Football FanCast

Liverpool might have landed their third win on the bounce in all competitions at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but there's no question that Arne Slot's side left plenty of room for improvement, lacking control and fluency throughout.

Xavi Simons was sent off after scraping his Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk's leg in a studs-up challenge before the interval, and Cristian Romero saw red too in the closing stages, kicking out at Ibrahima Konate in a startling display of fury.

Both centre-backs came away unscathed, but the same can't be said for Alexander Isak, whose fleeting appearance down N17 resulted in a goal but an injury to his leg to go with it.

Isak misery continues down N17

Isak has not found his feet at Liverpool, having joined the Premier League champions from Newcastle United in a record-breaking £125m deal on deadline day.

The 26-year-old's goal at the weekend was only his second of the league campaign, but it was a flash of brilliance and a reminder that this is a player who had been hailed "the best striker in the Premier League" last season by pundit Jamie Carragher.

He has struggled, but much of that is because of Liverpool's dysfunctional system, with wingers and creativity as a whole struggling to be directed toward the Sweden international's line-breaking movements.

It was, however, a strong finish, rifled past Guglielmo Vicario and into the back of the net following neat interplay between Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.

Slot will be hoping for more of the same going forward, but even if Isak avoids a long-term injury layoff, the threat of fitness blows is growing for a striker whose track record is not the finest.

He's a concern, the world-class striker, but he's not the biggest worry in Liverpool's first team.

Slot must drop £150k-p/w Liverpool flop

Liverpool laboured their way to a win at Tottenham, and now they have climbed to fifth place in the Premier League, level on points with Chelsea ahead of them.

But so much more work must be plied if Slot is to bring his team back into the ascendancy, and one of the tougher decisions the Dutch tactician must make is dropping Alexis Mac Allister, who has been a pale imitation of his once elite self this year.

The £150k-per-week midfielder had stood out as a "superstar" throughout his first two terms in Liverpool, as was remarked by pundit Joe Cole, but he's fallen by the wayside this year, lacking all of his physicality and sharpness and completeness.

As football analyst Pythagoras in Boots puts it: "Mac Allister has gone from the heartbeat of Liverpool's midfield to its ghost."

The Liverpool Echo did give the Argentina star a solid 6/10 match rating, drawing attention to his involvement in the build-up to Liverpool's opening goal, but it was also said that he struggled to influence his team's attacking play from his creative berth at number ten, and his wider metrics from across the campaign underline that.

As per Sofascore, Mac Allister, 26, failed to create a chance, nor did he attempt a tackle. He lost five duels, winning only two. He did not attempt a dribble and made just one recovery.

This all points toward a staggering athletic regression and a crisis of confidence. He's becoming Slot's biggest problem, and he needs to be dropped.

Heading into Tottenham Hotspur's clash with Liverpool in the Premier League, Thomas Frank would have been hoping for a response from his hot-and-cold troops.

Indeed, off the back of a demoralising 3-0 loss away at Nottingham Forest, the Dane remained under intense pressure to succeed in North London, and he hasn't helped his precarious job position by following up that humiliation at the hands of the Tricky Trees with a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Liverpool.

Spurs' mission to pick up a much-needed three points was not boosted by Xavi Simons' reckless dismissal in the first half, as the number seven's bumpy start to life in England continued against the resurgent Reds.

How Xavi Simons let Spurs down

Simons' arrival in North London for £52m attracted a lot of fanfare in the summer, with the expectation that the former RB Leipzig man would instantly settle into life swimmingly in his new surroundings.

Having scored two goals against Brentford and Slavia Prague earlier in the month, the hope would have been that Simons could now kick on, having found the initial transition hard.

Unfortunately, though, he would only last 33 minutes against the Merseyside giants, with zero efforts attempted on Alisson's goal, before being given his marching orders for this mistimed challenge on Virgil Van Dijk.

Coming out after the 2-1 defeat with a public apology, Simons will pray, when he does return, that he can finally find some consistent red-hot form for Spurs, or he will surely fear that he's already been dismissed as an expensive flop.

He isn't the only flop in the attacking areas that will be frustrating the Spurs masses at the moment, though, as this other high-profile summer acquisition constantly spurned chances up against the reigning Premier League champions.

Frank must drop this other Spurs flop

Frank will know if he doesn't steer the sinking Spurs ship back on course soon that he could face the sack already, as the board will not want consistently poor results.

He does have plenty of time now on the training pitch, as his side's next Premier League test isn't until the 28th, but he will be hesitant to start Randal Kolo Muani up front against Crystal Palace in the immediate aftermath of the 2-1 defeat, after his wasteful showing against Liverpool.

In total, the France international would see four shots pass him by, with one header very close to beating Alisson, before Simons' red card dominated the narrative.

Away from looking lively in spurts when through on goal, Muani would - unfortunately - become isolated during large spells of the game, with only six accurate passes tallied up by the 27-year-old in total.

Moreover, come the end of his 80 minutes on the pitch, the hot-and-cold number 39 would amass fewer touches of the ball than Guglielmo Vicario in between the sticks, with the Italian's tally standing at 38 touches, next to Kolo Muani's paltry 17.

To make matters even worse for the Spurs loanee, who is breaking the bank with his £150k-per-week salary, Richarlison would only be on the pitch for a matter of moments as his replacement when he buried home this opportunity, leading to Spurs content creator Jonny Blain hailing his cameo as "superb".

Could Frank now be tempted to start the ex-Everton attacker over the 27-year-old for the short trip over to Selhurst Park?

With Richarlison boasting another six Premier League goals for the season, it does feel like an easy swap to make, with Muani still yet to break his league duck for Frank's men, ten games into his journey in the English top-flight.

His inaccurate display in front of goal against the Reds does make for a convincing argument to suggest he was as bad as Simons was, even with the Dutchman barely lasting only half an hour on the pitch, as Muani had far more time to leave his mark on the game, and he didn't.

Frank will just hope, whatever lineup he decides to field against the Eagles, that another Premier League win comes his team's way soon, with Muani likely to be cast aside from his starting XI plans if he continues to fire blanks.

Rarely do Liverpool emerge from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without some scratches and bruises, and while Arne Slot's side defeated the Londoners in the Premier League, it was a victory tainted by numerous grievances.

But this is not shaping out to be a pretty season for the Premier League champions, whose successive victory in the Premier League have extended their unbeaten run to five matches, with a win in the Champions League against Inter Milan at San Siro besides.

After a fiery and frantic encounter, Liverpool showed that they still lack the requisite control and fluency to challenge for the league title.

Alexander Isak's goal should have been a relief, a turning point for the struggling talisman. But Isak got injured in the process of scoring off the bench.

Alexander Isak's misery continues

When it rains, it pours. It is typical that Isak entered the fray after half-time and quickly bagged to set Liverpool on their way against Thomas Frank's Spurs, only to injure himself in the process of striking on goal.

It looked a painful one, with the 26-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United for a record-breaking £125m fee on deadline day, swept aside by Micky van de Ven. It has since been insinuated that Isak has damaged his lower leg, which is preferable to a knee injury, if still deeply concerning.

The saving grace comes in the shape of Hugo Ekitike, whose second-half strike marked his fifth goal in three Premier League games. The 23-year-old joined Liverpool for £69m in July, and he looks every bit the world-class superstar Slot needs to spearhead his system.

It wasn't a fine performance, but Liverpool got the job done, and the win underlined the calibre of attacking talent the Reds have at their disposal.

Now, an anxious wait for fears of a long-term layoff to be allayed - or not - for Isak, who scored only his second Premier League goal of the campaign.

Isak and Ekitike both got their goals, but it was a superstar on the other end of the field who proved himself to be Liverpool's main man on a crucial evening in the Premier League

A fierce attack wins you games, but a mean defence wins you titles. Liverpool have got some of the best in both areas, and so must surely kick on now, having won three in a row in all competitions.

If the Reds are to rekindle their most fluent form, Virgil van Dijk will need to maintain the level of performance that he struck against Tottenham, commanding against the home side's pesky frontline.

In the thick of the action after international teammate Xavi Simons committed a studs-up challenge and got sent off before half-time, the 34-year-old avoided injury as so many of his teammates dropped like flies.

He was awarded an 8/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, with praise drawn to his aerial dominance and quality on the ball, notably winning 11 of 13 contested duels and completing 94% of his passes.

Isak and Ekitike both took their chances, but Van Dijk came up trumps as the focal point of a backline that has left so much to be desired this season, simply incapable of mustering the kind of cool control needed to match or even come close to the feats of last year.

There was much to dislike about Liverpool's performance against the nine-man Lilywhites, but the important thing right now is to get points on the board, and Van Dijk's steely form is proving instrumental in getting the side back on track.

If Liverpool are to make something of this season, they will need Van Dijk on his A-game, performing as he did down N17, a throwback to his imperious best.

Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool have often served up some classic, goal-filled contests in Premier League seasons gone by.

Last season saw the Reds trounce Spurs 5-1 on the way to lifting the top-flight title, while those of a North London persuasion will hold an encounter way back in 2017 close to their hearts, as a Harry Kane and Heung Min Son-led effort clinched a 4-1 win over their Saturday evening opponents.

On this occasion, it was a memorable one for Spurs for all the wrong reasons, as two red cards were picked up, and two goals beat Guglielmo Vicario, which resulted in Arne Slot's mini-resurgence continuing on in a 2-1 defeat.

Thomas Frank will have been livid at the full-time whistle with the actions of Xavi Simons, as the underwhelming summer signing picked up an early first-half red card, which helped Liverpool on their way to a confidence-boosting three points. Still, there were other underperformers who let the side down severely.

Main Spurs underperformers vs Liverpool

Indeed, although Simons' rash moment of madness with Virgil Van Dijk did undoubtedly help the visiting Reds, it's not always straightforward playing against ten men.

Unfortunately, though, Spurs did roll over and allow Liverpool to collect the win, as Frank's men in attack consistently lacked any cutting edge, away from Richarlison powering home a consolation strike late on.

In particular, Mohamed Kudus failed to spark into life during his unmemorable 58-minute spell, with just one effort registered at Alisson's goal by the former West Ham United attacker. Moreover, despite only amassing 31 touches of the ball, the hit-and-miss number 20 would still give away possession a high 11 times.

Randal Kolo Muani would have also frustrated Frank when failing to find the back of the net from his four efforts. On top of that, the ex-Brentford boss will have also been left seething by Cristian Romero's dismissal late on, after the South American defender was also caught out for Alexander Isak's opener, after a poor attempted pass forward.

TalkSPORT pundit Alex Crook would even label Romero as an "absolute liability" at the end, with the 27-year-old no doubt fearful he would have been axed by his manager, anyway, if the red card never happened.

But, there is one underperformer that hasn't been mentioned yet, who really dropped their performance levels against Slot's visitors, with it going down as his worst game of the season, so far, under Frank.

The Spurs star who had his worst game under Frank

Nobody donning Spurs white come the end of the 2-1 loss could trudge off with their heads held high, away from Richarlison, potentially, who injected some energy into proceedings late on.

Lucas Bergvall certainly wouldn't have been proud of his efforts, as the midfielder - who was hailed as a "class above the rest" earlier in the month against Newcastle United by one Spurs podcast host - faded into the background the more the game went on, with his situation on the pitch not helped whatsoever by Simons' rash dismissal.

Having amassed two shots at the Newcastle goal, alongside completing all 100% of his dribbles, Bergvall managed to be a driving force through the middle that helped Spurs on their way to a share of the points on Tyneside.

In stark contrast, up against Slot's rejuvenated men, the young Swede largely receded into his shell when the going got tough, with zero tackles won, zero successful dribbles completed, and only 15 accurate passes registered. To make matters worse, he also failed to hit a single effort at Alisson's goal, leading to his manager substituting him off on the 71st minute mark.

It's an alarming drop off for a star once hailed as being "like Modric" by The Athletic's JJ Bull for his classy calmness on the ball, with it looking unlikely throughout that Bergvall was going to add to his promising three-goal contributions in the Premier League this season so far.

This off-performance could well see the 19-year-old be dropped for some of the matches to follow in the congested winter fixture list, as it was his worst performance of the campaign in comparison to the rest of his performances that led to him earning the aforementioned praise.

It will be intriguing to see what the next Spurs lineup looks like ahead of tricky contests to follow against Crystal Palace and Brentford, with the already under-pressure Frank needing to get his team selections spot on to save his skin.

It was an evening to forget for Tottenham and Thomas Frank, who ended their defeat to Liverpool with nine men as Spurs continue their poor run of form.

The match remained goalless through a tense opening period before Xavi Simons first saw red after catching Virgil van Dijk on the back of the calf with a reckless challenge.

The Dutchman's dismissal left Spurs to battle with 10 men for over an hour as Liverpool seized control of proceedings.

Alexander Isak broke the deadlock in the 56th minute after winning the ball inside the Spurs half and setting the move off, feeding off Cristian Romero's failed pass up field.

Hugo Ekitiké then picked out Florian Wirtz's run, and the German midfielder's pass was rolled perfectly into Isak's path for the striker to slot past Guglielmo Vicario and put the Reds ahead.

Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 66th minute when Ekitike won a header inside the box and steered the ball into the back of the net, appearing to put the result beyond all doubt for Arne Slot's side, who were enjoying complete dominance against the depleted hosts.

Romero pleaded for a foul against him, but Ekitike was simply more powerful and rose above the 27-year-old for Liverpool's second of the game.

Spurs showed greater resilience than expected though and substitute Richarlison made an immediate impact in the 83rd minute.

The Brazilian jabbed home after Liverpool made a complete mess of clearing a corner to give the home crowd renewed hope late on.

The drama intensified in stoppage time when Romero won a free kick in a dangerous area after being fouled by Ibrahima Konate but then completely lost his composure.

Romero threw a fit after the decision and earned himself a second yellow card to leave Spurs down to nine men for the closing stages.

Liverpool held on despite the late pressure to claim all three points and make it back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since September.

Gary Neville slams Cristian Romero in Tottenham defeat to Liverpool

Speaking on commentary duty, pundit Gary Neville took aim at Romero for his role in the defeat.

Before his calamitious sending off, the Argentine's botched clearance led to Isak's opener for Liverpool after Spurs initially mopped up the danger, which set the wheels in motion for a damning defeat.

Watching the replay back on Sky Sports mid-match, Neville blasted the 'really poor' moment from Spurs' captain, claiming that Romero 'exposed the whole team' with his careless attempt at a punt up field.

What turned out to be a close one in the end and an admirable attempt at a fightback was also another nightmare result for Frank, who faces mounting pressure as Tottenham's terrible run continues.

The Lilywhites have now won just twice in their last nine matches across all competitions, dropping to 13th in the table and seven points off a European place.

Romero and Simons are also now suspended, adding to insult to injury and further depleting Frank's already stretched resources.

Crystal Palace have now discovered how top January target Brennan Johnson really feels about joining them from Tottenham.

Spurs open to Johnson offers with Palace eyeing January move

Johnson's Tottenham career promised so much when he etched his name into club folklore by scoring the Europa League final winner against Man United back in May.

That dramatic goal in Bilbao ended Spurs' agonizing 17-year trophy drought and appeared to cement the Welshman's status as a key player heading into this campaign.

The £47.5million signing from Nottingham Forest struggled initially to nail down a starting berth during his debut season but kicked on spectacularly last term.

He finished as Tottenham's leading Premier League goalscorer with 11 goals while contributing seven assists across 51 appearances in all competitions.

Fast-forward to December, and the picture looks drastically different.

Thomas Frank's arrival as manager has completely altered Johnson's trajectory at Spurs, with the 24-year-old relegated to peripheral status despite his iconic contributions just months earlier.

Johnson has started just six Premier League matches this season with barely 900 minutes of first-team action accumulated across 20 appearances in all competitions.

He's scored only four goals too, with his influence dramatically diminishing under Frank.

Mohammed Kudus arrived from West Ham over the summer and immediately established himself as Frank's preferred right-wing option, leaving Johnson scrambling for minutes either as backup or shunted to the left where he's looked considerably less effective.

Wilson Odobert has also leapfrogged him in the pecking order, while Dejan Kulusevski's eventual return from injury will further squeeze his opportunities. The writing appears on the wall for Johnson, and Palace are looking to take advantage.

Palace have been closely monitoring the forward with contact already made, according to some reports, with signing a new winger seen as urgent.

Oliver Glasner desperately needs attacking reinforcements amid an unprecedented fixture schedule that also includes Conference League commitments.

Ismaila Sarr's departure for AFCON with Senegal has further exposed Palace's lack of depth in wide areas, making Johnson an increasingly attractive proposition for the Eagles' ambitious manager.

Brennan Johnson's stance on joining Crystal Palace in January

Now, according to TEAMtalk, Palace have been given a boost in pursuit of the former Nottingham Forest star.

Sources confirm Johnson is receptive to the move and eager for consistent minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup, where Wales could still qualify via the play-offs.

Staying in London is also an appealing factor, with the winger unwilling to uproot his family for a move outside the capital.

Personal terms are unlikely to prove an obstacle, according to TT insiders familiar with negotiations. Palace are preparing to accelerate their interest when the window opens, with the south Londoners aiming to strike a quick-fire deal.

Spurs could recoup significant portions of their £47.5 million, fee with suggestions that anywhere between £30 million and £40 million might suffice depending on payment terms and add-ons.

Frank appeared to throw cold water on departure speculation ahead of facing Liverpool this weekend, insisting he's happy with Johnson while acknowledging any player not featuring regularly will inevitably assess their options.

Former Palace and Spurs striker Chris Armstrong has sensationally claimed the deal is already done, posting on social media that Johnson will prove shrewd business from the high-flying Eagles.

Whether Armstrong's claims hold water remains to be seen, but momentum is clearly building, and he could be one to watch at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham Hotspur need a talisman. Mohammed Kudus is a fleet-footed winger, adding a dimension to the attack, but he's not of a level with Harry Kane, or Heung-min Son.

Likewise, Xavi Simons has the potential to become a leading man down N17, but he's raw and inexperienced.

Kane hasn't really been replaced since leaving Spurs for Bayern Munich in 2023, with Dominic Solanke's injury troubles negating his stature as one of the Premier League's most dangerous forwards. Richarlison is consistent only in his inconsistency.

Tottenham need a talisman, and that looks to be high on ENIC Group and Thomas Frank's agenda going into the January transfer window.

Why Spurs need a Kane-esque signing

Kane's departure was always going to knock Tottenham out of kilter, but perhaps it's being more keenly felt now that Son has left too. There simply isn't enough impetus and bite in the final third, and Frank needs to rectify that swiftly as his side languish in 11th place.

However, Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici have been entrusted with funds this winter, and signings are expected.

None would be more impactful than Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, who is being chased by a snapping pack of Premier League giants, Liverpool and Manchester City at the front.

However, TEAMtalk have confirmed that the Lilywhites are ready to offer the Ghana international, 25, a wage bill-shattering salary to convince him to head down N17, having attempted to sign him before being rebuffed during the summer.

Why Semenyo could become Spurs' talisman

Kane scored many goals against many different Premier League opponents. Alan Shearer is the only man to have scored more.

Semenyo is not an out-and-out centre-forward on the same prolific level as the England captain, but he does have a unique and devastating skillset that could hit a new level in Frank's Tottenham team.

This season, the two-sided winger has scored seven goals and supplied three assists in the Premier League, with his consistency leading teammate Justin Kluivert to call him "world-class".

Semenyo's brilliance lies not in his prolific success but in his ceaseless work rate. He just runs and runs and runs. As per Sofascore, the £75k-per-week talent has completed 1.6 dribbles and averaged 6.6 successful duels per game. Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a "workhorse off the ball", and that's exactly what Spurs need to return to form.

He ranks among the top 6% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals and the top 12% for ball recoveries per 90 (via FBref), further underscoring his dynamism.

A ball recovery is defined by the number of loose balls recovered by a player.

This is not Kudus, zipping this way and that with startling energy, but an economical winger who conserves his energy and unleashes it at an opportune moment.

There is a quiet intelligence to Semenyo that suggests he could step into Kane's boots and lead this group of players.

After all, there's a reason all the finest teams in the division want the dynamic winger, who is only getting better and better with each passing season in the Premier League.

It's not going to be an easy deal to pull off, but Tottenham have the financial structures erected to pull off a marquee mid-season deal, and it really would add to Frank's frontline a Kane-esque star.

Tottenham have reportedly set a surprise price tag for the sale of star defender Micky van de Ven as Real Madrid plan a January move for the defender.

Tottenham set for busy January transfer window

Under-fire boss Thomas Frank has already confirmed the club's intention to be active in recruitment next month, with the race heating up for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Tottenham are reportedly prepared to shatter their wage structure in pursuit of Semenyo when the January window explodes into life.

The Ghanaian's £65 million release clause activates on New Year's Day, and the north London club have emerged as one of the most aggressive suitors for his signature, according to recent reports.

Frank views the 25-year-old winger as absolutely essential to transforming Spurs' stuttering attack, with media sources claiming Tottenham are willing to make Semenyo their highest-paid player to win the race against Liverpool, Man City and Man United.

David Ornstein revealed this week that Spurs maintain genuine interest in the Bournemouth star alongside City's Savinho as alternative options for wide attacking reinforcements.

The club will have funds available if the right profile emerges, with January viewed as an opportunity rather than a luxury, according to credible reports.

Semenyo's release clause carries a time-limited activation period early next month, specifically until January 10, before dropping closer to £50 million next summer — creating intense urgency among competing clubs.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have reportedly accepted his departure is inevitable and are already identifying replacements, including Tottenham's Brennan Johnson.

Right now, Janaury reports at Tottenham centre around their potential deal for Semenyo as Frank's side try to inject some much-needed dynamism and creativity into their forward line.

Their first transfer window post-Daniel Levy carries plenty of intrigue, with the Lewis family undoubtedly keen to make a statement after plenty of boardroom changes in the last few months.

Therefore, this latest report from Spain on van de Ven and Real comes as all the more surprising.

Tottenham set bizarre Micky van de Ven price as Real Madrid circle

According to Spanish media sources, Xabi Alonso's side are plotting a January deal for the Dutchman, who has marked himself out as one of the Lilywhites' most crucial players this season.

Van de Ven's stunning solo goal against FC Copenhagen, which drew comparisons to Son Heung-min's Puskas winner against Burnley in 2019, is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the centre-back's contribution this season.

The 24-year-old has been a key man for both Ange Postecoglou and Frank, but it is now claimed that Spurs have set a £44 million 'asking price' for van de Ven as Real circle this winter.

It's safe to say that, regardless of the Bernabeu being an obvious temptation for any player, this should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Van de Ven is only an ever-present leader for Tottenham, but his contract also doesn't expire until 2029, meaning the club are in a very strong position to demand big money for one of the Premier League's most elite centre-backs.

Spurs are also believed to be readying talks over a new van de Ven contract which would double his salary, even if club legend Glenn Hoddle believes he won't sign it.

"They are looking to sign him now on a long contract," Hoddle told Capital Football recently.

"I don’t think he will sign.

"But he’s still got three years on his contract. I think they will wanna try and keep him because he is a world-class performer and probably the only one that we have who is world-class.

"When I say world-class I mean he’d get into any team, he could go into Man City, Liverpool…you name it Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain… everyone would want him because he’s that good.

"But they need to improve this season there’s no doubt about it… otherwise we will be mid-table."

Even if van de Ven being tempted away is a genuine possibility at some point in the future, if Spurs don't improve, it certainly can't be for just £44 million.

Tottenham have held talks with an in-form star over personal terms and outlined their project to him, with the 'crazy' race for his signature poised to take further shape.

Spurs are staring down the barrel of another wasted campaign unless they act decisively when the January transfer window opens.

Thomas Frank's side sit miles off the pace in the Premier League with their European ambitions also looking increasingly fragile, having won just one of their last seven matches.

The numbers tell a damning story.

Spurs have dropped points in matches they should have controlled and looked painfully short of quality in key areas. Frank inherited a squad with glaring weaknesses, and those deficiencies have been brutally exposed throughout the first half of the season.

Pressure has mounted on the Dane this week after their 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest last weekend, with the Lilywhites believed to be making contingency plans in the event they need to sack Frank.

The left wing remains a gaping hole in the starting eleven, and Frank has been forced into makeshift solutions week after week. It's cost them goals, points and momentum at crucial moments.

Much has been made of their lack of creativity in the final third, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo being eyed up as a potential solution.

The Ghana international, similar to last season, has stood out as one of the Premier League's most potent attacking threats, and his £65 million release clause has tempted elite clubs across the division.

Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Spurs are all believed to be contending for Semenyo before his clause expires on January 10, with reliable journalist Mark Douglas and his colleague Pete Hall sharing an update today.

Tottenham hold talks with Antoine Semenyo over personal terms

According to Douglas and Hall, in a piece for inews, all four clubs have 'formally' held talks with the 25-year-old about personal terms whilst sharing their overall first-team plans for Semenyo as well.

In what is described as a 'crazy market' race, the English quartet all have a chance, but some more than others.

According to this inews report, United are now seen as the frontrunners for Semenyo, and Spurs are seen as 'outside' contenders with Liverpool and City.

That being said, the north Londoners still aren't ruled out completely, but their odds have just dropped for a reason that isn't entirely disclosed.

The winger has been called 'world-class' for his recent form in England, so much so that his £65m clause is clearly seen as an unmissable opportunity next month.

"He is incredible, he shows it every game now," teammate Justin Kluivert, speaking to Sky Sports, said of Semenyo.

"He is just world-class. We are glad to have him and that is why I said we have a good team. He is the one that scores goals for us and we appreciate that. He's doing an amazing job."

Semenyo's clause was due to drop to around £55 million in the summer, though United, City, Liverpool and Spurs are now forced to contend for him now as they all vie for his signature.

If Tottenham miss out on the former Bristol City star, they do have alternatives for the left-wing.

Tottenham Hotspur's spineless defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground last weekend was a mess.

Thomas Frank has since been entrusted by the Lewis Family with the responsibility of turning things around, but it's hard to see that Spurs have made headway after dismissing Ange Postecoglou at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

That being said, Frank has what it takes to lift this project off the ground, having exceeded expectations in west London with Brentford. He is steadfast in his belief that he will make discernible progress soon.

The Danish coach needs time, but, more importantly, he needs results, and he must navigate through a number of obstacles down N17.

The biggest problems facing Frank at Spurs

Frank was visibly incensed as his Tottenham team trudged off after defeat at Nottingham Forest. After all, it was a display littered with issues.

The likes of Pedro Porro have been abject all year. The Spanish right-back is a creative expert, but he's struggling to bring it all together, so flimsy and, it looks at times, disinterested.

Sofascore record that Spurs lost 57% of their aerial challenges against the Tricky Trees; moreover, only three of 19 attempted crosses found their target.

It's not just a struggle to implement Frank's vision. Individual errors are costing Tottenham dearly too. There are deep-rooted problems for the Lilywhites boss to wrestle with, but mistakes make up some of the biggest creases, and they need to be ironed out.

Perhaps this means certain members of the squad need to be evicted. We've seen before the hindrances that error-prone players can have, even against their natural talent, and Frank may have landed his own version of Serge Aurier in that regard.

Spurs' new version of Serge Aurier

Aurier spent four years in north London with Tottenham, enjoying highs and lows under Mauricio Pochettino and then Jose Mourinho's wing.

An athletic and creative right-back, Aurier arrived from PSG for a hefty £23m fee, and while he boasted a suitable athletic and technical profile for the Premier League, the Ivorian defender was culpable of many "ridiculous and rash" decisions, making many an "elementary mistake", as had been said by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

Talented but guilty of error-strewn displays? Tottenham may have their new version between the sticks, with Guglielmo Vicario having played an epicentral role in his side's mistake-filled performances this season.

Vicario, 29, is into his third campaign in north London after joining from Empoli for an initial £17m fee, and while has saved 70.6% of the shots he has faced in the Premier League this term, putting him seventh in the standings for that metric, he has also blundered on several occasions, drawing the ire of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher and many Spurs supporters besides.

Also branded "embarrassing" and "in a tough spot" by former Premier League forward Nigel Reo-Coker after blundering against Forest, Vicario's job is not at risk yet, but he's ostensibly entered the beginning of his prime as a shot-stopper and needs to be producing more convincing displays.

He was at fault both times as Callum Hudson-Odoi worked his way onto the scoresheet, and it's hardly as if that dour defeat stands as an outlier.

In fact, the Italy international has made a sum total of 11 direct errors since moving to the Premier League, including a woeful return of six from just 24 appearances last year.

Aurier had his uses in a Tottenham shirt, but his strengths did not outweigh the weaknesses that bogged Spurs down after that post-Champions League decline.

Now, Vicario is proving himself to be the new version, and if Frank is serious about making sustained headway, it might be that the shot-stopper needs to be cut loose down the line.