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‘Mad’ Kevin Danso incident shocks BBC pundit after footage he saw in Tottenham win vs Doncaster

Tottenham continued their emphatic start to the season under Thomas Frank after another convincing victory.

The Lilywhites have delivered some superb results in the Premier League, while also clinching a vital win in the Champions League.

Now, Spurs have progressed in the Carabao Cup, having defeated League One side Doncaster Rovers 3-0 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Danso made a rare start for Thomas Frank’s side and was involved in a flashpoint at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Paul Parker reacts to Kevin Danso incident vs Doncaster Rovers

A clash with weaker opposition allowed Frank to rotate his Tottenham side without any real risk.

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Mathys Tel received a rare start but was unable to grasp his opportunity after spurning a brilliant chance in front of goal.

It did not take the North London club long to get into their swing, with Joao Palhinha and a Jay McGrath own goal giving them a 2-0 lead after 17 minutes.

While Doncaster were always in the game, all hope diminished when Brennan Johnson delivered the killer blow in second-half stoppage time.

However, the away side did benefit from a refereeing decision given against Danso by Andy Madley on the edge of the box, a decision that was criticised.

“The boot was high, but he’s got the ball,” Paul Parker said on 24 September while commentating for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3.

“In that situation, you’ve got to go for it as a defender. Now, if he wants to catch him in the head, then yes, there’ll be repercussions, but he’s won that ball fairly, not great contact on the player either.

“That is so, so poor, you can’t give a foul for that, you can’t do that. Under these kinds of circumstances, he’s got to let it go because otherwise, you’re taking someone away from the game.

“If he doesn’t go for that, and the player heads it down in front and goes bang, it’s a goal… everybody, the fans, his teammates, his manager will go ‘what are you doing? Oh, I was worried about kicking him in the head’, you what?… That was mad.”

How did Kevin Danso and other fringe players perform for Tottenham?

While some of Spurs’ regular starters struggled against Doncaster, it was a mixed bag for those given an audition at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The future certainly looks promising for Archie Gray, who demonstrated his capability in the number eight position with some strong runs and positive attacking play.

Antonin Kinsky did his chances no harm between the sticks, although he had precious little to do all evening.

Elsewhere, Wilson Odobert delivered a respectable display, setting up an early chance for forward Tel.

As with his appearance against West Ham, Tel struggled again in front of goal and should have had a hat trick.

Overall, it was an encouraging evening for Frank as he continues to learn a great deal about his Spurs side.

Xavi Simons was back in Thomas Frank’s starting line-up as Tottenham beat Doncaster in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Spurs progressed to the last-16 of the competition with a 3-0 victory over the League One side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, thanks to a stunning overhead kick by Joao Palhinha and an own goal by Jay McGrath.

Simons‘ corner led to Palhinha’s goal in a strong playmaker’s performance in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Doncaster, before he was substituted off and replaced by Lucas Bergvall in the 61st minute.

However, according to former PGMOL general manager Keith Hackett, some of the talking points about Simons’ performance weren’t ones to be proud of.

This article contains the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.

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Xavi Simons guilty of trying to deceive referee in Tottenham win over Doncaster

Simons was a £51million arrival from RB Leipzig in the summer, but that didn’t stop him from trying to buy a penalty against a third-tier side in England.

In the 41st minute, Simons went down on the edge of Doncaster’s penalty area after trying to latch onto a long ball forward from Rodrigo Bentacur.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international could have got himself in on goal from Bentancur’s exquisite pass. However, instead, he allowed the ball to bounce and seemed to feign contact from Doncaster’s Tom Nixon.

Andy Madley ignored Simons’ appeals for a foul and while Hackett agreed with the Huddersfield-born referee’s initial decisions, he believes he should have booked the Dutch ace for simulation.

“Madley is in a good position to make a decision on the coming together of the two players,” Hackett told Tottenham News.

“The forward in possession of the ball fractionally changes pace, causing contact and he then goes to ground.

“Madley waves away appeals for a penalty kick, and I will support his decision. However, he then failed to take any action.

“If it was not a penalty kick, then it had to be an act of simulation and a yellow card should have been shown.

“If referees are going to ignore simulation, then the cancer in the game will continue to grow.”

Xavi Simons guilty of second offence within days

Unfortunately, this is the second time in two games where Hackett has had to talk about Simons’ behaviour on the pitch.

Speaking to Football Insider at the weekend, Hackett hit out at Simons for “cheating” in their 2-2 draw against Brighton when the former Paris Saint-Germain player threw himself to the deck while battling with Diego Coppola.

“I’m surprised that Chris Kavanagh has not cautioned that player for an act of simulation. That’s a clear act of simulation,” said Hackett.

“He’s attempted to win a penalty, and it’s that type of incident where you’ve got clarity, no tangling of legs, and he goes to ground. It’s a yellow card. If referees don’t see these and caution them, players will continue to take advantage of these incidents.

“I’d like to see an addition to VAR intervention on a yellow card. It should be an automatic yellow card. If we want to keep the game on the right footings, sportsmanship needs to come into the foundations.

“Cheating has no place in the game. What is it if it’s not cheating? It’s very clear. It reinforces the referee’s decision not to award a penalty, but we see this a lot.”

Thomas Frank no doubt needs to have a chat with Simons.

He’s an incredible talent and the last thing Tottenham fans will want is to see him get a reputation for himself, accumulate yellow cards through simulation and get suspended for vital games.

Tottenham cruised through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers.

The Lilywhites continued their bright start to the new season and were able to avoid any potential embarrassment with a routine victory over their third-tier opponents on Wednesday night.

Thomas Frank rotated the Spurs team for the visit of the South Yorkshire outfit, and early goals from Joao Palhinha and an own goal from Jay McGrath quickly erased any fears of an upset, before Brennan Johnson capped off the result in stoppage time.

Frank’s men enjoyed a comfortable evening on home turf, and with that in mind, Tottenham News rates the performance of every Spurs player out of 10.

Joao Palhinha shows his class in wonderful display

Joao Palhinha has been a revelation for Tottenham since he arrived on loan from Bayern Munich, and he showed both his experience and his class against Doncaster.

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The Portugal international dropped into a centre-back role to allow Archie Gray to play in his natural midfield position, and it was a seamless transition for the 30-year-old.

He gave his side the lead with an overhead kick early on, and used the ball in typically excellent fashion, completing 90% of his passes, but also did the defensive side of the game well.

Palhinha completed nine defensive actions, the second-highest total of any Tottenham player, and won 66% of his duels throughout the encounter.

The former Fulham man has been an excellent signing so far, and he turned in a wonderful 8/10 display on Wednesday night.

Mathys Tel abysmal for Spurs

Mathys Tel has found it difficult at Tottenham in recent weeks.

The French youngster has been starved of football so far during Frank’s reign, but he failed to take his opportunity when it was presented to him on Wednesday night.

He squandered a fantastic opportunity to open the scoring for the hosts in just the third minute, but inexplicably failed to even make contact as the ball was played across the box.

Another chance fell the way of the 20-year-old midway through the second half, but he miskicked his effort in a finish that was indicative of a player who is struggling for confidence.

Tel had just 29 touches of the ball throughout the evening, a total that was lower than any other Spurs player who started the game.

The former Bayern Munich man struggled to have any sort of positive impact on the game and was worthy of little more than a 4/10 rating.

Tottenham player ratings vs Doncaster Rovers

Antonin Kinsky – 7

Pedro Porro – 7

Joao Palhinha – 8

Kevin Danso – 7

Djed Spence – 6

Archie Gray – 7

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Brennan Johnson – 6

Xavi Simons – 7

Wilson Odobert – 6

Mathys Tel – 4

Substitutes

Richarlison – 6

Lucas Bergvall – 6

Destiny Udogie – 6

Luca Williams-Barnett – N/A

Mathys Tel has been handed the opportunity to impress for Tottenham in their Carabao Cup tie with Doncaster Rovers.

The Frenchman has found life difficult in N17 in the early stages of Thomas Frank’s reign, and has found gametime hard to come by since the start of the campaign.

Tottenham left Tel out of their squad for the Champions League, which has prompted speculation that he could already be nearing the end of his time in North London, despite only joining permanently in the summer.

Frank has handed the youngster a start in Wednesday night’s clash with Doncaster, but it hasn’t gone to plan for him so far.

Tottenham fans slam Mathys Tel for ‘horrible’ miss

Tel was an unused substitute for Tottenham in their draw with Brighton last weekend, and he has still started just once in the Premier League so far this season.

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The Lilywhites were quick to turn his loan into a permanent move at the start of the summer, but his performances have left a lot to be desired since his £30million move.

The forward has got his chance to impress the new manager in the visit of Doncaster, and he spurned a glorious chance early into the encounter.

Tel couldn’t get on the end of Brennan Johnson’s ball across the face of goal, and surely would have found the back of the net had he been able to make contact.

However, Tottenham fans have been quick to jump on the former Bayern Munich star following the miss, with one fan describing the moment as “horrible.”

Mathys Tel needs a loan move away from Spurs

Tel’s lack of football at Tottenham is creating something of a vicious circle for him of late.

He can’t get more football unless he impresses when given the opportunity, but equally, it will be difficult for him to stay sharp when he isn’t playing games.

A loan move in January certainly feels like the best fit for all parties at this moment in time.

If Tel could go back to the Bundesliga for a few months, it would hopefully allow him to rebuild his confidence, as it is continuing to take near-constant hits at Spurs right now.

He still has a big future ahead of him, but it may be best for Tottenham to take him out of the firing line for now.

Harry Kane could be edging towards a sensational return to Tottenham next summer.

The Lilywhites’ all-time record goalscorer left North London to move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, but is now being heavily linked with a return.

Tottenham have genuine hope of re-signing Kane at the end of the season, with the German champions growing increasingly wary that this could be his final year in their colours.

Thomas Frank has already made it clear that he would love to have the England captain as part of his group, and a crucial stance has now been shared from Munich.

Lothar Matthaus advises Harry Kane to stay at Bayern Munich

It has recently emerged that Tottenham have a “priority option” on Kane, which could see them get an exclusive opportunity to sign him if he decides to leave Bayern.

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The 32-year-old has smashed numerous records during his time in the Bundesliga, and he has been as prolific as ever so far this term, with a staggering 11 goal contributions to his name from the opening four league games.

However, speculation surrounding an incredible return to his boyhood club refuses to die down, especially considering that Kane remains just 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer’s all-time goalscoring record in the Premier League.

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus has now had his say, and he has admitted that he thinks that Kane should remain in Munich, and also added that Shearer’s record won’t be a motivation for him.

“There are always rumours that Kane could perhaps return to England next summer to break Shearer’s record for the most Premier League goals. I would recommend Kane to stay with FC Bayern,” the former Ballon D’Or and World Cup winner told Bild.

“I don’t think the Shearer record is a motivation (for him). He did his homework in the Premier League and therefore should end his career at FC Bayern.”

Tottenham should trigger Harry Kane’s release clause

Tottenham can force the issue regarding Kane’s future by triggering the release clause that is part of his Bayern contract.

The frontman can leave the Allianz Arena for a fee of £56.7million, which seems like a relatively insignificant sum for a player who still provides a guarantee of goals and so much more.

In a business sense, shelling out almost £60m on a player who turns 33 next summer is perhaps not the most sensible idea, but with a player of Kane’s quality, it is clear that he still has several years ahead of him at the top of his game.

With that in mind, Spurs should be looking to put the pressure on by triggering that release clause next summer, to put the decision solely in his hands.

However, if they do that and he doesn’t jump at the chance to return, then they should accept that the ship has sailed and turn their attention elsewhere.

Harry Kane has been heavily linked with a return to Tottenham in the last few weeks.

The England captain has been away from the Premier League since he swapped N17 for Munich in the summer of 2023, but his return could now be growing ever closer.

Kane remains hugely well-respected at Tottenham, and the £56.7million release clause in his Bayern Munich contract will certainly have provided them with food for thought.

Thomas Frank has made an excellent start in the dugout in N17, and things could be about to get even better for him and the Lilywhites after this agreement has been reached.

Tottenham have ‘priority option’ on Harry Kane transfer

Tottenham appear to have hope of re-signing Kane, with fears growing at Bayern that this could be his final year with them.

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The striker is now 32, and remains just 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record, which could provide him with plenty of incentive to return.

That return could yet come to fruition, with Spurs understood to have an agreement as the “priority option” on Kane, if he chooses to leave Bayern, according to Fabrizio Romano, via reputable Bayern account iMiaSanMia on X.

Frank is thought to be a “big fan” of the frontman and has opened the door to a possible return for Kane.

Tottenham and Frank have laid their intentions on the table for the coming months, and it now appears that Kane will make the final decision one way or the other at the end of the season.

Spurs have to go all out to bring Harry Kane home

A return for Kane would be a seismic deal for Tottenham, both in a footballing and commercial sense.

The Lilywhites have been lacking a true face of their project since Son Heung-min departed at the end of the summer, but Kane would be the perfect man to restore that.

He is a genuine club legend, having risen through the ranks at Hotspur Way to become their all-time record goalscorer.

Throw in the fact that his style of play doesn’t rely on pace at all, and Spurs would surely still be able to get another three or four years out of a man who is undisputably one of the most deadly strikers in world football.

With that in mind, they surely have to be doing everything that they can to bring Kane back to his boyhood club, even if it would mean heading into unfamiliar territory in terms of wages.

Things have been looking up for Tottenham since Frank took the reins, and they could be about to get even better if they can coax Kane into coming home.

Tottenham have made a bright start to the new Premier League season, but things may not be quite what they seem in N17.

The Lilywhites appear to have turned a corner following their dismal domestic campaign last term, and have tasted defeat just once in their opening five league games in 2025/26.

A Mohammed Kudus-inspired comeback spared Tottenham their second league reverse of the campaign last weekend, when they battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a point away at Brighton.

Thomas Frank will be delighted with the start that his side have made on the face of it, but he may now have been presented with a slight concern after a new stat has emerged.

Tottenham have over-performed more than any other Premier League team

Tottenham continue their Premier League campaign on Saturday night, when Wolves are the visitors to N17.

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The Lilywhites will know that a win could see them climb to second in the early-season table, and things certainly seem to be looking up for them on the face of it.

Spurs look like a completely different team under Frank, which is a testament to the changes that the new boss has already instilled following last season’s debacle.

However, amid all the praise that has been thrown towards his team of late, Frank has cause for concern amid the emergence of a statistic that will be somewhat alarming for him and his staff.

Tottenham are a huge eight places higher than they should be in the current Premier League table, according to figures provided by Opta.

The analysts have used xG to provide likely game outcomes, which have since been used to calculate the expected league position for every team so far this term.

Their figures show that Frank’s men are currently the division’s biggest over-performers, with an expected position of 11th, rather than their current standing of third.

Thomas Frank will be concerned by Spurs over-performance

Frank has been praised heavily for his work at Tottenham so far, and he has certainly worked wonders to restore the positive feeling around the club so quickly.

It could also be argued that the Dane should be pleased by Opta’s reveal, as it shows that he is getting the best out of his players at both ends of the pitch, since they are outperforming where they should be.

However, to take a more pessimistic stance on things, logic suggests that it is unlikely to continue like this forever for Spurs.

If their improvement is to be prolonged across the entire length of the campaign, then they will likely need to start showing a little more in games than they are at the moment.

Frank definitely shouldn’t be trying to change too much based on this statistic, but it may well set the alarm bells ringing for him that his team’s start may not be all that it seems.

Thomas Frank could be about to hand two Tottenham academy starlets the memory of a lifetime against Doncaster Rovers.

The Lilywhites open their Carabao Cup campaign on home turf on Wednesday evening, and it is likely to be a heavily rotated team for the visit of the League One outfit.

Tottenham will be desperate to avoid an upset against Doncaster, and will be aiming to continue their bright start to the new season in the process.

Frank is likely to hand minutes to several of the players who have been on the fringes of the first-team squad, while it could also become a very special evening for two academy stars.

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Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun’ai Byfield to be part of Tottenham squad

Luca Williams-Barnett is already making headlines at Tottenham for his rapid rise through the youth ranks, and Wednesday night could see him break through into the first team for the first time.

The attacking midfielder netted a hat-trick and notched an assist in the recent 6-3 win over Leicester City’s U21s in Premier League 2, and that came just weeks after he scored and assisted against Bristol Rovers in the Vertu Trophy.

The Lilywhites’ U21s side continued their campaign in that competition on Tuesday night, and were beaten 6-2 by a rampant Plymouth Argyle side in their second group game.

There were some notable absences from the squad that made the trip to Devon, with Williams-Barnett and fellow 16-year-old Jun’ai Byfield both left out, despite the duo having started in each of the academy’s last five games in Premier League 2 and the Vertu Torphy.

Their absences from the encounter with Plymouth suggest that they have been working with Frank and the first-team squad ahead of Wednesday night’s tie, and as a result, are highly likely to be involved in the matchday squad against Doncaster.

Thomas Frank needs Spurs to have an easy night vs Doncaster

The boss will be hoping that his side can build a comfortable lead for themselves before the hour mark, with a view to then bringing the duo on for their senior debuts in the latter stages at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, if the game remains tight heading into the final minutes, then it is highly unlikely that he will want to throw the starlets in at the deep end and put pressure on them to perform.

The pair are both incredibly talented players, but it is important for Frank to remember that they are both playing effectively five years above their age group, and the first team will be yet another step up.

If they are involved against Doncaster, it has the potential to be a special night for the duo, but if they are not managed carefully, then it could quickly turn sour.

Jamie O’Hara has a reputation for aggravating Premier League fans.

O’Hara is regularly critical of Spurs on talkSPORT, with some of his outspoken opinions discussed among fans.

The former Tottenham midfielder also has a reputation for annoying fans of other Premier League teams with some of his commentary.

O’Hara isn’t afraid to criticise Tottenham players, but his latest post will certainly have caught the attention of both Spurs and Newcastle supporters.

Jamie O’Hara reacts to goal scored at St James’ Park

O’Hara took to X to share a video from a Tottenham game against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup from September 2008.

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Spurs won the game 2-1, with the Englishman grabbing the second goal with a composed left-footed finish.

O’Hara reposted the video from Hotspur Memories on X, writing: “Always nice scoring at St James’ Park”, followed by a winking face emoji.

The midfielder will be sure to rile up Newcastle fans with this cheeky post, but he surely won’t mind.

O’Hara made 56 appearances for Spurs over six seasons, with that goal one of seven he scored in a Tottenham shirt.

Tottenham will rival Newcastle in Champions League

Tottenham and Newcastle are both in the Champions League season, with both clubs having ambitions to return to the competition next year.

Spurs were victorious in their Champions League opener, while Newcastle were defeated by Barcelona.

Tottenham will see the Magpies as rivals in the Premier League for a place in Europe’s elite competition.

Spurs know they need Champions League football to keep attracting the biggest players to North London, and that could come at the expense of Newcastle.

The two sides meet for the first time at St James Park’ on December 3, with Spurs not having won in the North East since 2021.

The reverse fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium takes place on February 11, as Spurs look for revenge following the 2-1 defeat last season.

Tottenham continued their promising start to the season with a strong fightback against Brighton in the 2-2 draw on Saturday.

Thomas Frank has won a respectable four games already for Spurs, including a 2-0 away victory over Manchester City. Tottenham will look to make it five against Doncaster Rovers.

Former chairman Daniel Levy decided to sack Ange Postecoglou and replace him with Frank, despite the Aussie breaking the club’s trophyless record by winning the Europa League.

Levy’s resignation as Tottenham chairman was unexpected, but Spurs have moved on with Joe Lewis‘ family now acting as a driving force in the boardroom.

However, Levy‘s departure has created one major issue that is expected to be resolved in the coming weeks.

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Lewis family stuck with Fabio Paratici dilemma at Tottenham

Fabio Paratici was expected to return to Tottenham in a full-time recruitment role that was verbally agreed with chairman-at-the-time Levy.

However, journalist Ben Jacobs explained via GiveMeSport on Wednesday that the Lewis family may yet backtrack on that agreement

“Fabio Paratici, I can tell you, is still working for Spurs even after Daniel Levy’s departure. The Lewis family are still deciding whether he’s to return in a full time capacity,” Jacobs said.

“Now, prior to Levy’s surprise exit, there was actually a verbal exit for Paratici to return and run the recruitment department as a Tottenham staffer and that would begin in early October.

“But Levy went, and now Paratici’s full-time position has been cast into some doubt because Joe Lewis’ family, in particular his daughter, Viv, his son Charles and his grandson, Nick, have decided to take a more active role in the club.”

Jacobs added: “They are now to take the final call as to whether they are going to honour this agreement between Levy and Paratici.”

Whether Paratici returns to the club, or stays away, will serve massive ramifications for Tottenham.

Fabio Paratici leaving Spurs could disrupt recruitment structure

With Paratici agreeing to start back in his post in October, there’s potential that January transfer plans may be disrupted.

Spurs have already been linked with Harry Kane ahead of what would be a sensational return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Spurs are in a transitional phase with Frank, and the last thing they need right now is panic buys or players who do not fit the long-term project.

The issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible to provide fans with some clarity going into what is the busiest time of year during the festive period.