now winless in nine league matches in 2026 and are four points above the relegation zone ahead of facing Fulham on Sunday.

Tudor is vastly experienced, having coached 12 teams over the past 13 years, and he is fully aware of what is required to fight the drop.

"In Italy, they use the term 'have the mentality of a small team'," Tudor said at Thursday's pre-match news conference.

"That's the key: to always have the willingness and motivation like you play against bigger teams. They are aware of everything."

Tudor also insisted that only hard work was going to get Tottenham out of trouble at this stage, adding: "The mentality changes by training.

"Doing the right things there and to have enough training sessions that you can transmit these things to the team so that on Sunday this can be seen from the fans in the stadium.

"Hard work. There is no other possibility. You need to be smart to understand, deeper the moment and how to take the points."

Fulham snapped a three-game losing run in the league with a 3-1 win at Sunderland last weekend to move into the top half of the table.

Marco Silva's side enter this weekend's match at Craven Cottage three points off Brentford in seventh, with European football very much the aim.

"We're taking it step by step," Alex Iwobi told Sky Sports. "It's onto the next game now.

"We got the three points [against Sunderland], which was the aim, to climb above them. We take it game by game – there's that cliche saying.

"We'll see where we end up at the end of the season."

Raul Jimenez scored twice in the win at Sunderland last weekend and now has eight goals and three assists in 26 league games this term.

The Mexico international has opened the scoring in 32 of the 62 Premier League games he has scored in, including in four of Fulham's last 11.

Tudor confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Pedro Porro is available for selection after a recent spell out.

Porro had started 21 league matches prior to his injury last month and could come straight into the line-up, giving Spurs far more threat down the right.

Tottenham are aiming to avoid going 10 Premier League games without a win for the first time since between January and March 1994.

The incident occurred during a corner that the midfielder was responsible for when the fan near the player managed to show him his phone with a photo of Declan Rice's wife. Although the cameras captured the situation, it is not entirely clear that the midfielder noticed the mockery at the moment.

Rice's wife, the player's response, and social media

Lauren Fryer is the wife of Declan Rice, who was mocked due to her physical appearance and had to delete many of her photos on social media to avoid further issues and attacks on her looks.

It's not the first time that Rice or his wife have found themselves under the spotlight of public opinion and fans. Previously, the player came to his wife's defense after the wave of attacks and comments she received and expressed his love for her. However, there is still no concrete or official response from the player regarding this new and particular incident; the lack of response on the field may have been due to the player's unawareness of the situation.

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Tottenham Hotspur have officially parted ways with Thomas Frank, bringing an end to a tenure that never found stability. The decision arrives with Spurs dangerously close to the relegation zone in the Premier League, a position that few imagined possible at the start of the season.

What began as a pragmatic appointment meant to restore balance instead turned into a campaign defined by inconsistency, fragile performances, and mounting pressure.

The statistics paint a troubling picture. Frank’s points-per-game average placed him among the lowest-performing managers of the modern “Big Six” era. But beyond the numbers, the bigger issue was the team’s identity—or lack of one.

Tottenham struggled to control matches, looked defensively vulnerable, and failed to develop a coherent attacking structure. The tactical clarity that defined Frank’s Brentford years never fully translated to North London.

Perhaps the most damaging element of the season was the breakdown in trust between the manager and the fanbase. Early patience quickly faded after defeats to direct rivals, including arch-neighbors Arsenal.

Chants calling for change became a regular soundtrack at away grounds. While players still received applause for effort, Frank increasingly became the focal point of frustration in a season that felt directionless.

Frank’s departure does not solve Tottenham’s deeper structural concerns. Squad imbalances, recruitment decisions, and long-term planning remain under scrutiny. However, in a crisis situation, the head coach is often the most immediate lever a club can pull.

Spurs now face a far bigger task: restoring competitive credibility before the word “relegation” shifts from theoretical fear to genuine possibility.

With world-class facilities and ambitions of competing in Europe, Tottenham’s current position is a stark warning. The dismissal of Thomas Frank may be the first step toward change, but it is far from the final one.

For Spurs, this is not merely about replacing a manager. It is about rediscovering identity, authority, and belief—before the season leaves consequences that cannot be undone.

Thomas Frank is "1,000%" certain he will still be in charge of Tottenham for their North London derby against Arsenal next week, despite a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United bringing renewed scrutiny of his position.

Spurs have gone eight Premier League games without a victory and are one of only two teams – along with Burnley – to fail to win a game in the competition in 2026.

Jacob Ramsey's left-footed strike proved the difference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, coming just four minutes after Archie Gray had cancelled out Malick Thiaw's opener.

Spurs were booed off at half-time and full-time, and their current losing streak is their worst since a nine-match run between May and October 2008, which led to Juande Ramos being sacked.

They have 12 days until their next match, at home to Premier League leaders Arsenal, but Frank does not expect the club's hierarchy to use that downtime to make a change.

Asked if he expected to remain at the helm, Frank told reporters: "1,000%. I'm also 1,000% sure I didn't expect us to be in the position we are in, with 11 or 12 injuries.

"There were a few before me, here at Tottenham and many other clubs, that have lost their heads. I have to stay calm. We have to get through this together.

"I am convinced I will be [in charge]. I understand the question. It is easy to point at me, but it is never only the head coach, ownership, players or staff. It is everyone.

"Everyone knows what position we are in and what we need to improve on. That is what we are working hard on."

Frank has repeatedly highlighted Spurs' lengthy injury list as a key reason for their struggles, with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie among their absentees.

Asked if Spurs' decision-makers understood the impact of those injuries, Frank said: "Of course they understand that.

"You can put 11 players in a lineup and then you guys can judge. Of course that affects things, but it is my job to find solutions with the players available.

"If you see them out there, they are running hard. It is tough for them. When you have things going against you, it shows your true colours."

Spurs are just five points clear of the relegation zone in 16th place, though things would have been worse for Frank's men had 18th-placed West Ham not conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

And Frank warned the grass is not always greener even when replacing a struggling manager, as he said: "I think there are a lot of studies that show it is not the right thing to do.

Under Michael Carrick, Manchester United continue to look like a transformed side. The Red Devils defeated Tottenham 2-0 at Old Trafford to claim their fourth straight win and strengthen their push for Champions League qualification.

The turning point came in the 29th minute, when Cristian Romero was sent off for a challenge on Casemiro. Less than ten minutes later, Bruno Fernandes drilled a low cross to the near post, Kobbie Mainoo flicked it on first time, and Bryan Mbeumo finished past Guglielmo Vicario.

From that moment on, United were in control. Two goals were later ruled out for offside — one by Amad Diallo and another by Matheus Cunha — before the second finally arrived in the 80th minute, as Bruno Fernandes poked home a cross from Diogo Dalot.

On October 5, 2024, Frank Ilett, widely known as The United Strand, vowed not to cut his hair until Manchester United won five consecutive matches — something that had eluded the club since the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era began.

Pep Guardiola has lost more league games against Tottenham than he has versus any other club in his managerial career, going down to them on eight occasions during his Manchester City reign.

Man City travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Sunday's late kick-off in the Premier League, and after a topsy-turvy month in the title race, Arsenal and Aston Villa will both be watching on with plenty of interest.

City defeated Wolves 2-0 in their most recent Premier League game last Saturday, with their neighbours then doing them a huge favour by defeating Arsenal 3-2 the following day.

Those results – coupled with Villa's victory over Newcastle United – cut the Gunners' lead at the summit to four points, and this weekend, they are the team hoping their arch-rivals can lend them a helping hand.

However, while Tottenham joined City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in securing a top-eight Champions League finish on Wednesday, their Premier League form has been nothing short of terrible and has left Thomas Frank fighting for his job.

Ahead of Sunday's game, we look at the Opta data to pick out all the key storylines and players to watch.

The Opta supercomputer is siding with City ahead of Sunday's headline fixture, with their chances of victory rated at 46.9%.

Across 10,000 pre-match simulations, Spurs were victorious in 28.7%, with the remaining 24.4% of scenarios seeing the points shared.

In the predictive model's 2025-26 simulations, City's chances of the title are rated at just 8.5%, despite Arsenal's wobble.

The Gunners took the crown in 81.5% of season simulations, with Villa doing so in 9.4%. Tottenham, meanwhile, finish 14th most often, doing so in 13.6% of scenarios.

City initially struggled at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the venue opened in 2019, losing on each of their first three trips there in the Champions League and Premier League.

However, City have won on their last two league trips to Spurs, having not won three away games in a row against them since doing so between February 1973 and August 1974.

But Frank's side did upset the odds at the Etihad Stadium in August's return fixture, with Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha on target late in the first half, securing a 2-0 win.

Tottenham could now complete their 10th Premier League double over Spurs, with only Chelsea having achieved the feat against the Citizens 10 times. Spurs' nine Premier League doubles against City are already their most against any opponent.

Though Spurs finished their European league-stage campaign with three straight victories, two of which came at home, they have been dire on their own turf domestically.

Teams managed by Frank have won just four of their last 22 home Premier League matches overall, with the Dane posting an identical record (two wins, three draws, six defeats) across his last 11 games with Brentford as in his first 11 with Spurs.

Frank's Tottenham have earned 0.82 points per home Premier League game, the worst such record of any Spurs boss in the competition's history.

And they took their woes on the road with them last weekend, drawing 2-2 with relegation favourites Burnley at Turf Moor.

Spurs are now winless in five Premier League matches (three draws, two defeats), with this their fourth run of five or more winless games in the last two seasons. They only endured four such runs throughout their previous 12 campaigns combined, from 2012-13 to 2023-24.

Across the last two seasons, the only ever-present sides to pick up fewer Premier League points than Tottenham's 66 are Wolves (50) and West Ham (63).

Their 31 defeats in that time are second only to Wolves' 37, and another defeat would mean they have lost 10 or more games for eight consecutive seasons since 2018-19. In their eight campaigns beforehand (2010-11 – 2017-18) this only happened twice.

There is still plenty of work for Frank to do if he is to get Spurs' supporters onside, even if their European results have provided some respite from their domestic struggles.

Only two players have ever previously scored against Tottenham for two different teams in a Premier League season – Eric Cantona in 1992-93 (Leeds United and Man Utd) and Benito Carbone in 1999-00 (Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa).

Semenyo could join that exclusive club this week, having scored a 95th-minute winner against Spurs on his farewell appearance for Bournemouth on January 7.

Semenyo has scored five goals in his last eight Premier League appearances for both Bournemouth and City, the joint-most of any player in the division since December 15.

And having found the net against Wolves last week, he will look to continue his hot streak here.

Given City have not been performing to their usual lofty standards, Guardiola may just need the winger to provide a moment of inspiration.

Last weekend, City both attempted and faced 11 shots against Wolves, the seventh time this season they had either had fewer or as many attempts as their opponents in a Premier League game, their joint-most in a season under Guardiola.

They are only averaging 4.7 more shots per game than their opponents this campaign, making this their least dominant season under his reign.

Their attacking downturn has even affected the form of Erling Haaland, who ended his run of nine matches without an open-play goal (in all competitions) on Wednesday, netting City's first goal in a 2-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray.

Marmoush netted his first Premier League goal of the season against Wolves last week, when Haaland was handed a rest.

However, all eight of Marmoush's goals in the competition have been scored at home – he has failed to score with all 20 of his attempts in 12 games away from home.

It has been a frustrating season for the Egyptian, but he certainly has the quality to be a key player for City between now and the end of May.

Tottenham Hotspur continues to bet on young talent and the South American market. This Friday, the English club officially announced the signing of Souza, a 19-year-old left-back arriving from Santos. The deal was finalized for a fee close to 15 million euros, securing one of the most promising defenders in Brazilian football.

Souza’s progression has been meteoric. After debuting for the Santos first team in January 2024, his true breakout came in 2025—the year he established himself in the Brazilian Serie A, racking up 24 official appearances. His performances have not gone unnoticed; in Brazil, there is already speculation that he could be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the upcoming World Cup.

"This is a childhood dream. I grew up watching the Premier League, and I can't wait to get started. This is a huge step for my development, and I’m really looking forward to taking on this challenge," the young footballer declared following his presentation.

Souza arrives in North London to fight for a spot in the Spurs' setup. It won't be easy, as he will have to compete directly with Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence for the starting left-back position. However, his attacking profile and premature maturity mark him as a key piece for both the present and the future of the project.

Xavi as a possible replacement for Frank Thomas.

The Spanish coach has been linked to the London club by the tabloid The Sun following the lack of good results during Frank Thomas’s tenure.

Frank Thomas finds himself in a difficult situation. The Danish coach has had ups and downs and disagreements with the Spurs and the fans. One of these missteps was the impact on social media of a photo taken of him before the match against Bournemouth, which they ended up losing 3–2, in which he can be seen holding a mug with the logo of their rival club, Arsenal. Other incidents include boos and social media discontent, and even calls for the Danish coach’s dismissal by fans, who chanted “sacked in the morning.”

Why Xavi Alonso? What is going on with Frank Thomas?

The rumor of Hernandez's possible arrival at Tottenham is also due to Frank Thomas’s poor recent results, with two draws and three consecutive defeats, the most recent against West Ham, which leaves them in 14th place in the Premier League table.

Xavi Hernández, after winning a league title and a Spanish Super Cup at the helm of Barcelona, is now out of action.

Thomas Frank and his team will play at home, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, against the Yellow and Blacks. This is a Champions League match, the seventh of the eight games played by each team in this stage of the competition. This could be the opportunity for the Dane to secure a victory and a more stable position, or to continue his streak of poor results.

Frank confirmed ahead of Spurs' Premier League clash with West Ham United this weekend that Richarlison had sustained an issue during their FA Cup third-round loss to Aston Villa.

The Brazilian is the club's top goalscorer in all competitions this season, scoring eight goals in 31 appearances, seven of which have been scored in the top flight.

But it provides Frank with another problem in attack, with Spurs also losing Mohammed Kudus to a long-term injury and selling Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace.

Dominic Solanke did, however, make his comeback against Villa, with Frank confirming that Spurs will only delve into the transfer market if the player fits their long-term plans.

"Richarlison unfortunately got a hamstring injury that will keep him out for up to seven weeks," Frank said. "Hey, it is what it is.

"We are in the market, as I said many times, to see if we can improve the squad, but it needs to be something that will improve the squad in the short and long term.

"It needs to be that decision. It can't only be for the next four months.

"We need to think of the bigger picture as well, but, of course, we know that we are a few offensive players down."

He could make his debut against West Ham, with Spurs light in the middle of the park after Rodrigo Bentancur's hamstring injury, which required surgery.

Frank believes the addition of the England international could play a huge role in turning Spurs' fortunes around, with the club 14th in the Premier League.

"One thing is the Premier League and the second thing is the project and opportunity here. The role he can get in the team," Frank said.

"I think first and foremost as a player that can help the team with his abilities and the character he is as well. I think he can see the very exciting potential in this club."