London Evening Standard

For now, though, Frank remains at the helm, with the club’s injury crisis very much still his concern.

Spurs have just 11 senior outfield players to pick from on Tuesday according to Frank, with Ben Davies set to undergo an operation on the broken ankle he suffered against West Ham. He joins long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Richarlison on the sidelines.

Xavi Simons is fit and will play through pain against Dortmund after taking a heavy tackle on his ankle from Jarrod Bowen at the weekend.

Archie Gray was another doubt, but unlike Simons took part in training, and will also be available.

Fellow midfielder Joao Palhinha is, however, out injured after missing the defeat to West Ham with a knock sustained in training.

Frank has plenty of decisions to make ahead of Tuesday night, but he has already made perhaps his hardest choice by choosing to omit Mathys Tel from Spurs’ Champions League squad in place of Dominic Solanke.

Tel originally replaced Solanke, with the England striker struggling to work his way back from a recurring ankle injury.

Back to fitness now, though, Frank has made a "tough decision" to bring Solanke back into the squad in place of Tel, who has been linked with a move away from the club this month.

To add to Frank’s woes, Micky van de Ven is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards in six Champions League games. New signing Conor Gallagher is ineligible, as are Radu Dragusin and Yves Bissouma.

Pape Matar Sarr is also unavailable having been taken ill after helping Senegal lift the Africa Cup of Nations. Sarr was an unused substitute against Morocco in Sunday’s final, but was rushed to hospital alongside team-mates Krepin Diatta and Ousseynou Niang.

Spurs in turmoil as German giants target valuable win

Under pressure: Thomas Frank

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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

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Thomas Frank will be prepared for a toxic atmosphere tonight as he takes charge of Tottenham’s Champions League fixture against Borussia Dortmund.

Frank’s position as Spurs head coach looks terminal, following Saturday’s home defeat to West Ham, which means it’s now five games without a win across all competitions for Spurs.

Despite speculation surrounding his future, Frank is expected to be in the Spurs dugout for the visit of Dortmund and will be tasked with ensuring the side take a big step toward qualification for the knockout phase.

The north London outfit go into the penultimate set of league phase fixtures four points clear of the elimination zone and one point off the top eight.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are a place above Spurs in the 36-team table by virtue of scoring six more goals and are also out to boost their qualification hopes.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund is scheduled for an 8pm GMT kick-off today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

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The match will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT on TNT Sports 1 ahead of kick-off at 8pm.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

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

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund team news

Spurs have a host of concerns heading into the game against Dortmund, with as many as 15 first-team players unavailable.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison all remain long-term absentees, while Joao Palhinha missed out against West Ham with a knock and missed training on Monday.

Ben Davies can be added to the list of absentees as he will undergo surgery after fracturing his left ankle against West Ham. Micky van de Ven is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards in six games during the league phase and Pape Matar Sarr is unlikely to be available for selection.

Furthermore, new signing Conor Gallagher is ineligible along with Yves Bissouma and Radu Dragusin after they were not named in Spurs’ initial Champions League squad.

Dominic Solanke is set to feature, despite only recently returning from injury, as he regains his place in the Champions League squad from Mathys Tel following an emergency change last month.

As for Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham is expected to start in midfield but on-loan Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino is a doubt having not played since the 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt in December.

Ineligible: Conor Gallagher

John Walton/PA Wire

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund prediction

Spurs have struggled at home this season and defeat to West Ham was a new low. However, there is cause for optimism given they’ve won all three home games in the Champions League so far, without conceding.

Of course, Dortmund are a considerable step up in opposition compared to Slavia Prague and Copenhagen.

The Germans are in much better form than Spurs and will surely be relishing the chance to increase the pressure on Frank.

Borussia Dortmund to win, 2-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Tottenham have won their last four matches in a row against Dortmund. The most recent meeting was in the round of 16 during the 2018-19 season when Spurs reached the final.

Tottenham wins: 4

Borussia Dortmund wins: 2

Draws: 0

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund match odds

Tottenham to win: 15/8

Borussia Dortmund to win: 7/5

Draw: 13/5

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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Spurs aiming to avoid a third straight home defeat across all competitions

Under pressure: Thomas Frank

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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

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Thomas Frank will take charge of Tottenham’s Champions League fixture against Borussia Dortmund.

Frank’s position as Spurs head coach has been called into question once again as Saturday’s home defeat to West Ham means it’s now five games without a win across all competitions.

Despite speculation surrounding his future, Frank is expected to be in the Spurs dugout for the visit of Dortmund and will be tasked with ensuring the side take a big step toward qualification for the knockout phase.

The north London outfit go into the penultimate set of league phase fixtures four points clear of the elimination zone and one point off the top-eight.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are a place above Spurs in the 36-team table by virtue of scoring six more goals and are also out to boost their qualification hopes.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund is scheduled for a 8pm GMT kick-off on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The match will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT on TNT Sports 1 ahead of kick-off at 8pm.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

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

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund team news

Spurs have a host of concerns heading into the game against Dortmund.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison all remain long-term absentees, while Joao Palhinha missed out against West Ham with a knock and missed training on Monday.

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Ben Davies can be added to the list of absentees as he will undergo surgery after fracturing his left ankle against West Ham. Micky van de Ven is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards in six games during the league phase and Pape Matar Sarr is unlikely to be available for selection.

Furthermore, new signing Conor Gallagher is ineligible along with Yves Bissouma and Radu Dragusin after they were not named in Spurs’ initial Champions League squad.

There is a decision to make regarding Dominic Solanke as he could regain his place in the Champions League squad from Mathys Tel following an emergency change last month.

As for Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham is expected to start in midfield but on-loan Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino is a doubt having not played since the 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt in December.

Ineligible: Conor Gallagher

John Walton/PA Wire

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund prediction

Spurs have struggled at home this season and defeat to West Ham was a new low. However, there is cause for optimism given they’ve won all three home games in the Champions League so far, without conceding.

Of course, Dortmund are a considerable step up in opposition compared to Slavia Prague and Copenhagen.

The Germans are in much better form than Spurs and will surely be relishing the chance to increase the pressure on Frank.

Borussia Dortmund to win, 2-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Tottenham have won their last four matches in a row against Dortmund. The most recent meeting was in the round of 16 during the 2018-19 season when Spurs reached the final.

Tottenham wins: 4

Borussia Dortmund wins: 2

Draws: 0

Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund match odds

Tottenham to win: 9/5

Draw: 21/10

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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There is surely no way back for Thomas Frank after another home loss

Doomed: Thomas Frank

John Walton/PA Wire

Sam Tabuteau

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West Ham’s dramatic stoppage-time victory over Tottenham has left Thomas Frank on the brink of the sack.

On an afternoon where Spurs supporters were hoping their side would turn a corner, there was the familiar chorus of boos at full-time after Callum Wilson struck in the 93rd minute to seal a first away win since August for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Cristian Romero looked to have rescued a point after Crysencio Summerville’s 15th-minute opener. However, Wilson hooked home from a stoppage-time corner to seal all three points for the Hammers.

Here are three things Standard Sport learned from Spurs’ late defeat...

Thomas Frank cannot survive more defeats

Action Images via Reuters

Frank on the brink after latest loss

Thomas Frank was already under pressure coming into this afternoon’s game, but after Wilson’s stoppage-time goal sealed a first win in 11 league games for West Ham, calls for him to be sacked have reached nearly intolerable levels.

Boos have become commonplace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, but with Spurs supporters crying ‘you are going to be sacked in the morning’, Frank’s position feels untenable.

Spurs want to look towards the long-term, but it is becoming increasingly hard to see a way back for the former Brentford man.

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Supporter discontent had reached boiling point long before Wilson hooked home the winning goal for West Ham, but a stoppage-time defeat to Spurs’ fiercest rivals is by far the nadir of a harrowing seven months at the helm for Frank.

Games against West Ham and Burnley next weekend were seen as the final two chances for Frank to save his job and give fans evidence of what he is building towards.

Now, though, serious conversations will surely be had behind the scenes to decide on the Dane’s future. Frank looks like a beaten man.

Conor Gallagher huffed and puffed on his debut

John Walton/PA Wire

Gallagher struggles on debut

Conor Gallagher was thrown headfirst into the maelstrom that is Tottenham under Thomas Frank.

Thrust straight into the starting line-up in place of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur, Gallagher was deployed alongside Archie Gray in Frank’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation and found himself receiving treatment inside 15 seconds after throwing himself full-blooded into successive challenges.

The former Chelsea man wasted no time in getting after the ball, leading Spurs’ press while providing an outlet in possession. However, as West Ham grew into the game, the extent of Spurs’ problems became abundantly clear to Gallagher. He alone was never going to be the solution.

Spurs became increasingly stretched as the first half wore on, with Gallagher and Gray unable to keep West Ham at bay.

The visitors could have added to their 15th-minute lead in the first half, and while Gallagher was full of running, he could not get hold of the game.

Alongside the returning Yves Bissouma, Gallagher helped Spurs rally in the second half, but ultimately, a scrappy encounter was as much down to his inability to influence the game with the ball as it was his efforts out of possession.

Ben Davies is stretchered off

Action Images via Reuters

Injuries continue to pile up

Thomas Frank has enough on his plate without the constant headache of Spurs’ increasingly long injury list.

Spurs have been rocked by the news that Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, and Richarlison are all set for extended periods on the sidelines, and the club moved quickly to bring in Conor Gallagher this week to reinforce Frank’s options in midfield.

Gallagher came straight into the starting line-up against West Ham, such is the extent of Spurs’ injury problems, and the England midfielder will be relied on a while longer after Archie Gray failed to appear for the second half.

Gray was on the end of a number of robust challenges and could be seen holding his knee as he moved gingerly towards the end of the first half.

It is unclear how serious Gray’s injury is, but Ben Davies, on the other hand, looks set to become the latest long-term absentee for Spurs after he was stretchered off midway through the first half with a knee injury.

There were concerned groans when Xavi Simons went down in the second half, a reflection of Spurs’ injury crisis, and he was seen limping in the mixed zone after the game. They can’t afford to lose any more players.

One of the concerns addressed by Vinai Venkatesham in his open letter to supporters was around the club’s approach to injuries.

This issue is not unique to Frank, and while there are plenty of things in his control that he can change, the problem of keeping players fit is a club-wide problem and one that continues to hold them back season after season.

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Sport | Football

Transfer news LIVE! Arsenal want new Pedri; Chelsea in Jacquet talks, Fernandez; Man Utd, Liverpool latest

January window has suddenly burst into life after slow start

Transfer rumours: Dro Fernandez, Vasilije Kostov and Jeremy Jacquet

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George Flood

Transfer news LIVE!

The January window has finally kicked into gear with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all on the lookout for impactful new signings. Arsenal are believed to be keen on Serbian wonderkid Vasilije Kostov, who is being compared to Barcelona star Pedri, while they continue to be linked with the likes of Arda Guler, Anthony Gordon, Kenan Yildiz, Breno Bidon, Igor Tyjon and Tino Livramento, among others.

Chelsea could now beat Arsenal to a deal for Jeremy Jacquet after holding talks as they accelerate plans to sign a new defender for Liam Rosenior, with Jacobo Ramon also in their sights along with Barca starlet Dro Fernandez - AKA the ‘next Lamine Yamal’. Manchester United have reportedly been offered Ruben Loftus-Cheek amid "secret” discussions with a mystery midfield target, while they also want Carlos Baleba and Murillo having rejected approaches for Harry Maguire.

Tottenham are said to have shock interest in Omar Marmoush as Manchester City aim to complete their move for Marc Guehi, with Crystal Palace battling to stop Jean-Philippe Mateta's exit as they bid for Sidiki Cherif. Liverpool are still eyeing Yan Diomande as West Ham try to keep hold of Lucas Paqueta. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!

Latest transfer news headlines

Glasner hints at early Crystal Palace exit

Oliver Glasner has launched a remarkable attack on Crystal Palace's board, revealing that he feels "abandoned" in light of captain Marc Guehi's sudden exit.

Glasner confirmed on Friday that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season and that Guehi is close to joining Manchester City.

And has now suggested he could leave earlier.

"I feel we are being abandoned completely," he told BBC Match of the Day.

"I can't blame any player. They did everything they could and this has been going on for weeks and months now.

"We have 12, 13 players from the squad available and we feel no support.

"The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game.”

Read more here!

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Tottenham chief makes transfer promise in open letter to fans

Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has penned an open letter to supporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League derby against West Ham.

Spurs have endured a difficult start to life under manager Thomas Frank and sit 14th in the Premier League table heading into this afternoon’s London derby.

Supporters’ frustrations have reached boiling point, with a protest against the club’s board set to take place before kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Conscious of rising discontent among supporters, Venkatesham has written a lengthy and detailed response to their concerns in the club’s matchday programme, in which he addressed, among other things, the relationship between the club and the fans, wage structure and transfers.

Venkatesham joined Spurs in April 2025, but did not officially take up his role until this summer.

A highly regarded operator after a 14 year spell at Arsenal, Venkatesham has overseen wholesale changes behind the scenes during the first few months of his tenure at Spurs.

“Dear supporters, as we reach the halfway point of our season, I wanted to share an update on our plans for the future,” the letter read.

Read the letter in full here!

Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

PSG beating Chelsea in Dro Fernandez race

It looks like Chelsea might not be welcoming the ‘next Lamine Yamal’ after all.

It seems as though PSG are now firmly in front in the race for Barcelona starlet Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez.

Fabrizio Romano says that the French giants are already close to a verbal agreement with the teenager and will trigger his £5.1m release clause soon.

He claims that ex-Barca boss Luis Enrique is directly involved in talks as PSG look to beat Chelsea, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund to a top talent.

AFP via Getty Images

Chelsea hold talks over Jeremy Jacquet deal

Chelsea have now held talks over a move for Jeremy Jacquet, according to new reports.

It has emerged in recent days that the Blues are accelerating plans to sign a new centre-back, with Jacquet emerging as a potential option alongside the likes of Jacobo Ramon, Marcos Senesi and Charlie Cresswell.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea - said to have a three-man defensive shortlist - have held direct talks with Rennes over a deal for rumoured Arsenal target Jacquet in the last 24 hours.

He also says that academy graduate defender Olutayo Subuloye has signed a new four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

AFP via Getty Images

Tottenham have shock interest in Omar Marmoush

Could Tottenham make a surprise move for Omar Marmoush in January?

Spurs are known to be targeting attacking reinforcements next having already signed Conor Gallagher and being still on the verge of confirming the arrival of teenage Brazilian left-back Souza from Santos.

Haber Sarikirmizi in Turkey claim that Tottenham have interest in Marmoush, who could be open to leaving Manchester City this month - likely on loan - after the signing of Antoine Semenyo.

Aston Villa are also rumoured to be keen on the Egyptian forward, who it is claimed has already been offered to Galatasaray.

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Man Utd offered Ruben Loftus-Cheek amid 'secret talks'

Manchester United are believed to have been offered the chance to sign Ruben Loftus-Cheek this month.

The former Chelsea and England midfielder is a regular in Serie A with AC Milan, but it's been said that they could be willing to let him leave on loan in January.

TEAMtalk claim that United are one of seven Premier League clubs to be alerted to Loftus-Cheek's potential availability, along with Aston Villa, Newcastle, Brentford, Everton, Sunderland and Fulham, plus other teams in Italy and Spain.

Many United fans believe that Loftus-Cheek could well be the unnamed mystery midfield target that GiveMeSport's Ben Jacobs recently said had been subject to "secret" talks over a possible loan switch to Old Trafford until the end of the season.

Jacobs said the player in question had Premier League experience but was currently playing outside of England.

Getty Images

Chelsea could beat Arsenal to Jeremy Jacquet

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing Jeremy Jacquet as they look to make the first signing of the Liam Rosenior era at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are believed to have brought forward initial summer plans to find a new centre-back and have a shortlist of potential options for January.

One contender now being widely mooted, included by Sky Sports, is Jeremy Jacquet, the highly-rated Rennes defender who has also been heavily linked with Arsenal in recent weeks.

It seems that the French Under-21 international could yet become their top target as the window progresses.

AFP via Getty Images

Chelsea leading race for 'next Yamal' Dro Fernandez

We've already heard that the new Pedri could be heading to Arsenal - how about a player tipped as the ‘next Lamine Yamal’ ending up at Chelsea?

It seems that highly-rated teenage Barcelona winger Dro Fernandez will be leaving the Camp Nou soon in a transfer twist that is said to have shocked the LaLiga giants and head coach Hansi Flick.

talkSPORT claim that Chelsea and Manchester City are leading the way in the race for his signature, with Borussia Dortmund mentioned as another potential suitor alongside clubs in France.

Other reports suggest that Barcelona's players expect Fernandez - who has a release clause valued at just £5.1m - to end up at Paris Saint-Germain, whom Fabrizio Romano says have already made their move.

Getty Images

Arsenal want 'new Pedri' Vasilije Kostov

Arsenal are among the clubs watching Red Star Belgrade starlet Vasilije Kostov, according to reports.

Despite being just 17, the attacking midfielder has made a significant impression with his club and has already represented Serbia at senior international level.

The Sun claims that Arsenal are now keeping tabs on a player apparently nicknamed the 'Serbian Pedri', in a nod to the similarities to a certain Barcelona and Spain star.

However, Barca and Bayern Munich are also both said to be interested in Kostov, who could be available for close to the £17m mark.

Sounds like a bargain...

AFP via Getty Images

Bayern to battle Chelsea for Jacquet

Bayern Munich will go toe-to-toe with Chelsea for Jeremy Jacquet’s signature.

Max Eberl is known to be keen on the 20-year-old, but is less impressed by his price tag.

Sky Germany report it could take at least £43.3m to pry him away from Rennes.

AFP via Getty Images

Latest updatesOlder updates

Spurs boss looks on the brink after another woeful home defeat

Winner: Callum Wilson

AFP via Getty Images

George Sessions

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Tottenham fans turned on Thomas Frank and chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" after Callum Wilson struck a stoppage-time winner for relegation-threatened West Ham in a 2-1 victory.

The pressure on Frank had cranked up after an FA Cup exit to Aston Villa extended their terrible run of form, but the midweek arrival of Conor Gallagher offered a much-needed lift for the under-fire Danish coach.

West Ham arrived in north London without a Premier League win in 10 matches, but held a deserved half-time lead thanks to Crysencio Summerville's 15th-minute opener.

Spurs looked short of ideas but after being booed off at half-time, Cristian Romero's bullet header offered hope.

Both teams pushed for a winner and it went the way of West Ham after Wilson bundled home from a corner in the third minute of stoppage-time to spark Tottenham's South Stand to call for Frank's dismissal after an eighth defeat in 14 matches.

Thomas Frank reacts to Callum Wilson winner

John Walton/PA Wire

Gallagher was handed a debut and Mathys Tel fired wide moments later.

It had been a largely bright start by Spurs and yet Nuno Espirito Santo's own big addition Taty Castellanos hooked over before a foul by the Argentine forward on Micky van de Ven meant an effort by Pablo was ruled out.

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Suddenly nervous energy was everywhere inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and West Ham took advantage to take the lead in the 15th minute.

Mateus Fernandes passed out wide to Summerville, who burst past Pedro Porro and Gallagher before his low effort deflected off Micky van de Ven to make it 1-0.

Summerville hugged his under-fire manager Nuno in celebration and Frank's misery was compounded by a serious injury to Ben Davies, but Spurs responded and Alphonse Areola made a crucial double save.

Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring

Action Images via Reuters

The bright Tel produced a wonderful outside of the boot cross, but Wilson Odobert's header was saved and the follow-up by Djed Spence was blocked by Areola.

Castellanos squandered an excellent chance for West Ham from a corner soon after before the Tottenham fans started to turn.

After Tel whizzed an effort past the post, groans echoed as Vicario took too long before Van de Ven blocked Jarrod Bowen's shot.

Bowen had the ball in the net, but he was offside after Vicario brilliantly thwarted Tomas Soucek.

Vicario made an even better full-stretch stop in the 41st minute to save Kostantinos Mavropanos's header to ensure it remained 1-0 at half-time.

Spurs' forgotten man Yves Bissouma was handed a first appearance of the season for the injured Archie Gray and immediately tested Areola from range.

Cristian Romero offered Spurs hope

Action Images via Reuters

West Ham remained dangerous on the break and only a last-ditch challenge by Van de Ven denied Summerville before Bissouma forced a flying save from Areola.

Boos greeted Frank's decision to withdraw the bright Tel before they turned to celebrations when Romero levelled in the 64th-minute.

Porro was the architect with a wonderful cross to the back post where Romero powered home a header.

Spurs were now in a 4-4-2 formation with Dominic Solanke down the middle and after West Ham full-back Oliver Scarles survived a VAR review for handball inside the penalty area, Xavi went close.

Nuno turned to Wilson at this point and after the forward was denied by Porro, he scored from the resulting corner to tip Frank closer towards the exit door.

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‘Change for Tottenham’ say at least 300 fans marched on the ground in protest against the running of the club

Protest: Change for Tottenham

Action Images via Reuters

Sam Tabuteau

COMMENTS

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

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Tottenham supporters have staged a protest against the club’s board ahead of their Premier League game against West Ham.

Supporters gathered at the corner of Park Lane an hour ahead of kick-off before marching on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

‘Change For Tottenham’ say at least 300 descended on the ground, though onlookers suggested that figure is likely closer to 100.

Protests continued inside the stadium, with supporters seen waving yellow banners, flags and scarves in support.

West Ham fans, who have held a sustained series of protests against their board, also offered their support for the protest.

On the protest, a Change for Tottenham spokesperson, told Standard Sport that the club could not afford to fall short of expectations in the January transfer window.

“This is a defining window for the club and our owners are failing to rise to the challenge.

“We can’t afford another failure of a window which is why we are putting pressure on the board to be bolder.”

Change for Tottenham

Change for Tottenham

The protest comes after organisers Change For Tottenham released a statement on Monday, in which they raised supporters’ concerns over transfer strategy, injury problems, recent results and high ticket prices.

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“With the transfer window open we have to force the board to be bold. Far too many windows we leave it too late to get the right signings and that can’t happen again,” a spokesperson added.

“We have been demonstrating and putting pressure on the board for some time. Regardless of our league position we needed a huge window in January and which is why we felt we had to act.

“We’ll continue to put pressure on the owners until they show the right ambition we need to ‘compete on four fronts’. Today they must see we are organised and will continue to raise our voice. “

Hundreds marched on the Spurs stadium ahead of kick-off

Action Images via Reuters

Last week Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) cited a ‘dramatic fall in ambition’ as part of a statement on the club’s direction.

THST have since set out five principles that they believe all owners of Tottenham Hotspur — current and future — should be held to ahead of further talks with directors at the club.

The principles, which were announced on Thursday, include a commitment to winning, attracting and retaining talent, future proofing success, leading with integrity and putting fans first.

While Spurs have not directly commented on the protest, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham penned an open letter addressing supporters’ concerns in the club’s matchday programme on Saturday.

“We know there is a distance between the Club and our supporters and we are committed to rebuilding that connection,” Venkatesham said in a lengthy address to supporters.

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A huge London derby dubbed ‘El Sackio’

Tottenham vs West Ham LIVE

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Tottenham vs West Ham LIVE

It’s another huge home game for Spurs this afternoon, and few are bigger in this half of north London than the visit of the Hammers in the Premier League. Two teams in dire straits and desperate for points, this is a London derby which could have a significant impact on the futures of manager Thomas Frank and Nuno Espirito Santo.

Frank has enjoyed a big week behind the scenes at Spurs, with the signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £35million, and then the appointment of John Heitinga to his backroom staff, two new arrivals which suggest he is backing backed by the club hierarchy. But Spurs head into the game with just two wins from 12 games - and anything less than victory today could prove costly.

The writing appears to be on the wall for Nuno in east London, though. Cut seven points adrift from safety and without a win in 10, relegation appears almost certain, but a win today will give the fans a rare treat in an otherwise miserable season. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Sam Tabuteau at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham vs West Ham latest news

We are expecting a full debut for Conor Gallagher today.

There have been some suggestions ahead of the game that Palhinha may miss out through injury.

Nothing confirmed yet. Teams to be announced in just over 15 minutes.

Fan view

Can Vinai fix toxic Tottenham?

The big read in this week’s paper focused on the situation at Tottenham.

When all around you appears to be crumbling and signs of improvement are in short supply, what do you cling to? Vinai Venkatesham, if you are Thomas Frank.

The Tottenham boss is putting his faith in the chief executive’s experiences at Arsenal in the early days of Mikel Arteta’s reign.

“He knows how unfortunately it can take time to get up to where good should look like,” Frank said. “That’s definitely beneficial because also he understands the journey we’re on.”

However, Arteta won the FA Cup in his first season and Arsenal at their very lowest ebb finished eighth.

The club captain was not taking potshots at the hierarchy on Instagram, nor were the players clashing with — or in Micky van de Ven’s case seemingly offering out — the fans so publicly.

Nor, from memory, did Venkatesham, below, have to ponder why exactly Arteta strolled onto the pitch before a match drinking an espresso from a cup emblazoned with Tottenham branding.

Barely six months on from the euphoria of the Europa League success, Tottenham have descended into toxic turmoil. Supporters will protest against the board on Saturday, the first such action taken since Daniel Levy’s exit.

Frank’s position has naturally been questioned but Venkatesham is faced with problems that a managerial change alone will not solve.

Venkatesham’s boardroom role in helping transform the culture at Arsenal on and off the pitch was incredibly impressive. Doing something similar on the other side of north London would undoubtedly be his greatest achievement yet.

Read our Big Read here!

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Change for Tottenham protest ahead of kick-off

Tottenham fans are planning another protest ahead of today’s game, starting at 2pm.

Supporters’ group Change For Tottenham are taking action amid frustrations over the way the club is being run, including transfer strategy, injury problems, recent results and high ticket prices.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League, were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa last week despite the Lewis family launching a new era seeking “more wins, more often”.

The protest comes after the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) released a statement to hit out at the direction of the club and a “dramatic fall in ambition”.

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Score prediction

These being two teams with just a win apiece from their last five outings in all competitions indicates how much could rest on the result here for both Frank and Nuno.

Spurs at least won in the Premier League just shortly after Christmas, whereas West Ham are winless in 10 league games. The Hammers have also won just one of their last eight league meetings against Spurs (D3 L4), a 2-1 victory on enemy soil in December 2023, and have been defeated in all six of their Premier League London derbies this season.

Despite winning only four of their most recent 24 Premier League home games (D6 L14), Spurs should have enough quality in their squad - particularly with the arrival of Gallagher helping boost Frank’s injury-hit midfield, and the return of skipper Romero to the backline - to ensure a third home victory of the campaign happens here.

It may not be by quite the same margin as September’s 3-0 rout at the London Stadium, though, given their opponents’ recent attacking reinforcements and the fact that West Ham played most of the second half of that game with 10 men.

Tottenham to win, 2-1.

Early West Ham team news

As for West Ham, there is an expectation that midfielder Mateus Fernandes should recover in time to feature against Spurs after missing the FA Cup victory over Queens Park Rangers at the weekend. If he does so, he could partner Tomas Soucek and/or Soungoutou Magassa in the middle of the park.

Argentine striker Taty Castellanos, a new £26million signing from Lazio, netted the extra-time winner in that game, during which Crysencio Summerville scored and was a bright spark, suggesting the Dutch winger should start once more as he hunts for a first league goal of the campaign.

Castellanos will expect to retain his spot too, having led the line in successive matches since his arrival, though Pablo Felipe - recently brought in from Gil Vicente - is another option.

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Early Tottenham team news

Conor Gallagher could make a quick Tottenham debut against West Ham today, though Spurs have been hit by another key injury blow.

Richarlison has been sidelined for the next seven weeks due to a hamstring injury, and joins Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison on the sidelines.

Gallagher could come straight in for Bentancur at the heart of midfield, and Frank has also been boosted by the returns of Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie.

Solanke, who has been out since August with a recurring ankle injury, came off the bench as Spurs crashed out of the FA Cup.

Udogie was also named on the bench for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury at the start of December. Cristian Romero returns from suspension.

Yves Bissouma has returned to the club and is available for selection after Mali’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 29-year-old has, however, yet to play a competitive game under Frank, owing to injury and disciplinary issues. Pape Matar Sarr is still at AFCON with Senegal.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham chief makes transfer promise in open letter to fans

Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has penned an open letter to supporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League derby against West Ham.

Fans’ frustrations have reached boiling point, with a protest against the club’s board set to take place before kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Conscious of rising discontent among supporters, Venkatesham has written a lengthy and detailed response to their concerns in the club’s matchday programme, in which he addressed, among other things, the relationship between the club and the fans, wage structure and transfers.

“Dear supporters, as we reach the halfway point of our season, I wanted to share an update on our plans for the future,” the letter read.

Read the letter in full here!

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Tottenham vs West Ham LIVE

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

It’s a London derby which has been dubbed ‘El Sackio’, though there is little suggestion that Thomas Frank will be given his marching order after another home defeat. The same cannot be said for Nuno Espirito Santo.

What is for sure is that these two teams desperately need a win, and anything but will cause yet more anger in the fanbase. Protests from Spurs supporters are planned ahead of kick-off.

We have Sam Tabuteau there for us. Kick-off is at 3pm.

Conscious of rising discontent among supporters, Venkatesham has written a lengthy and detailed response to their concerns in the club’s matchday programme, in which he addressed, among other things, the relationship between the club and the fans, wage structure and transfers.

A highly regarded operator after a 14 year spell at Arsenal, Venkatesham has overseen wholesale changes behind the scenes during the first few months of his tenure at Spurs.

“Dear supporters, as we reach the halfway point of our season, I wanted to share an update on our plans for the future,” the letter read.

“The joint ambition of our executive team, board and the Lewis Family is clear: to see our men's team competing regularly in the Champions League and for major trophies, while significantly raising the competitive level of our women's team. Our focus is sporting success, and in that we share the same ambition as our supporters.

“We know that words carry little weight without action, which is why recent months have been spent undertaking a thorough review of our operations. Opportunities for a genuine reset are rare in clubs of our size and we have been determined not to waste this moment as we make the changes needed behind the scenes to compete consistently at the highest level.

“Football has changed significantly in recent years and, while the club has evolved and achieved incredible things, we recognise that in some key areas we have not always kept pace. We all feel the gap between where we are and where we want to be and, while we know progress takes time, we share your impatience to close it.

“Our supporters want wins and performances to be proud of and we know the men’s first team has fallen short of where we want to be so far this season. Significant work is underway and I wanted to set out the key areas of focus.

“We believe in our current squad, but must add more quality, experience and leadership to compete consistently at the highest level. Doing so requires a more proactive approach to recruitment, alongside a wage structure that supports our ambition.

“We are fully focused on strengthening the squad in January where the right opportunities exist, while recognising that the most significant player trading activity typically comes in summer windows. Our priority is to make signings that genuinely move us forward and we will be disciplined against that aim.

“Player trading is also about knowing when to sell and being decisive about moving players on who are not part of our future. Doing so is essential to maximising value and managing our financial fair play obligations. Despite common belief, we are not immune to these rules and must carefully manage our squad development plans against them.

“This focus is reflected in the appointment of Rafi Moersen from City Football Group as Director of Football Operations. When he joins later this year, reporting into our Sporting Director, Johan Lange, he will play a central role in shaping and executing our player transactions and supporting the wider football operation.

“A productive academy is vital to our future. It provides first-team players without transfer fees and enables investment elsewhere in the squad. Crucially, it also develops players who grow up as supporters and truly understand what it means to pull on a Spurs shirt.

“While there has been good progress in recruitment and coaching in recent years, we must deliver greater first team minutes and transfer returns from our academy. We have therefore committed additional investment to strengthen the academy pipeline of players and to support the systems needed for it to flourish.

“Whilst coaching is of course critical. and we have strengthened Thomas Frank's coaching staff with the appointment of John Heitinga, maximising performance is about more than coaching alone.

“We must be world class in performance services, including medical care, sports science, nutrition and psychology, to ensure players are available and primed to compete at the highest level.

“We have made several changes in this area. most notably the appointment of Dan Lewindon as Performance Director, who joins us next month from City Football Group.

“Perhaps most importantly, we know there is distance between the club and our supporters and we are committed to rebuilding that connection.

“With your input, we have introduced initiatives such as the new Sonny mural, ticketing changes and a trial singing section and we will continue to work closely with the Fan Advisory Board.

“Making matches more accessible for younger fans is a priority and we will be reviewing concession policies for junior supporters and young adults ahead of next season.

“To strengthen engagement. we appointed Kate Miller as Chief Communications Officer in November and Adam Gardiner as Chief Marketing Officer this month. Along with Rafi, they form part of a newly-established Executive Team under my leadership, reflecting a more modern and collaborative structure.

“I want to be clear that our ambition extends beyond the men's team. We are committed to raising the competitive level of our women’s team and have invested significantly during the January transfer window, with early signs of progress already evident this season.

l appreciate this has been a lengthy update, but I wanted to be open about where we want to be and how we are working to get there.

“Tottenham Hotspur cannot exist without you, our supporters. We are built on the loyalty, passion and commitment of those who follow us, and we do not underestimate what supporting our club means.