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Tottenham Hotspur have received a boost regarding the fitness of one of their key creative sparks, Dejan Kulusevski.

Tottenham Hotspur fans remain largely in the dark regarding the potential return dates for several of their key first-team players currently sidelined through injury.

While James Maddison is unfortunately on course to miss the entirety of the current season, the specific timelines for the returns of both Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski have remained unknown to the public.

However, a journalist has now provided a more positive update on the situation surrounding Dejan Kulusevski as the Sweden international continues his rehabilitation.

The latest update comes from Tom Barclay, who observed Kulusevski in the mixed zone following the clash between Tottenham and Liverpool yesterday evening.

The Sweden international did not feature in the matchday squad for the encounter, but he was spotted by the journalist moving relatively freely, a sight that has been described as “encouraging” for the club.

Despite the positive visual signs, when the attacker was asked about a potential date for his return to competitive action, the playmaker declined to provide any specific comments.

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Relaying the encounter on social media, Barclay explained the situation regarding the Spurs man: “We saw Dejan Kulusevski in the mixed zone at Spurs this evening. Seemed to be moving pretty freely which is encouraging. Declined to tell us if he will be back soon.”

Why Dejan Kulusevski return is vital for Spurs

Spurs are in desperate need of their primary playmaker, particularly following the red card shown to Xavi Simons during the match against Liverpool.

Xavi Simons is now expected to miss three of the upcoming Premier League fixtures for Tottenham Hotspur, including matches away at Crystal Palace and Brentford, followed by a home game against Sunderland.

This suspension leaves a significant void in the midfield for a Spurs side that can often struggle for consistent creativity, and a return to action for Dejan Kulusevski will certainly help ease that burden for Thomas Frank.

Fabio Paratici’s time as Tottenham’s sporting director may be extremely short-lived as the Italian is being chased by a Serie A club.

Two and a half years after being forced to resign from his role as managing director of Tottenham, Paratici returned to Spurs as the club’s sporting director back in October.

The Italian will be working together with Johan Lange in that role, and according to reports, Paratici has already started working on January transfer targets for Tottenham.

However, a new update has suggested that the 53-year-old’s stay at the North London club be short-lived.

Fiorentina are trying to poach Fabio Paratici from Tottenham

It is now being reported by the likes of Fabrizio Romano that the Tottenham sporting director has been approached by Fiorentina.

La Viola want to appoint Paratici as their new Head of Football, and the negotiations between the Spurs director and the Serie A club are now underway.

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However, The Telegraph’s Matt Law has made it clear that Tottenham have not been approached yet by the Italian side regarding Paratici.

Is there trouble behind the scenes at Spurs?

If Paratici is indeed talking to Fiorentina, that suggests that he is interested in the role, which is surprising, given that he only returned to Spurs in an official capacity two months ago.

Vinai Venkatesham suggested that he foresees no problem in Paratici and Lange working together as sporting directors, but it seems there may be issues already.

While it is pure speculation at this point, perhaps the Italian disagrees with Lange and other members of the Spurs leadership on some big decisions and is keen to take up a more comprehensive role elsewhere.

Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons are both facing suspensions after being sent off in Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Liverpool.

Spurs slumped to yet another defeat at home in the Premier League on Saturday, with Reds becoming the latest side to take all three points from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, this time, Thomas Frank’s men have good reason to feel hard done by, as there was a lot of controversy surrounding the away side’s second goal.

To make matters worse for the Dane, two of his players were given their marching orders in either half.

Tottenham duo suspended after red cards against Liverpool

Simons was first shown a yellow for a dangerous challenge on Virgil van Dijk in the 33rd minute, and it was subsequently upgraded to a red card after VAR asked the referee to re-watch his horror challenge.

Xavi Simons’ straight red means that he will miss Tottenham’s next three Premier League games: away at Crystal Palace and Brentford, and at home to Sunderland.

Romero got his first yellow card for complaining to the referee about Liverpool’s second goal, and the Spurs captain subsequently received a second yellow card for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate on 66 minutes.

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Since it was not a straight red, the Argentine will be suspended for just one Premier League match.

Cristian Romero only has himself to blame

Romero’s first yellow card was understandable as his frustrations clearly boiled over after the referee did not spot the push in the back for Hugo Ekitike’s goal.

However, knowing that he was on a yellow, the Tottenham man should have known better than to kick out at Konate in stoppage time.

Frank will feel let down by his captain, who will now serve his second one-match suspension of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur might not have impressed on the pitch against Liverpool, but their fans have earned the plaudits of one of the visiting team.

Life is tough for Tottenham Hotspur fans as they continue to watch their team rack up defeats in the Premier League.

Most recently Spurs have tasted defeat at the hands of Liverpool, with goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike sealing the hosts’ fate.

Richarlison did give Tottenham a chance to draw level after scoring in the 83rd minute, but the match ended as many Spurs games have this season – in defeat.

Hugo Ekitike praises the Tottenham supporters

Ekitike will not be popular any time soon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after scoring the goal which ultimately sealed Liverpool’s victory. Worse still, the French striker appeared to push Cristian Romero in a move which has been criticised by Thomas Frank.

However, Spurs fans may enjoy Ekitike’s post match comments, as he took the time to comment on how well the home support had backed their team during the 2-1 defeat.

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He told Sky Sports: “The fans of Spurs have been unbelievable. They have pushed them and it was difficult for us. We have our fans also and they have been great today.

“When Tottenham scored, they were pushing and it was difficult. It was vey physical. It was a great war and we won.”

Spurs are improving at home in the Premier League

Tottenham have a poor record at home in the English top flight this season, but they did defeat Brentford in a 2-0 victory a couple of weeks ago.

Things might not have gone the way of Spurs on Saturday, but they were still close to getting a result against an in-form Liverpool team, despite being reduced to nine men.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has the potential to be a real fortress and Spurs must use it to their advantage. The fans certainly have a big part to play, as Thomas Frank and his team are left with a mountain to climb.

Thomas Frank has expressed his pride in Tottenham Hotspur after they fell short against Liverpool in the Premier League, but he is not nearly as happy with the officials.

Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to have a really disappointing Premier League campaign after a closely contested 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Spurs had moments of control throughout the game, but were let down by individual mistakes and a lack of imagination in attack.

During the match, a number of refereeing decisions were made in Liverpool’s favour and Thomas Frank believes these cost his side a point.

Thomas Frank slams VAR for the decisions against Tottenham

Spurs ended the match against Liverpool with just nine players on the pitch, while Cristian Romero appeared to be pushed by Hugo Ekitike before the Frenchman’s goal.

Frank might be pleased with his own team’s display, but he has slammed the performance of VAR for the calls which went against Spurs.

He told BBC MOTD: “First and foremost I’m extremely proud of the players and the team. I think they gave everything and showed unbelievable mentality and worked very hard on how to deal with setbacks.

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“The way they responded to several setbacks was immense. The first one is the first red, which I think… I’ve seen it given before but I don’t like it.

“I don’t like those types of red cards because I think the game is gone if that’s a red card. I don’t think it’s reckless tackle. I don’t think it’s exceptional force. We have the referee call and that was a yellow so that’s why I don’t think that’s a red.

“We dealt well with that. The players stayed in the game, defended well, kept going. Then we concede the first goal, and then the second one is a big mistake. Two hands in the back from the striker – as far as I know the laws of football you are not allowed to do that.

“That’s fine to happen on the pitch, the referees are only human but then the VAR bails you out, which they didn’t do.

“We stayed in the game, kept going, scored a very good goal for 2-1 and keep fighting. Then I think the second yellow to Cuti [Romero], you have a little feel of the game. Two big boys fighting, Konate is going through him and his foot lands on his head, no yellow.

“Then there’s a little movement from Cuti but I don’t think it’s a second yellow when you feel the game. We stayed there and did well in terms of dealing with it.”

Frank has to be more critical of Spurs

It is not good enough for Frank to praise his team and blame VAR for everything that went wrong for Tottenham.

Xavi Simons was always running the risk of a red card due to the nature of his challenge and the push he mentions on Romero was very soft.

Ultimately, this was another match where Spurs were not good enough and if Frank wants to keep his job, he might want to focus more on fixing the issues instead of always looking to deflect.

Xavi Simons is looking to make things right after letting Tottenham Hotspur down with his actions against Liverpool.

Tottenham Hotspur have slumped to another Premier League defeat, despite Liverpool’s lack of attacking threat throughout a large portion of the game.

Spurs were actually on top for much of the first half, but were unable to take advantage and open the scoring.

Things became more difficult shortly after the half-hour mark, as Xavi Simons was shown a red card for a bizarre foul on Virgil van Dijk.

Xavi Simons apologises to Tottenham for his red card

Simons had no reason to engage in his challenge on the Liverpool captain. However, the 22-year-old has insisted his action towards his fellow Dutchman was not deliberate.

Clearly regretting the incident, Simons has taken to Instagram to apologise to those who have been affected by his mistimed tackle.

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He posted: “Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain, I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone. To my Spurs teammates, my manager and the fans, I take responsibility. I’m really sorry.”

Spurs fans are tired of apologies every week

Obviously, Simons is going to apologise for making a significant error which harmed his team. However, Tottenham supporters keep hearing the players say sorry, yet their actions fail to align with their words.

There was no reason for Simons to make such a rash challenge, and it is hard to keep forgiving and forgetting when Spurs are consistently so full of mistakes.

Both the midfielder and his teammates need to do a lot more than take responsibility for their errors. They must cut them out entirely and start winning matches. That is what a team like Tottenham should be doing.

Tottenham Hotspur almost rescued a point in stoppage time against Liverpool, but the game was ultimately lost due to the foolish actions of certain players.

Tottenham Hotspur have once again tasted the bitterness of defeat, but with more composure and common sense, the win was there for the taking.

Let’s take a look at the three winners and losers from the disappointing Premier League defeat, which should not have been the disaster it became.

Richarlison made an instant impact for Spurs

Richarlison has games when he does very little for Tottenham, but the game was crying out for something fresh when the hosts trailed by two goals. The Brazilian does have a history of scoring goals against Liverpool, so it was good to see him finally enter the field of play.

Indeed, Richarlison made his presence known, and it was he who gave Spurs a fighting chance in the game. The centre forward scored Tottenham’s only goal of the game and continued to be a threat.

Richarlison crafted his final opportunity all by himself and was unlucky not to level the score in the dying embers. He can certainly be pleased with a cameo, which was all too brief.

Djed Spence gave his all for Tottenham

Djed Spence dropped his best performance for a while on Saturday, and he did not deserve to be on the losing team.

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The England international was constantly driving up the left wing, and some of his dribbling was highly impressive. Unfortunately, he often found himself without any options due to an ineffective formation and the fact that Xavi Simons got sent off.

Spence was guilty of letting Jeremie Frimpong’s cross make it into the box, which saw Liverpool score their second goal, but his overall display was encouraging.

Radu Dragusin was back in the Spurs squad

It has been a long road to recovery for Radu Dragusin, but he was finally named in a Tottenham matchday squad against Liverpool.

The Romanian was poor for Spurs last season, and things got even worse when he picked up an ACL injury, which has since kept him out for almost a year.

However, Dragusin will be able to undergo a fresh start with Thomas Frank and with Cristian Romero now suspended, he could get a taste of first-team football again pretty soon.

Now, let’s take a look at our three losers from Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool…

Xavi Simons was given his marching orders

Just when it looked like Xavi Simons was starting to prove he was not a Tottenham flop, he decided to engage in one of the stupidest challenges you will ever see.

Some Spurs fans can choose to remain in denial, but the 22-year-old’s foul on Virgil van Dijk was a red card every day of the week.

Simons was nowhere near the ball, and his studs were too high. It was a completely unnecessary tackle to commit to, and it leaves Tottenham short on midfield options.

Cristian Romero has embarrassed himself at Tottenham

There are no words to sum up Cristian Romero after his pathetic showing against Liverpool, which almost single-handedly caused the defeat.

The Argentine was at fault for both goals scored by the visitors, as he showcased a combination of carelessness and shocking defending.

Romero had already looked unhinged for most of the night, and he then lashed out during an incident with Ibrahima Konate, which saw him sent off. This was a fitting conclusion to a generational stinker of a performance.

Mohammed Kudus failed to cause Liverpool any problems

It is worth studying Mohammed Kudus and looking at how well he plays against the top teams compared with those lower in the table.

The 25-year-old looks dangerous when he takes on less capable opponents, but he tends to struggle against the best teams in the Premier League, and Saturday was no different.

Groans sounded as Kudus continually looked to take the speed out of Tottenham’s attacks, and he caused Liverpool very few problems throughout a disappointing game.

Tottenham Hotspur have suffered another Premier League defeat and certain Spurs players were highly frustrating to watch.

Let’s take a look at the three things we learned from the game:

Xavi Simons made a ridiculous challenge

Tottenham Hotspur did not look like threatening Liverpool early into the match, but they were at least having plenty of the ball in the visitors’ half. That was until Xavi Simons got himself sent off with a needless challenge.

The Netherlands international launched into his fellow countryman with his studs raised and did not even come close to making contact with the ball.

Simons had already made a disappointing start to the game and his careless foul ultimately allowed Liverpool into the game.

Cristian Romero disgraced himself as Tottenham captain

Captaining a team like Spurs is a huge role and perhaps the manchild currently wearing the armband is no longer up to the task.

Cristian Romero cost Tottenham their first goal by attempting to play an impressive pass rather than keeping things simple. He proceeded to try and win the ball back, leaving a gaping hole behind him, leading to Alexander Isak’s goal.

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The centre-back was largely responsible for the second goal too, being easily defeated by Hugo Ekitike in an aerial duel.

Later on Romero would make his biggest mistake yet by kicking out and causing Spurs to be reduced to nine men. It was an absolutely pathetic performance from the 27-year-old and he should hang his head in shame.

Mohammed Kudus refused to go forwards for Spurs

Mohammed Kudus found himself at the heart of Tottenham’s attack this evening, but the fans were left frustrated by his performance.

The right winger used his body well to fend off the opposition players and he looked comfortable in possession.

However, Kudus kept slowing the play down, often moving backwards instead of attempting to beat his man. It seems like the Ghanian often struggles when Spurs face the best teams in the Premier League.

Spurs are really poor in transition

One of the most frustrating aspects of Tottenham’s display against Liverpool was what they did when the ball was overturned and also what they failed to do.

Spurs were so slow to get the ball moving and showed little to no attacking urgency until the game was already into stoppage time.

Whenever Tottenham did try to play a bit quicker, passes were misplaced and individuals would make runs only to find themselves with no supporting players.

Tottenham looked predictable without a left winger

Thomas Frank opted to set his team up in a narrow formation, with the left wing once again disregarded. This often saw Djed Spence isolated and alone when he got forwards.

Tottenham might not have good options on the left wing, but they looked lop-sided against Liverpool and their attacking moves were easy to anticipate.

This has been yet another game which has highlighted the desperate need for a new left sided winger to join the club in January.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Premier League in their final match before Christmas.

We’ve analysed the performance of the Spurs players throughout the ninety minutes and beyond at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

How the Spurs players rated against Liverpool

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 highest score achievable for an impressive performance.

Guglielmo Vicario – 3

Saved well from Wirtz down to his right to deny Liverpool an opening goal in the first half, but his positioning for Isak’s goal was questionable.

Pedro Porro – 3

Hardly tested defensively by Liverpool, his set pieces, especially corners need to improve.

Cristian Romero – 1

At fault for Liverpool’s opening goal with a very poor clearance, which gifted the visitors the ball for Isak to score. Hardly covered himself in glory for their second when Hugo Ekitike manhandled him to head home. Sent off for a second yellow card when his side were chasing an equaliser.

Micky van de Ven – 5

Harshly booked with six minutes to go. His pace was rarely tested by Liverpool.

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Djed Spence – 6

Tottenham’s best player, tried to get the team forwards with some positive dribbles but unfortunately those around him were a million miles away with their performances.

Archie Gray – 3

A largely ineffective game for the teenager, but one that will hopefully build his confidence somewhat after the Forest error.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 4

Saw plenty of the ball during the game, dropped deep to help shield the back four after Simons’ red card. Booked.

Lucas Bergvall – 3

Asked to play in the number 10 role prior to Simons’ red card, had plenty of touches but nothing that influenced the game.

Xavi Simons – 2

Another disastrous outing for the Dutchman, who will now miss Tottenham’s next three matches after his red card.

Mohammed Kudus – 4

Looks short of ideas when in possession, which saw the home fans become frustrated when he kept playing the ball backwards. Replaced by Johnson early in the second half.

Randal Kolo Muani – 5

Came very close to an equaliser when his deflected shot clipped off the crossbar in the second half and should have done better with a header early on in the game. Replaced on 79 mins.

Subs

Brennan Johnson – 4

Linked with a move away from Tottenham earlier in the week, played Richarlison through for his late chance on goal.

Wilson Odobert – 4

A 70th-minute replacement for Bergvall. No impact.

Joao Palhinha – 4

Came on to replace Gray with 20 mins remaining at 2-0 down when the likes of Tel were on the bench.

Richarlison – 6

The Brazilian came on for the final ten minutes and made an instant impact when he scored from close range. Broke through with 5 minutes to go but was overcrowded by Liverpool players when he tried to get his shot away. Booked.

The first half of Premier League action has just come to a close between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in North London.

Both sides are now preparing to head back onto the pitch for the second half and we have analysed the performances of the Tottenham players who have featured in the first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham came into the match on a back of the abysmal 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest last weekend, which has intensified the pressure on head coach Thomas Frank in what has been a disappointing campaign to date.

The score is level at 0-0, however, Spurs were down to ten men following Xavi Simons’ red card.

How the Spurs players rated in the first half vs Liverpool

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 highest score achievable for an impressive performance.

Guglielmo Vicario – 6

Saved well from Wirtz down to his right to deny Liverpool an opening goal.

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Pedro Porro – 5

Played a good ball back across goal for Spence, not troubled too much defensively.

Cristian Romero – 6

The captain has cut a figure of frustration, the fact he’s had to carry the ball so high and wait for those ahead of him to try to move into attacking areas speaks volumes for the lack of creativity in this team.

Micky van de Ven – 6

Has made a couple of important clearances.

Djed Spence – 6

Has shown some nice touches on the ball and tried to get foeard

Archie Gray – 4

Thomas Frank kept faith with the teenager adfter his error against Forest, has had a steady but quiet half.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 4

Has had to drop a lot deeper since Xavi Simons was sent off.

Lucas Bergvall – 4

Playing as the most advanced of the three midfielders, needs to do more in attacking areas to act as the link.

Xavi Simons – 2

Booked for a challenge from behind on Van Dijk which was checked by VAR for serious foul play and upgraded to a red card. The Dutchman was not at his best before the incident.

Mohammed Kudus – 6

Looks short of ideas when he’s in possession in attacking areas, his pass to release Porro was better.

Randal Kolo Muani – 5

Had a decent chance before the half hour with a header, but it lacked power and was straight at Allison.