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Archie Gray has struggled for game time recently despite a strong performance as left-back in the UEFA Champions League.

Gray benched Djed Spence to start in Tottenham’s goalless draw to Monaco in the Champions League.

The young star impressed while on the pitch, and it was even suggested that Gray could start at left-back over Spence moving forward.

Despite this, the England international returned to the fold in Spurs’ 3-0 win over Everton, leaving Gray to watch from the sidelines once again.

However, while a starting spot on Thomas Frank’s team does not seem to be on the immediate cards, there is still hope yet.

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Archie Gray will play left-back in Djed Spence’s absence

Udogie has been sidelined for Frank since sustaining an injury over the international break and is not expected to return for Tottenham’s clash against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.

Competition in North London is high with the Dane having outstanding left-back options in Spence, Udogie and Pedro Porro.

However, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham believes that Gray will have the opportunities to shine on the left side while Udogie is injured over the coming weeks.

“I think with Gray, he’s got that versatility to his game and obviously, time will tell, but I think we’ve got three outstanding fullbacks in Spence, Porro and Udogie when all fit and firing,” Wenham said.

“But I think while Udogie is missing absolutely, there are opportunities for Gray to come in and play that position. But I think he had a really good cameo.

“It was the Bodo away game. He had a really good cameo off the bench that directly led to one of the goals. So I think we are going to see more and more of him over the coming weeks.”

Archie Gray needs to start in the midfield

There is no denying that Gray is an excellent defensive option for Tottenham, and it is an asset to have such a versatile talent at the club.

However, it is time Frank consistently played him as a central midfielder, which is his natural position.

The issue both Frank and Gray face is that the youngster will struggle to master one position after having so many roles. This could result in him always being a good player, but never the first-choice option.

Frank playing him more in the midfield would solve this, and while competition is high, there are enough games this season to at least make a start.

Brennan Johnson shows exactly why Thomas Frank needs to start him in Tottenham vs Newcastle – It’s not what you think

Thomas Frank will want to build on Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Everton.

Tottenham take on Newcastle United next in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, as Frank has big decisions to make over his squad.

Last time out, Joao Palhinha proved his importance for Spurs, as Micky van de Ven stole the headlines with his brace against the Toffees.

Brennan Johnson, however, made his first Premier League start since August against Everton, as it’s no surprise that Tottenham got back to winning ways with the Welshman in the side.

Brennan Johnson was key for Tottenham vs Everton

Tottenham had failed to win either of their first two games since they returned to action after the international break, as Johnson started in neither of the matches against Aston Villa or Monaco.

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Johnson had made a blistering start to the Premier League when he scored in both of Tottenham’s opening games of the season, but has since rapidly fallen down the pecking order in N17 under Frank.

However, Frank decided to play him against Everton on 26 October, as Johnson’s performance spoke for itself.

Although Johnson is an attacker, his work rate at the back was vital for Tottenham against Everton, as the winger got stuck in defensively for the Lilywhites.

Johnson won 80 per cent of his ground duels, as his defensive diligence allowed opportunities for Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani to carry Tottenham up the field, into dangerous areas.

Making four clearances and winning two of his three tackles, the Welsh winger could be critical again.

There have been worries that Johnson could leave Tottenham soon, due to the lack of game time he is getting while holding a high market value, but he still seems key for Frank.

Why Thomas Frank needs to start Johnson vs Newcastle

Like Everton, Newcastle, and St. James’ Park will be a difficult place for the Lilywhites to go, as there is no doubt that Tottenham will be under defensive pressure for a lot of the game.

Frank left Johnson on the pitch for 89 minutes against Everton, as his running and pressure on the Toffees worked a treat away from home.

Newcastle will pose a very similar task to Everton, but perhaps even trickier, as Johnson’s performance should have all but confirmed his place in the starting lineup for the game.

‘There is one thing Paris Saint-Germain are doing that Tottenham could copy as issue revealed’

Tottenham have been told that the atmosphere in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has not been good enough as of late.

The Lewis family have been keen to bolster Spurs’ sporting success over the next couple of years.

This objective has resulted in several changes at the North London club, including Daniel Levy stepping down as Tottenham chairman after almost 25 years at the helm.

However, the Lilywhites may need to do a lot more at home to guarantee results as the season progresses and beyond, with a blueprint possibly emerging.

Tottenham told to follow PSG model

Tottenham moved to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 after construction began in 2015.

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However, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham has been unimpressed with the atmosphere, drawing comparisons with PSG on how they can improve things.

“I’ve got a season ticket and I sit there, I see what’s around me, so you’ve got a massively, massively older audience of match-going home fans who naturally don’t want to bounce up and down and scream and shout for an entire game. They can’t,” Wenham said.

“Some absolutely do, I don’t want to generalise, but Tottenham can do more to maybe have a specific section that’s for ages between 18 to 30 or something like that. You reduce the ticket prices heavily, and then you can combine that area and absolutely that would create noise and an atmosphere.

“PSG, for example, they’ve got one end of their stand, the ticket prices are about 30 per cent of what the people paying the rest of the stand, and they’re exclusively reserved for the younger generations of people, and they can be an absolute racket the whole game. But that moves around the stadium, which reflects in the atmosphere.

“At the moment, the way it’s set up for me is to be a commercial sort of venue. They don’t want that loud, aggressive, kind of football atmosphere, but that is part and part of why atmospheres in football are so good, that banter with the away fans, stop for the game and that has dried out completely at the stadium.”

How have Tottenham performed at home as of late?

The Lilywhites have a shocking home record, winning three of their last 17 games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Frank’s most recent home defeat came during Spurs’ 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, where their opponents returned from a one-goal deficit.

Tottenham’s 1-1 draw to Wolves was one of the only games where roars could be heard throughout the stadium, and that was thanks to a late-minute Joao Palhinha equaliser.

While Spurs’ home atmosphere could play a role, the players will need to perform a lot better at the stadium moving forward.

Sunderland have copied one of the final things Daniel Levy did at Tottenham before resigning

Daniel Levy was known as a savvy operator in his time with Tottenham.

Levy left his role as executive chairman of Tottenham this summer after 25 years in the job, where he oversaw huge growth off the field.

It seems as though his influence is still being felt in the Premier League though, as newly-promoted Sunderland seem to have copied his methods.

Levy may have been criticised for a lack of spending at Tottenham, in terms of transfers, but he regularly reached commercial agreements that benefited the North London outfit.

Sunderland take inspiration from Daniel Levy parting gift to Tottenham

Before his departure, Levy signed off on a £90million windfall for Tottenham, his parting gift to the club that had served for a quarter-century.

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The money was borrowed from Macquarie Bank, which was secured against future payments from the Premier League for media rights in the 2025-26 campaign.

The agreement was reached on 29 August, and the 63-year-old left his post on 4 September, so it is likely that he contributed to it.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire revealed on 28 October that the Black Cats have followed suit and copied what Levy did, as they have borrowed from the same place.

Tottenham fans will look back favourably on Levy’s time in charge

His time at Tottenham did not end the way that he may have wanted it to, as Levy had spoken about winning the Premier League and Champions League before his exit.

However, he can be proud of his time with the Lilywhites, as he has put the club in a position to succeed in the future, with state-of-the-art facilities and a big spend on transfers before he departed.

Thomas Frank was put in a position to take the club on to further glory, after the Europa League success, and it is mostly down to the former longest-serving executive in the league.

As well as securing the £90m loan, Levy also secured regular events at the new stadium, such as concerts and NFL matches, which generate huge sums for the club.

The fact that other teams are copying his methods suggests that they worked, and as a result, his legacy will be boosted.

Micky van de Ven netted his fifth goal against Everton to become Tottenham’s leading scorer in all competitions.

Kevin Danso put in a shift for Tottenham in their 3-0 win over Everton, but it was van de Ven who grabbed headlines.

Indeed, van de Ven surpassed his all-time Tottenham goal tally since he arrived in 2023 after scoring a brace. In the last two seasons, he has scored a combined three goals, but this season he has netted five goals alone.

But what was clearly a joyous occasion for the centre-back and fans is likely to cause trouble for Thomas Frank later down the line.

How have Tottenham’s attackers performed this season?

Tottenham currently have seven forwards in their senior team, who have netted a combined eight goals this season.

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To put this into perspective, defender van de Ven and defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha have scored eight goals between them.

Solanke has been injured for most of the season, so his tally is understandable, but it is too simple to say that the others need to pull their weight.

Indeed, eight goals scored by seven forwards in 14 games is fundamentally a tactical issue.

Richarlison and Xavi Simons illustrate the issue

Frank likes to create from the wings, with Tottenham often progressing the ball in a U-formation.

This means that Spurs’ wingers often have more time and space with the ball, unlike their attackers, who operate more centrally.

Xavi Simons has underperformed for Tottenham this season, but the number of touches he’s received in the Premier League suggests he may not be at fault.

Indeed, the Dutch international has averaged 44 touches at Spurs this season, while he had around 68 during the 2024/25 season. And when your intended main creator can’t get on the ball, the problem trickles down.

Richarlison’s goals this season have come against Burnley and Brighton, where he took five shots. Comparatively, Wolves at home was one of his worst games this season, where he had one shot all game.

Meanwhile, Kudus has been Tottenham’s prime creator this season.

When Kudus has a bad game, Spurs struggle to create for their centre-forwards, which is reflected in Richarlison’s weaker performances.

The verdict?

Frank’s insistence on creating from the wings is harming the team.

Indeed, his tactics effectively render Simons ineffective, which leaves the Lilywhites with one less option going forward.

As a result, it is no wonder that van de Ven tops Spurs’ goalscoring chart and why they have looked most threatening during set pieces. This is something that Frank will need to nip in the bud, or it’s looking like a long season ahead.

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.