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Tottenham Hotspur salvaged some pride from their Champions League exit after recording a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

Randal Kolo Muani gave the north London club the lead in the first-half before Julian Alvarez equalised straight after half-time. Spurs retook the lead through Xavi Simons' fine strike from outside the box, before David Hancko equalised again. However, Xavi scored a second from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to hand Igor Tudor his first win in charge of the club.

But while Xavi will take the headlines for his brace in the victory, there was another Spurs star who shone and has surely now made himself undroppable as they face a relegation battle.

Archie Gray Outstanding for Tottenham

Tudor opted for a back five to start the game, despite trailing 5-2 from the first leg, with a midfield duo of Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray ahead of them.

Despite his age, Gray proved to be the senior pro in that role as he competed physically, tactically and technically with everyone on the pitch, and stood out as the star performer for the night.

According to Sofascore, Gray completed 38 of 43 pass attempts, registered an assist for Simons' first goal, completed two of his three dribble attempts, and bossed the midfield, earning a 9/10 rating on the night.

While the performance couldn't stop the team from avoiding elimination in the Champions League, Tudor must learn from this performance and realise that Gray now simply must be involved in midfield every week.

Spurs are currently just one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League, and face a huge clash with Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, where a defeat would see them drop into the bottom three with just seven games remaining of the campaign.

Gray is Simply Undroppable

Gray has proven to be wise beyond his years in football, having showed his versatility by playing at right-back, left-back, centre-back, wing-back and midfield since arriving from Leeds as a teenager last summer.

But his performance against Atletico, who are notoriously difficult to play against and tough in midfield, showed that his best position is in the middle of the park where he can do a bit of everything.

Spurs have got a huge eight games remaining in their season, and if Tudor is to complete his task of keeping the team in the Premier League, then Gray's performances will be key to that. He must start every game while he's available.

Danny Dyer is undoubtedly among the most famous fans of West Ham United. His ties to the Premier League club are well known as an east Londoner, and as father-in-law to the Hammers' captain Jarrod Bowen.

The prominent actor has been involved in several football-related films over the years, such as The Football Factory. Never one to pull a punch in interviews on all manner of subjects, Dyer has brutally named the one footballer he'd love to see drop into the Championship this season.

His beloved West Ham are currently embroiled in a relegation battle with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, while Wolves and Burnley look doomed. Of course, he hopes to see the Irons avoid the drop, but there's a player who has clearly irked Dyer in recent times.

Danny Dyer: 'It'd Be Lovely' to See Spurs Player Relegated

In a recent appearance on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the 48-year-old was asked who he thought would be the third team joining Wolves and Burnley in the second-tier of English football next season. When Tottenham, West Ham's London rivals, were mentioned, he claimed they'd be the ones relegated.

"Yeah, I do. I don't know where they get their points from. Unless they f*** this Tudor geezer off. I don't see what changes," Dyer emphatically stated. Not only is he sure Spurs will play in the Championship next term, but he's excited by the prospect of one of their players suffering the devastating blow.

Former West Ham player Mohammed Kudus left the Hammers to join Tottenham in the summer, something that Dyer hasn't forgotten. He told Peter Crouch.

"It would be lovely, because if Tottenham go down with Kudus. Kudus, who jumped ship, f***** us off in a heartbeat.

"See ya later mate, in the Championship. Do you want to come back? Throw him a little bone out. Do you fancy coming back? We might suffer it."

Watch Dyer speaking about West Ham, Tottenham and Mohammed Kudus below (46:45 onwards)

West Ham Backed to Secure Eight More Points

While the interview was recorded before Nuno Espirito's men picked up a vital point against second-placed Manchester City, Dyer was extremely confident in his team. The Hammers have already secured one of the eight points he thinks they'll get before the season ends.

Backing up his previous claim that Spurs would drop below them in the table, he added: "I can't see where they get their points from. I reckon we [West Ham] have got at least eight points in us."

If they are to get out of trouble, the east Londoners will be heavily reliant on his son-in-law scoring some big goals. Bowen has been the talisman at the London Stadium for several years now, and would likely attract interest from several clubs if West Ham do get relegated.

Inter Milan are eyeing a move to sign Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, according to Fabrizio Romano, and it could be good news for Aston Villa.

Vicario has endured a difficult season with Spurs, but that hasn't stopped clubs showing an interest in securing his signature ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham are battling near the relegation zone in the Premier League, sitting just one point above the bottom three, and they are preparing for a crucial clash in the race to stay in the division this weekend.

As the summer transfer window approaches, the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham will be getting prepared in terms of incomings and outgoings, with rumours linking both Emi Martinez and Vicario with moves away from England later this year.

Inter Eye Tottenham Star Amid Aston Villa Reports

According to Italian journalist Romano, Inter Milan have Tottenham goalkeeper Vicario high on their shortlist for the summer window, and talks are set to follow with Spurs.

The respected journalist confirmed the news, despite reports suggesting that the Italian club could be interested in signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

If Spurs are relegated from the Premier League, then a departure for Vicario feels inevitable, but it appears he could be on his way out the door regardless.

Time for Tottenham to Move On

Vicario simply hasn't been good enough this season, and it appears that he's already got his heart set on leaving the club.

Reports have claimed that he is 'fully open' to joining Inter Milan this summer, so Spurs need to move on and head in a new direction between the sticks.

Antonin Kinsky, who is Spurs' backup goalkeeper option, might not be the long-term answer for the north London club, but the summer window will be an opportunity for them to find a replacement.

If Martinez is available from Aston Villa, then that would be a smart replacement if they can convince him to make the move.

Why do Inter Want Vicario Over Martinez?

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT why Inter Milan would be interested in signing Vicario over Martinez.

There was a lot of love for Archie Gray following Tottenham's win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, that ultimately ended in Spurs being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League - and rightly so.

Tottenham won 3-2 on the night in N17 but went out of the tournament due to a 7-5 scoreline on aggregate, following that 5-2 defeat in the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the first leg last week.

After a draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, Spurs built on that performance with a much-improved display of high-intensity attacking football, the like of which has rarely been seen this season.

Gray Led By Example In Spurs' Win Over Atletico

And Gray was at the centre of it.

The 20-year-old enjoyed 57 touches of the ball on the night and had an 88% passing success rate, creating two chances, playing five balls into the final third and coming away with an assist for the first Xavi Simons goal. He also made nine recoveries.

The former Leeds man was everywhere and it was not the first time.

As games have passed and Spurs supporters have grown ever more frustrated with the club's owners, the previous manager, the current manager and the players, Gray has stood out as a beacon of hope and optimism for the future.

While other more senior stars have appeared to hide and fail to take responsibility for the desperate situation Tottenham find themselves in, Gray has stepped up. It is why many people are talking about him as a future Tottenham captain.

Gray leads by example, despite his tender age and will only get more vocal and take more of a leading role the older he gets and the more his teammates look to him to get things moving.

No one is expecting Gray to step into the breach now, given his inexperience, but he could absolutely take on the armband in future seasons.

What Does The Future Hold For Cristian Romero?

There are question marks over Cristian Romero's future in north London beyond the end of this season and Spurs may need to name a fourth different club captain in as many seasons.

It is too early for Gray, but Tottenham do have another two players who can take the armband ahead of him.

Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro have all been part of the leadership group under Igor Tudor, but none will fill supporters with too much confidence moving forward.

Instead, one player who could and should step up is someone who has not been seen on the pitch for some time and that's James Maddison. Maddison will return to action in time for the start of the 2026/27 campaign and has been one of the vice-captains at the club already.

He is a passionate player and will drive his teammates on both on and off the pitch. Not only that but he is happy to front up when things go wrong and is happy in front of the camera, which always helps with skippers.

Centre-Back Can Make The Step Up For Spurs

Another, perhaps more left-field choice, is Kevin Danso.

While van de Ven and Porro have somewhat flattered to deceive in terms of what they have produced on the field and in terms of their leadership, Danso has, perhaps quietly, gone about his business and shown he is up for the fight and ready to do everything he can for the team in their relegation battle.

That mentality is what is required in tough situations like Spurs have now and he with no guarantees that Romero stays in north London beyond this season, Danso could have a bigger role to play moving forward.

Tottenham are considering a move to appoint former AS Monaco boss Adi Hütter as their next manager, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

The north London club have had a disastrous season in the Premier League, and sit just one point above the relegation zone and Nottingham Forest in the table, ahead of their clash against the Tricky Trees this weekend, while they were eliminated from the Champions League following a 7-5 aggregate defeat to Atletico Madrid in midweek.

Major question marks have been raised about whether Igor Tudor is the man to lead them into the final part of the season following four defeats in his six games in charge of the club, while the club are also looking at candidates to be the next permanent manager following Thomas Frank's sacking last month.

Tottenham Eyeing Adi Hütter

Hutter, who has been described as a 'super coach', departed the Ligue 1 side earlier this season after a slow start and is currently a free agent, which has attracted the attention of Spurs.

According to a report on X, Tottenham have already gathered information on Hutter as a potential replacement for Tudor should they opt to make a change before the end of the season. GIVEMESPORT reported that the club are seriously considering a change, with results before the March international break key to any decision.

However, Spurs are also considering the Austrian as a potential permanent appointment in the summer, alongside the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino.

Hutter Would Be Odd Appointment

Hutter is someone who has openly admitted that he is open to taking a job in the Premier League, but his resumé hardly rips up any trees in the top divisions.

The Austrian coach won the Bundesliga in his home nation as a coach with Salzburg back in 2014/15, while he also finished as a runner-up in the German Super Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018. But other than that, his achievements are non-existent at the highest level.

On an individual level he has been crowned as the Bundesliga Manager of the Year on two separate occasions, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, and his style of play has been praised for being attacking and exciting. But Spurs are in a position where they need to bring in someone who isn't a gamble.

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT to break down Hütter's style of play as a manager and how he'd fit into Spurs, and this was its response:

Tottenham will be without at least nine players for their UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night and that could rise to 11 before kick-off.

Spurs have nothing to lose as they host Diego Simeone's side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with the Spanish side having one foot, if not more, in the quarter-finals thanks to that 5-2 win in the first leg.

It would take a comeback of monumental proportions from a side in terrible form to turn the tie on its head and secure a last eight berth for the Lilywhites.

Key Duo Set For Atletico Madrid Involvement

Interim head coach Igor Tudor has been boosted by the news that two injured stars are back in training and fit to be named on the substitutes' bench on Wednesday.

Lucas Bergvall has returned from his ankle injury quicker than expected, with the Swede a doubt for his nation's World Cup play-off game in the March international break at the end of the month.

Destiny Udogie is another who has returned, right on schedule, from the hamstring injury that has kept him out for the last five weeks.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Tudor said: "Destiny and Lucas will be on the bench tomorrow. One part of the game, not too much because they just started to train with us but it is good to see them."

Cristian Romero will also return to action following his clash of heads with teammate Joao Palhinha in the first leg - the Portuguese will be missing, however.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur and Wilson Odobert all remain long-term injured, while Mohammed Kudus and Yves Bissouma are alongside Palhinha in being unavailable. As is Richarlison, who is suspended after being booked in the first leg encounter, while Souza is ineligible having not been registed for the Champions League.

More Injury Problems For Tottenham

Two others could also be missing from the game in N17.

Conor Gallagher missed the match with Liverpool after it was revealed that he was unwell and Tudor explained the situation during his press conference.

He added: "We see today what we can do because he has, as you know, probably asthma problems. He has some virus to make some not nice things so we are going to see tomorrow if he is able to go on the bench."

Dominic Solanke, who scored in the first leg, is also a doubt for the clash with some "small problems".

Igor Tudor has been handed a huge boost ahead of Tottenham's UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

As is customary for European games, the media are invited to watch 15 minutes of open training ahead of the clash and two players have been spotted back in training as Spurs look to overturn a 5-2 deficit from their first leg meeting.

Lucas Bergvall was seen training with his teammates having been out of action with an ankle injury since the middle of January. He had not been expected to be back in action until after the March international break, so it is a huge boost to an ailing Spurs squad.

Destiny Udogie Ready To Return To Action Too

Not only that but club captain Cristian Romero was also on the grass training with the first team in a huge boost after suffering a head injury in the first leg with Atletico.

And the good news came in threes as there was also a return to the training pitch for Destiny Udogie, who has been out for the last five weeks with a hamstring injury. Tudor will hope to be able to call upon all three for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Romero will still have to be assessed for concussion ahead of the game kicking off, having clash heads with Joao Palhinha in the last few minutes of the game at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano last Tuesday night.

Both players left the field before the final whistle and missed Spurs' 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Palhinha did not train with his teammates on Tuesday morning, but was spotted doing individual work alongside long-term injured midfielder James Maddison.

James Maddison Being Back On The Grass Is A Major Boost For Spurs

Maddison has not played at all this season after suffering an ACL injury in pre-season. The fact he is out on the grass and doing individual training, however, will be a huge boost to his hopes of returning to action before the season is out.

Conor Gallagher was not seen during training. The January signing missed the game with Liverpool due to being unwell and it would appear he is still suffering with that illness ahead of welcoming his old team to N17.

Tottenham still have a huge number of players out of action, with Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski unavailable alongside Palhinha and Maddison.

Tottenham showed plenty of fight as they secured their first point under Igor Tudor at the weekend, but it shouldn't be enough to keep him in his job.

Spurs remain just one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League, and they are in serious danger of being relegated to the Championship.

A defeat against Nottingham Forest at the weekend could see them drop into the bottom three if West Ham secure three points, and Tudor's side have only shown positive signs in one game during his short tenure.

The north London club have looked toothless under him since he was brought in to replace Thomas Frank, and Spurs still need to make the decision to sack him, despite the positive signs against Liverpool on Sunday evening.

Tottenham Receive Robbie Keane Boost

Ferencvaros director Judit Berkesi has recently acknowledged that his side regularly lose some of their key players due to finding other opportunities elsewhere, and he's also added that it's also the case with managers.

“This is actually the club’s merit in this respect, that we are already at a point where we can sell not only players well in certain cases, but also head coaches in the last two cases. It is certain that this possibility may also exist with Robbie in certain cases, despite the fact that he feels very good here, can really work in very good conditions, receives all the support that is possible, and the coaches can appreciate this as well.”

It's certainly not a 'hands off' approach from Berkesi, which possibly hints that it would be easily achievable for Spurs to come and get him, whether that be through a cheap release clause or something in his contract stating he's able to join another club.

GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that Keane is one of Tottenham's managerial targets as a potential replacement for Tudor, and he is interested in the job.

Keane a Tudor Upgrade for Tottenham

If Tottenham can bring Keane to the club, where he spent a large portion of his career as a player, then the north London outfit would certainly be getting an upgrade on Tudor.

Spurs have shown very little under Tudor, except for the game against Liverpool, whereas Keane has been a major success in his two recent managerial roles.

Keane knows what it takes to play for Spurs, and after winning two league titles already in his short managerial career, he's gained experience in building a winning mentality.

The appointment of Keane would likely get fans back onside, considering his affinity with the club, and Spurs need to pull the trigger and bring him in immediately.

Tottenham manager Igor Tudor has now discovered three players he can rely on as he aims to steer the club away from the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Spurs secured an excellent point away at Liverpool on Sunday, with Richarlison scoring late on to rescue a draw for Tudor.

That was the first point Spurs have secured since Tudor arrived through the door, but they are still in search of their first victory as the Tottenham manager looks to help them avoid the drop.

The former Juventus boss has a host of injury troubles to contend with, as Joao Palhinha and Cristian Romero were the latest players to join the injury list.

Conor Gallagher also missed the game through illness, so Tudor's squad is wearing incredibly thin at the moment.

Tudor has now discovered a few players he can rely on, however, and none of them were truly fancied by former manager Thomas Frank.

Richarlison

The obvious player is Richarlison, who scored Tottenham's only goal against Liverpool in a 1-1 draw.

The Brazilian has started just 14 Premier League games this season, struggling to make an impact under Frank, but that hasn't stopped him from finding nine goals in England's top flight, as well as three assists.

The former Everton man is well-versed in relegation battles having been involved with Everton, and he's exactly the player Tudor knows he can rely on after his late goal against Liverpool.

Frank might have been in a better position had he relied on him more, but Richarlison could have a huge say now in saving Tudor his job.

Kevin Danso

Another Tudor has discovered that he can rely on is Kevin Danso.

The tough defender was phenomenal at the heart of the defence at Anfield, outshining his defensive partner Radu Dragusin, and he's another that Frank barely played.

The 27-year-old has started just 10 Premier League games this season, but he looked like one of Spurs' more experienced heads against Liverpool, and was comfortably one of their best players.

If Danso can continue with performances like that, then Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who have endured their own difficulties this season, might find it difficult to get back into the side, as Tudor needs players who will fight in this relegation battle.

Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel was someone who was given a hard time by Frank, omitted from the Champions League squad, while he's also only started eight Premier League games all season.

The French youngster didn't set the world alight at Anfield, but he worked incredibly hard defensively and showed a threat in the final third, creating three chances, more than any other Spurs player.

Tel has been chomping at the bit to get a regular run in the Tottenham side, and he could be crucial for Tudor in the fight to not only stay in the Premier League, but also to keep his job.

Liverpool and Tottenham played out a match that showed why both clubs are struggling in the Premier League this season. Many expected the former to win the game at Anfield comfortably, but that's not how things panned out.

The Reds took the lead in the first half through a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, which Guglielmo Vicario may well have done better with. Then, Igor Tudor's team claimed a late point through Richarlison, and the visitors deserved it for their efforts.

However, it could've been a very different game, according to former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett. The ex-FIFA referee has blasted VAR and the referee for missing a blatant red card offence during the top-flight clash.

Keith Hackett on 'Obvious' VAR Error in Liverpool vs Spurs

The man who got away with one in the eyes of Hackett was Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. The Dutchman stopped Richarlison from bearing down on goal in the second half with his hand on the Brazilian's shoulder.

"I can remember doing a piece in The Telegraph about Virgil van Dijk and seven of his clear, nailed-on offences that went unpunished," Hackett recalled during his furious rant. He went on to explain that the 34-year-old should've seen red and conceded a penalty, telling Football Insider:

"Nobody disagreed that they were offences, and he got away with all of them. He’s gotten away with one here. Is he holding the player? Yes. Has he impacted the player? Yes.

"Therefore, it’s a penalty. I think he’s denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Why has everyone ignored it? The video clips are clear. What is VAR doing?"

Hackett, 81, did admit that referee Chris Kavanagh didn't have the best view, but VAR should've stepped in to support. He added: "The referee hasn’t got the viewing angle that VAR have got. It’s very clearly a holding offence, one which has gone unpunished."

He then backed up his opinion on X (formerly Twitter), responding to a fan saying: "Agree 100% with your opinion that this was a foul, therefore penalty kick and red card for DOGSO."

Hackett Has Previously Slammed Van Dijk

As he mentioned, Hackett previously wrote an entire article dedicated to potentially punishable offences that the Liverpool skipper 'got away with'. Among those fouls were off-the-ball incidents with Richarlison and Kai Havertz.

The Reds' star defender has only ever been sent off in two Premier League matches for Liverpool, while also picking up just 27 yellow cards. For the position he plays and the fact he's pulled on the shirt 331 times for the club, that's an impressive disciplinary record, even if Hackett thinks he's got lucky on occasion.