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Djed Spence started for England in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay on Friday night – but the Tottenham Hotspur full-back may not have done enough to win over Thomas Tuchel.

Spence played 70 minutes of the tempestuous 1-1 draw at Wembley and caught the eye at left-back as he looked to guarantee his spot in the World Cup squad.

However, despite delivering a lively performance, his spot on the plane this summer looks in doubt and frustratingly for the Spurs man, it isn’t even his fault.

Spence will be crucial in Tottenham’s relegation fight when he returns to club duties after the international break, but for now, he will focus on winning over the Three Lions boss.

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Why is Djed Spence’s World Cup spot at risk?

The 25-year-old was bright against the South American opposition and barely put a foot wrong. But he will know he fell short of the flawless showing he was hoping for.

With competition fierce at right-back, Tuchel played Spence on the left-hand side. At present, though, Lewis Hall and Nico O’Reilly have a better chance of starting at the World Cup.

Simply, Spence is not at his best on the left. A natural right-footer, his preference is to cut inside and use his stronger boot, but this often makes him too predictable.

It can also leave his teams exposed down the channel, as shown when he pushed up the pitch and vacated space behind, which Uruguay almost exploited on the counter-attack.

He did, however, do enough to remain in contention for the starting XI.

According to Sofascore, he won both of his attempted tackles at Wembley, blocked one shot and came out on top in five of his nine ground duels.

Crucially, he also completed 28 of his 34 passes, an 82 per cent hit rate, and was successful with three of his four dribbles. Curiously, he did not attempt a cross the whole game.

Judging from the current make-up of the squad, if Spence does travel to the United States, Canada and Mexico, it will be as a squad player – albeit a very useful one.

Thomas Tuchel reaction speaks volumes

A notorious disciplinarian, Tuchel will demand the best from his players while he makes up his mind over his final World Cup group.

On one occasion, Spence fell foul of these high standards.

According to journalist Dom Smith, the head coach was “absolutely fuming” with the Spurs ace after he didn’t track a runner, leaving him “acres” to run into.

He was similarly caught on his toes twice in the first half, leading Smith to declare Spence as “suspect” positionally. This doesn’t bode well for his hopes of starting regularly for England.

It was only recently that Spence was rightly called out by Danny Murphy for a poor performance in Spurs’ 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest, but he was steady for England.

Unfortunately for him, he will have wanted more than that.

Tottenham Hotspur may have a way to make Sean Dyche their new manager despite him seemingly turning down the role, John Wenham has said.

Spurs were reportedly considering hiring the ex-Everton and Burnley man for the final seven games of the season, in a desperate attempt to maintain their Premier League status, as Roberto De Zerbi is not willing to start the role now.

Telegraph journalist Sam Wallace claimed on 27 March that Dyche is unlikely to take the job on a short-term basis, though, which leaves the Lilywhites with a dilemma if Igor Tudor is dismissed as expected.

Tottenham could have a workaround that would see the man who has managed 350 games in the top-flight take a seat in the dugout imminently.

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How can Tottenham convice Sean Dyche to come in?

Tottenham could offer Dyche a contract that would be more than the seven matches that are left this season, that is Wenham’s view.

He would still be sacked in the summer, with one of De Zerbi or Mauricio Pochettino coming in, but it would be a way to get the relegation maestro in the short-term.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Spurs expert Wenham said: “Another option that has emerged is Sean Dyche, who is obviously a specialist at getting sides away from the relegation battle, twice successfully with Everton.

“He seemingly also would not be willing to take the job on just for seven games.

“If Tottenham want to get him, they’d probably have to offer him the minimum of a two-year contract, in knowledge that they may well sack him in the summer, to get a De Zerbi or a Pochettino.”

What is Dyche’s record in the Premier League?

Dyche’s record in the top division of English football is solid, and he has gained a reputation for keeping sides in the division.

In his 350 matches, he has won 99, drawn 95 and lost 156 games, picking up 392 points with an average of 1.12 points per game.

He has only been relegated from the top-tier once, with the Turf Moor outfit in the 2014-15 season, and he was sacked with his side sitting 18th in the 2021-22 campaign.

However, he has managed to keep his teams up in the other eight full seasons that he has managed in the Premier League.

His most recent stint with Nottingham Forest did not go well, and he was sacked in February, but he walked into a dismal situation there with Evangelos Marinakis in charge.

Igor Tudor is set to be sacked on Monday, with Roberto De Zerbi as Tottenham Hotspur‘s last chance saloon, John Wenham has said.

Tudor is on very thin ice after Spurs’ 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and discussions about his replacement have taken place.

The Telegraph claimed on 27 March that Tottenham are pushing for De Zerbi to come in as soon as possible, as he is now their number one choice for the position.

Tottenham are in a very precarious position, and any new manager would have to hit the ground running in North London.

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What has been said about Tudor’s future?

Wenham has heard that Tudor’s Tottenham sack date has been locked in as 30 March, and the club will go in a different direction, although it is difficult due to his father’s passing.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “Tottenham are dealing with it appropriately and delicately, and it’s not about sacking somebody in the week of their father having their funeral and the sad loss and grief that he’ll be going through.

“It does seem like, from the media reports, that one, Tudor is definitely going to be relieved of his duties, and secondly, it’s likely to happen on Monday, thus giving two clear weeks until we play that fixture at Sunderland, which would give a new manager time to come in and work with the players.”

What did Wenham say about De Zerbi?

Tottenham would be taking a risk hiring De Zerbi, as his attitude is known to cause clashes, but he gets results.

Wenham believes he is the perfect appointment, and given Spurs’ position, that is the last chance to get it right.

He said: “They want De Zerbi as the first choice, but he is unwilling to take the role, you know, right now he wants to wait to take a role in the summer and have his full pre-season to implement his methods.

“He is a longer-term target of the club, having been impressed with his work at Brighton in the Premier League, and the style of football he played.

“If Tottenham were to appoint a manager now, you know, De Zerbi would be the best candidate that’s available on the market now, to get Tottenham away from where they are in the league at the moment.

“They need to move someone in, but this is really the last chance saloon, we can’t bring someone else in, and it goes wrong again, as it has unfortunately for Igor Tudor, where he’s picked up one point from 12 available.”

Manor Solomon’s career at Tottenham Hotspur could come to an end this summer.

Solomon has had a nightmare of his time in North London, having made just six appearances for Spurs since joining in 2023.

Several loan spells have followed, including at Leeds United, Villarreal and now Fiorentina, where he has been sidelined with an injury.

But Solomon could leave Tottenham for good in the next few months, with the Italian outfit having the option to make it into a permanent deal.

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How has Manor Solomon fared in Italy?

His move to Spain brought very little success, hence his early return to North London, but despite having played the same number of games in Italy, he has fared much better.

The 26-year-old has scored two goals in 11 appearances for Fiorentina, but it is his underlying numbers which paint a better picture of his time in the Serie A.

Solomon ranks in the top 17 per cent of Serie A forwards for number of chances created per game, having averaged 2.08 per 90 so far this season.

With a 75 per cent dribble success rate, Solomon tops the table for that metric, having completed 18 in his 477 minutes of league action.

His creativity, which was often on show at Leeds, has again been allowed to shine in Italy, which will certainly increase his chances of a permanent exit.

Fiorentina have until the end of the season to trigger their buy option, with time slowly starting to run out to do so.

Why did it not work for Solomon at Tottenham?

Ultimately, it comes down to a lack of trust.

Despite having played for Fulham in the Premier League in the season prior to his move to North London, where he also scored five times, Solomon wasn’t given a look-in at Tottenham.

He made just five Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites in his first campaign, and they would prove to be his only five for the next three years.

Solomon may well have proven to be a hit at Tottenham had he been given access to regular gametime, but that will be a question that will remain unanswered with his time in North London almost certainly over.

Bryan King has backed Chris Hughton to thrive at Tottenham Hotspur after working together previously.

The 67-year-old has been mooted as a potential interim manager option for the Lilywhites if Igor Tudor is to face the sack.

The Croatian has hardly covered himself in glory since coming in after overseeing four Premier League defeats from his first five outings.

A 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest was the last straw for many in North London, but he remains in the dugout for now.

Hughton could be ready to step in at Tottenham, with the Englishman receiving backing ahead of a potential N17 return.

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Bryan King backs Chris Hughton to undertake Tottenham restructure

Everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong for Spurs this campaign, with the hire of Tudor just one of those failings.

The ex-Juventus boss just hasn’t had the desired impact, and it feels increasingly likely that he will be on his way out in the coming days or weeks.

If that does happen, someone with experience of White Heart Lane appears to be the best option, and Hughton may prove to be an option.

Former Lilywhites scout King worked with the former full-back – who has been out of work since being sacked by Ghana 26 months ago – and believes he could do the job if called upon by the N17 outfit.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “I worked with Chris when I was at Tottenham, and he was the assistant to Martin Jol.

“He’s very knowledgeable, and he’s a Spurs man.

“The situation isn’t only the manager, but they need someone to come in who will get a reaction from the players.

“It will be interesting to see how he would get on.

“He’s a good man, but Chris’ first job would be to sort out the back room, that’s as much of a problem as on the pitch.

“I just think he will have to come in as manager and help restructure the club in a massive overhaul.”

Tudor could be on his way out of Tottenham, and it seems as if King backs Hughton to take over and succeed on his return to North London.

Hughton has experience avoiding relegation

Right now, the Lilywhites need an experienced head with the knowledge of getting away from the drop zone in the Premier League.

Tudor certainly doesn’t have that, but Hughton has done that with Newcastle United and Brighton after earning promotion from the Championship.

His latest spell in the top flight came with the Seagulls as he avoided relegation before being sacked with his side established in the division for the first time in their history.

Hughton also has plenty of winning experience, both as a player and a manager, having won two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup during his time at Spurs.

That link with the North London club could make him a useful option right now as supporters await the departure of Tudor after a dismal spell.

Tottenham Hotspur duo Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both lead the Premier League in goals scored by central defenders in 2025-26.

Both Romero and Van de Ven have each had their fair share of critics this season, albeit pretty much every Tottenham player has.

However, the two centre-backs have been part of a very charitable Spurs defence this term, and have both cost the team at various points of the season.

Romero has two red cards and Van de Ven has one, whilst they’ve both made individual mistakes that have seen the opposition find the net as a result.

But, they could still have a huge say on the outcome of Tottenham’s relegation battle at the other end of the pitch.

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Premier League stats Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven lead

Romero and/or Van de Ven could leave Tottenham this summer, especially if Spurs drop into the Championship.

They may well wish to seek pastures new regardless, but that’s in the future, right now, they both have a responsibility to get the Lilywhites out of the mess they’re in.

And, whilst they and Tottenham’s defence as a whole may be struggling at the back, they’ve both arguably been doing their best work in attack this season.

As detailed by Sofascore, only three central defenders in the Premier League have scored four goals this term, two of those are Romero and Van de Ven, with the other being Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw respectively.

Meanwhile, only Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes has more combined goals and assists (seven) than the Tottenham duo’s five.

Romero also leads the league among centre-backs in scoring frequency with a goal every 451 minutes, followed in second by Thiaw on 584 minutes, and then Van de Ven in third with 603 minutes respectively.

So, could these two be Tottenham’s unlikely goalscoring heroes that drag them out of relegation danger? If there’s any centre-back duo that could in the Premier League this season, it’s these two.

Tottenham’s next three games crucial to Premier League survival

They will get their chance to do so when Tottenham’s relegation run-in begins on Sunday 12 April, when they travel up to Wearside to take on Sunderland.

Indeed, these first three games after the international break are going to be vital to Spurs’ chances of staying up, as they play Sunderland, Brighton and Wolves respectively.

The Lilywhites should be targeting at least two wins from those three, which would take them to 36 points, and that might just be about enough to keep them up.

If they don’t emerge from that trio of fixtures with a decent amount of points, they’ll finish the season with games against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and Everton respectively, probably needing a miracle.

Tottenham can’t afford to go into that gauntlet of a final four needing numerous wins, as with all four of those teams either fighting for Europe or to stay up in Leeds’ case, points will likely be at a premium.

James Maddison has been the glue at Tottenham Hotspur, and this season’s mishaps have proved it.

It’s now approaching seven months since we last saw Maddison in action for Tottenham. albeit in a pre-season friendly.

His last competitive game for Spurs was in their 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt back in May 2025, a game in which he was on the scoresheet.

Maddison is not expected back until July, but this season’s failures have showcased just how influential he really is to this team.

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Tottenham win percentage with James Maddison speaks volumes

Maddison has come in for a lot of criticism at Tottenham over the years, mainly from Roy Keane, but his absence has shown just how wrong all of those accusations were.

That was off the back of a 22 G/A campaign with Spurs, which is more than double what any Spurs player has achieved this season.

But what is even more telling is the fact that Tottenham have won 44 per cent of their Premier League games when Maddison has played since joining the club, while having lost 42 per cent.

This season, taking into account the fact that Maddison hasn’t played a minute, Tottenham have won just 22 per cent of their Premier League games, while having lost 48 per cent of them, and with seven games still to go, those numbers are only going to favour him more.

Spurs’ loss percentage is similar, but their win rate is halved when Maddison is not playing, showcasing the influence he has.

Have we seen the last of Maddison at Tottenham?

If Spurs are relegated from the Premier League, which is looking worryingly likely, then there is next to no chance that we will ever see Maddison wear the kit again.

Quite frankly, he’s been a shining light in a miserable Tottenham side for the last few years, and is far too good to play in the Championship.

However, if Spurs are successful in their attempts to avoid the drop, then Maddison will have arguably the biggest role to play in North London next season, though the Lilywhites can’t afford to rest all of their hopes on him returning to his best.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for ex-Borussia Dortmund sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, but Keith Wyness isn’t impressed.

Kehl recently left the Westfalenstadion after almost 25 years connected with the German giants.

It comes at a time when Tottenham are one point and spot above the Premier League relegation zone, with Igor Tudor heavily linked with the sack.

A huge rethink has been called for at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the likes of Daniel Levy, Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange all taking large parts of the blame in recent months.

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Sebastian Kehl not the answer for Tottenham

Wyness admitted that Kehl simply isn’t the right solution to the troubles in North London, with survival all that matters in the Premier League.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, the ex-Everton and Aston Villa chief executive believes bigger things are happening on the pitch.

“It’s ignoring the position they’re in right now,” Wyness said.

“And you’re right, Paratici, you’re back to Fiorentina, now Johan Lange, and we’ve had basically disasters because Daniel Levy has been too hands-on.

“I think in that position in the same way that David Sullivan has been two hands on at West Ham to allow sporting directors the freedom to do their job properly.

“And I don’t think that Kehl coming in from Dortmund is the right solution either.

“I think they’ve got to have a radical review and a rethink of where they are genuinely and what is required. And the first thing is getting security in the Premier League.

“And you know, they can have delusions of European grand but it ain’t happening right now.

“And they’ve got to face the facts and settle down to getting a sporting director that understands the Premier League inside out and build the team that’s going to start performing there as their foundation.”

Tottenham given several warnings on Sebastian Kehl

Borussia Dortmund fans have warned Spurs over Kehl already, proving that they would be smart to steer away from the experienced German.

With roles from player to licence department director and sporting director, Kehl has seen a lot in the Bundesliga, but that means nothing in terms of the Premier League.

Spurs are in trouble right now, and relegation to the Championship would be disastrous.

Forget Kehl and appointments like that for now, let’s just get safe in the Premier League.

Luka Vuskovic has been sensational out on loan at Hamburg, but Tottenham Hotspur could well be the victims of his performances.

The Croatian defender joined the Germans on loan last summer and has continued to shift through the gears during his time with the Red Shorts.

Alongside his fantastic defensive abilities as Merlin Polzin’s side look to secure their top-flight safety, the youngster has proven vital in the opposition box – scoring five times in the Bundesliga this term.

At 19, Vuskovic was sent out on loan for game time, with a view to making the first team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the near future.

Though with the current situation in North London considered, and the form of the towering defender, Spurs could well be on for a tough summer as they look to keep hold of Vuskovic.

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Luka Vuskovic is attracting attention across the continent

Immediately following his Spurs arrival, the young defender was sent to Hamburg, following in the footsteps of his brother Mario Vuskovic, who is currently serving a ban for doping.

His name immediately turned the defender into a cult hero at the Volksparkstadion, with his performance at the heart of defence furthering this connection, as Polzin’s side charge towards safety following their ascent from the 2. Bundesliga last May.

Naturally, his performances have attracted attention not just from higher-ups at Hamburg looking to secure him for another year, but from the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona too.

Now, Tottenham find themselves in an incredibly difficult position.

The simple fact of the matter is that they need to stay in the Premier League if they are to keep hold of Vuskovic moving forward.

Tottenham are in a difficult position with Luka Vuskovic

Looking back at the decision to send the defender out, it made perfect sense.

The Croatian joined a club with which he had instant connections, while the guaranteed game time in a top league was on the table.

However, it has worked for everyone involved, except Tottenham themselves.

Hamburg have gained a talismanic figure, who has had the biggest impact of any HSV player as they fight for safety, while he has taken to life in the northern city seamlessly.

Vuskovic himself has gained experience in one of Europe’s best leagues, while his stocks have flown through the roof.

Meanwhile, clubs across the continent have been given hope regarding securing his signature over the summer, while the Lilywhites find themselves in a situation where they are limping towards relegation.

The goal now is simple: if Spurs wish to keep hold of Vuskovic, they must remain in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have given a lot of abuse to Gugliemo Vicario this season but that was wrong.

Many want the Italian goalkeeper to be sold as they believe that his performances between the sticks have been a key factor in Spurs’ relegation woes.

However, the 29-year-old has now been nominated for the Premier League Save of the Month award for the second month in a row.

His save from Cody Gakpo in Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on 15 March has been recognised as one of the top six saves for the month of March, and he does not deserve the abuse.

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‘Vicario does not deserve Tottenham scrutiny’

Vicario came under pressure from Tottenham fans again after Dominic Szoboszlai’s free-kick goal in that draw.

However, many ignore the wonderful save that he made to prevent Arne Slot’s side from taking a two-goal lead and effectively ending the contest.

The stopper stretched, made a fingertip save and pushed the ball onto the woodwork after Gakpo has gotten a quick shot off.

He does not get the credit that he deserves from his own fanbase, that is very clear, and goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte has spoken out.

He took to Instagram after the nomination was revealed on 26 March saying: “So much respect for what you went through for months to be there for this team in every game.”

How has Vicario performed this season?

Vicario has performed admirably despite Spurs’ struggles this season, and the stats prove that he does not deserve the heat that comes his way.

He has recorded a 62 per cent save rate, and ranks seventh in the top-flight for a total saves with 83 so far this season, per Sofascore.

He has conceded 50 goals in 31 matches, with 39 coming from inside the penalty box, and 11 from beyond 18 yards.

He has recorded seven clean sheets, and conceded an average of 1.6 goals per game, which is very good considering how bad his side have been.

Vicario has made two errors leading to goals, with Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford and Emi Martinez all beating that tally with three and seven other goalkeepers joining him on two.

The Italian has also made eight ball recoveries throughout the campaign, and 1.2 clearances when he has needed to.

He is definitely not the sole reason for the Lilywhites’ predicament, and he should not be given as much hate as he gets, that is evident from the data.