Football London

The Tottenham sporting director based an entire transfer window reasoning on something that has not come to pass for the north London club

Mohammed Kudus' injury setback appears to be another damning indictment of Tottenham's January transfer window business and sporting director Johan Lange's defence of the lack of arrivals.

Spurs are now on their fourth head coach in nine months with the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi and the Italian will have walked through the Hotspur Way doors to find a club with nine players currently at different stages of injury rehabilitation. His predecessors Igor Tudor, Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou all faced double figure absences for prolonged periods during their tenures.

Postecoglou in particular bemoaned the amount of re-injuries during his time at the club during games and training, and despite changes at the top of the medical department and sports science staff that still appears to be happening with football.london reporting on Thursday that Kudus had suffered a setback in the quad injury that has kept the Ghanaian out since January.

Spurs had the chance to reinforce their squad in the January transfer window, despite the difficulties involved in that market, but only brought through the door a midfielder in Conor Gallagher and 19-year-old left-back Souza, while selling last season's top scorer Brennan Johnson just days before Kudus first suffered his serious quad injury.

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero hit out publicly at the tiny and tired first team squad the club were working with but Lange maintained after the window closed that not reinforcing the numbers would be offset by players returning from injury.

"Of course, when we go into January, we didn't anticipate that we'll have seven injuries during the month of January. So, that of course changes things during the course of the window," said the Dane in his club interview.

"It's very important, even though that is highly frustrating with all the injuries, to remain disciplined because, A, the players are coming back and, B, if you then, can you say, go in and make a stress purchase of any football players, then yes, the immediate feeling gives you is nice, but there's no point in signing players that have not helped us in the short term, in the medium term, or even in the long term.

"So, even though that is highly frustrating with all the injuries, the majority of the players will return this season here, hopefully a few very soon. It is important as a club to remain disciplined and make sure to do our best, our ability only to sign players that can generally help the team now or in the future."

He added: "Again, it's for a number of reasons. First, a lot of our injured players, they will return in this season here, hopefully a number of them quite shortly."

Unfortunately, of the long-term players out when Lange made those comments ahead of the trip to face Manchester United in early February, Kudus, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies all remain side-lined two months later and were added to a week after by Wilson Odobert. The young Frenchman suffered an ACL injury while Yves Bissouma has been in and out of availability with muscle problems.

First choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario also put off having hernia surgery for months, playing through the pain before finally needing to have the operation last month.

De Zerbi will take charge of his first Tottenham match on Sunday afternoon at Sunderland. The 46-year-old will attempt to keep the club in the top flight over the coming seven matches with a squad that has rarely been fit for purpose at a club that declared last summer that it must compete in all competitions. Spurs will be fortunate if they are even able to compete in the Premier League next season.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss has not even taken charge of a match yet but has already found out about the club's constant injury problems

Mohammed Kudus is believed to have suffered a setback to his long-term quad injury just as he was set to return to action for Tottenham, football.london understands.

Kudus had originally suffered a serious quad tendon injury in the draw against Sunderland at home back in January but looked to be on the way back this month. Spurs' former interim head coach Igor Tudor had provided a positive update on the attacker before his departure.

"So we have this big three weeks after the game on Sunday. He will probably do some part of the things with the squad maybe 10 days [after the break]," the Croatian had told football.london. "I don’t know I’m not sure. We need to check but he is progressing very well. Already a little bit with the ball."

However, Kudus is yet to appear in any footage from training and football.london understands that the Ghana star has faced a setback with his quad although the extent is unclear. There are some suggestions that an operation may be required and if so that could potentially place the remainder of his Premier League season and World Cup participation in doubt. Ghana face England as well as Croatia and Panama in their group at the showpiece tournament this summer.

The 25-year-old's return would have been a major boost to Tottenham's new head coach Roberto De Zerbi. After signing from West Ham in a £55million deal, Kudus had provided nine goal involvements in 24 Premier League and Champions League matches for Spurs before his injury and the Italian had come close to signing him during his spell in charge of Brighton.

Kudus had not missed a single game through injury for West Ham but could potentially miss half of his first season at their north London rivals.

De Zerbi joins Spurs at a time when they have nine players out injured, including Pape Matar Sarr who picked up a shoulder injury on international duty with Senegal. The club's constant injury crises of recent seasons have hampered Tudor and Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou before them.

Kudus' setback comes at a time when former Ghana star Michael Essien believes the Spurs man is the country's big hope after his performances at the previous World Cup.

"If I start talking about him [Kudus], we won't finish! I think he has showcased himself to the football world. He’s one of the biggest talents, and for Ghana, he's our star. We have to protect him and give him all the love and confidence he needs," he told FIFA.com.

Spurs and England midfielder James Maddison has been working hard behind the scenes to return stronger in the summer and complete a full pre‑season

James Maddison is edging closer to recovering from the serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) he sustained in pre‑season. The 29‑year‑old had to be stretchered off during Tottenham's pre‑season match against Newcastle United in Seoul and has missed the majority of the Premier League campaign so far.

In his absence, Spurs have parted company with two managers, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, with Roberto De Zerbi now in the dugout.

Since stepping away from the pitch, Maddison has documented his rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on a cruciate knee injury.

In a new update on Instagram, the midfielder shared a video of the Spurs admin filming him as they zoomed in on the muscle in his leg.

"Admin needs to work on the angle of videoing," he wrote, followed by laughing and muscle emojis.

This comes after Spurs shared footage of Maddison training in the gym, which quickly went viral.

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Fans have been stunned by the noticeable difference in the muscle mass in his legs.

One fan replied: "You could see Maddison has lost a lot weight, especially in his leg muscles. When he is fit, he is a joy to watch. I wish him a speedy return," while a second added: "Something wrong with his legs."

A third continued: "Looking at that, it's going to be a while still. Poor guy." Another remarked: "If this is a recent piece of footage it's going to be a bit longer... The difference in his legs tell you that."

The former Leicester City man revealed how lonely he has felt at times and his battle with the mental side throughout his rehabilitation.

"It was painful," he explained. "It was difficult to accept, with a big season ahead, a World Cup year.

"But it is what it is, you have to deal with it, crack on with the rehab and smile in the face of adversity.

"I've been working hard every day, head down, grit my teeth and get through it. There have been some tough days, some dark days, lonely days.

"But I’ll get there and be back better and stronger, I have no doubt."

Despite being back on the grass in recent weeks, he is still expected to remain sidelined for the rest of the season, with the club unlikely to take any risks.

Roberto De Zerbi could add one of the Championship's most promising young players to the Tottenham Hotspur squad next season.

Ashley Phillips has been shortlisted for the Championship's young player of the season award. The Tottenham Hotspur defender has made an excellent impression during his second spell on loan at Stoke City, playing more than any other player aged 20 or under in the second tier of English football.

Phillips, who the Lilywhites signed from Blackburn for just £3million in August 2023, has featured 36 times in the Championship this term, helping the Potters keep one of the best defensive records. In fact, only Coventry City, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough have conceded fewer goals than Stoke, and they sit first, second, and third, respectively.

The England Under-21 International, who's also eligible to play for Wales, has been nominated alongside Jordan James at Leicester City, Sydie Peck at Sheffield United, and Bobby Clark at Derby County for the young player of the season award. The winner will be announced at the EFL Awards on Sunday, April 19, which is set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football.

Although he's only recently taken the reins at Hotspur Way, Roberto De Zerbi will be delighted with Phillips' development. When the youngster returns to north London in the summer, he'll hope to force himself into the new manager's plans.

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Last month, Mark Robins handed Phillips the captain's armband for the first time. The Tottenham defender repaid his manager's faith, leading Stoke to a 3-3 draw against the Tractor Boys at the Bet365 Stadium.

During an interview with StokeLive back in February, Phillips admitted that he would be open to extending his stay with the Potters. The centre-back said: "I’d love to.

"It’s a fantastic club, but we’ve got to see how the season finishes and then go from there for next year," continued Phillips. "“I love being here, it’s a fantastic club.

"I’m very thankful for how they’ve developed me as a player. I feel like I owe everything to Stoke and that’s why I’ve been so keen to achieve great things this season, which I’m still positive about.

"I forget sometimes I’m a loan player too. It feels like I’ve been here forever, to be fair. It’s a great club. The fans are great, the staff are great. I’m loving my time here."

Phillips has been working closely with the Spurs loan manager, Andy Scoulding, during his spell at Stoke. The youngster said: "He’s very happy with how things are going. He keeps in contact pretty much every week, asking about the game, how it’s gone.

"They’re making sure I’m on the right path. I’ve improved so much, and I’m thankful to all the staff here and all the players here. I’m very happy with my development, but I know I can push on even more. I have to keep kicking on.

"For a centre-back, it’s all about experience. You learn from each game you play. I’ve made just over 100 appearances now at the age of 20, which is a great start, and it’s one of the goals I’ve set when I was very young. I need to keep playing those games and keep learning."

Phillips hasn't got on the scoresheet this season, but he's looking to follow in the footsteps of a Chelsea legend. The Spurs loanee said: "I’ve been getting on the end of quite a few things to be fair, and it can be frustrating.

"I just have to keep it down a little bit. It’s a positive that I’m getting a lot of first contacts, but I need to hit the back of the net eventually. You look at the best centre-backs like John Terry, and he probably scored 10-plus in a season.

"You’re looking at players like that and it’s definitely one of my goals. Hopefully I can get a couple before the end of the season. It’s one of the things (Stoke coach) Ryan Shawcross boasts about to me.

"I think he scored near 10 in his first season here. I definitely ask him for advice and he gives it to me, it’s just about putting it into play."

Johan Lange has already outlined Tottenham Hotspur's 'big ambitions' to strengthen the squad in the summer, which will be music to the ears of Roberto De Zerbi

As many as four Tottenham Hotspur players could be offloaded before the transfer window opens. This summer, Roberto De Zerbi will be determined to bolster his squad, regardless of whether the Lilywhites are relegated from the Premier League.

In order to implement his ideas and play the free-flowing football that earned recognition from Pep Guardiola, the Italian will need to welcome some new faces to Hotspur Way. Equally, however, he will also need to dump those that are surplus to requirement.

Fortunately for De Zerbi, Johan Lange has already outlined his 'big ambitions' to strengthen the team in the summer. Speaking to club media earlier this year, the Spurs sporting director said: "The summer market is where eight or nine out of 10 players, they move clubs, so we will go into the summer window with big ambitions of strengthening the team.

"We know there'll be more movements, we know there'll be more opportunities, so the plans are already, can you see, drawn up. We have a clear picture of which position and also which profiles.

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"Could we have brought one or two more in this January window? We would have been delighted to do so, but that was not a possibility. So, we are looking forward to the summer, now we focus on the rest of the season and that is very, very important as well because we have big objectives."

Lange added: "We want to, of course, be higher in the Premier League and then myself and others will have our eyes already now directed towards the summer transfer window."

So, with that being said, football.london has looked at the four players fighting for a future at Tottenham.

Yves Bissouma

Yves Bissouma is one of three players whose contract will expire at the end of the season. After missing a large chunk of the campaign with a knee problem, the 29-year-old midfielder only managed to play eight Premier League games before returning to the sidelines with a muscle injury.

If Bissouma wants a future at Tottenham, he'll have to impress his boss in the final weeks of the campaign. Although the Mali international has never played for De Zerbi, having left Brighton shortly before the Italian took the reins, he did well in a similar system under Graham Potter.

Ben Davies

Ben Davies also only has a few months left on his contract at Tottenham. The 32-year-old defender underwent a second operation in January on an ankle injury he suffered during a defeat to West Ham a few days prior, and he hasn't featured again since.

As it stands, it remains unclear exactly when Davies will return to action. Interestingly, the Wales international was mooted as a potential candidate for an interim head coach role when Igor Tudor parted ways with Spurs.

Joao Palhinha

When Tottenham signed Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich last summer, they included an option-to-buy clause. The 30-year-old, who joined the Lilywhites a year after the Bundesliga champions paid Fulham £47m for his signature, has two years left on his deal at the Allianz Arena.

If Palhinha wants a future at Spurs, he'll need to prove his worth to De Zerbi. The Italian likes his midfielders to receive the ball under pressure and beat the press, so the Portugal international will have his work cut out in the coming weeks.

Richarlison

Richarlison will enter the final year of his contract this summer. Although the 28-year-old striker won't be under as much pressure as others on this list to perform, the end-of-season run-in could still define his future at Tottenham.

From January, foreign clubs will be eligible to open pre-contract talks with Richarlison over a free transfer, unless he signs a new deal beforehand. If the Brazil international doesn't pen an extension, Spurs will have a decision to make. The Lilywhites will have to consider whether they'd rather lose Richarlison for free or cut their losses and cash in during the upcoming transfer window. Tottenham forked out £60m to sign the Brazilian from Everton in July 2022.

Roberto De Zerbi has added two coaches to his backroom staff ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's clash against Sunderland. The Italian will lead the Lilywhites out for the very first time on Sunday afternoon, when they face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Marcattilio Marcattilii and Marcello Quinto have been appointed as the new first team fitness coach and senior professional development phase coach, respectively. They have joined Bruno Saltor (assistant coach), who stayed behind following the departure of Igor Tudor, in the dugout.

Together, they'll work closely with Andreas Georgson (assistant coach), Cameron Campbell (individual development coach) and Fabian Otte (goalkeeping coach) on the coaching staff. Stuart Lewis and Dean Brill will continue to support the first-team setup.

Marcattilii crossed paths with De Zerbi at Foggia in 2015, and he's been part of his backroom staff ever since. Meanwhile, Quinto has worked the new Tottenham boss over the last three years during spells at both Brighton and Marseille.

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Shorting after penning a five-year contract at Hotspur Way, De Zerbi outlined his plan to climb the Premier League table. The Lilywhites are just one point, and a hefty goal difference, away from the bottom three, and they could fall into the relegation zone if they lose to Sunderland this weekend.

In an interview with club media, the Italian said: "I'm very happy and very proud to be here. I consider Tottenham one of the most important clubs in the world, so I'm very happy.

"I have a big responsibility, it's a big challenge and I'm looking forward to start and to work with the players and to win some games. I watched a lot of games, especially in the last period. I know very well the players.

"I love football, so I watch many, many games per week. I know everything. I know it's a tough moment for Tottenham, I know very well it's a tough moment. It's a difficult moment for everyone at Tottenham.

"I think we have the right qualities to come out from this moment. I believe in the players. I think we have to remember who we are and who the players are, because we have very big players and we have to work on their confidence and the qualities of them.

"They have to show what they are and what they are used to playing."

De Zerbi quickly turned his attention to the clash in the North East. The Spurs gaffer said: "I think we have to be focused just on the Sunderland game.

"I don't want to listen to people speaking about the schedule or the Brighton game or the Wolverhampton game. Game by game, we have to prepare the players to win the game and to be focused just on the game.

"We have to play with courage. We have to play with the qualities of the players, because if I accepted this challenge, it's because I have a big confidence in the players and the history of Tottenham football is a very clear style of play.

"We are lucky, I am lucky, because I have big players with big talent and my work is to help the players to show their qualities."

Tottenham Hotspur look set to welcome some big names back to the matchday squad before the end of the season.

Roberto De Zerbi may have to wait until the end of April before he can unleash Tottenham Hotspur's secret weapon in the Premier League relegation battle. The Lilywhites are just one point – and a hefty goal difference – away from the bottom three, and they could fall into the relegation zone if they lose to Sunderland this weekend.

Spurs are yet to win a game in the English top-flight this year, so the Italian, who's been tasked with keeping them up, will be determined to taste victory at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately for Tottenham, West Ham have the opportunity to pile on the pressure.

The Hammers can set the pace on Friday night when they face Wolves at Molineux. Even if the Lilywhites surrender ground in the race for survival, they're set to welcome some big names back to the matchday squad before the end of the season – one of them being Mohammed Kudus.

The 25-year-old winger, who suffered a hamstring injury in January, could return to action later this month. Kudus has been pictured in first-team training ahead of Tottenham's clash against the Black Cats.

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Although his inclusion in the matchday squad would be a huge boost, Igor Tudor previously suggested that the Ghana international wouldn't be available until the end of April, when Spurs face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday, April 25

Speaking to reporters ahead of Spurs' clash against Nottingham Forest, the former interim boss appeared to put a 10-day return date – from the first day back after the international break – on Kudus. That would rule him out of clashes against Sunderland and Brighton.

However, it remains unclear exactly when Kudus will be back, and De Zerbi will be expected to provide an update when he faces the media on Friday afternoon. When the Italian decides the time is right, he'll be playing his trump card.

The Ghanaian, whom Tottenham signed from West Ham for £55m in the summer, enjoyed a brilliant start to life in north London, scoring one goal and providing five assists in his first seven Premier League games. Kudus had helped Spurs climb into third place.

Even when the forward suffered a hamstring injury during the draw to Sunderland, he left Spurs just a handful of points from the top half of the table. Kudus was the shining light for Tottenham, and it's no coincidence that Tottenham nosedived into a relegation battle in his absence.

According to Statmuse, despite having spent the last three months on the sidelines, only three players have managed to complete more successful dribbles in the Premier League this season than Kudus (51). Jeremy Doku (59) tops the charts; he's closely followed by Yankuba Minteh (55) and Iliman Ndiaye (54).

The Tottenham winger will undoubtedly become a key player for De Zerbi during the run-in, and for years to come. During his first interview as Spurs boss last week, he outlined his immediate plans for Kudus and the rest of the squad.

"I love keeping the ball," De Zerbi told the in-house media team. "I love possession, I love great chances to score, but at the same time, I love 11 defenders when we have not the ball, because in this time of football, we have to attack with 11 players, with the goalkeeper as well, and we have to defend with 11 players when the ball is not for us.

"In this moment, we have no time to work too much on more principles, but we have to know what we have to do on the pitch. We have to have a good organisation, with the ball, without the ball.

"We have to consider the qualities of the players. We are lucky - I am lucky - because I have big players with big talent and my work is to help the players to show their qualities."

Sean Dyche has now addressed reports that linked him with taking over at Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season prior to Roberto De Zerbi becoming their latest manager

Sean Dyche has claimed no amount of money would have convinced him to take the Tottenham Hotspur job. Spurs sit just one point above the relegation zone and are yet to win a game in the Premier League this calendar year.

And Dyche was one of the names linked with replacing Igor Tudor ahead of his short and calamitous reign coming to an end last month.

The 54-year-old was available for the job having been sacked by Nottingham Forest, but Spurs have since appointed Robert De Zerbi.

Dyche has now revealed that not only was he never approached by Tottenham to become their next manager, but he wouldn't have taken the job anyway.

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"I didn't laugh it off, by the way; I told a true story," he said on talkSPORT. "I spend a lot of time in London, not working but socially and I just happened to be here at the same time the Tottenham job opened.

"Once you're in the city, people put two and two together and it was never about getting drawn into the rumours. I'm telling the truth, there was a lot of speculation and talk and I was playing it down correctly so.

"It's no disrespect to anyone, it's a brilliant club and I've said that, but it's nonsense to pre-suppose an outcome just because you're in the same city."

When asked if he had a conversation with members of the Spurs hierarchy by talkSPORT’s Jim White, Dyche replied: "No, I did not."

Before he explained why he would never have taken the job anyway, revealing: "Obviously in the career I have, it does pay well, but I wouldn't go in there looking for money.

"They could offer me a massive amount of money, I’m sure they’re capable of it and allegedly they’ve offered [Roberto] De Zerbi a massive amount of money.

"It would have been about what are you [Spurs] going to help me gain as a human being. What would I gain?

"Let's say you go in there and get the job done [not get relegated], then next season if you’re not in the top four and the football’s not what they want, then you're rubbish and they want you out.

"So you’re not going to gain a lot there, are you? And that’s if you get the job done, because it’s not easy.

Tottenham are currently focused on securing Premier League safety but whatever happens, Roberto De Zerbi is expected to remain in charge of Spurs after signing a five-year contract

Roberto De Zerbi is currently prioritising Premier League safety with Tottenham but beyond that, there's hope of a brighter future under the Italian.

Whatever division the club are playing their football in next season, a squad refresh feels highly necessary. But it's important the club does not overlook some of the top young talent already on their books or alternatively, out on loan.

So what could De Zerbi's XI look like next season before the club delves into the transfer market? Well, Guglielmo Vicario looks highly likely to depart and return to Italy where Inter Milan are courting his services.

Vicario is focused on helping Tottenham secure safety following hernia surgery but his future at the club is in huge doubt.

There's a chance De Zerbi could test Antonin Kinsky because the Czech is supposed to be good with his feet despite his disaster against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

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If De Zerbi chooses a 4-2-3-1 formation, which he utilised at Brighton, Destiny Udogie or Souza will start at left-back. Micky van de Ven, providing he stays put, could start at centre-back alongside Luka Vuskovic.

It seems probable that captain Cuti Romero could seek to explore his options at the end of the season despite penning a new long-term contract last August.

At right-back, Pedro Porro should keep his spot. In midfield, Archie Gray and the returning James Maddison could play as a double pivot.

Mikey Moore could be the man to fix Tottenham's left-wing problems following his productive loan spell at Rangers while Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski could battle it out for the No.10 role once 'Deki' makes a full recovery after 11 months on the sidelines.

On the right, Mohammed Kudus is a shoo-in. The Ghana international will be back soon following an adductor injury and he has been sorely missed on the flank.

In attack, Dominic Solanke remains the favourite to lead the line but Will Lankshear shouldn't be discounted as the 20-year-old is now up to 10 goals in all competitions on loan at Oxford United.

While there's a firm argument Tottenham could benefit from the cultural and squad reset that would be forced upon them if they were relegated, there's still no reason why the likes of Vuskovic, Moore and Lankshear can't be integrated into the first-team picture under De Zerbi.

Not only would they save the club millions of pounds but they have great potential to kick on and become top players for Spurs.

Will Lankshear has assessed Oxford United's chances of staying in the Championship following a dramatic draw to Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Easter Monday.

Will Lankshear has sent a two-word message following Oxford United's dramatic draw to Portsmouth. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee fired the U's into a short-lived lead at Fratton Park on Easter Monday, scoring his ninth goal of the Championship campaign.

Keshi Anderson broke the deadlock on the south coast inside the opening quarter of an hour. Then, a few moments later, Connor Ogilvie took the wind out of his side's sails when he was given his marching orders after diving into a tackle on Stanley Mills.

Brodie Spencer levelled proceedings shortly after the break before Lankshear put Oxford United ahead. The 20-year-old striker leapt in front of his marker, leaving Nicolas Schmid rooted to the spot as he headed the ball into the top far corner.

Lankshear wheeled away in celebration before spreading his arms in front of the home supporters. The visitors' lead didn't last long, with Andre Dozzell pulling one back for John Mousinho's side in the final minutes of the game.

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Although Oxford United remain in the bottom three of the Championship, only four points separate them from West Brom in 20th, sandwiching Leicester City and Portsmouth.

The U's still have five games to climb out of the relegation zone, with one of those against Sheffield Wednesday, who have been rooted to the bottom of the table this season.

Nevertheless, after the draw to Pompey, Lankshear reflected on the result with a short and sweet social media post. Captioning a picture of himself celebrating his goal, the Tottenham loanee said: "Keep believing."

Lankshear has featured in all but two Championship games this season, scoring nine goals and providing three assists. He also found the net during a win over MK Dons in the third round of the FA Cup.

In an interview with OUTV, the youngster backed his side to stay in the division. Lankshear said: "It is extremely good to see [us fight]. We know we have to. We come out here after every game and say that we have got the spirit, we have got the drive.

"But in this league, it is incredibly tough. I think the league is going up in quality. We are going to need more. We are going to need more going into the next few games. I think we have got that, we have got that ability. The past eight games, I think we have played really, really well."

Meanwhile, speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Matt Bloomfield said: "We worked so incredibly hard to get our noses in front in the game against a tough opposition in such an incredible atmosphere.

"We feel terribly disappointed that we are not walking away with three points. We need to make sure we improve on conceding late goals like this.

"Nothing was decided today [in the relegation picture], it's my job now as the leader of the group to pick everybody up and make sure we get ready for the game at the weekend. We still have five games to go and we'll keep hunting."