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Thomas Frank will have to overcome a horrific individual record against Newcastle United if Tottenham are to progress in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Tottenham will take on Newcastle at St James’ Park, with the sides set to face off for a place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on 29 October.

It will be a difficult test for Frank‘s team, who enjoyed a superb return to form on Sunday at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tottenham beat Everton 3-0 in the Premier League, with goals from Micky van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr sealing a fantastic away day victory.

Newcastle are the favourites against Tottenham, however, despite the Magpies’ mixed bag of results so far this season.

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Thomas Frank’s abysmal record against Newcastle United

Richarlison is expected to start against Newcastle, with Frank likely to make several changes to the side that beat Everton.

The Dane’s focus will continue to be on the Premier League this season, but the chance for silverware cannot be ignored.

Should Tottenham progress past Newcastle, they may well find themselves in a favourable position to advance to the semi-finals, too, with at least three sides set to progress who Frank’s side would fancy themselves against.

Three of Brentford, Grimsby Town, Wycombe, Fulham, Wrexham, and Cardiff City will progress on Tuesday.

And on Wednesday, Wolves, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Swansea City all have the chance to cause an upset against tough Premier League opposition.

Tottenham’s focus will be placed on their own clash in the first instance, however, with Frank holding a woeful individual record against Newcastle.

The former Brentford boss has won just twice in 10 matches against the Magpies, avoiding defeat in just one of his last eight meetings with Eddie Howe’s side.

Frank beat Newcastle last season

That one victory in the last eight against Newcastle for Frank came last season in the Premier League.

It was a thrilling game, too. Bryan Mbeumo and Alexander Isak had both scored early on, before Harvey Barnes again equalised for the visitors when he cancelled out Yoane Wissa’s goal.

In the second half, however, Brentford would streak ahead through Nathan Collins and Kevin Schade, sealing the 4-2 victory for Frank’s team.

Tottenham fans will be hoping for something similar on Wednesday, although Frank will be without the support of his home fans.

Tottenham’s trip to Crystal Palace could be the only Premier League fixture played on Boxing Day this year.

Due to broadcasting agreements and the fact that 26 December falls on a Friday, only one Premier League game will be permitted to take place outside of the weekend.

Understandably, football purists in the UK are annoyed with the decision, as watching top-flight football either in the flesh or at home with your family has been a staple of the British game as long as many of us remember.

In fact, this year will see the fewest top-flight Boxing Day fixtures played since World War II.

Spurs lost to Crystal Palace both times they played them last season – but at least Thomas Frank and co could be avenging those defeats in front of a football-deprived nation this Christmas.

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London derby could be only Premier League fixture on Boxing Day

As it stands, Tottenham head to Selhurst Park on 27 December, with no Premier League fixtures currently scheduled for 26 December.

The league’s chiefs will soon announce the game that’s being played the day after Christmas, and it’s likely going to be a game where clubs’ players, staff and fans won’t have to travel too far.

Tottenham’s training ground Hotspur Way is roughly a 30-mile trip, while most Spurs fans inside the city will face much shorter journeys than football fans elsewhere in the country for this away day.

If Spurs’ game does move to 26 December, they’ll have the chance to win on Boxing Day for the first time in four years.

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook is well-informed about the situation that’s developing at Premier League headquarters and he’s revealed that Palace versus Spurs is a prime contender for Boxing Day broadcast.

Speaking on talkSPORT on 27 October, Crook said: “What we don’t know at this stage is what game will be brought forward for that Friday television slot.

“There is a possibility, I think it may be Palace against Tottenham, obviously two London sides meeting, Brentford against Bournemouth is another where fans won’t have to travel too far, because of course there are no trains on Boxing Day.”

West Ham and Fulham are also set to play each other at the London Stadium during that gameweek, so there’s also the possibility that game is played on Boxing Day, with Crystal Palace versus Spurs being scheduled on either the Saturday or Sunday.

What football fans are saying about Premier League’s Boxing Day debacle

It’s safe to say that a lot of football fans are fuming with the change.

There are some really good fixtures that are set to take place in matchday 18, such as Man United versus Newcastle, Sunderland versus Leeds and the two aforementioned London derby games.

Current matchday 18 fixtures that are scheduled for 27 December:

With the news emerging over the last 24 hours that Premier League football on Boxing Day is being eroded to the point of non-existence, football fans have been airing their concerns about the failure to uphold the traditions of the game.

‘Outstanding’ Luca Williams-Barnett backed for surprise inclusion in Tottenham squad vs Newcastle

Thomas Frank could surprise fans when Tottenham take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.

Spurs’ win over Everton in the Premier League was the perfect response to their defeat to Aston Villa days before.

As a result, Frank will be determined to win against Newcastle on 28 October to keep his squad and fans in high spirits.

With all titles left to play for this season, the game will no doubt be a hard-fought but winnable one.

Luca Williams-Barnett could be named in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup squad

Luca Williams-Barnett became Tottenham’s legacy number 900 when he debuted for Spurs in their win over Doncaster Rovers last month.

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The attacking midfielder is considered one of the club’s most promising youngsters, and speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham believes he could be named in Frank’s squad to face Newcastle.

“I think he might be involved in the matchday squad, but whether he comes on again will probably depend on how the game is going on the night. He’s making outstanding progress,” Wenham said.

“He’s still a first-year U18s player, so to be playing every week for the U21s and to win the Premier League 2 POTM, as a fresh 17-year-old, is insane.

“Luca has got a great family network around him, and I know he’s got the right people around him to stay grounded and keep working hard. Tottenham obviously love him, he’s got that contract signed now as well.

“He is one that I expect to have further first-team involvement this season. He’s somebody that I think enjoys the limelight. He thrives on confidence and people positively praising him or the things that he does on the pitch.”

How has Luca Wiliams-Barnett performed this season?

Williams-Barnett was named Premier League 2 player for September after a strong start to the season.

His impressive cameo against Doncaster and in the Youth League earned Williams-Barnett a spot on Spurs’ bench to face Monaco in the UEFA Champions League.

As a result, it would not come as a surprise to see him on the sidelines or even take to the pitch against Newcastle on Wednesday.

Tottenham have the chance to secure their eighth win of the season against Newcastle United.

A 3-0 win for Thomas Frank against Doncaster Rovers saw Tottenham progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The game saw a Luca Williams-Barnett debut for Spurs, and he could be named in the squad against Newcastle.

But given that Frank has won just one of his nine games against Eddie Howe, a victory on Wednesday will be hard to come by.

Newcastle vs Tottenham kick-off time

Tottenham will travel to St. James’ Park to battle Newcastle on 28 October at 8pm BST.

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The Lilywhites’ recent 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League will inspire some confidence among fans despite the Magpies winning four in their last five games.

Richarlison could return to Spurs’ starting lineup against Newcastle after Randal Kolo Muani received his first start for Tottenham against the Toffees.

Indeed, the Brazilian assisted Pape Matar Sarr after he replaced the French international 61 minutes into the game.

While Richarlison had a strong start to the season, his form has taken a turn for the worse as of late. As a result, he’ll be one of several Tottenham stars looking to impress against Howe’s side.

The Lewis family have been keen to invest in Spurs’ future, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham offering a more fan-oriented approach and a confirmed £100million cash boost.

Thus, victory at St James’ Park and a step closer to silverware will represent more than just another win.

How to watch Newcastle vs Tottenham: Channel and stream

Fans will be able to tune into the Carabao Cup clash on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Ultra HDR and ITV1.

Alternatively, supporters can also stream the confrontation for free via ITVX or on Now UK and the Sky Sports+ app.

In addition to this, key moments will be posted onto ITV Football and Sky Sports X accounts as well as Sky Sports on YouTube.

Furthermore, both clubs will post relevant match highlights and insights leading up to the match and once it ends.

Ange Postecoglou could be returning as Celtic boss soon, following the resignation of Brendan Rodgers.

After the bombshell news regarding Rodgers’ departure, Postecoglou is now the favourite to return to Celtic, shortly after his Nottingham Forest exit.

Since Tottenham decided to sack Postecoglou, the Lilywhites haven’t looked back with the success of Thomas Frank.

Postecoglou was highly regarded at Celtic Park, but his spell in North London revealed much about his tenure at Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou struggled with a severe injury crisis at Tottenham

Tottenham broke their trophy curse with Postecoglou at the helm, as the head coach guided the Lilywhites to a Europa League title last season.

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Despite the success, Postecoglou was still sacked after Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League. However, a large reason for this was due to the Aussie deciding to focus on the Europa League, while battling a horrid injury crisis.

These were just some of the many Tottenham injuries that hampered their Premier League season, as Postecoglou had to navigate his way through one of the most difficult periods of his managerial career.

In the 2024-25 season, Tottenham had players out for a combined total of over 1,500 days, according to The Spurs Web, as Postecoglou couldn’t believe how bad his luck had become.

Postecoglou was treated unfairly by Daniel Levy

Postecoglou’s relationship with the then-Tottenham owner Daniel Levy was well-documented, as it seemed like there was a shared consensus from the board around the Aussie.

The former Celtic boss was told that he needed to win a trophy at Spurs, and that’s what he delivered, something that Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and the other Lilywhite managers before him failed to do.

Tottenham had a chance to build something off the back of Postecoglou’s trophy feat, but Levy decided to pull the trigger before resigning from his own position weeks later.

However, Tottenham and Levy may have felt that, despite last season’s trophy success, the style of play was not sustainable.

Postecoglou had varying stats with Tottenham

Postecoglou started remarkably well in his first season as Spurs head coach, as the Lilywhites only lost their first 2023-24 Premier League game in November.

Since then, stats didn’t make for pleasant viewing under Postecoglou, and there were always concerns over how far he could take Tottenham.

Last campaign in particular, Tottenham’s defence was leaky, and despite a positive return on the attacking front, the defensive woes were too large.

Now, with Celtic still hopeful of winning the Scottish Premiership, bringing ‘big Ange’ back to the Hoops may be seen as a gamble, but one that could work out once again.

Which game could Son Heung-min attend for return as he eyes Tottenham reunion

Son Heung-min continues to be a beloved figure among Tottenham fans despite his recent departure.

Son left Tottenham after almost a decade in North London to reunite with former Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at MLS club LAFC.

While he passed on the mantle to Cristian Romero, the South Korean will forever be known as the captain who ended his club’s 17-year trophy drought.

And after Son’s impressive start at LAFC, fans have been craving his return to Hotspur Way.

Son Heung-min could return for Slavia Praha

Son was teary before Tottenham faced Newcastle United during pre-season.

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The friendly was his final game for the Lilywhites, where he received a standing ovation after being substituted deep into the second half.

At the time, most fans were disappointed that his final game was in South Korea and not at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it seems the left winger is of a similar opinion.

“My last game was in Korea, so I want to go back to London to see all the Spurs fans,” he said, via Fabrizio Romano on 27 October.

“I deserve to say goodbye to them and they deserve to see me physically to say goodbye, it’s going to be a very emotional day… I can’t wait”.

While the regular MLS season ended on 18 October, LAFC are currently participating in the play-offs, and could end their season on 6 December if they make it to the Cup final.

With this in mind, the former Spurs skipper could return for Tottenham’s UEFA Champions League confrontation against Slavia Praha on 9 December in a reunion which will delight fans.

Has Thomas Frank replaced Son Heung-min at Tottenham?

Son left a gaping hole on the left wing after he left, which is just calling for someone to step up and stake their claim.

While Brennan Johnson started for Thomas Frank on the left side at the start of the season, Wilson Odobert has since taken over.

However, the French international has yet to impress for the Lilywhites, which has led fans to believe that Mathys Tel could battle with Odobert for a starting spot.

Indeed, while Tel has started as a centre-forward this season, with Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani receiving regular minutes, Frank could look to deploy him on the left wing.

But as it stands, Tottenham have struggled to find an answer for Son’s output on the left side, and it’ll be a long time before they do.

Tottenham continued their bright start to the season with a 3-0 win away at Everton on Sunday evening.

The Lilywhites are currently sat third in the Premier League table, and remain unbeaten on their travels in league action so far this term.

Micky van de Ven netted a brace for Tottenham, while his centre-back partner Kevin Danso was imperious in the absence of Cristian Romero.

The club captain has been one of several injury casualties for Thomas Frank in recent weeks, but as Spurs’ injury woes slowly begin to easeit could be the perfect time for this star to enjoy a resurgence.

Tottenham can still see the ‘best version’ of Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin has been out of action for Tottenham since January, but he is finally nearing the final stages of his lengthy recovery from his ACL injury.

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The 23-year-old has almost become the forgotten man in N17, with certain sections of the fanbase even suggesting that an exit could be on the cards for him when he returns.

The prowess of Van de Ven and Romero means that opportunities are often limited for Spurs’ other centre-backs, but there could yet be a route back in for Dragusin when he returns.

Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that the “best version” of the Romania international could yet be seen at Hotspur Way, despite him being “written off” by some fans.

“I think Dragusin has been written off by some fans based on him having to come into a back four that was changing every game last season, or being partnered with an 18-year-old Archie Gray at the back,” Wenham said.

“I remember him at the last Euros for Romania, and he was outstanding, and I think people forget that. We’re in a system where we’re not going to be so highly advanced, and we’re going to be more defensively solid.

“There’s no guarantee that Van de Ven and Romero will stay fit and play a 38-game Premier League season, and then hopefully a 60-game season overall. I think the best version of Dragusin can still be seen.”

Spurs’ future looks bright at centre-back

Dragusin still has a role to play at Tottenham in the future, given that he is still only 23, and he is part of an emerging group of defenders at Hotspur Way.

Luke Vuskovic is going from strength to strength in his loan spell with Hamburg, while there are also high hopes for Kota Takai, who is yet to feature competitively since his arrival in the summer.

Van de Ven and Romero are always likely to be the starting pairing if they are both fit, but Spurs could easily find themselves blessed with a wealth of quality cover in a few years.

That is always invaluable if you want to compete across multiple competitions, and that is one of the main reasons why Dragusin is still very much a part of Frank’s plans.

Tottenham moved up to third in the Premier League table after beating Everton 3-0 on Sunday.

Micky Van de Ven was outstanding against Everton, with his brace helping the visitors to a brilliant win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Thomas Frank was under scrutiny ahead of the match, with poor results against Wolves, Aston Villa, and Monaco harming what had otherwise been a promising start.

However, Sunday’s result means Tottenham can go into their tough run of fixtures with confidence and belief that they can maintain their promising start to the season.

It wasn’t without controversy, though.

David Moyes admits that Everton’s goal was rightly disallowed

With Spurs 1-0 up in the first half, Jake O’Brien thought he’d equalised for the Toffees with a powerful header from a corner.

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However, VAR advised referee Craig Pawson to disallow the goal due to Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye impeding Guglielmo Vicario whilst they were standing in an offside position.

Writing in the print edition of The Sun on 28 October, journalist Martin Lipton praised David Moyes for his integrity after the match, as the Everton manager agreed with Pawson’s decision.

Lipton said: “So refreshing to hear a Premier League manager agree that a contentious call against his club is correct. Moyes could have easily jumped on the ‘Grievance Express’ after VAR ruled out O’Brien’s goal.

“However, Moyes admitted Stockley Park was right to intervene, and I’d love to think it will catch on. But it won’t.”

It’s nice to see a manager who doesn’t moan over every single decision, and Moyes’ admission does highlight that not all managers are biased when discussing their team.

Frank’s side rode their luck at times, yet their strength from set-piece situations ultimately proved to be the difference against a side that hadn’t previously lost at home this season.

What Frank must do now is build on the deserved win over Everton and stamp out the inconsistencies we’ve seen this season.

Spurs face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, with Frank looking to win a first domestic trophy for the Lilywhites since 2008.

Tottenham hold the best away record in the Premier League, and the Carabao Cup clash away to Newcastle begins a run of tough fixtures that could define their season.

November is a crucial period for Spurs’ season

Whilst the trip to Newcastle is hugely significant, it’s the next three league matches that will play a huge role in highlighting where Spurs are at the moment.

Before the international break, Spurs host Chelsea and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they look to desperately change their fortunes at home.

It gets even harder at the end of the month, with away matches against Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain coming in the space of three days.

Tottenham are expected to lose against Newcastle, yet a win could signify a real statement of intent that Spurs are a serious side who can compete for trophies under Frank.

Tottenham will return to Carabao Cup action against Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

Thomas Frank’s side bounced back in the Premier League after Spurs secured all three points against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

This followed a disappointing defeat to Aston Villa in what has been a season of ups and downs for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham triumphed over Doncaster Rovers in the third round and will look to perform even better against Newcastle at St James’ Park on 29 October.

Form guide

Tottenham: D, W, L, D, W

Newcastle: W, W, L, W, W

Team News

Cristian Romero was unavailable for Tottenham against Everton after suffering an abductor issue moments before facing Villa.

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While Frank has assured fans that his issue is minor, given Kevin Danso’s formidable performance against the Toffees, he’s unlikely to be risked on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Spurs will also be without Destiny Udoige is training alone after suffering a knee injury while on international duty.

Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are also out for the Carabao Cup game.

As for Newcastle, neither Yoane Wissa, Lewis Hall, nor Tino Livramento will be available to face the Lilywhites.

Likely lineups

Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Sarr, Bergvall; Kudus, Richarlison, Odobert

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon

Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham

If Frank’s record against Eddie Howe is anything to go by, Tottenham will struggle against the Magpies on Wednesday.

This is not a convincing record by any stretch of the imagination and will do little to unnerve fans heading into the game.

Meanwhile, Nick Woltemade has settled into life in England well, netting five goals for Newcastle this season.

Spurs’ top goalscorer has also scored the same amount, only this happens to be Micky van de Ven, who’s a defender. While he clearly has his finishing boots on, Frank cannot rely on the Dutch international to score in each game.

As a result, Tottenham’s forwards will either need to step up or suffer a 2-1 victory against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup.

Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is the leading candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.

The reigning Scottish Premiership champions fell eight points behind league leaders Hearts on Sunday after suffering a 3-1 defeat at Tynecastle.

On Monday night, Celtic confirmed Rodgers had resigned from his managerial duties in Glasgow.

Postecoglou has been sacked by Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in the last five months, but he’s now being tipped to replace Rodgers at Celtic Park after his second spell there ended in acrimonious circumstances.

Spurs hired Postecoglou directly from Celtic in June 2023 after he won back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles and the domestic treble in 2022-23.

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In his two seasons at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he led Spurs to the 2024-25 Europa League title at the same time as managing their worst-ever season in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou one of four ex-Tottenham men in contention to be next Celtic manager

With Celtic’s season continuing to unravel, the bookies have opened the market on who could replace Rodgers in charge at Parkhead.

Postecoglou is currently the 6/4 favourite, with Edin Terzic (3/1) and Kjetil Knutesen (7/2) the other top contenders at this stage.

Interestingly, there are three former Tottenham players alongside Postecoglou in the bookmakers’ market to succeed Rodgers.

As well as Postecoglou, ex-Spurs midfielder Stephen Robinson is among the front-runners.

Robinson, who is currently in charge of St Mirren, was recently linked with the Rangers job, but he’s now being tipped for the other big manager role in Glasgow.

Robbie Keane, who played up front for Tottenham across two spells and is now in charge of Ferencvaros, is an 8/1 shot for the Celtic job and ex-Middlesbrough manager and Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick is listed at 12/1.

After nine games, Celtic are second in the Scottish Premiership while in the Europa League, they have four points from three matches and sit 21st in the table.

What Daniel Levy said about Ange Postecoglou after sacking him

Postecoglou was dismissed by Daniel Levy just weeks after he won the North London club their first piece of silverware since 2008.

Many Tottenham fans thought it was a harsh move by the club’s former chairman. However, results under Thomas Frank have so far suggested that the change was a correct one.

Speaking in June, Levy explained that his decision to axe Postecoglou wasn’t an easy one after the success he brought to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“I don’t regret appointing Ange, I’m very grateful to Ange. In his first season we finished fifth and in his second we were over the moon to win a trophy,” Levy said.

“But we need to compete in all competitions, and we felt that we needed a change.

“Emotionally it was difficult but we feel that we’ve made the right decision for the club.”