Football London

Thomas Frank is facing criticism from Tottenham fans following a woeful north London derby defeat by Arsenal on Sunday

Thomas Frank has made it clear Tottenham must continue to back him by declaring: "I know how to build a club and we will do that".

Spurs are in Paris ahead of the Champions League clash against champions PSG on Wednesday night, with Frank facing criticism from the club's fans following a woeful north London derby defeat on Sunday which made it just two wins in eight matches under the 52-year-old.

The Frank era began solidly but has fallen off the rails in recent weeks with Tottenham struggling to create chances - and they have now conceded more goals at this stage of the Premier League season than they had under Ange Postecoglou last year.

With the north London outfit having gone through managers like new kits, with six hired in six years, Frank was asked in France how important it is that he becomes the one who breaks that cycle.

"Very important!" he said with a grin. "Part of taking this job was to sit here and have the challenges. Of course, I would have loved to sit here and we've beaten Arsenal and then face Paris. We lost and we lost badly. Part of this is to manage those setbacks and learn from it and move on from here.

"One thing I'm 1000% sure of, I know how to build a team, I know how to build a club and we will do that. Along the way, we'll learn and the big thing is how we learn from the bad spells.

"The first four months, I learned a lot about the team. I learned a lot about the individual players and all that learning that needs to materialise in how we find the right formula with the right players on the pitch and with some players coming back."

Spurs will face a PSG side that has been transformed from a team of Galacticos into a balanced outfit under Luis Enrique to become Europe's best. Frank believes the Ligue 1 giants show how football is about building something special.

"Even Luis Enrique here, I think it's fair to say PSG have been on another level than Tottenham the last five, six years, but also, this is his third season," said the Dane.

"His first season he also had to take on a lot of battles and those years turned everything around from playing with the biggest players in Europe to less stars, very determined players that play for the team and he created one of the best teams in the world by making those changes. That's the beauty of football."

Spurs will face the Parisien side without the suspended Brennan Johnson, with the Wales international making it eight unavailable players for Frank for the big clash.

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said in Paris on Tuesday ahead of the Champions League match at PSG

Thomas Frank faced plenty of questions on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's Champions League match at PSG.

The Spurs boss discussed the fallout from 4-1 defeat at Arsenal as the Dane must lead his team to face the European champions in their Paris home on Wednesday night. Frank also delivered an update on injury news and whether there are any fresh problems in the squad.

He was also asked about the criticism from a run of just two wins in eight matches and questions over his tactics and the lack of adventurous play.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is out in Paris and was among those putting the questions to the pair. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Parc des Princes.

If I could just start off with the usual team news question?

Yeah, everyone available for Arsenal is ok for tomorrow.

After the nature of the approach against Arsenal, is it vital that you show some attacking intent tomorrow night? Is tomorrow night a game where almost the intent shown and the performance is more important than the result?

I think the performance is always the most important thing, because if you do that on a consistent basis, you have a bigger chance of getting results. I watched the game back, that was a hard watch. We were not good, bad performance, not running away from that in any way. The biggest thing, there was plenty of intent and what we wanted to do, but we just couldn't execute it on the day. The biggest thing for me, the most disappointing thing was that we were not able to compete and I was convinced that we could compete on the day.

That didn't happen, we had 53 situations where it was like a duel, second ball situation where either Arsenal went long or we went long, like in a normal football game. We came out on top on 17 of those and lost 36. If you don't do that, that is the basic, then it's very difficult to win a football match.

Tomorrow we are facing another of the best teams in Europe away from home, so it's a nice challenge that we are 100% up for and I'm convinced we'll bounce back with a good performance.

You were visibly pretty angry in the Emirates press conference room on Sunday evening and I can tell you're still pretty annoyed about that performance. Have you seen that same anger from the players and the same will to put things right tomorrow?

Yeah, no doubt. I think it's been two good days with talks and meetings, of course. A meeting yesterday, of course, a main meeting and a meeting today, a main meeting mainly about us. How we improve, how we go forward, because in football there are setbacks and it was a setback on Sunday.

It's all about how you react, because one thing for sure you're not going through life without setbacks, you're not going through our football season without setbacks. It's how you react to it.

How much does Randal Kolo Muani want to perform?

Of course he wants to perform. Every player wants to perform and show their best, no doubt about that. That’s mostly the feeling with Kolo. He was very happy to join Tottenham and perform for us and we were very happy to have him.

Then he got that dead leg that took longer than we thought it would do, and then he got the broken jaw. So it’s definitely been stop-start. Plus he came and was fit, but not top fit, because he came from pre-season where (he didn’t play much).

So all of that meant he was playing catch-up. I’m convinced we will see more and more good stuff from him.

There's unfortunately been a lot of negativity after the Arsenal game. I just wondered how you were trying to reframe, almost reset, with the squad, with the players?

First, what a wonderful story with Wilson there, being part of that as a 15-year-old player. Now he's sitting here, I think we need to remember that. Thank you for that question. Because we always forget that in all the focus on winning and losing. So, that’s what football’s about.

The actual joy of why we do this?

Yes, exactly. That’s why we do it. We're all part of loving football and we started, all of us, playing in different levels …. just watch it. That's why we're here. But back to your question. When you have tough defeats, and tough defeats can be two different things, but especially if you don't hit a top performance …. if you hit a bad performance. That's why I need a bit deeper analysis and talk about a bit of a reset, but definitely that bounce back. I think there's something in …. as I said from the beginning when I came in … we are in a fantastic four-game spell, if you can say that. Four games in ten days. Arsenal away, PSG away, Fulham home and Newcastle away. Three very difficult away grounds. Difficult game against Fulham. Two of the best teams in Europe we are facing inside three days [after Arsenal]. That's the challenge we want. That's the challenge we want to embrace. And on the way to be very competitive, there will be ups and there will be downs. It's how we react to it, how we learn from it. The players will learn from it, I will learn from it and we'll move forward from here.

Secondly, I was just going to ask this in terms of the back five? Given what what said and all of the fallout from the game on Sunday, would you have any hesitation about playing that back five again, as you did in the Super Cup?

The beauty of the first part of your question is good, because all the fallout, I don't read anything. No articles, no social media. So I don't know if there was a fallout. But of course, my good friend here to my right said there could maybe come a question about that. We'll go back to the first question with Jamie, I think it was. We didn't win enough of these duels. We were not aggressive enough. We were not going forward enough and playing forward enough. And if you play 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 7-9-13, it doesn't matter if you're not doing that. I'm not in doubt of that.

It’s been three wins in 11 games, why are things unravelling and how confident are you of getting this project back on track?

That’s a good question. I think sometimes there will always be a little not unstable, but performances that are up and down. If we look at that we play 60 games in a season, maybe 10 to 12 perfect games, there will be 30 average plus games in some areas above or below that and it’s about being consistent enough and performing at a high enough level in the games. And I think we accept some games because one thing is defeat, but let’s say except take the Chelsea and Arsenal game, the other games we have been competitive in and it’s about that and then keep doing everything we can to be better and to create enough chances to win the football matches. We have still scored quite a few goals, my teams always score goals and Richy is on five goals, which he has not been on a long time, so we will keep working hard on it.

You've got this great mantra 'if you don't take risks, you are taking risks'. Does it frustrate you or maybe hurt you when people are claiming that this Tottenham team of yours isn't taking risks?

If they don't think we do, I think we do. Maybe we should do more. I think it's fair to ask the questions. We're not creating enough chances, which is reality. It's my job to do everything to make sure that we do what we can to create more and more chances, be better and better at it.

That's what we work very hard on every day, to find the right formula for that. That's part of the play, but part of it is also how aggressive we are under pressure, how we can win it, and there can be half more open, spacious opportunities, half-transitions, full-transitions. I think it's also fair to say that Arsenal's three of their goals were on half-transitions.. So that's where we need to be good as well, in those situations.

What does Randal Kolo Muani offer compared to your other forwards?

I like his link-up play. I think he is very good at that. His ability to run in behind and also his ability to go one v one. I think he is very good in those situations. That is probably a little difference. And then he is very good in the box.

You mentioned there were 53 duels/second ball situations against Arsenal. Was there a particular reason why you lost 36 of them?

Very simple, we were not aggressive enough in my opinion when we pushed forward. We were not securing the ball well enough which is also part of that. We were not landing in the right areas for where the second ball landed and stuff like that. That was the main bit."

You'll be aware that Tottenham have had six managers in six years. How important do you think it is that they stick with you and have some continuity?

Very important! Part of taking this job was to sit here and have the challenges. Of course, I would have loved to sit here and we've beaten Arsenal and then face Paris tomorrow night. We lost and we lost badly. Part of that is to manage those setbacks and learn from it and move on from here.

One thing I'm 1000% sure of, I know how to build a team, I know how to build a club and we will do that. Along the way, we'll learn and the big thing is how we learn from the bad spells, because that's where we also can see that when we go 1-0 down, how do we react as a team? The best teams, they just continually move on. They still run hard, they still do the same thing. There's no doubt in that. The first four months, I learned a lot about the team. I learned a lot about the individual players and all that learning that needs to materialise to how we find the right formula with the right players on the pitch and also with some players coming back. Then we play every third day. That's the big challenge, but that's what I embrace.

When you say you know how to build a club, I guess that's time, isn't it? It's players getting used to your methods?

Yes, of course. I think no one, even Luis Enrique here, I think it's fair to say that PSG has been on another level than Tottenham the last five, six years, something like that. But also, this is his third season. His first season also had to take a lot of battles and those years also turned everything around from playing with the biggest players in Europe to less stars, very determined players that play for the team and he created one of the best teams in the world by making those changes. And even last year, that's the beauty of football. Fantastic season, winning the treble and they were close to getting knocked out of the Champions League. It's marginal sometimes.

Can you give us an idea of how much – bear in mind the way the team played last season – how much work you had to do defensively?

I think we've been quite good defensively, of course. Maybe we didn't look that way against Arsenal. But how much work have you invested in changing the team from the way you played last season? When you went to Brentford and you came up and you said that you started by making sure they were solid at the back. Has the same operation started the same way at Spurs?

Yes, because that was for me the biggest thing to focus on. Because, again, no team wins anything if they can’t defend. You can look at the team that is on top of the table, no matter how hard and how tough it is to name Arsenal as a Tottenham head coach, they defend very well. Liverpool when they want, defend very well. City when they want, they defend very well. So that’s part of it.

Then we hope we can keep up creating chances that we struggle a little bit with. So we need to look into that as well. But defensive part of it is just very important.

Then on top of that, how conscious are you of the way that the fans at Spurs demand that you play? And how long realistically does it take to build something a bit more adventurous on top of being solid at the back?

I think that hopefully it will not take that long time. But I think it's fair to say, I think the young man next to me, Wilson, which I think is a fantastic player and has got a huge potential. And I also think he, compared to last season, really taking a step up and I’ve a big hope for Wilson. But he's still taking over from a club legend in Sonny, for example, that played last year. And a Maddison and a Solanke and Kulusevski, who were the main guys, I’ve said that before. That’s not the same that Wilson, Brennan, Mo, Xavi, Mathys, Richy, whatever. They can't do it. It just takes a little bit of time in that. And then the next bit, then we have to play every third day in Premier League and in Champions League. So just, no complaints, just the way it is. Just make it a little bit more complicated.

Tottenham Hotspur face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League - and Thomas Frank is already without Brennan Johnson after being sent off against Copenhagen

Tottenham Hotspur face Paris Saint-Germain with Micky van de Ven, Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison all one yellow card away from missing their next Champions League match.

The three players have already received two bookings during the league phase. A third yellow card triggers an automatic one-match suspension.

Article 63.02 of the Champions League regulations states: "From the first match in the league phase, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, that did not result in a red card, as well as after any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.)."

They were all shown their first cautions during the 1-0 win over Villarreal in Spurs ' opening match of this season's competition. Van de Ven then received his second a fortnight later in the 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt.

However, he has gone through the two matches since without a third being forthcoming, even after playing every minute of those games. Richarlison also managed to get through the Copenhagen win without going into the book during his appearance as a second-half substitute.

Kolo Muani was the only Tottenham player booked during that match. Brennan Johnson, of course, was shown a red card, which is why the Wales international cannot play in Paris.

Thomas Frank believed that sending off was harsh and unfortunate. He said after the match: "I think I understand why it can be given.

"But I think it's a little bit - what I've talked about before - that still footage, studs on leg, is what the ref sees the first thing. That's where it looks bad.

"There was no recklessness in this tackle from Brennan. He goes down into a sliding tackle.

"You can say, 'Why give the opportunity?' But when he goes down, there's literally no leg in front of him.

"So when he slides, then the player steps down, and then it looks bad after that. I think it was a little bit unfortunate, and I think it was harsh."

Johnson will be able to play in the Champions League again when Slavia Prague visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December. Spurs then host Borussia in January before travelling to Eintracht Frankfurt for their final match of the league phase.

Yellow cards also carry forward to the knockout phase. Cautions only expire after the quarter-finals, in time for the semi-finals.

Midway through the league phase, Tottenham are 10th in the table, one of only five teams remaining unbeaten. However, they have yet to win away from home.

Their current position leaves them in line for a place in the play-offs as a seeded team. Teams who finish ninth to 16th are seeded, while the 17th to 24th seeds are unseeded.

The striker reportedly has a release clause in his contract and has been linked with a transfer to Barcelona as well as a return to the Premier League.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has brushed off reports of a transfer to Barcelona, saying he’s had ‘no contact’ over a possible move.

The 32-year-old has been heavily linked with a transfer to the Nou Camp as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Kane reportedly has a release clause in his Bayern Munich contract of around €65 million (£57m). However, the clause needs to be activated by the player himself and expires at the end of January.

There has also been talk around a return to the Premier League, linking him with a return to Tottenham. He left the club for Bayern in the summer of 2023.

Speaking to Bild, Kane addressed the transfer speculation. He clarified: "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me.

"I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern."

He added: "There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet.

"First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

When asked if Bayern fans should worry, he responded with: "I don't think so."

Since arriving in Germany, the England captain has scored an impressive 109 goals in 114 appearances for the club. He will be back in London this week as Bayern travel to take on Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Kane has a good record against the Gunners, having scored 15 goals and providing two assists in his 21 competitive clashes with Spurs' north London rivals. That includes a goal he scored in the 2023/24 Champions League quarter-finals as Bayern progressed with a 3-2 win on aggregate.

A return to the Premier League would give Kane the chance to break Alan Shearer's goalscoring record in the league. He is just 48 goals shy of the 260 scored by Shearer, a record that has stood for almost 20 years.

Tottenham could have earned a huge windfall after including a sell-on clause as part of their deal to offload Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Tottenham Hotspur could have been set for a significant transfer boost in the January window, but Marseille's audacious demands may have scuppered their chances.

According to Italian publication Sportmediaset, Juventus are exploring the possibility of signing Pierre-Emile Højbjerg in January to strengthen their midfield options. Yet Marseille are understood to have placed a £52million valuation on the player.

The Serie A giants are reportedly furious at these demands, describing the asking price as "prohibitive." For the time being, Juventus appear to have abandoned their pursuit, meaning Tottenham will miss out on any potential financial benefit from the transaction.

Spurs have an eye on the winter market as an opportunity to strengthen their squad with new additions and any financial windfall would have been a major boost.

The Lilywhites have experienced a varied start under the guidance of Thomas Frank, who was appointed to bring some stability after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season under Ange Postecoglou. There's been considerable change at the north London club beyond the managerial position.

Daniel Levy's departure has triggered a reshuffle within the club's hierarchy, as the Lewis Family aim to elevate the club's status.

As the boardroom changes settle, the team currently sits ninth in the Premier League, still harbouring ambitions of a top-eight finish in the Champions League. The January transfer window could be pivotal to achieving this, especially with injuries affecting the Spurs squad and questions lingering over the quality available to Frank.

It's yet to be determined how much Frank might be given in terms of transfer funds, with potential departures likely before any arrivals. With this in mind, Tottenham were poised for a possible windfall that could have provided them with some much-needed revenue, thanks to a strategic move.

This came through a sell-on clause Tottenham had negotiated when Højbjerg departed for Marseille during the summer window. Spurs received approximately £17million for the Danish international once his loan spell became a permanent arrangement.

Frank's time at Tottenham may ultimately be judged by the quality of players available to him. The manager's long-term prospects depend on developing a squad that evolves alongside him, mirroring what north London rivals Arsenal have achieved under Mikel Arteta.

The comprehensive defeat in the derby highlighted the considerable work required, both tactically and in terms of recruitment, as expectations mount for Spurs to compete at elite level. Ahead of that fixture, Frank addressed questions about whether his squad could undergo a transformation comparable to Arsenal's.

He said: "I think it's natural. If I'm here in six years' time, it will be a completely different squad. It's just natural. Some will be sold, some will develop, some will maybe not develop as much as you want to. So, I think that's a natural thing.

"It's not like I'm going to say and take my decision on him and him needing to leave now, but of course, during the Spring we'll look into that, which is natural in terms of developing a squad."

Thomas Frank and Wilson Odobert are speaking to journalists on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's Champions League match at PSG.

The duo will have plenty to discuss following Spurs' woeful North London Derby performance at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening as Eberechi Eze plundered a hat-trick against the team who thought they had signed him in the summer. With Leandro Trossard scoring in the first half for the hosts before a long distance Richarlison goal in the second period, Tottenham fell to a 4-1 defeat amid plenty of criticism for Frank's tactics.

The Spurs boss will discuss the fallout from that match and his conversations with his players as well as turning them around to face the European champions in their Paris home on Wednesday night. Frank will also deliver an update on injury news and any fresh problems in the squad.

For Odobert, the 20-year-old will be returning to the club where he spent five years in the academy and the winger will also discuss that dismal derby defeat.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is out in Paris among those putting the questions to the pair. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at the Parc des Princes.

Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday afternoon after a 4-1 win over Tottenham, with Eberechi Eze scoring a hat-trick

The scenes following Arsenal's 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur were revealing.

Mikel Arteta's team, in another commanding performance this season, easily defeated their city rivals, putting them six points ahead at the top of the Premier League. Eberechi Eze's spectacular hat-trick led the way, making him the first Arsenal player to score a treble against their north London derby rivals since 1978.

At the beginning of the season, much of the media predicted another campaign where the Premier League title would evade the Gunners. However, with each passing week, Arsenal continues to make a statement, demonstrating to the nation that their season is destined to conclude with the ultimate prize.

Since their only loss to Liverpool in August, Artet's team has been formidable. After Sunday's match, Jamie Carragher had some stern advice for one Arsenal star, and the reaction from the dressing room was revealed as we examine the biggest stories surrounding the league leaders.

Carragher's advice to Odegaard

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher advised Martin Odegaard that despite being the club's captain, he will face a significant challenge to regain his place in the starting line-up due to Eze's form. The Norwegian captain has been plagued by injury this season and has missed Arsenal's last eight matches due to a knee problem.

In the absence of Odegaard, Eze has risen to the occasion, first scoring the decisive goal against his former team Crystal Palace last month and now with a stunning hat-trick against Spurs.

Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Carragher conceded that given the impact the England star has made, Odegaard's immediate return to the starting line-up is not a certainty.

"There was always this talk they [Arsenal] needed a goal-scorer," Carragher commented. "They needed to score more goals, certainly last season to compete with Liverpool. But Arsenal in general play didn't create enough, that was a problem.

"Doesn't matter who your striker is, if you're not creating chances for him, he's not there to finish. He's [Eze] made a difference with that. Even this season if we go back to early on, if we go back to Anfield, that was almost like the Arsenal of last season. Very strong defensively but not really looking like scoring going forward.

"I'm certain Eze played [in the next game] at Newcastle away and you felt like there was a difference. It just feels like his signing, which I felt to be fair would just be something that would be to back up Odegaard -- Odegaard is out at the moment -- but Odegaard has a real fight."

Dressing room footage revealed

Arteta's Arsenal squad, despite experiencing numerous league disappointments, appears to have grown stronger. The celebratory mood was palpable as the final whistle sounded on Sunday, with tens of thousands of fans rejoicing and players like Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka joining in the celebrations.

Arsenal shared a video of the players heading into the dressing room through the tunnel, with Eze receiving high praise from injured stars such as Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres who were eager to compliment their teammates.

The team spirit at the Emirates seems to be at an all-time high, and considering their impressive results and current 15-match unbeaten streak, why wouldn't it be?

Arsenal swatted aside Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon to kick off a tough week in the perfect way. The festive season has the Gunners facing a gauntlet of difficult fixtures, which have been made slightly harder after recent scheduling.

Not only was the Gunners’ request to play their quarter-final League Cup clash with Crystal Palace on the original week it was scheduled to be played ignored, but Mikel Arteta also saw their trip to Everton moved to avoid playing two games in three days. With Bayern Munich and Chelsea this week the challenge has stepped up considerably.

However, speaking on our unofficial Arsenal podcast ‘Seeing Red’ this week, John Cross told Tom Canton how crazy next week’s matches with Brentford and Aston Villa are. The chief football writer makes a strong point and one which highlights a problem for Arteta and a potential blow to the club’s title hopes.

“I looked at this, and I know I've got this sort of one that sort of grates with me a little bit, and I'll come on to it,” Cross said. “Chelsea away on Sunday, followed by Brentford at home on Wednesday night, followed by Aston Villa, who are in a rich vein of form on Saturday lunchtime. That is downright criminal.

“Honestly, that is a shocker.” Cross added: “So Crystal Palace were able to shift their game to give their players a bit of a break. Well, can Arsenal ring up the Premier League and say this is not on?

“I mean, honestly, I do think away from home, Saturday lunchtime after the Wednesday night game. Are you serious?"

Canton jumps in to remind Cross of a famous former Premier League manager whose words were echoing in this conversation: “I'm hearing Jurgen Klopp in my ear.”

Cross continues: “I think that's crazy. I don't think that's right.

“And I think it would be okay if it was the same for everyone. But sorry, but when you're shifting games like they have done now for other teams, well, how's this come about?

“So basically, you will definitely have to utilise that squad and be part of it. But also, I don't think you can really kind of stay at an intense level while changing six, seven, eight players and basically, you can't, you really got to manage it ever so cleverly.”

Tottenham are hoping to bounce back quickly following their 4-1 North London Derby defeat at the hands of Arsenal on Sunday

Joao Palhinha has apologised to Tottenham supporters after a painful 4-1 defeat at rivals Arsenal, but promised a “big reaction” this week.

Spurs were embarrassed by their north London counterparts at the Emirates Stadium and conceded twice in each half, while they could only muster two shots on target in response across the entire 90 minutes.

Thomas Frank is only five months into his tenure at Tottenham, but his side's meek display occurred a matter of weeks after a similar tepid performance in a 1-0 home loss to Chelsea and an ominous trip to Paris St Germain on Wednesday is on the horizon.

The Dane had already issued an apology of his own in the aftermath of the damaging loss and now Portuguese international Palhinha has followed in his manager's footsteps.

“We first of all need to say sorry to our supporters,” a downbeat Palhinha said. “There are not many words to be fair. It is always frustrating to lose the game with this reality against them. I think we deserve. I think it is fair, the result and we need a big reaction in the next two games. A big reaction because we have to show the team we showed in the past.

“I don’t need to speak too much about this, but we need to react, analyse the game but don’t think too much about what happened.”

Frank’s decision to ditch his usual 4-2-3-1 formation and go to a three centre-back system against Arsenal backfired. Summer target Eberechi Eze was on several occasions afforded too much space outside the Tottenham area and walked away with a hat-trick after he had come close to joining Spurs himself in August.

A half-time change by Frank back to his usual system helped the visitors to improve – despite Eze being able to score 35 seconds into the second period – but Palhinha acknowledged it was not good enough.

The Bayern Munich loanee promised an improved display against PSG, who beat Tottenham on penalties in the Super Cup Final in August.

Palhinha added: “I think we just played with that formation against PSG in the Super Cup. We tried to press them in the same way or a bit closer than we did in this (PSG) game, but yeah after we took the decision to change on half-time, I think the team improved.

“Even after we suffered really early, the goal that we conceded after half-time. I think when we swapped, we did better but yeah we need to analyse.

“The ways we conceded the goals, especially playing with five at the back line, we cannot concede these goals. And coming here and being punished with four goals is not our level. We will get our level again for the next two games. The only thing I can promise is we will give everything to get the wins in the next games.”

After facing PSG in the Champions League, Spurs are back in Premier League action on Saturday evening, when they host Marco Silva's Fulham in north London. The match is quickly followed by a tricky-looking away trip to Newcastle United three days later.

Tottenham have endured an inconsistent start to the season under new boss Thomas Frank and the club's new owners have made a decision over the Dane's long-term future

Tottenham Hotspur will not be sacking Thomas Frank despite Sunday's humiliating defeat to Arsenal. The Gunners dealt a crushing defeat to their fierce rivals at the Emirates Stadium, with Eberechi Eze adding insult to injury by scoring a hat-trick after nearly joining Frank's team in the summer.

Leandro Trossard also found the back of the net, helping the hosts secure a 4-1 victory and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League, much to the dismay of Spurs.

This marks the fourth league defeat for the club this season, leading to increasing discontent among Spurs fans who are unhappy with what they see as subpar and negative performances. However, while the club's management acknowledges the dip in results, they remain committed to giving Frank the opportunity to rectify the situation.

As reported by The Telegraph, the club's owners, the Lewis family, maintain that Frank's appointment was part of a long-term plan and continue to stand by this decision. The club is not panicking and will not be rushed into making any hasty decisions, despite having some concerns.

There is suggestion that the former Brentford manager's frequent changes have contributed to a string of lacklustre performances, and some players would like Frank to concentrate more on leveraging his own team's strengths.

The Spurs squad gathered at their training ground as usual on Monday ahead of jetting off to France on Tuesday for this week's Champions League face-off with Paris Saint-Germain.

Following his team's loss to Arsenal, Frank stated: "I'm a very big believer that no matter what system you play you can be successful. I completely understand the question and I will always take the full responsibility. The full responsibility will always be on me today when we didn't perform.

"I picked a team that played 5-4-1, changed it half-time, very clever, one minute into it they scored, 3-0, the rest is history after that. What I would say is that no matter if we played another system we needed to be more aggressive and better in the duels. That doesn't matter to the system but I take responsibility for everything today."

Commenting on Spurs' less-than-stellar results, he added: "That, of course, will always be a concern. I would like the team to have very few bad performances. There will always be average performances, because it's football we're dealing with.

"That's definitely something I need to look into, because today, I felt we were fresh, I think we were ready. The Chelsea game was a little bit on the back end of a tough spell.

"There could be that but the performance was still bad. Today, I didn't expect us to be not competitive."