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Tottenham were forced into further defensive improvisation against Manchester City, and Thomas Frank has now offered clarity on the absences that left his options stretched to the limit.

Against Manchester City tonight, Thomas Frank named a starting XI that failed to feature a couple of familiar names.

Radu Dragusin featured for the first time in a year against the Citizens, while Archie Gray was forced into a full-back shift, something that has not been seen since last season.

Joao Palhinha was also turned into a makeshift centre-half, with Frank missing a whopping eleven first-team players.

Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Djed Spence were the latest to join the injury table for Tottenham, and Thomas Frank has explained why the defenders were not available for the City game.

Speaking before the match, Thomas Frank first addressed the wider injury situation and the strain it has placed on his squad, admitting the scale of the problem while stressing the need for solutions.

He told football.london: “I think it is fair to say that we are hit pretty hard with injuries, but it is part of the game. We need to find solutions, others need to step up.”

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Frank then moved on to Kevin Danso’s issue, outlining how the injury occurred and why the club are still waiting on clarity, while describing the setback as particularly unfortunate.

He explained: “Kevin Danso, having hyperextended his big toe, a ligament snapped, because he landed on the foot of an opponent, so extremely unlucky, like a random injury. He has got time with a consultant next week, so we do not know exactly the length of it.”

Finally, Frank gave brief updates on Van de Ven and Djed Spence, suggesting there is some hope the problems are not severe. He added: “It is in a big toe, so hopefully not too worrying. Djed a minor calf injury.”

What the injury crisis means for Spurs going forward

The makeshift options against City managed to secure a draw, but fans will be worried if this small crop of players can put in such a shift each week.

It was a dismal first half against the Citizens, with the lack of cohesion obvious, but credit to the players who dug in to get a point.

Tottenham Hotspur showed some much-needed fight against Manchester City as they battled back from two goals down to secure a draw, moving back up to 14th place.

Let’s take a look at five things we learned from Tottenham 2-2 Manchester City:

Manchester City’s Tottenham curse continues

It was a mixed night, no doubt, for Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester City, with Spurs dreadful in the first half and struggling to cope with the visitors’ movement and intensity.

However, in the second forty-five minutes, it was an entirely different beast, with Tottenham playing with much-needed intensity and drive, chasing down every ball and closing City down, limiting them from playing their usual football.

That is an impressive four points taken from Pep Guardiola’s side this season, and many Spurs fans at the start of the campaign could perhaps have predicted Tottenham getting a result against the Citizens, given that Spurs have won seven of the last fifteen meetings, with City winning six and the rest ending in draws.

The Lilywhites continue to remain a thorn in the flesh for the Manchester club, who failed to reduce the gap between themselves and Arsenal back to four points with a draw tonight.

Dominic Solanke inspired the comeback

It was indeed a comeback inspired by Dominic Solanke, who grabbed two goals as Tottenham earned a vital point after a dismal first-half showing.

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The forward showed exactly what Spurs have been missing for much of the season, using his strength to force Tottenham’s first goal and drag the team back into the contest.

For the second, it was a beautiful improvisation from the centre-forward, who produced a stunning scorpion kick to score from almost nothing.

He was later forced off with a knock, and the hope now is that it is nothing serious, given the difficult run of games to come.

Xavi Simons delivered his best Spurs performance

While Solanke will make the headlines, Xavi Simons was arguably the unsung hero for Tottenham, producing a standout second-half display.

The Dutchman looks to be finding much-needed rhythm in a Tottenham shirt and has appeared a far more assured presence since the turn of the year.

Here, he took responsibility, showing physicality, riding challenges, dropping deep to get on the ball and carrying Spurs up the pitch, with his passing in transition consistently sharp and effective.

Tottenham’s leadership group is being stretched thin

Spurs remain severely stretched, something Thomas Frank has openly admitted, stating that his side has grown weaker since the start of the winter window.

That was again evident today, with Frank forced to name a starting XI featuring players out of position due to the ongoing injury crisis.

With Micky van de Ven, James Maddison and Ben Davies all sidelined, only Guglielmo Vicario and Cristian Romero from the leadership group started against City.

Romero, however, did not finish the game as he was withdrawn at half-time. It has since been revealed that it was a planned change with the Argentine reported to be unwell.

Spurs still need reinforcement before the winter window slams shut

With injuries continuing to mount and further doubts over Romero and Solanke after this game, it is increasingly clear that Tottenham need reinforcements.

Frank’s squad is stretched thin, with several absentees facing extended spells on the sidelines, and while two Spurs players could return in time for the north London derby, that alone will not be enough.

The full-time whistle has blown in the Premier League match between Tottenham and Manchester City, and it’s time for our player ratings.

Tottenham Hotspur earned a vital point against City from the brink of despair thanks to a brace from Dominic Solanke after a dismal first-half showing from the home side.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

Guglielmo Vicario – The Italian did make a couple of vital saves that helped keep Tottenham in the game, although question marks remain over his positioning for City’s opener. In the second half, though, he was barely threatened as Spurs turned things up. 6.

Archie Gray – The youngster was immense across both halves, showing great composure on the ball while also offering a threat in attack when he went forward. He did a good job of keeping the City’s left-hand side quiet. 8.

Radu Dragusin – A disaster of a first half from the Romanian, who was equally at fault for both City goals, showing a lack of aggression when closing down Cherki and producing a poor clearance for the second. However, in the second forty-five, it was a more composed performance, keeping Haaland quiet. 6.

Cristian Romero – The centre-back had a difficult first half with City attacking at will and finding far too much space, as Romero was often dragged out of position chasing the ball. The Argentine was then hooked at the break. 4.

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Destiny Udogie – After a rather poor first half, where he struggled to stop Cherki and offered little going forward, Udogie did have a sight of goal in the second after Simons slipped him in, but his shot was saved by Donnarumma. 6.

Yves Bissouma – Midfielder turned defender, and he was immense for Tottenham at the back, making vital tackles and interceptions throughout the game. 5.5.

Joao Palhinha – Midfielder turned defender, and he was immense for Tottenham at the back getting vital tackles and interceptions all through the game. 8.

Conor Gallagher – The midfielder had Spurs’ first chance of the second half after the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, but he fired over the bar. We finally saw the powerful running from deep as he fought his way through for Tottenham’s second, grabbing his first goal contribution in a Spurs shirt. 7.

Xavi Simons – If you are picking at straws, the Dutchman was arguably the best player for Spurs in a very poor first half. In the second half, he picked up from where he left off, continuing to get on the ball and helping to carry Spurs up the pitch. It was his forward pass that led to Spurs’ first of the evening. He was full of running and very often played the right pass. 8.5.

Dominic Solanke – The Englishman started the second half with some much-needed fight, which was evident in his goal as he wrestled with the City backline and forced a finish after a Guehi touch. Much better after a lethargic first forty-five. He then pulled off a sensational scorpion kick to draw Tottenham level, grabbing two goals against City after having not scored against the Citizens in his career. 8.5.

Randal Kolo Muani – It was a performance full of running from the Frenchman, who chased down balls in attack, although he barely had a sniff. 6.

Substitutes

Pape Matar Sarr – Came on for Romero in the second half and moved into midfield as Spurs switched from a back three to a back four. 6.

Mathys Tel – Replaced Bissouma and looked to offer width on the left of Spurs’ attack. N/A.

Wilson Odobert – The Frenchman came on for Muani and got straight into it, testing Donnarumma with his first effort, but the City shot-stopper was equal to it. 6.

The half-time whistle has blown in the Premier League match between Tottenham and Manchester City, and it’s time for our player ratings.

Spurs go into the break two goals down in front of their home support at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

Guglielmo Vicario – Was forced into an early save after Semenyo got a shot off, but the Italian reacted quickly and made a fine stop. Cherki’s goal took a slight deflection, which made it difficult for him to make a save, although questions will be asked about whether he could have done better. He did, however, help keep it at just one when Cherki went close after a lovely run. For Semenyo’s second, there was nothing he could do to prevent it. 5.

Archie Gray – The midfielder has turned into a full-back once more, given the injury crisis. He has been tasked with marking Semenyo, which he has done rather well. He continues to show decent close control in tight spaces to help Spurs play out of City’s press. The Ghanaian international did find some space as City grabbed their second. 5.

Radu Dragusin – The centre-back earned his first start in over a year, and the rustiness was evident as he was too passive when defending against Cherki. With a bit more aggression, he could have got a block in. For City’s second, the Romanian was once again the culprit as he lost possession after a poor clearance. 2.

Cristian Romero – It has been a difficult opening half for the Tottenham defence, who have been all over the place and struggling to deal with the threat posed by the City attack. Romero has often chased the ball and seems to be going wherever the ball goes. 4.

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Destiny Udogie – The full-back has endured a poor opening half as he struggled to contain Cherki, who continues to beat him out wide with his trickery. 3.

Yves Bissouma – The Malian was too slow on the ball and far too easily dispossessed in the middle of the pitch, leading to City’s first goal. He was later booked for a foul on Erling Haaland in the build-up. 3.

Joao Palhinha – The midfielder has turned centre-back this evening as Frank sets up in a back three, given the injury crisis. The Portuguese international had a solid start, making a couple of key interceptions and tackles. 5.

Conor Gallagher – Has been barely involved in attack, given how much of the game Tottenham have spent defending. He also seems to have hit the deck regularly, with City boasting a very physical midfield. 3.

Xavi Simons – The Dutchman got on the ball plenty in the number ten role and looked to bring teammates into the game with his passing, playing a few forward balls. He was a willing runner throughout. 4.5.

Dominic Solanke – The centre-forward has barely been involved in Spurs’ attack and has had little feel of the ball. 3.

The Tottenham Hotspur starting line-up for the Premier League match against Manchester City has been announced.

Attention now turns back to the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur following a successful Champions League outing in midweek.

Spurs put two past Eintracht Frankfurt, kept a clean sheet and booked their place in the round of 16, finishing ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain as they secured a top-four spot.

However, it is in the Premier League where Tottenham’s struggles lie, having failed to win any of their last five outings and managing just two victories in their previous 14 league games.

A meeting with Manchester City is far from ideal for any side short on confidence, but Thomas Frank must now do the double over Pep Guardiola’s team if he is to arrest the slide and hand Spurs their first domestic win of 2026.

Djed Spence is among Tottenham’s absentees

Coming into the contest, Frank is without eight first-team players as he continues to manage a lengthy injury list.

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Ben Davies remains sidelined alongside Pedro Porro, Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Mohammed Kudus.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are also unavailable for selection.

The Dane can, however, now call upon Mathys Tel, Conor Gallagher, and Yves Bissouma, all of whom were unavailable in the Champions League due to squad registration issues.

This is the Tottenham team that takes to the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon:

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Gray, Dragusin, Romero, Udogie; Bissouma, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Xavi Simons; Solanke.

Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Cherki; Haaland.

Thomas Frank leads his side out in front of the home support, with the added pressure that brings, given the tension that follows recent defeats.

This fixture marks the beginning of what could prove a demanding run for Spurs, with several big-six opponents scheduled over the coming weeks.

Spurs are eight points clear of the drop zone, and failure to pick up results in the matches ahead could see the situation develop into a relegation scrap, making this a crucial evening for Frank.

For those watching in the United Kingdom, Tottenham versus Manchester City is live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yusuf Akhamrich has made a rollocking start to his loan spell at Bristol Rovers in League Two.

A number of Spurs’ academy talents have made temporary moves this month to get a taste of senior first-team football.

One of those is winger Yusuf Akhamrich, who has impressed in Premier League 2 this term, with two goals and two assists in nine outings.

The 20-year-old joined Bristol Rovers on loan earlier this month, and it has not taken him long to make an impact for the League Two side.

Watch Tottenham youngster Yusuf Akhamrich score debut brace

After coming on as a substitute in his first two appearances at Bristol Rovers, Akhamrich was handed his first start for the club in their clash against Newport County on Saturday.

The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur man lit up the Memorial Stadium with an outstanding left-foot strike from long range, which flew into the top corner just 11 minutes into the clash.

Just before the half-hour mark, Akhamrich scored another beauty, producing a fine touch to bring down a long ball inside the box before slotting it past the goalkeeper.

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Watch the Spurs youngster’s brace for Bristol in their 3-0 win below:

Several Spurs youngsters have secured loan moves and more could follow

We have seen a flurry of loan exits from Tottenham academy players this month. Kota Takai has joined German side Borussia Monchengladbach, while Jamie Donley has made a move to Oxford United.

George Abbott returned to Wycombe, while Oliver Irow has made a switch to Mansfield Town, where he is getting his first taste of senior football.

Tottenham remain in the market for attacking reinforcements as the winter window reaches its closing stages, with the search for a new winger continuing despite one option being taken off the table.

Spurs could do with a few extra hands in the top end of the pitch, given the injury crisis that has seen Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, and Richarlison sidelined.

Brennan Johnson has also departed from Hotspur Way, leaving an even bigger gap to be filled as Spurs are left stretched.

Tottenham have been linked with a handful of forwards this winter but have yet to land any of their targets, with hours left before the winter window slams shut.

Tottenham chose not to pursue Ademola Lookman

Further clarity on Tottenham’s thinking in the market has now emerged, with a fresh update shedding light on the club’s winger search and one name they are not pursuing.

Writing in his Inside Football newsletter for The Independent, Miguel Delaney addressed Tottenham’s desire to add another wide option before the deadline, while also explaining that Ademola Lookman was not explored this month.

Delaney wrote: “As of Friday morning, Tottenham Hotspur do want to bring in another winger. They did not, however, have much interest in reviving their former pursuit of Ademola Lookman.”

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Lookman is now just one step away from joining Atletico Madrid after Fabrizio Romano gave his trademark ‘here we go’.

Spurs still weighing up late winter window options

Ademola Lookman was a name linked with Tottenham during the summer window, with a loan move at the time being discussed.

However, nothing materialised and now it looks like the Nigerian is yet another example of a wide forward option Spurs will miss out on, after Thomas Frank revealed Tottenham’s attempts to land Antoine Semenyo this winter window ultimately failed.

The Spurs boss has not ruled out further additions before the deadline, having already suggested that Tottenham could still explore the loan market should the right option become available.

Thomas Frank himself may be the reason behind Tottenham’s unwillingness to bring short-term signings through the door in the January window.

Conor Gallagher and Souza have been Tottenham’s only two additions so far this month, much to the disappointment of many supporters.

The club have failed to strengthen their attack despite several reports suggesting at the start of the month that Spurs were eyeing several big-name wingers across Europe.

While Frank has insisted that Tottenham are still in the market, time is now running out, with the transfer deadline now fast approaching.

Thomas Frank has made clear transfer demands at Tottenham

The Daily Mail have now revealed that some inside Tottenham feel that Frank may be responsible for the fact that more players have not arrived through the door at Hotspur Way this month.

The report reveals that despite not being assured of his long-term future at Spurs, Frank has been adamant that he does not want to resort short-term fixes that will not help the club in the long run.

The Dane is only willing to sign off on arrivals that will improve Spurs over the long term, even if he may not be the one who will benefit from those signings.

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It is revealed that Tottenham’s current predicament in the Premier League may have also affected their ability to convince top-class players about a move to N17.

Interestingly, the outlet claims that Spurs explored moves for both Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, but were never in a position to compete with Man City for either player.

Why Spurs have not sacked Frank yet

The Mail also say that while Frank is under pressure at Tottenham, the privately held view among many at the club is that the team’s struggles are down to a lack of quality on the pitch.

Additionally, there is also a belief at the club that the players are still playing for the 52-year-old, as evidenced by their Champions League performances.

The club’s horrendous luck with injuries is also given as a reason that may have bought Frank some time.

Tottenham fans think they have just spotted a good omen after a successful league phase in the Champions League.

Just like last season, Tottenham are floundering in the Premier League but have been dominant in Europe so far.

The Lilywhites managed to breeze into the final 16 of the Champions League, losing just one of their six league phase matches, and winning all their home games without conceding a single goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There is one stat that the Spurs supporters can take a lot of confidence from heading into the knockout rounds.

Tottenham have an identical record in Europe to last season

Despite their horror show domestically, the Lilywhites went on to win the Europa League last term, and Spurs fans will be hoping that history repeats itself in the Champions League this campaign.

What is astonishing is that Tottenham have an identical record in the league phase of the Champions League to what they did in the Europa League last term.

Spurs secured 17 points on both occasions, winning five, drawing two and losing one of their eight games, while scoring 17 goals.

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When will Spurs find out their R16 opponent?

Tottenham will play one of Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray or Club Brugge in the next round, with the Old Lady set to play Gala and Atletico set to take on the Belgian side in the knockout playoffs.

The two legs will be played on February 16 to 18 and February 23 to 25, with Juventus and Atletico set to have home advantage in the second leg since they were seeded.

A big Bundesliga side has now entered the race for Tottenham youngster Luka Vuskovic amid speculation around the youngsters future.

Even before joining Tottenham Hotspur officially last summer, Luka Vuskovic had been making waves as a centre-back with notable goalscoring potential.

In his first game as a Spurs player in pre-season, Vuskovic grabbed a goal and has since continued to build his reputation as a strong all-round centre-back in Germany with Hamburg.

The 18-year-old won the Bundesliga Player of the Month award twice in a row, has won an impressive 69.34 per cent of his duels in the Bundesliga, and remains particularly dominant in the air.

Bundesliga heavyweights join race for Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic

It comes as no surprise that clubs across Europe are beginning to take note of the teenage prospect, with one Bundesliga heavyweight now joining the queue.

According to a report from TZ, as relayed by Absolut Fussball, Bayern Munich now have Luka Vuskovic on their radar.

It is understood that the German champions are closely monitoring the teenager’s development, alongside several other leading clubs across Europe.

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Spurs stance clear amid growing European interest

Spurs signed Vuskovic for £12 million from Hajduk Split and are likely to make a profit should they decide to sell, given the level of interest he is generating.

However, reports have stated that Tottenham are not looking to sell Vuskovic despite the attention from clubs around Europe.

The teenager’s future has been gathering attention with reports claiming that Vuskovic would extend his loan spell at Hamburg for an additional season so he can play alongside his brother.