Football London

There is uncertainty over the future of Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici, who has reportedly been offered a five-year contract by Italian side Fiorentina

Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici's potential departure for Fiorentina is an unwelcome distraction Spurs and Thomas Frank did not need this Christmas.

At this moment in time, the official line from the Europa League winners is that they're still yet to receive a formal approach from the Italian outfit for Paratici's services.

Until that changes, a deal cannot be struck between the parties and Tottenham would likely seek a compensation package.

But the fact Paratici is engaging in private discussions with Fiorentina shows that at the very least, he's tempted by the opportunity.

Given he only returned to Spurs in an official working capacity - it was the worst-kept secret in football that he was still assisting the club on a consultancy basis - in October, to some, it may feel like he's jumping ship at the first given opportunity.

To an extent, the north London club put their reputation on the line when they brought Paratici back to the club following the conclusion of his 30-month FIFA ban. The sporting chief was hit with the punishment by the governing body for his part in a financial scandal during his time at Juventus.

I was in Frank's pre-Aston Villa press conference after the announcement and the Dane, who was navigating teething problems of his own on the field, was forced to respond to awkward questions about whether the return of the former Juventus chief was ethical given he'd been handed an 18-month suspended jail sentence following a plea bargain deal with Italian prosecutors.

It shows how popular Paratici is within Tottenham circles that Spurs did not hesitate to bring him back on board. He's renowned for his relentless work-ethic, his extensive web of contacts across Europe and additionally, his meticulous eye for talent.

Yes there have been transfer misses but Paratici does deserve great credit for his influential role in deals for Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, among others.

Supporters are also fond of him because frequently at matches, he's spotted speaking on the phone in the director's box with his headphones dangling down by his side. Images of this often surface and are shared online on social media platforms, offering fans hope he's working around the clock on new signings for the club.

It's hard to shake the feeling that Frank's new-look project currently lacks stability. Results have been underwhelming and that's ultimately a by-product of the seismic changes that have happened upstairs at Tottenham since that historic night in Bilbao.

Donna-Maria Cullen, executive director and Daniel Levy's long-standing advisor left the club in the summer. Then following the arrival of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, Levy followed in early September.

Spurs have put huge faith in Johan Lange and Paratici, who share a notable workload and are responsible for providing support for Frank and the first-team.

Lange's responsibilities include managing scouting networks, performance, football insights, performance analysis and the academy. Paratici takes care of players, manages relationships with their representatives, transfers and loans, including managing pathways of the club's younger stars.

They work collaboratively on squad planning, therefore it's far from ideal that Paratici - an instrumental figure - is seemingly toying with the prospect of an exit so close to the January transfer window.

Frank has already said the club will "100 per cent" be active in the market this winter but if Paratici were to leave, it would surely hinder plans to strengthen the squad next month.

Around 45 minutes after every home match, Paratici heads down the lift and walks through the mixed-zone into the home dressing room.

He's a warm and friendly character and will always say hello to journalists. On Saturday, one of my colleagues asked him as he breezed past: "Fabio, will you be staying or are you going to Fiorentina?"

His response was non-committal as he headed through the dressing-room door - and it conveyed there was some uncertainty.

Of course, even if he wants to go, he wouldn't have told us there and then but if it was a non-story, perhaps he would have made it known.

Italian reports suggest a five-year contract is on the table in Florence. La Viola are rooted to the foot of the Serie A table and star striker Moise Kean is also being tipped for a transfer this January.

Effectively, there's a sense Fiorentina's winter window will define their fate. From the outside looking in, they appear to be too big of a club to be relegated but their form is wretched - although they did thrash Udinese at the weekend - and their squad is uninspiring.

They're hedging their bets on Paratici to save their season and optically, it doesn't reflect well upon Tottenham that he'd consider such a risky move mid-season - just two months after being handed the sporting director role - when Spurs need him most. They still have so much to play for.

Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici is facing a would-be exit from the club - for a second time - as links to Serie A side Fiorentina have emerged ahead of the January transfer window.

Tottenham are facing the possibility of losing Fabio Paratici for the second time - as the club's managing director has been linked with an exit. It comes just ahead of the January transfer window, where Spurs could be busy in an attempt to help Thomas Frank succeed in the coming months.

Paratici is just a few months into his second spell in north London - after previously working under Daniel Levy as the sporting director. In that time, he signed many notable players, including the likes of Destiny Udogie and Dejan Kulusevski, which made him a favourite among the club's supporters.

However, with a ban from football activities following, there was subsequently some time away for the Italian, with plenty changing behind the scenes. With Johan Lange put in charge of their sporting department, Paratici's return meant a switch to how the hierarchy works.

Even though that switch came only a few months ago, it seems as though another exit for themanaging director could be on the way, if recent reports are to play out.

So, with that said, here's a look at everything you need to know about Paratici and his time at Tottenham;

Fiorentina 'agree Fabio Paratici deal'

According to Corriere della Sera, Fabio Paratici has 'reached an agreement' with Serie A side Fiorentina over a five-year deal that would end his spell with Tottenham. The report claims that the director is now working to terminate his contract with Spurs, ahead of a return to Italy.

It's stated that Paratici has already landed in Italy, while Fiorentina will be given a budget to make several signings in the market. The famous Italian side sit bottom of the table, and are in desperate need of a turnaround to avoid a shock relegation.

How long has Fabio Paratici been at Tottenham?

Paratici has been at Tottenham for two separate spells now, with the first one starting in June 2021, when he was announced as the managing director. He spent just under two years at the club, before he then resigned owing to the ongoing situation surrounding a worldwide ban imposed by FIFA.

The Italian returned in October 2025 - following the lifting of his ban - but if he were to leave this December, then that second spell would've only lasted just over two months.

Who has Fabio Paratici signed at Tottenham?

Over his time so far, Paratici has only made 16 signings at Tottenham, all of which varied in success rates, from some struggling to others becoming key parts of the team.

Those players are:

Cristian Romero

Pedro Porro

Pape Matar Sarr

Dejan Kulusevski

Djed Spence

Destiny Udogie

Richarlison

Rodrigo Bentancur

Yves Bissouma

Ivan Perisic

Fraser Forster

Emerson Royal

Clement Lenglet

Arnaut Danjuma

Pierluigi Gollini

Bryan Gil

Fabio Paratici ban

Paratici was banned from football in 2023 for 30 months - following the Plusvalenza investigation - which looked into the overvaluation of players from his time at Juventus. While he appealed the decision, the ban was imposed worldwide by FIFA, which led to his Spurs resignation in 2023.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven's challenge on Liverpool's Alexander Isak left the striker with a suspected broken leg

Tottenham have received a fresh referee verdict on the tackle from Micky van de Ven on Alexander Isak, which led to a suspected leg fracture for the forward.

Thomas Frank's team fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat in north London on Saturday evening, with Isak netting the first goal after half-time. However, following his successful strike, a slide tackle from Van de Ven caught Isak's leg as he planted it, forcing him out of the game.

The immediate reaction of concern from his fellow players painted a grim picture. A stretcher was summoned, but Isak managed to hobble off the pitch with assistance from Liverpool's medical team.

Reports on Sunday hinted at a possible lower leg fracture for Isak, though the severity of the injury and the length of recovery time remain uncertain, pending further updates from the Merseyside club following scans.

The incident has sparked a debate, with pundits on Sky Sports' Ref Watch having differing views on whether it was a red-card offence. Ex-pro Jay Bothroyd argued that while Van de Ven's intention might not have been to injure Isak, the reckless nature of the tackle warranted a sending off.

"Van de Ven has not intentionally tried to hurt Isak," he explained. "Obviously, he is desperate to stop a goal and he's coming across to stop the shot.

"This is an example where, yes, Isak has scored, but it should still be a red card. He's lunging, he's going into him. Every explanation you want to give for a red-card challenge is there. Because he's scored, they've let it go.

"He's lunged, he's out of control. He's trying to make a block but he's never going to get there. If that's in the middle of the park, that's a red card."

However, former referee Dermot Gallagher disagreed, maintaining that the challenge was not a red-card offence and that the outcome of the tackle should not overshadow its nature.

"I can't see that he's done anything that a footballer wouldn't," he explained. "I would be astonished if that was given as a red card anywhere on the field.

"Players mistime challenges all the time. He's slightly late... it's not a red card. Whether it be in the penalty area, in the D, the centre circle or the other half."

Where the two pundits found common ground, though, was in backing the official's decision to send off Spurs star Xavi Simons for his tackle on Virgil van Dijk during the opening period. The Netherlands international launched into a dangerous challenge on his compatriot and skipper, making contact with the centre-back's calf using his studs.

"I want to make clear that I don't think Simons has any intention to do this, but he has done it," Gallagher added on the Simons incident. "Once you see the replay, you can't unsee it.

"When VAR sees that, in modern football, it is always going to be a red card. He's unlucky, but he is always going to see red. You can't make challenges like that anymore."

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero faces a one-game suspension following his red card against Liverpool on Saturday

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes Cristian Romero 's red card in Tottenham 's defeat against Liverpool on Saturday evening was soft. He also accused Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate of 'playing' on the incident to get the Argentine into trouble.

Thomas Frank's men suffered a third defeat in six games across all competitions against the reigning Premier League champions over the weekend. The hosts endured an early blow in north London as Xavi Simons was shown a red card for a tackle on Virgil van Dijk.

Alexander Isak then opened the scoring almost immediately after coming off the bench in the second half, before he was subsequently substituted after sustaining an injury following a challenge from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven. Hugo Ekitike later doubled Liverpool's advantage.

Spurs were given a glimmer of hope of snatching something late in the game as Richarlison came off the bench to capitalise on some poor Liverpool defending and pull a goal back. Despite late pressure from Frank’s men, they suffered another setback in stoppage time as Romero was shown a red card for appearing to kick out at Ibrahima Konate.

Even with nine men, Spurs pushed for that all-important equaliser but ultimately fell just short. The result leaves them 13th in the league standings and seven points outside the top four with 17 games played.

There was plenty of discussion post-match over the refereeing decisions, notably the red cards that were given, as well as those that were not. While Van de Ven avoided punishment for his challenge on Isak, both Simons and Romero were less fortunate, with many questioning whether the decisions were correct.

Rooney, speaking on his podcast with BBC Sounds, delivered his verdict on the Romero incident in added time. While the former United and Everton star believes Spurs were playing on the edge with some of their challenges, he felt Konate played on the incident to get his opponent sent off.

"I think sometimes it’s better, and in the big games as well, playing on that edge and having that, you know, little bit of hunger in a weird way," he explained. "It’s quite difficult to explain, but playing on that edge in the big games is better.

"But then you’re at risk of overflowing a little bit and I think with the two red cards, the second red card, the Romero one, I think is soft. I think Konate’s played on it a little bit.

"I think playing on that edge you’re at danger of getting a red card or something silly happening, but the outcomes can be much better when you’re playing that edge. I think that’s what people want to see as well."

Simons will now miss Spurs’ next three games due to his sending off being for serious foul play. He will not be involved against Crystal Palace after Christmas, nor in the games against Brentford and Sunderland.

Romero, meanwhile, was shown a red card for two bookable offences. That means he will serve a one-game suspension and will only be ruled out for the trip to Crystal Palace this weekend.

Gary Lineker was not happy with the decision to send off Xavi Simons during Tottenham's 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, with the former England striker defending the Spurs midfielder

Gary Lineker believes Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons was harshly dismissed during Spurs' 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on Saturday. The Netherlands international was sent off in the 33rd minute after a contentious challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk had played the ball back to Alisson Becker when Simons made contact with the Liverpool captain's Achilles. Referee John Brooks initially brandished a yellow card, but was subsequently instructed by VAR to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor.

Brooks decided to upgrade his decision to a red card, dismissing Simons and leaving Spurs with 10 men. Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was incensed by the ruling in his post-match media duties, declaring the "game is gone", whilst Arne Slot felt Simons hadn't deliberately attempted to harm Van Dijk.

The former Everton and Tottenham striker Lineker has now weighed in with his thoughts on the dismissal. "I'm going to have a little but of a rant myself here. I know in slow motion you can pick it apart, his [Xavi Simons] studs may have caught the back of his [Virgil van Dijk] calf, but the fella is just trying to put his foot on the ground," he said on the Rest Is Football.

"I mean there's absolutely zero intent. I mean yes, Virg might have got hurt, that happens in football, it happens all the time, doesn't mean to say it's a vicious foul. I just can't stand red cards for things like that, it was nothing. It's another one of those that looks in slow motion, you go 'ooh, blimey, he's raked down the back of his calf'.

"In normal speed it wasn't that, it's not like that at all. It's not like that at all. And I know they all thought it was a red card and you two may think it's a red card, and I understand now that when they look at things, they might go and break it down so slowly, but when you see it in normal speed, it's just his foot landing, he flicks him.

"It's nothing, it's absolutely nothing."

Alan Shearer added: "It's totally accidental, totally accidental, yeah."

Lineker continued: "Yellow card would've sufficed."

Simons, meanwhile, apologised after the game. He said on social media: "Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain, I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone.

"To my Spurs teammates, my manager and the fans, I take responsibility. I'm really sorry."

Van Dijk then chipped in with his verdict and said: "I don't think there was any intention to hurt me but obviously he hurt me and then the referee and the VAR made the decision to send him off.

"I spoke to him. It's a chat that no-one needs to know."

Tottenham loanee Luka Vuskovic jumped to the aid of Eintracht Frankfurt wing-back Rasmus Kristensen during Saturday's 1-1 Bundesliga draw following a nasty collision with one of his team-mates

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic has received glowing praise from Hamburger SV's club doctor after he stepped in to prevent Eintracht Frankfurt's Rasmus Kristensen from swallowing his tongue.

The Dane, formerly of Leeds, was left dazed following a nasty clash with HSV's Miro Muheim. However, quick-thinking Vuskovic, who is still only 18 years old, was swift to react and immediately stepped in to assist Kristensen.

His actions have since been described by the Bundesliga on their website as 'potentially life-saving' and unsurprisingly, the young Croatian has been the subject of huge respect in Germany over the past couple of days.

HSV's team doctor Wolfgang Schillings has now revealed how decisive Vuskovic's actions were, explaining to local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt: "In this case, Luka reacted immediately and took care of the injured player right away. That's exemplary and takes precedence over everything else.

“If a player briefly loses consciousness, the tongue can obstruct the upper airway. Then the player can't breathe. In this case, you have to act very quickly.

"Ideally, you tilt the head back. So, one hand on the forehead, one hand on the chin, and then carefully tilt the head back so that the tongue practically clears the airway on its own and the patient can breathe again.”

While Vuskovic showcased bravery to intervene, Schillings also added that a lot can actually go wrong with the manoeuvre, though HSV's players had been exposed to first-aid training at the beginning of the season.

He continued: "If a layperson reaches into the mouth to pull out the tongue with their fingers, the patient's biting reflex could be activated, and they could unconsciously bite their rescuer.

"The biting muscle is very strong. At the start of the season, we raise our players' awareness of first aid and give them some basic rules to follow."

Eintracht Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmoller also praised Vuskovic for his actions, stating: "A huge compliment for recognising it immediately and reacting so well."

Frankfurt have since confirmed that Kristensen is doing fine and recovering well after he was substituted off the field in the 71st minute.

Vuskovic has enjoyed a stellar loan stint with HSV since departing Tottenham in August to pursue regular playing time in the Bundesliga, where he has already scored two goals.

There is speculation in Germany that Hamburger SV would like to keep the centre-back, though there is recognition a deal would prove virtually impossible because Spurs have big plans for Vuskovic.

Another loan spell could be a viable option, providing Tottenham are willing to sanction another loan.

Djed Spence has been slammed for diving during Tottenham's 2-1 defeat against Liverpool, with the Spurs defender going down in the first half following Conor Bradley's challenge

Ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett has called on the authorities to slap a retrospective ban on simulation, after Ian Wright accused Tottenham's Djed Spence of diving during Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Liverpool.

The incident occurred in the 45th minute when Spence made a marauding run from inside his own half before going down inside the Liverpool box after appearing to be caught by Conor Bradley. Replays, however, showed there was minimal contact and no penalty was awarded, much to the frustration of Spurs and Thomas Frank.

Delivering his verdict on the decision not to award Tottenham a spot-kick, Wright told Premier League Productions: " You can see the other player behind him. He's got no chance of getting that ball on the other side. So he's just knocked it inside and just wanted contact and got it. It's a blatant dive for me."

Now, Hackett, a former FIFA listed official, has demanded a suspension to be set on players caught diving during matches, with Spence the latest to be called out. Speaking to Tottenham News, Hackett said: " Sadly, going to ground to deceive the referee by an act of simulation is a regular occurrence in the modern game.

"It will continue if referees fail to sanction. I do believe that the authorities need to consider retrospective punishment for acts of simulation."

Tottenham battled hard against Liverpool on Saturday but it wasn't enough for them to get a result from the game. Indeed, Frank's side ended up losing 2-1, having played more than an hour with 10 players.

It was an even contest up until Xavi Simons was given a red card in the 33rd minute for a late tackle on Virgil van Dijk. The game stayed close up until Liverpool turned on the gas after half-time, with Alexander Isak putting the Reds ahead with a fine finish before Hugo Ekitike doubled their advantage shortly after.

Spurs, who were reduced to nine men in second-half stoppage-time as Cristian Romero was shown his marching orders, pulled a goal back as Richarlison found the net, but it proved too little too late.

"I think overall it was a good performance tonight, proud of the players and the team and how they responded," Frank said post-match.

"I actually think the first 30 was also good from us and how we responded to setbacks through the game, something we have been working very hard on, because that is the biggest thing the best teams need to do.

"How do we respond to setbacks during a game because the best teams deal with it and move on and keep going, stick to the plan, we talked about it before, structure and everything. Today we did that excellently. There was great personality and character in the team."

Next up for Tottenham is a difficult-looking trip to Crystal Palace next Sunday. They then travel to Frank's former club Brentford on New Year's Day before entertaining Sunderland at home.

Nine-man Tottenham fell short against Liverpool on Saturday evening but Micky van de Ven does not think Hugo Ekitike's winner should have stood

Micky van de Ven claims Tottenham must now tap into the fighting spirit they displayed against Liverpool.

While Spurs have now lost 11 top-flight home games in a calendar year for the first time ever in the Premier League era, they pushed the champions to the wire - even with nine men.

Van de Ven said: "I think it was really intense today. It was tough as well and obviously when you come with 10 men and you play against Liverpool, you know it's going to be really tough.

"But I think we did well and we fought until the last minute. Even when we were 2-0 down, we kept pushing so big respect to us all as a team. Unfortunately, we didn't get a point today."

Van de Ven crunched Liverpool £125million striker Alexander Isak, who could not continue, as the Swede hit the opener.

The Dutchman felt aggrieved that the visitors' second goal was not chalked off, however, for a foul on Cristian Romero.

The 24-year-old continued: "I know Cuti is a strong defender so I know he's not going to go down easy. I haven't seen it back so I can't really say anything.

"But if Cuti is this convinced that he's getting pushed then probably there should be something wrong with it.

"I haven't seen most things back, including Xavi's [Simons] red card. For [Hugo] Ekitike's goal there are some question marks for everyone."

Spurs pushed to level the scores after Richarlison had restored parity. Tottenham's task was made even more difficult though by Romero's stoppage-time red which now means he's suspended for the trip to Crystal Palace.

Simons will be slapped with a three-match ban and will also miss matches against Brentford and Sunderland.

Still, Van de Ven remains proud of the valiant effort. He concluded: "I think there's a lot of emotions going through my head right now.

"I'm proud of the team, unfortunately, of course, I'm gutted, I'm disappointed. I'm also angry about how some things were going in the game.

"But yeah, we get nothing changed about it anymore. And that's it. I think today was a good performance from our side.

"Even when we were 11v11, we played a really good game and we pushed Liverpool backwards. So there are many positive things we can take into the next match."

Thomas Frank's side are now in 13th position in the Premier League table.

Xavi Simons was sent off during the match with Liverpool, which Spurs went on to lose 2–1, with Cristian Romero also receiving his marching orders

Tottenham have received two new verdicts on Xavi Simons' red card from their Premier League match against Liverpool on Saturday evening. Jamie Redknapp and Daniel Sturridge have both analysed the incident on Sky Sports after the Dutch star was sent off off for a 'serious' challenge on his Netherlands teammate and captain Virgil van Dijk.

As it was serious foul play, he will be banned for three games. VAR recommended a review after John Brooks initially showed a yellow card, and the referee overturned it to send Simons off.

An explanation of the decision was later made by the Premier League Match Centre on X. It read: "#TOTLIV – 30’ VAR OVERTURN After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of yellow card to Simons and issued a red card for serious foul play.

"Referee announcement: 'After review, the Tottenham No.7, with studs, catches the Liverpool player [No.4] on the calf high - it's an act of serious foul play. My final decision is red card.'"

On the incident, Redknapp said on Sky Sports: "Normally red cards ruin games but not in this case because it's been that bad; I mean the game has been awful.

"Xavi Simons has just done something so ridiculous, I just don't know what he's thinking. Trying to add some intensity to the game, show some aggression, but he's just got it completely wrong.

"Of course it's a little bit unlucky; he bumps into the back of him, but he catches his Achilles and it's a stupid challenge which unfortunately constitutes a red card in this day and age."

Meanwhile, former Reds star Sturridge shared his view, adding: "Yeah, it's unfortunate. It does, it does look a lot worse [in slow motion], and I've been the guy, like Xavi Simons, trying to affect the game - defending is not your high skillset.

"You're trying to effect, trying to barge into somebody or do something and he's just got it wrong in how he's gone about it.

"I don't think he's a malicious type of player who would intentionally want to try and injure his national teammate. He's trying to press, he's trying to show the fans, affect the game and he's got it completely wrong."

Redknapp then mentioned a similar incident involving Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon, who was punished for a similar offence.

"Do you think the way Virgil is with it - trying to entice the pressure - there was a very similar one, the intensity of the one earlier in the season with Anthony Gordon when he comes crashing into the back of him," the former Liverpool midfielder added.

"But Virgil does sometimes do that. But this one [from Gordon] - that ticks every box for a red card.

"Virgil is obviously involved with that one as well, that's a lot, lot worse. But you can just see there was enough in the other one for Xavi for it to just be a red card.

"I really don't like to see players - I don't think it's malicious, it's his fellow countryman, I don't think he wants to hurt him - it's just a complete accident, I just feel it brings the red into the game."

Xavi Simons has issued an apology to Virgil van Dijk, Tottenham teammates and fans after his red card in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur's midfielder, Xavi Simons, has extended an apology following his direct red card in the match against Liverpool. The Dutch player was dismissed early after stepping on Virgil van Dijk's Achilles with his studs, even ripping the defender's sock.

The incident initially went unnoticed by the referee, but a VAR review led to Simons receiving a red card. At that point, the score was still 0-0, and the dismissal made the task all the more difficult for Thomas Frank's team.

Spurs eventually suffered a 2-1 defeat, a match which also saw Cristian Romero sent off. Fully acknowledging his mistake, Simons apologised to everyone at Tottenham and to Van Dijk personally.

He expressed his regret on social media, stating: "Mistakes happen. Virg is my captain. I would never intentionally hurt him or anyone. To my Spurs teammates, my manager and the fans, I take responsibility, I'm really sorry."

Since his high-profile transfer from RB Leipzig, Simons has had a patchy performance record. He did manage to score a goal and provide an assist in the recent 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at home, leading many to believe he was finding his stride.

However, this incident marks a setback for the Dutch international, who will now face a three-match suspension. On a brighter note for Simons, Frank does not agree that his challenge merited a straight red card.

Frank commented: "I don't like this [Xavi challenge] as a red card. I think the game is probably too big to say gone, but for me it's not reckless and it's not exceptional force.

"He is chasing Van Dijk. He is trying to put pressure and then he changes direction. Unfortunately his foot is on Achilles.

"You can say 'ah, you need to be smarter, don't do it and all that' but so are we not allowed to have physical contact anymore?

"The next thing on that is if he gets three games, which I don't understand, how can he get three games for something which is not reckless? That is absolutely wrong and we probably can't appeal it."

Alexander Isak broke the deadlock after the interval before Hugo Ekitike added a second for the Reds. Richarlison emerged from the substitutes' bench to pull one back, but the Brazilian's efforts were rendered futile when skipper Cristian Romero saw red for a second bookable offence in the 93rd minute.

The outcome intensifies the scrutiny on Frank. Spurs found themselves languishing in 13th place following that setback, sitting seven points adrift of the Champions League spots.

In contrast, Liverpool boss Arne Slot expressed satisfaction with his team's display in north London. Acknowledging that Simons' dismissal complicated matters, Slot remarked: "I thought it would mean that it was a little bit easier, but in reality it wasn't.

"I thought to be honest with nine, we will probably be able then to keep them away from our goal.

"But it looked as if we were down to nine and they were on 11 because it was attack after attack after attack, but it didn't lead to a goal."