Daily Express

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has admitted his team-mates need to stop conceding "stupid" goals in a stark assessment following the Premier League defeat against Nottingham Forest. Igor Tudor's side looked to have turned a corner after drawing 1-1 with Liverpool at Anfield and recording a victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Against Forest, who are also battling relegation, Spurs had an opportunity at home to move away from the drop zone and push one rival closer to it. However, Vitor Pereira's side overwhelmed them in north London. Strikes from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi confirmed the defeat. After the match, Romero made his thoughts perfectly clear.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

When questioned about how to account for the display, he told Sky Sports: "Nothing. This season is tough, especially in this moment, another loss at home. The first thing for the fans is thank you for today because they stayed with us. The most important thing for us is the last seven finals.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"Now, everyone goes to their national teams, and when we're back here [we] understand the situation is tough, but the most important thing is to play games like finals. It's like this, it's very tough and it's [been] a bad season. Honestly, me, the first responsibility. Football is sometimes like this. The most important thing is staying together."

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Spurs approached the fixture with hope after the draw with Liverpool and the victory over Atletico. While the latter made little difference on their Champions League tie, having lost the first-leg 5-2, many thought it would at least give Spurs some momentum.

However, when Tudor's side fell behind, they never looked likely to overturn the scoreline and win their first Premier League match of 2026. Romero was questioned about how Spurs failed to reproduce those performances which saw him lament a persistent issue they have encountered.

He said: "When we played here against Atletico Madrid, fantastic game. The first half [vs Forest] was good but in the second half we lose confidence, lose the ball, concede another stupid goal. This is difficult but now it is finished. It is painful and a bad but the most important thing is go to national team and then back here for seven finals."

The outcome saw Forest overtake Tottenham and climb into 16th place on 32 points with Spurs remaining on 30 and just one ahead of West Ham United following their loss to Aston Villa. Igor Tudor has now presided over five defeats from a possible seven matches, with pressure unquestionably intensifying on his position. He was not available to field any questions about the display or his future following the match due to a family bereavement, with assistant head coach Bruno Saltor taking his place.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

He addressed questions on injuries, Tudor and the performance, but expressed his conviction that Tottenham can reverse their fortunes despite just one victory from their last 16 league fixtures. Saltor said: "I thought for 44 minutes in the first half we were the better team. And again, I think any mistake that we make, any small detail goes against us and we're not able to capitalise on the opposition's mistakes.

"And probably that affected the team. And that's our job as coaches, to keep helping the players. And as you can see, the players, they care and they are 100% trying their best. But at the moment, it's not enough. We need to minimise any mistakes because we know that we're going to concede a goal."

Igor Tudor did not conduct a press conference following Tottenham's defeat to Nottingham Forest after being informed of an immediate family bereavement. His assistant coach Bruno Saltor took the responsibility following the tragic news.

Saltor noted it was not an appropriate time for the Croatian to speak. "Personal matters, family matters and I am stepping in as it is not right time for him to speak," the ex-Brighton defender said upon speaking to Sky Sports, after Spurs' 3-0 loss at home.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

After a bright start, Tottenham were put to the sword by Vitor Pereira's side. Igor Jesus scored just before half-time before Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi secured a pivotal victory in the relegation battle.

"Every mistake right now is going against us, every detail is going against us and it affects the players as well," Saltor continued. "You can see how much they are fighting. We are in a difficult situation, everyone knows.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"In the first half we were the better team and need to be consistent with that. "We were 1-0 down and wanted to be a little more aggressive with players coming back from injuries. It didn't work as planned but it was our intention.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"It hurts us, it is painful, really painful, but the fans were outstanding today - from before the game until the end of the game. We need to carry on because we care, we care for Spurs, we are family and want to get out of this situation. I am 100% sure we can get through this situation."

Forest's victory saw them leapfrog Tottenham into 16th position. The Lilywhites remain one point clear of the relegation zone after West Ham lost to Aston Villa.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Goals from John McGinn and Ollie Watkins at Villa Park helped Unai Emery's side continue their Champions League push, while denying the Irons the chance of escaping the bottom three.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

There are now three weeks until Tottenham play in the Premier League and resume their battle to remain in the division. Tudor's position has long been under scrutiny, with international breaks often proving to be timely opportunities to replace managers.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

The interim boss arrived in north London last month but has won just one match since being appointed. Tottenham defeated Atletico Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League in their previous match but still exited the competition after a first-leg thrashing.

Saltor suggested in his press conference that Spurs' best efforts have not been enough.

"I think any mistake that we make, any small detail goes against us and we're not able to capitalise on the opposition's mistakes. And probably that affected the team," he said.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

"And that's our job as coaches, to keep helping the players. And as you can see, the players, they care and they are 100% trying their best. But at the moment, it's not enough.

Igor Tudor is starting to look like a man out of ideas and Tottenham are paying the price.

This latest collapse, a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, may be the clearest sign yet that the Spurs boss is losing his grip at the worst possible time.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

For 44 minutes, there were signs of life.

Tottenham were organised, competitive and, by their recent standards, actually looked like a team with a plan. The home crowd responded, creating the kind of atmosphere the occasion demanded. Everything pointed towards a side ready to fight.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Then it all unravelled in an instant.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Igor Jesus’ header just before half-time was a blow. But what followed was far more damaging.

Tudor panicked.

His starting XI had already raised eyebrows, with Micky van de Ven shunted to left-back, Djed Spence on the right, and Pedro Porro pushed further forward. It was unconventional, arguably unnecessary, but, for a half at least, it worked.

And yet, at the first sign of trouble, Tudor ripped it up.

Van de Ven and Spence were hauled off at half-time, replaced by Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall. Porro dropped back. The system changed. Again.

It was a gamble and it backfired spectacularly.

Tottenham didn’t respond. They collapsed.

Any structure or confidence built in the first half disappeared, and once Morgan Gibbs-White doubled Forest’s lead, the game was effectively over.

This is becoming a worrying pattern.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Watch the Carabao Cup with discounted Sky Sports package

£49 £35 View Deal

Sky customers can watch every Carabao Cup semi-final game with the discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches each season across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Select fixtures will also be broadcast free-to-air on ITV.

Tudor talks about intensity and control, but his in-game decisions tell a different story. One of a manager reacting, not leading. Chasing the game instead of shaping it.

Even when Spurs are on top, one setback is enough to trigger wholesale changes. Systems are abandoned, players shuffled, and any sense of identity disappears.

That kind of instability spreads quickly and right now this Tottenham squad looks like one that no longer knows what it’s supposed to be doing.

We’ve seen it before, too. The triple substitution against Fulham. The constant tactical reshuffles. The lack of consistency from one week to the next.

Nothing is sticking.

With just seven games left, Tottenham are running out of time to save their season. The situation is still recoverable, but only if there is clarity from the touchline.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Right now, that is nowhere to be seen.

Tottenham's odds of Premier League relegation shortened as their winless run stretched to 13 games with a 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. Igor Jesus' first-half header and goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi secured Forest a huge three points to leapfrog Spurs, who drop to 17th. Igor Tudor's team are one point above West Ham, thanks to Aston Villa beating the Hammers at Villa Park, but have not won a domestic match since December 28, when Thomas Frank was still the manager.

Croatian caretaker coach Tudor oversaw a Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid in midweek, following a valuable away draw at Liverpool last weekend. But that progress was wrecked by fellow strugglers Forest, and Spurs were subjected to huge boos at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at full-time. Tudor has now won just one point of an available 15 in the Premier League. Tottenham have four emergency options if they press the panic button on Tudor over the international break...

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Harry Redknapp

He's not been in management since 2017, and it's 14 years since he left Tottenham, but 79-year-old Redknapp is one man who might step into the breach for Spurs' final seven games. Speaking earlier this month at the Cheltenham Festival, the Englishman said: "They know where I am if they need me. They need somebody to go in there and give them a lift and make them believe in themselves.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"They're bang in trouble, I must be truthful." Redknapp enjoyed a successful spell at Spurs between 2008 and 2012, finishing in the top four in two of his three full seasons at the club.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Tim Sherwood

Another who has made it clear he'd jump at the chance to return to Spurs. The 57-year-old Sky Sports analyst oversaw 28 games as Spurs boss in the 2013-14 campaign after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked and ended up being axed himself in May of that season.

Sherwood said on Sky Sports: "It's a club I love. I know a lot about it. I spent many years there in different capacities. It needs someone to give them a lift at the moment, whether that's me or whoever." He hasn't managed since 2015, though, so Sherwood would represent a massive gamble despite his connection to the club.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Ryan Mason

Mason has already had two stints as an interim manager at Spurs before; could he do a third? Sacked by West Brom in January, the former midfielder has been unemployed since. He stepped up after both Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte were sacked in April 2021 and April 2023, respectively.

Mason won six of his 13 matches in charge, also losing six, across those two stints. With his reputation having been damaged by his failed 27-match spell at the Hawthorns, the 34-year-old would surely welcome a chance to coach in the Premier League again. Saving Spurs would be great for his CV.

Sean Dyche

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Dyche lasted only 25 games at Nottingham Forest before being sacked in February, but he represents another 'break glass in case of emergency' option. A pragmatic coach with a reputation for coaching hard-working teams who are hard to beat, Dyche's style might not be popular at Spurs.

But if he was willing to accept another Premier League opportunity, which are likely to be limited elsewhere after being axed by Everton last year and Forest this year, he might be able to scrape Spurs a few draws and victories. However, reports earlier this month suggested the 54-year-old would be reluctant to go into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is reportedly set to join Inter Milan this summer.

The Serie A team have been scouting for a successor to Yann Sommer, 37, who is anticipated to depart Inter when his contract expires in June, and sporting director Piero Ausilio was in London for discussions earlier this week.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Ausilio met with Vicario's agent Valerio Giufridda on Wednesday prior to Tottenham's Champions League round of 16 second leg match against Atletico Madrid, and Inter are optimistic about finalising a deal for £17million, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Vicario, 29, was in goal for the game against Atletico and pulled off several impressive saves as Spurs won 3-2 on the night. However, it wasn't enough to reverse the three-goal shortfall from the first leg as Igor Tudor's squad were eliminated from the tournament.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

A 5-2 loss at the Wanda Metropolitano last week inflicted the damage, with Tudor opting to start Antonin Kinsky before substituting him for Vicario in the 17th minute.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Vicario has been at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since 2023 following his £17m transfer from Empoli. He made a promising start to his tenure in north London until rivals identified his difficulty handling high balls, after which he committed several errors with his footwork.

He was a crucial member of Ange Postecoglou's team before sustaining a broken ankle in a 4-0 victory at Manchester City in November 2024, which sidelined him for three months. However, Vicario made a comeback to aid Spurs in clinching the Europa League, with the former Cagliari player maintaining a clean sheet in the final against Manchester United.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Although Vicario still has over two years remaining on his Tottenham contract, it seems there is a mutual agreement that it would be best for both parties to part ways come summer.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Should he sign for Inter, Vicario will return to playing Champions League football, with the San Siro club currently six points ahead at the top of the Serie A table and targeting their 21st Scudetto and a second in three years.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Despite the rumours surrounding Vicario's future, his and Tottenham's immediate focus is on Sunday's vital Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. Spurs are entangled in a relegation battle, with Tudor's side sitting 16th, just one point and one position above Forest in the top flight.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Tottenham could receive a financial windfall if former striker Troy Parrott completes a £25million transfer to AC Milan this summer. The 24-year-old is currently enjoying an outstanding season with AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch top division.

Parrott has flourished since leaving the north London club in 2024, scoring 20 goals for AZ across all competitions last term. He has managed to surpass that tally this season, recording 28 goals and 10 assists in 40 appearances. The Republic of Ireland international's impressive form and consistency has understandably attracted interest from clubs across Europe, including Real Betis, Wolfsburg, Fulham and now AC Milan.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

The Independent reports Parrott is eager to progress to the next stage of his career, while AZ are willing to cash in on their prolific frontman. Milan are monitoring his form while in pursuit of a forward to recruit this summer, with the £25m-valued Parrott being among the players on their radar.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Any potential transfer to Serie A in that price bracket would prove beneficial for his previous club Spurs, given the Lilywhites negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on clause when agreeing Parrott's move to AZ while Daniel Levy was in charge. The £5m they are set to receive is already an improvement on the sum they would have got if Parrott had made a move in January, given his £17m valuation earlier in the season.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Parrott was seen as a promising prospect during his time in N17 but only made four first-team appearances, having been loaned out five times. His last loan stint as a Spurs player was with Dutch side Excelsior, during which his displays attracted the interest of AZ Alkmaar.

Parrott was sold to AZ for £6.7m in July 2024. Then-manager Ange Postecoglou justified the move by stating competition for places, particularly following Dominic Solanke's arrival, would have restricted Parrott's opportunities for a first-team breakthrough.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Spurs will be pleased to see their former prospect thriving, especially as they could potentially pocket £5m this summer based on his current valuation. The club did not negotiate a buyback clause in his contract when he left, indicating they won't compete with Milan for his services.

Parrott faced his old side last season in the Europa League, as Spurs beat AZ 3-2 across the two last-16 legs and went on to lift the trophy. He explained last month that he wasn’t thinking about his future much, though his camp have understandably been exploring options beyond the Eredivisie to further his career.

Mathys Tel has revealed that Tottenham's players have held frank discussions among themselves - and are now confident they will avoid relegation. Tottenham meet Nottingham Forest on Sunday in what has developed into a crucial relegation battle with Spurs merely one point above the drop zone. However, Tel insists there is a renewed sense of determination and resolve among the players, who wish to demonstrate they remain a "big team" despite their catastrophic season.

Tottenham are at last showing signs of recovery following their draw at Liverpool and, subsequently, the hard-fought 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid. Despite departing the Champions League, Spurs did at least secure their first triumph in nine matches, it also delivered interim manager Igor Tudor his maiden win since assuming control and it has revived some confidence for the remainder of the campaign.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

When questioned about what has altered and is the distinction, Tel added: "I think conversation in the dressing room. After every loss we just keep talking to each other and something changed. I would say we are together, we are more and more together.

"We are talking because maybe before we didn't speak enough. But now with the situation we talk more, more, more, more, more, and we are more about the details. So, you know, in football details make the difference and now I'm very happy about this difference.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"We're together. We're just a team now. A team. And I can feel it. We felt it also against Atletico. So, yeah, keep going. Of course we believe, we believe. We have to believe and we will do it. I believe we will do it. I trust my team-mates, I trust the manager, I trust everybody. If we stick together, if we show that we will do it together, we will do it.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Tottenham's Champions League form has been in direct contrast to their domestic results. They qualified automatically for the knockout phase in Europe and yet have not won in the Premier League since December 28.

It has been hard to fathom and yet the last two games have given Tel hope that they can turn their season around. The Spurs forward says they had a point to prove against Atletico - and showed they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Tel continued: "It means that we can be a big team. We can show to every team that it's not easy to play against us. So, yeah, we showed a big, big, big mentality against Atletico Madrid."

"I would say we're happy, but we're still not happy because we didn't win both games. But the second game was a big performance from us. We showed a great mentality. Something different than the first game.

"So that means a lot for us because it showed that we can play well, we can give everything for the club, for the team. So I would say I'm happy about the performance from the team.

"This is a Champions League game, so when we go to the Premier League game, we have to play with the same energy, the same mindset.

"Of course. Confidence just going up. Going up. We just need to stick together, stick to the plan and keep working. At the weekend, make sure we are ready for the game."

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Tel insists Tudor has given him and the team extra belief they can stay up. He added: "I can feel the manager put confidence that was needed before. So we can see on the pitch I have got more confidence, I can create situations. So, yeah, I mean, he gave me some things that I didn’t have before.

"We can do everything on the pitch, but we need plus one. And the plus one is the fans. We need them all the time. So we can do everything, but we need people pushing you every time, every minute. So this is what they did. And we won. Liverpool the same. So I hope we will do the same thing on Sunday."

Tottenham are left searching for answers as to how a season of such promise has unravelled so dramatically.

This is a club that can still point to a European trophy, world-class training facilities and a stadium widely regarded as among the finest in the game. The squad comprises established Premier League performers with international experience.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Yet those advantages have not translated into results. Tottenham are out of all cup competitions despite beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday night and find themselves entrenched in a relegation battle that few would have expected at the start of the season.

Dropping into the Championship would represent one of the most significant failures in modern top-flight history. For Chris Waddle, the former Tottenham winger and the club’s Player of the Year in 1988, the roots of the problem lie in recruitment.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

“Unfortunately, they don't invest in the team,” Waddle told Express Sport with Ozoon. “And they can turn around and say: ‘We've spent so many millions over the last two or three years.’ But it's on potential. So let's get it right.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Waddle argues that Tottenham’s approach in the transfer market has lacked conviction, particularly when compared with their domestic rivals.

He said: “Until Tottenham start buying players who people go: ’Wow, what a signing,’ Man City are going to buy Antoine Semenyo, they're going to buy Marc Guehi from [Crystal] Palace.

“Two internationals, two good players, bang on the game, bang on form. Why are Spurs not buying those two? Straight away, why?”

Manchester City moved decisively in January, signing Semenyo and Guehi for a combined £82.5m after both had impressed at the highest level.

Tottenham, by contrast, committed £47.5m to Conor Gallagher and the young left-back Souza, neither of whom has yet made a sustained impact.

The context around those decisions has also shifted. Daniel Levy, the Premier League’s longest-serving executive, departed after 24 years in charge, removing a figure who had often been the focal point for criticism.

Responsibility now sits more squarely with the club’s current leadership, and Waddle suggests that without a rethink of priorities, they are doomed to repeat the same failings that allowed their captain and talisman to leave in another grave mistake.

“Until they start thinking about the football side before the commercial side, they will always be a nearly team,” Waddle added.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

“And unless they start buying players and making statements of: ‘Wow, what a signing’, until they start doing that, there'll always be a chance that, yes, they could finish top four, but there's a great chance they could finish bottom four.

Few Premier League champions have ever experienced a 180 quite as sobering as this. Last April, Liverpool thrashed Tottenham to confirm their 20th title in the Anfield sunshine. It was the greatest day the iconic stadium has ever seen. While the sun was out again against Spurs yesterday as the Londoners returned to L4 for the first time since, the outlook at full-time was so much gloomier for Liverpool after a 1-1 draw. For Arne Slot, the dark clouds loom overhead.

After 30 games last season, Liverpool had won 22, drawn seven and lost once. The gap to second-placed Arsenal stood at 12 points. Four games later, the Reds were champions. At the same stage this season, they're fifth, a chasmic 21 points behind the league-leading Gunners. Slot's side have won 14 of 30, drawing seven and losing nine. Since September 20, the record worsens to W9, D7, L9. The drop-off from 12 months ago - for multiple reasons - is stark. And the harsh reality is that Slot does not look like he can turn the tide.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

This Liverpool team aren't losing as regularly as they were in October and November, he might argue. But their actual performances have changed incredibly little since then. This latest showing was so far beyond the standard required. No wonder there were boos at full-time. There was plenty of empty seats too. Many fans gave up as soon as Richarlison scored.

The belief and optimism that was Anfield's heartbeat under Jurgen Klopp is fading - fast. This Liverpool are far likelier to throw away points in the final stages than they are to win them. What a change that is from the side that started the season with late winners in all of their first five fixtures.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

This latest slip-up was against a Spurs team desperately low on confidence. Their morale was on life support thanks to missing 13 players due to injury and suspension, winless in 2026 and scrapping for their lives in the Premier League relegation fight.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

A feeble Liverpool team gave them confidence. And they deservedly conceded a game-changing goal in the 90th minute for the eighth time in the Premier League this season. That is pathetic. It has cost them 11 points. It was the 21st goal this season, across all competitions, that Liverpool have let in after the 75th minute. They've gone from mentality monsters to mentality midgets.

The draw against Spurs was unacceptable on multiple levels. Liverpool were at Anfield. Liverpool took the lead. The game opened up in the second half, which should have suited a team who have struggled against low blocks all season, and who brought on Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike on the hour mark. Tottenham are on a historically bad run of form and Liverpool had the chance to move fourth, and take advantage of slip-ups from their top-four rivals.

Yet 16th-placed Spurs, off the back of a six-match losing streak, created more big chances and had more shots on target. It is the worst low yet of a campaign that has been full of them. There is no excuse for failing to beat Igor Tudor's charges.

The Anfield fear factor so key to the club's success under Klopp is all but gone. On top of this, Ruben Amorim's Man Utd won here, as did Sean Dyche's Nottingham Forest 3-0. PSV finished 28th in the final Champions League table yet smashed the Reds 4-1 on their own turf. All three newly-promoted teams - Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley - left with a point.

In the Premier League home table, Liverpool are fifth with 28 of a possible 45 points. The maximum they can finish the campaign with is 37 from 54. With fans in the stadium you have to go back 10 years for a tally that low. The lockdown season aside, the lowest Klopp mustered was 43 in 2017-18.

Goalscorer Dominik Szoboszlai went as far to say post-match: "We have to wake up because if we carry on like this, we should be happy with the Conference League [next season]." For the champions to miss out on Champions League qualification would be like taking a punch to the jaw from prime Mike Tyson.

This is a team who had a massive summer transfer window. It was exciting, too, at the time. Granted they lost several key players, but the signings of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz and co. were meant to elevate the team; to take them on to another title and European glory too. Isak, watching from home, probably cannot believe what he's watching. "Intensity is our identity," said both Klopp and his No.2 Pep Lijnders in 2019. What even is the identity now?

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Liverpool live in a world where, when Brentford face Wolves tonight, they're hoping for a favour from the team bottom of the league against a team who finished 10th last term. If the Bees win, they're two points behind Liverpool and all of a sudden seventh is a plausible finish this season. For the reigning champions of the country. Who spent hundreds of millions of pounds in pre-season.

Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Get More of Our News on Google

Set Daily Express as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

The sad truth is that even if Liverpool do get a top-five finish, there are major question marks about whether Slot can make this team great again. He is not solely to blame for all of the team's troubles. The players must accept plenty of criticism too. But this team is less than the sum of its parts.

The performances and results being served up by a team of title-winning players, and expensive summer signings, is unacceptable. It is not a bad group of players. But it is a group of players who aren't being coached well. Liverpool still need another big transfer window but it is not Slot who should be overseeing it. He's too far gone to save himself.

Arne Slot says the frustrations of the Liverpool crowd are "completely normal" after the Reds slumped to a draw at home to struggling Tottenham. The full-time whistle was greeted with jeers at Anfield after Richarlison's 90th-minute equaliser dealt the latest gut punch to Liverpool's hopes of Champions League qualification. It also improved Spurs' chances of avoiding an embarrassing relegation to the Championship although they still remain without a win in 2026.

This was the eighth different occasion this season that Liverpool have thrown away points in the 90th minute of a Premier League game but just the second time at Anfield. Their stoppage-time woes have cost them 11 points. If not for all those collapses, Slot's champions would be second in the league, above Manchester City. Instead, they are 12 behind City - who they lost to late on at Anfield in February - and are scrapping desperately for a top-five finish to compete in Europe's premier competition again next term.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Liverpool end the weekend in fifth but could have gone fourth, above Aston Villa, with a win over Spurs. Villa and Chelsea's defeats presented an ideal opportunity for the Merseyside club but they produced another poor performance and paid the price at the death. Spurs had lost six in a row before their trip to Liverpool, with the hosts' failure to beat them sparking anger inside Anfield.

Asked about the booing by Sky Sports, Slot admitted: "It's completely normal. If the team you are supporting so many times is dropping points against teams you don't expect them to drop points against, if so many times this happens in the last seconds of a game, then I think we all feel a lot of frustration.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"They definitely [feel it], because they've experienced this far too many times than they are used to, and that's completely normal that they show their frustration, the frustration that is felt by me, by the players and also by our fans.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

"And I'm 100 per cent sure that if they show up Wednesday, they will be supportive again from the start, but if the team doesn't perform to the standards they are used to, I think it's completely normal that they are frustrated."

Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool in front with another Kop end free-kick in the first half. But after he and his team-mates failed to cling on to victory, the Hungarian was scathing in his own post-match interview with the same broadcaster.

"We have to wake up. If we keep going like this, next season we should be happy if we play Conference League," Szoboszlai said. "In the first half, we played very well. We controlled the whole game, they hardly created many chances.

"Second half, I don't know, we just don't do the same things like in the first half. The question is why? We will sit down together. This is the most difficult time. We have to stick together.

"I didn't hear the boos [at full-time] but I can understand because last season we became champions and this season we are not performing in the way that we should be. They should stay behind us because last season, when we were champions four games before the end, everybody was happy. Support us now when we're in difficult times."

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher laid into his former club's performance, calling it "an absolute disaster". The Sky Sports co-commentator said on air: "They have actually made Tottenham look like a decent team. The defending was absolutely shocking from Liverpool. I've been saying all half that Liverpool have been sleepwalking into this. It was an awful performance.

"No disrespect to Tottenham but they are the worst team in the Premier League now, probably for the last couple of months. They are exactly who you want to play, playing at home, the incentive of your results this weekend and to put in a performance like that.

Liverpool FC news, fixtures, results and transfer gossip plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Get More of Our News on Google

Set Daily Express as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

"But it's been like that all season. And the big question on everybody's lips is that down to the manager or the makeup of the squad? Could a new manager completely revitalise these type of players and bring that energy and sort of intensity back into this team? I'm not sure.

"I think a lot of it goes back to what happened in the summer, the profile of the players that came in and there's just too many players who just want to play when the ball's at their feet. They don't want to dig in and make it difficult. That's why it's so easy to play against this Liverpool team."