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The Tottenham full-back was withdrawn just before the hour mark in the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Spurs were by that point two goals down and well on their way to a chastening loss, one that piles the pressure back on Thomas Frank.

Spence, who had been struggling with a knock before the break but appeared to run it off, was visibly frustrated as his number went up on the board.

After briefly acknowledging the applause from the fans of his former club, Spence then trudged to the bench and threw the jacket handed to him to the floor.

Frank was unaware of that reaction at the time but confirmed he would discuss it with Spence.

“You're the third one that said that to me today,” Frank said at his press conference after the match. “I didn't see it. Of course I will look back to be aware of it.

“I think there can be three reasons. He can be disappointed with his own performance, the team's performance, he can be disappointed with being subbed off.

Pedro Porro had to be told to calm down by Frank after squaring up to Elliot Anderson before half-time.

“I think in general, no matter what, to have that coolness on the pitch and relentless concentration and focus, that's a big thing of being a top team.”

Three things we learned from Tottenham defeat as Thomas Frank tactics set Spurs up for failure

Three things we learned as Frank tactics set Spurs up for failure

Spurs were second-best from the first whistle

Abject: Thomas Frank

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Matt Verri

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After ten days of brief optimism and talk of corners being turned, Tottenham returned to a crisis point.

This 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest had all of the worst elements of Thomas Frank’s reign so far, with just one shot on target and no sort of attacking threat.

There was no resistance in midfield or at the back either. Archie Gray was robbed on the edge of the Spurs box as Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring and the winger made it two with a cross that swung in.

Spurs were already a beaten time by the time Ibrahima Sangare made it three.

Only the fact Spurs have regularly been dismal this season prevented this from going down as undoubtedly the worst performance of the season. There has just been so much competition for that title.

Frank back under pressure

Speaking ahead of the match, Frank said he expected a "front-footed, aggressive, brave and offence-minded" performance from his side.

There was nothing of the sort to back that up. Spurs attacked at walking pace in the first half and it barely picked up after the break.

Frank in his pre-match press conference praised the form of Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison but both were dreadful here. Kudus spent most of the match running into red shirts, while Richarlison was shrugged off the ball at will by the Forest defenders.

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Even when one and then two and three goals down, Spurs had no sort of intensity to their attacks. There was no semblance of an attacking plan beyond crossing, but this was a Forest defence that thrives when asked to make headed clearances.

In all, Spurs managed just a single shot on target, which came from distance from Archie Gray in the first half. In the hour that followed, John Victor had nothing to do. Spurs did not really create a single chance in the entire match.

To add to that, the midfield was non-existent and Spurs were absolutely ragged defensively. Forget the optimism after the wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague - Frank is right back to square one.

Anger: Pedro Porro

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Spurs lose their heads

Spurs have been one of the best sides away from home in the Premier League this season, thriving in tough environments and more often than not showing the required mentality and character.

Against a powerful Forest side, Spurs offered no sort of resistant and looked a frustrated, ragged team.

Pedro Porro, one of the worst performers on the day, needlessly squared up to Elliot Anderson just before half-time. Frank pointed to his head and called for calm but little was forthcoming.

Porro was at it later in the match, too, earning a booking for effectively a rugby tackle.

Djed Spence was brought off on the hour mark and reacted angrily, muttering and gesturing on his way off before launching his jacket to the floor as he sat down on the bench.

Cristian Romero was needed as a leader in trying circumstances, but he regularly complained to the referee and was too rash in his challenges. Spurs had nobody to settle them down.

They were hot-headed throughout and that lack of composure was evident in all of their play. There was no calmness on the ball and the team collapsed in the face of pressure.

Day to forget: Archie Gray

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Tough afternoon for Gray

A third straight start for Archie Gray was a show of faith in the teenager from Frank, and also a sign that the Spurs boss is starting to settle on a starting lineup.

He went with the same side that beat Brentford a week ago and it meant Gray once again got the nod ahead of the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr.

The 19-year-old has been impressive in recent weeks but this was his toughest afternoon of the season.

Gray gifted Forest the opening goal, taking a touch from a short Guglielmo Vicario pass when there was no time to do so, and seemingly unaware of Ibrahim Sangare closing in behind him. He had to play the pass first time.

Keen to make up for that, Gray was rash later in the half when flying into a late challenge and getting himself booked.

He was replaced just before the hour mark and it will be interesting to see what Frank now does with Gray next weekend against Liverpool.

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Three things we learned from Tottenham defeat as Thomas Frank tactics set Spurs up for failure

Three things we learned as Frank tactics set Spurs up for failure

Spurs look to record third win in a row

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham live

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Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham LIVE

Spurs are back in Premier League action today hoping to cap off a fine week with a third win in a row. Thomas Frank appears to have recovered from a tough end to November - which saw defeats to Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Fulham - with much-improved performances, and results, against Newcastle, Brentford and Slavia Prague. Now they are in Nottingham.

These two teams were embroiled in a bitter transfer spat during the summer, prompted by Spurs triggering star player Morgan Gibbs-White’s release clause. Forest took it badly, ceased all communication with Spurs and, a week later, the player had signed a new contract. Chairman Daniel Levy has since left Spurs, but animosity between the club could well remain.

Forest have had a tough start to the season, toiling down in 17th, but under Sean Dyche - their third manager of the campaign - have settled the ship. Spurs are up to the heady heights of 11th after a long-overdue home win. Their away form has been much better, and another three points could see them close the gap on fifth to one point. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham latest news

Frank on Dyche

“Some [people] you meet with in different circumstances for whatever reason, but we come together, and the coaches talk about life and football. And I think it's fair to say that we're the only ones that really understand each other.

“We're in the same shit together and dealing with the same problems and the same all sorts of things.

“So I think that's nice to share experiences and thoughts with good colleagues and friends there. So, of course, when we play against each other, it's very competitive.”

New-look Tottenham attack faces first real test to prove corner has been turned

It is more than 14 months since Tottenham last won three matches in a row.

Two has been difficult enough for the north Londoners in a period that has been characterised by largely dismal domestic results, for all it brought the end of the long wait for a trophy.

Their last run of three victories on the bounce came in October 2024, when wins over Qarabag and Manchester United were followed by a 2-1 success over Ferencvaros.

Even the most ardent of Spurs fans with the most impressive memories would do well to remember the front-line responsible for securing that particular hat-trick.

Ange Postecoglou went with Will Lankshear leading the line, flanked by Mikey Moore on one wing and Timo Werner on the other.

With all due respect to that particular trio, none of whom are at the club this season, there will be a more threatening look to the Spurs attack this afternoon.

Thomas Frank's side travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest, looking to build on what has been a very promising start to the month.

Read more here!

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Rollercoaster at Forest

The summer saw these two teams at loggerheads over a failed move from Spurs for Morgan Gibbs-White.

Was his release clause triggered? Both sides say differing things. Either way, the player ended up signing a new contract, unveiled in an eyebrow-raising interview with Gibbs-White and the club’s owner during pre-season.

Things unravelled for Forest since, and they now find themselves in 17th and on their third manager of the season, Sean Dyche, who has steadied the ship.

It remains quite the comedown for Forest, who looked for most of last season that they would qualify for the Champions League, before an end-of-season collapse.

Spurs have furnished the away section with free scarves. Lovely touch.

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Score prediction

It has been an enjoyable few days for Spurs, who were desperate for some home wins to ease the pressure on Frank and defuse simmering tensions that had been arising between frustrated fans and players in recent weeks.

Their away form has generally been strong, with four wins and only one defeat on the road so far this term, while only fellow strugglers West Ham and Wolves have earned fewer points at home in 2025/26 to date than Forest.

Dyche has been going very well with six wins from his first 11 games across all competitions since replacing ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, denied a swift reunion with his Europa League winners after being sacked after only 39 days in charge in October, though Forest’s ongoing frailties were ruthlessly exposed by Everton last time out.

We’re backing Spurs to shade an entertaining game that won’t be short on goalmouth action to continue their recent resurgence under Frank.

Tottenham to win, 2-1.

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Early Nottingham Forest team news

Ola Aina, Chris Wood, Angus Gunn and Ryan Yates are all sidelined for Forest.

First-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels missed their Europa League game due to a groin issue, so is likely out.

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi is approaching his comeback having recently returned to training.

Early Tottenham team news

Dominic Solanke is still not ready to return for Tottenham, despite teasing a comeback on social media.

Solanke is back training individually, having been sidelined since August, but hopes of a swift return to action have been ruled out by Thomas Frank.

Destiny Udogie is out until January after suffering a hamstring injury and his absence leaves Spurs short of options at full-back, with Djed Spence and Pedro Porro facing a busy festive period.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain long-term absentees, with Frank not offering a timeline for their return.

Frank is still figuring out his best attacking combination, but with Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus showing an impressive understanding he has something to build around.

Johnson could return on the left wing after missing Tuesday’s win over Slavia Prague, while Joao Palhinha is an option in midfield should Frank look to add stability in the centre of the park.

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How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 1.55pm GMT on Sky Sports Football ahead of the 2pm kick-off.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

It’s 17th hosting 11th in the league, so neither will have been happy with their starts to the season - but both has reasons to believe they will continue looking up, rather than down, for the rest of the campaign.

Kick-off is at 2pm. Stick with us.

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Tottenham will see their recent resurgence put to the test as they return to Premier League action against Nottingham Forest.

Spurs head to the City Ground this afternoon on the back of successive wins, having recorded a much needed home victory over Brentford eight days ago before following that up by beating Slavia Prague on Tuesday night.

Standing in their way of a third straight win is a Forest side who begin the day two points clear of the relegation zone.

Despite their position in the table, Forest have improved since the appointment of Sean Dyche - who succeeded former Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou in October - with the 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield the biggest result of his reign to date.

Though, the Tricky Trees have lost two of their last three league games and the less recovery time compared to Spurs after their own European adventure in midweek could prove vital in what is a big fixture for both sides.

Here’s everything you need to know about where to watch the match...

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 1.55pm GMT on Sky Sports Football ahead of the 2pm kick-off.

Thomas Frank has said he is seeking to build on the legacy of former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou as Spurs prepare to take on another of the Australian’s old clubs - Nottingham Forest - this weekend.

Postecoglou, who guided Tottenham to the Europa League title last season, endured an ill-fated 39 day spell at Forest before being replaced by Sean Dyche at the end of October.

Having quickly returned to management after being sacked by the north Londoners in June, Postecoglou has yet to take on another managerial role since his departure from Forest.

Frank said he hoped to see the 60-year-old back in the dugout soon, but was glad he would not be at the helm for Spurs’ trip to the City Ground.

“Probably yes [it will be easier without Ange in charge]. The only thing I can say is that Ange is a legend and always will be,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.

“He won a massive trophy, he was a big part of that and I stand on the shoulders of Ange, trying to build on that.”

Postecoglou wrote his name into the club’s folklore by securing their first major trophy in 17 years, but was sacked just 16 days after the Europa League final following a dismal league campaign.

Asked whether Postecoglou’s uncompromising attacking style still had a place in the modern game, Frank said one only had to look at his success at Tottenham and Celtic to understand his methods.

“Ange has been - in many ways - a very successful Spurs manager. They had a very good first season here in the Premier League, and they won their first trophy. That’s definitely part of success.

“Also he had that in the past at Celtic and so on. There are a lot of circumstances about why things are good and why things are bad.”

For all the talk about Postecoglou, Frank enjoys a strong relationship with his successor - Sean Dyche - and said despite an upturn in results, three points was by no means a guarantee at Forest.

“I expect a very, very difficult game against a team who's managed by a good colleague, a friend of me in the game,” the Dane continued.

“Every single time I see his team, they're extremely competitive. That's a difficult place to go.

“I expect a tough, tough game. I think we are in a fine place, not an exceptional place.

“I think we've been good away from home. I think we've been very competitive.

“I expect us to go there with confidence and belief. I expect us to go there with a good chance of getting three points. But I also expect it to be unbelievably difficult.”

Arne Slot has been left sweating over the fitness of Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai after the Liverpool pair both came off injured during Saturday’s defeat of Brighton.

Gomez started at right-back but lasted just 26 minutes of the match before going down off the ball. He received treatment on the pitch, but was promptly replaced by the recently reinstated Mohamed Salah.

Szoboszlai produced another impressive performance, but his match ended on a sour note as he landed awkwardly after jumping to dodge a collision. He appeared upset as he received treatment on the pitch and was forced off.

With a crunch meeting with Tottenham on the cards next weekend, Slot will hope to have as many first-team players available as possible.

Of Gomez, Slot explained: "If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that's normally not a positive thing.

"I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.

"People now maybe understand a bit better why I was always so cautious not to play him so many games. I assume many people thought, 'If you have a defender, if you have a right full-back, why don't you play him?'”

He continued, adding of Szoboszlai: “Dom, it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality, so let's hope for the best.”

While the injuries to Szoboszlai and Gomez are certainly blows, it was not all bad news for Liverpool on Saturday.

Resurgent Spurs aiming to build on back-to-back wins as they head to City Ground in the Premier League

City Ground clash: Nottingham Forest host Tottenham in the Premier League this weekend

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Tottenham will hope to make it three wins in the space of eight days when they travel to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Spurs have enjoyed a resurgent week to ease the pressure on head coach Thomas Frank, who delivered a badly-needed first home top-flight triumph since the opening day of the season as former club Brentford fell 2-0.

That was quickly followed up by a 3-0 brushing aside of Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday, with previously disgruntled Tottenham fans finally given some cause for optimism in north London on a night when beloved former captain Heung-min Son returned to say a proper goodbye.

Now it’s back on the road for Spurs, who face a Nottingham Forest side who beat FC Utrecht 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday evening thanks to a late effort from Igor Jesus.

Forest have generally been much improved under their third manager of the season in Sean Dyche, though a 3-0 loss at the hands of former club Everton that left them heading into the weekend sitting 17th and only two points above the relegation zone will certainly have stung.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham is scheduled for a 2pm GMT kick-off on Sunday December 14, 2025.

The match will take place at the City Ground in Nottingham.

Where to watch Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports+. Coverage begins at 12:30pm GMT.

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Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Matt Verri at the ground.

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham team news

Ola Aina, Chris Wood, Angus Gunn and Ryan Yates are all sidelined for Forest, who were also without first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels in the Netherlands due to a groin issue.

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi is approaching his comeback having recently returned to training.

Injury doubt: Brennan Johnson may not play for Spurs against his former club

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Spurs remain without Destiny Udogie due to a hamstring injury, though Brennan Johnson is available to face his former club following a knock that ruled him out in midweek.

Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma and James Maddison are all still out, though Radu Dragusin and summer signing Kota Takai are both back fit and will be pushing for their first involvement of the season in the matchday squad.

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham prediction

It has been an enjoyable few days for Spurs, who were desperate for some home wins to ease the pressure on Frank and defuse simmering tensions that had been arising between frustrated fans and players in recent weeks.

Their away form has generally been strong, with four wins and only one defeat on the road so far this term, while only fellow strugglers West Ham and Wolves have earned fewer points at home in 2025/26 to date than Forest.

Dyche has been going very well with six wins from his first 11 games across all competitions since replacing ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, denied a swift reunion with his Europa League winners after being sacked after only 39 days in charge in October, though Forest’s ongoing frailties were ruthlessly exposed by Everton last time out.

We’re backing Spurs to shade an entertaining game that won’t be short on goalmouth action to continue their recent resurgence under Frank.

Tottenham to win, 2-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Forest did the double over a Spurs team that finished 17th in the Premier League last season under Postecoglou, winning 1-0 at home on Boxing Day before a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.

Nottingham Forest wins: 39

Tottenham wins: 59

Draws: 29

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham match odds

Nottingham Forest to win: 31/20

Tottenham to win: 15/8

Draw: 23/10

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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Thomas Frank has said Tottenham will definitely be in the market for players during the January transfer window.

The north Londoners missed out on moves for Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White over the summer and were left to complete the bulk of their business towards the end of the window.

However, a hamstring injury to Destiny Udogie has also left the club’s decision not to pursue a left-back in the summer looking increasingly misguided.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest, Frank said he was already in discussions with co-sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici about the club’s plans for January.

“After the window shut in September, we had the first formal meeting and it is an ongoing process that I, of course, also get to know more and more [about] the squad and players,” Frank said.

“One thing is the daily interaction and I have also seen a lot of games live, watched them back and you see all the small good habits and bad habits from the players. What can you affect? Or [what] will be tricky? Or how the relationship is?

Tottenham brought in Mohammed Kudus before the start of pre-season, but after failed moves for Eze and Gibbs-White, they were made to wait until the end of the window to tie up deals for Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.

Simons and Kolo Muani have taken time to adapt, owing to the fact they did not have the benefit of a full pre-season at Tottenham, and Frank said the club hoped to conduct their January business quickly.

“Of course. We will definitely be in the market. No doubt about that,” Frank continued.

“We want them as early as possible, like every other time and let’s see if we can have them before the 31st of January.

On Spurs’ failed pursuits of Eze and Gibbs-White, Frank refused to comment on players who were not at the club, but the Dane remained adamant that it did not impact their plans over the summer.

“If I ever speak about other players, it needs to be [Lionel] Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [who] are retiring soon.

“I think not about that specific situation or other players, just every position we have, we have more players on the list for right-back, centre-back, number six, goalkeeper, right winger, whatever... and it is never straight forward in terms of signing players, that’s for sure.”