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They talked the talk, but Tottenham failed to walk the walk as they slumped to their latest humiliating Premier League defeat.

Spurs’ downfall has been an almost weekly talking point this season.

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They keep seeming to find new lows and they certainly did so with a 3-0 loss at home to fellow relegation-threatened club Nottingham Forest on Monday morning AEDT.

Billed as a six-point game with the winner able to give themselves some valuable breathing space from 18th placed West Ham, Tottenham’s fans turned up like it was a final.

They swarmed the high street outside their home stadium.

They set off blue and white flares as the team bus arrived at the ground and displayed banners with messages of encouragement and support.

Once inside the £1 billion venue, they were galvanised by a video montage on the big screens of club legends Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min banging in goals.

When the highlights were done, current captain Cristian Romero appeared with a pre-recorded message: “We’ll fight for everything, all together.”

At first, the rev up seemed to have worked.

Tottenham carried forward the momentum they created in their 3-2 second leg victory against Atletico Madrid during the week for much of the first half.

But on the stroke of half-time, the script flipped as Forest’s Igor Jesus headed home from a corner.

“They could easily have had a comfortable lead before half-time. But they couldn’t score, Forest did, anxiety began to freeze brains and suddenly all they can see are the lines whooshing past as they plummet towards the Championship,” The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson wrote.

“And this was them playing quite well; they may not do that too often in what remains of the season.”

The Telegraph’s John Percy shared similar sentiments from the press box.

“This had all the hallmarks of a team sliding into the Championship,” he wrote.

“In the first-half they were the better team but never capitalised on their moments, before collapsing as Forest punctured their weaknesses with ruthless efficiency.

“The wait before Tottenham’s next game, and a potential first league win of the calendar year, at Sunderland on April 12 promises to be excruciating.”

The optimism in the stands, in pubs and living rooms quickly turned to anger in the second half.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara took to social media to dub interim manager Igor Tudor the “worst appointment in history”.

The Croatian is in the gun for having now earned just one point in five league games since taking charge.

But it was the curious decision to leave Xavi Simons, who Tottenham paid €60 million for last year, on the bench after a star performance midweek.

The 22-year-old was named in the UEFA Champions League’s team of the week as he scored two goals in a man of the match display against Atletico.

But he was not brought onto the pitch until the 68th minute mark with Forest already leading 2-0.

Any belief that existed seemed to evaporate.

“This was the game that many had earmarked as decisive. However bad things got, there was still the knowledge for Spurs fans that they had a home game against a fellow struggler, one without a win in seven league games, with just two league wins all year. Win that and they would open clear water; win that and they could breathe easier,” Wilson wrote.

“But they did not win it, and so the mood by the end was a strange mix of panic and resignation.

“At least West Ham also lost and Leeds failed to win this weekend. Tottenham are not in the relegation zone yet.

“But they have still not won a game this year and there must be a thought of replacing Tudor during the international break, if only because it feels like something must be done and that is something.

“If the rolls of this dice aren’t working, try another dice.

“The abyss is drawing Spurs in, and there’s no sign of them being able to resist its call.”

Tudor did not front the media post-game with assistant coach Bruno Saltor stepping in after the manager was informed of a family bereavement.

Regardless, his days appear to be numbered and an international break is often a time where a club makes moves - Tudor’s predecessor Thomas Frank was removed in the previous international window.

In addition to O’Hara’s scathing assessment, Liverpool great Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports that Tottenham would be better off without him.

There are plenty of pundits that share Carragher’s view.

“I think it’s impossible for him to stay. I really do,” former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC’s Match of the Day.

“I think it’s really difficult for the players to play in an environment that’s so deflated and toxic.

“The only way you can change that is either winning games which they’re not doing, or change a manager - what the fans want.

“If they keep him in charge - it’s five league games without a win. A new guy comes in, gets one win, all of sudden, it can turn quickly. I think it’s a risk worth taking and I think they’ll take it.

“The players don’t really look like they’re at it. They’ve had a couple of decent performances this week and maybe people thought that the corner had been turned, but confidence was low again after they conceded.

“He made two changes at half-time and that didn’t make them any better. If anything, they got worse as the second half went on.”

Former Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was similarly critical of Tudor on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I don’t see a structure. A game plan, or a way of playing. I don’t see a tactical idea,” he said.

“They look devoid of ideas, and a manager who is looking for something that he is yet to find, and no time to find it.”

Robinson added: “From Tottenham’s point of view, there was a lot of fighting spirit in the first half, encouraged by a jubilant crowd who wanted to support their team.

“But, when you go to support your team like that you have to give something back, which didn’t last.

“In the second half they were tactically weak, they were devoid of ideas, and the manager changed the personnel two or three times, and there was nothing there today to suggest that they can get out of that mess.”

Perhaps best summing up the mix of negative emotions surrounding Tottenham was The Telegraph’s George Chesterton did fan view article.

Chesterton went around the ground speaking to disgruntled and disheartened supporters to encapsulate how the threat of relegation is really impacting the most loyal fans.

Some of the answers were incredible.

“A Tottenham fan is not just supporting a club, he is entering a long-term relationship with hope deprivation, public humiliation and the occasional burst of beauty designed purely to keep the bond alive,” 40-year season-ticket holder Alistair MacCallum said.

While fellow Spurs supporter Matt Bush told Chesterton that it is the pity that stings most.

“I don’t like people feeling sorry for me,” he said. “I’d almost rather people abuse us. It’s this new kind of pity for us that I absolutely hate.

“An Arsenal-supporting colleague saw me come into the office and he just looked down. I said, ‘Come on, just give it to me’ and he said: ‘I’m sorry but I can’t do it to you.’ And that’s worse.

“We are a big joke club. There’s no pride in it anymore.”

Calls are coming in from Premier League legends for Tottenham Hotspur to make an immediate change to their caretaker manager after their loss to Crystal Palace on Friday morning AEDT.

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Spurs are now 11 games without a league win for the first time in the Premier League era, their longest winless run in the domestic competition since 1975.

Now interim manager Igor Tudor is under the spotlight, not even a month after the club sacked former manager Thomas Frank – who was only eight months into the job after replacing Ange Postecoglou at the end of last season.

It’s prompted urgent calls from former Spurs player Jamie O’Hara, one of Postecoglou’s harshest critics, for another manager change. And he isn’t ruling out Postecoglou.

“Everything about the football club is an absolute disgrace. Honestly, I’m hurting, I’m actually hurting. It hurts,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.

“This team is terrible. The players are terrible. They’re Championship players. They’re Championship players.

“I’d actually take big Ange, it’s got to that point.

“Get him (Tudor) out of this football club. This geezer, he’s absolutely clueless. I could do a better job. It is an embarrassment.”

Postecoglou ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought when they lifted the Europa league last season, but he was still shown the exit door after finishing 17th in the league last season.

It led to former Brentford boss Frank taking over, before things went downhill and the Dane was dismissed last month.

Tudor, despite never managing a Premier League club, was given the role.

Former Irish international Clinton Morrison, who made 281 appearances for Crystal Palace during his career, says the club needs to act now after their latest 3-1 defeat at home.

“Did I think (Igor) Tudor was the right appointment? No, I would’ve got someone who knows the league,” Morrison said during the post-match coverage.

“I think I would have to react now, because we’ve (Tottenham) got a big game against Liverpool, and then after that you’ve got Nottingham Forest, and that’s another major game.

“(The Liverpool game is in) 10 days, so if you’re going to have to make the change, make the change now. Don’t make it in five or six (days).

“Give the manager who’s going to come in there enough time to work with the players,” Morrison added.

“I think I would (make the change), but will Tottenham do that? That’s the big question.”

Tottenham legend Tim Sherwood was floated as a potential replacement for the struggling reigning Europa League champions, who are only one point above the relegation zone.

Morrison believes Sherwood could fix culture issues in the club, which were highlighted by a dramatic moment on the sideline during their loss against Palace, when defender Pedro Porro was substituted and visibly frustrated with Tudor.

“I think Tim’s (Sherwood) the right appointment, someone like that who knows the club inside out” Morrison continued.

“Look at Pedro Porro (throwing a tantrum), If he did that with Tim on the touchline, good luck with that.”

A dejected fellow club legend in former England international Les Ferdinand was scathing of the club he made 118 appearances for in the top-flight.

Ferdinand highlighting the absence of belief in the Tottenham squad as they continue to struggle in the Premier League.

“If they didn’t think they were in a relegation battle, they know they are now,” Ferdinand added in the post match coverage.

“You see Porro coming off there and throwing his toys out of the pram. You want to see that on the pitch, don’t leave it for when you’re coming off the pitch – show it on the pitch.

“There’s an expectation at Spurs and they’ve fallen well short of it in my opinion.

“You’re looking at them and you’re just, you’re thinking …. where’s the next result coming from?

“When you’re on that slippery slope and you’re going downhill – it’s almost like you can’t stop and you just keep going, and you’re trying to get off – you’re trying to change it,” Ferdinand continued.

“You can see the manager every game now, he’s had three games and he’s changed the line up every single game … just to try and get people into the side that he feels might, you know, be able to change something …. he’s not found the right formula.”

Ferdinand continued when asked about whether Spurs should pull the trigger and bring in a different caretaker manager to stop the slide.

However, he believes if the club does make the call, whoever takes the reigns needs to know the club and league inside-and-out.

It’s a key call, given Tudor had never managed a Premier League club prior to being given the role at Tottenham.

“(A) lot of people spoke about bringing Harry Redknapp back in, bringing Tim Sherwood back in …. people who know the football club. Not only know the football club – but they know the league as well,” Ferdinand suggested.

“They might set up in a different way. This manager’s getting to terms with knowing the squad, knowing the league … and that’s tough, that’s really, really tough.

“He could’ve come in and he’s got a blank sheet of paper and he might’ve gone, ‘right ok’, he might’ve made a difference. He hasn’t.

“Is there anything to say that someone coming in now, someone different, will change it in the next nine games? I suppose we’re in that position where you’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t.

“This is the same group of boys that finished 17th last year.”

The latest defeat to Palace was nothing short of an implosion from the North London club. They took the lead through Dominic Solanke, just four minutes before Micky van de Ven was shown a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Within ten minutes, Spurs trailed 3-1 heading into half time. It led to home fans leaving Tottenham Hotspur stadium before half time, and an echo of boos ringing around the facility.

“After 45 minutes, we thought this could be six or seven (nil),” Ferdinand added.

“Scored the goal and you thought that might’ve settled them down, but it never did … it was almost like schoolboy football I was watching at times.

“They showed a little bit of pride, went down to ten men and still tried to attack, but not enough.

“Too little, too late unfortunately.”

Tottenham have only Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers below them on the league table with nine games remaining in the campaign.

On their run home, they will face both Forest and the resurgent Wolves, but not before taking on reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield on Monday, March 16 (AEDT).

Next up for Spurs is a two-legged UEFA Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid, beginning next Wednesday morning.

On their run home, they will also have to face the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa who are fighting for European football next season. To add to worries, they have to face Everton and Sunderland who are pushing for finishes in the top half of the table.

It’s a situation made of nightmares for Tottenham fans, who are also staring down the prospect of their arch rivals Arsenal winning the league for the first time in 20 years after the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Brighton, and Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Forest.

It has long been a joke, but now, the possibility is real.

Tottenham could be relegated from the Premier League.

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After a 2-1 loss to Fulham on the weekend, Spurs remain just four points above the drop zone with ten games remaining and a run of fixtures that will have Tottenham fans shaking in their boots.

There has been no new manager bounce.

Igor Tudor has lost his first two games in charge, conceding six goals to arch rivals Arsenal and fellow London club Fulham in the process.

The Croatian manager, who was most recently in charge of Italian giants Juventus, has wasted no time in pointing out that he faces an uphill task.

Although, the interim boss might just be moving the deck chairs on the Titanic.

“It’s a complicated situation. A lot of problems. I cannot tell you nothing new. We need to find forces inside each of us,” he said after the defeat at Craven Cottage.

“I said to the players. It’s always what you are going to do. What do you want to do with yourself? More personality. More wish to do before reacting. Plenty of things.

“We lack when we attack. We are lacking the quality to score the goal. We are lacking in the middle to run. We are lacking behind to stay there and suffer and not concede the goal. An amazing situation.”

When the manager has such little belief, it is tricky for fans and pundits alike to keep the faith.

Before the Fulham loss, Sky Sports showed a graphic of Tottenham’s remaining Premier League fixtures and how they fared against those opponents last season.

It was not pretty reading for Spurs supporters.

Everton, who they will welcome to north London on the final day of the season, were the only team Tottenham defeated among the eight clubs who were in the Premier League last campaign - Sunderland and Leeds were promoted this season.

“If you look at that, and it plays out like that, they’re playing Lincoln at home next season,” former England attacking midfielder Paul Merson said on Sky Sports.

“If anything like that, they’ll be second bottom in the league.

“That is scary looking at that.”

Tottenham finished 17th last season, but ended the campaign 13 points clear of the drop zone as former manager Ange Postecoglou decided to put all chips in on the successful European league campaign.

The Australian put out youthful and inexperienced XIs in the league as several senior players managed injury issues to stay fit for their European stanza.

This time around, Tudor does not have a substantial buffer as a luxury and still needs to navigate a midweek continental campaign.

Spurs face Atletico Madrid across two legs in the Champions League Round of 16 this month.

The unlikely dream of another piece of silverware remains alive, but it will ask a lot of a squad in a relegation scrap.

March could almost seal their fate.

As well as next week’s trip to the Spanish capital and the return leg at home a week later, Tottenham host Crystal Palace midweek before visiting Anfield and welcoming Nottingham Forest in what is set to be a six-point game as the old cliche goes.

Those five contests take place in the space of 17 days.

Many pundits do not see them coping with the demanding schedule and the added pressure.

“The team that stays safe this season will be a team that get one of them results where you go, ‘oh, I didn’t see them winning there’,” Merson said on Sky Sports.

“Whether that be West Ham or Leeds or Forest or Tottenham, they will get that extraordinary result.

“But when I name all them teams, the team I least suspect to get that big result is Tottenham.

“It just is. I don’t know why.”

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara agreed, saying he has reviewed the footage of Spurs’ recent matches and their attitude problems were clear for all to see.

“As a player who played in situations where you’re down in the dumps, first and foremost, 20 minutes, track runners. Don’t let your man get the better of you. Don’t let him run past you,” he said

“And that is a mentality. That is not about ability. That’s not about talent. That is a mentality and a culture at a football club where players are like, ‘Nah, I don’t want to do that. I pass him on.’ What do you mean, pass him on? It’s the first 15 minutes of the game.

“I went and done the clips this morning. It took me five seconds to see the clips because I knew. First 15 minutes of the game, you’re passing players on, you’re not tracking runners. It was embarrassing. Forget talent. Forget creativity.

“Xavi Simons, you are in a relegation fight. You’re in a fight. You’ve got to play like you’re in a relegation fight. None of these players are playing like they’re in a relegation fight.

“Passing on, tracking runners, not getting back, allowing shots on the edge of the box. Embarrassing.”

O’Hara added: “The biggest worry I’ve got is the stomach for a fight. These players that we’ve brought in, I think their heads are down, they’re looking at an excuse, ‘Oh, the board’s not doing this, we’ve not signed anyone’. Yeah, I get all that, but you have got to find a way as football players to get yourselves out of this hole, and that’s what I’m worried about, because I don’t know if they have.

“I don’t know if they’re looking at the exit door before actually the job is done, and the job right now is to stay in the Premier League.”

Completing that job is not being helped with a lengthy injury list.

Wilson Odobert (ACL), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Mohammed Kudus (quad), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring), Ben Davies (ankle) and Lucas Bergvall (ankle) are all regular first team players watching from the sidelines.

But Tottenham’s depth has also been tested by the absence of their leader, Cristian Romero.

The Argentine World Cup winner is not allowed back until the trip to Anfield due to his red card suspension.

The central defender’s absence has been greatly, felt on and off the field as he is regarded as a fierce competitor, or “a winner” as Postecoglou called him in a recent interview on The Overlap.

“Spurs are feeling sorry for themselves,” former Premier League goalkeeper Rob Green said on Sky Sports at Craven Cottage.

“They’re looking around the dressing room, going well who’s gonna drag us out of it? It’s certainly not going to be our captain.

“He’s thrown us into it.”

The disorganisation that has come with Romero in the stands was symbolised by a free kick from Guglielmo Vicario against Fulham.

With the whistle blown in Tottenham’s half, the Italian goalkeeper stepped up to take the kick to allow his teammates to push up the field.

But he proceeded to blast it roughly 30 metres past Fulham’s defensive line and the ball took once bounce inside the field of play before sailing into the stands.

Vicario’s long ball blunder was also the antithesis of how Postecoglou liked his goalkeeper to play out from the back.

The replay blew up on social media, with many fans mocking how the video is emblematic of Tottenham’s struggles, before the Premier League deleted it at the club’s request, according to the Telegraph.

If they do not correct such mistakes, it could be incredibly costly.

Clubs take a significant financial hit by dropping down to the Championship.

Broadcast, matchday and commercial revenue is greatly slashed, and as Leicester City have shown in recent times, poor financial decision making can have long term impacts.

The Foxes, who famously won the Premier League in fairytale fashion a decade ago, are staring down the barrel of back-to-back relegations and playing in the English third tier next season.

Tottenham’s most recent wage bill was roughly £254m (A$480.5m), more than six and a half times the Championship average of £38m (A$71.9m).

That figure would have to be significantly reduced to factor in an estimated revenue loss of around £261m (A$493.8m), if they are relegated, according to BBC Sport.

The financial strain would be eased by a report from The Athletic which stated that Tottenham’s players have a clause in their contracts that states that their wage will be cut by roughly 50 per cent if they are relegated.

Attracting top talent would be a struggle and players would need to be sold.

Especially given Spurs will need to pay off £337m (A$637.6m) in outstanding instalments for current players.

“In 2023-24, the most Spurs generated an average of £84 per supporter per match, the highest figure in the Premier League,” football finance expert Kieran Maguire told the BBC.

“That figure would face significant downward pressure, not from the size of the crowd, but from what clubs can realistically charge.

“Corporate clients who pay a premium for a home fixture against Liverpool or Arsenal are unlikely to pay the same for a visit from Swansea.

“There is also great financial vulnerability around sponsorship. The front-of-shirt deal with AIA, worth around £40m a year almost certainly contains relegation clauses that could halve its value.

“The kit deal with Nike, estimated at £30m annually, is likely to take a smaller hit.

“Spurs supporters will still buy replica shirts regardless of division, but a reduction is likely. Broader sponsorship and partner agreements across the club would face similar issues.”

He added: “For a club of Spurs’ ambitions and financial scale, relegation would not simply be a short-term sporting setback. The economics of English football make recovery a multi-year project.”

Those numbers highlights the severity of the situation.

For Tottenham, the prospect of relegation is no joke.

It is staring them right in the face unless something is done to get their heads back above water.

Tottenham’s new interim manager Igor Tudor said on Tuesday that the club’s perilous position in the Premier League is unacceptable as he aims to ward off a relegation battle amid significant unrest.

The former Juventus boss has been appointed until the end of the season after Spurs slipped to 16th in the table under Thomas Frank, who was sacked last week.

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Tudor faces a baptism of fire at home to league leaders Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday.

But he said there can be no excuses despite a lengthy injury list that hampered Frank’s eight-month tenure.

“I need to be, with my staff, very intelligent to find the best possible way in a very short time,” Tudor told Tottenham’s in-house media channel.

“I’m coming here knowing that situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, need to give something more, something extra.”

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Tudor arrives at Spurs with troubles spilling over to off-field matters, such as the club’s relationship with fans and sponsors.

This week, reports in the UK emerged about Spurs facing a massive financial blow regardless of whether they are relegated, with sponsors considering their deals.

The Telegraph reports that one major, long-term sponsor has its deal expiring at the end of the season and there are doubts over whether they will renew.

Adding to the potential blow is that many of the club’s sponsorship deals include bonuses based on European football, which Spurs won’t qualify for unless they win the Champions League.

An expert on the matter with knowledge of Spurs’ sponsorship deals told the publication of the missed bonuses: “The penalties for missing Europe alone run into tens of millions. That would be even bigger and potentially catastrophic if the club were relegated.”

Meanwhile, fans are said to be furious over a claim that their fears were erased from minutes of a fans’ meeting that was held earlier this month.

The Telegraph reports that just over a week before Thomas Frank was sacked, Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust met with the club and raised concerns about relegation, producing youth players, and profit building.

The group claims that those concerns were selectively edited in the minutes of the meeting, including the removal of a line that claimed the club “welcomed the input” of supporters.

Spurs have a five-point cushion over West Ham in the battle to avoid the drop. But the Hammers have picked up seven more points than Tottenham over the past eight league games as they have turned a corner under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Spurs, by contrast, have won just two of their last 17 league games.

“The position of the club in this moment is one that nobody can accept,” added Tudor, who was sacked by Juventus earlier this season after just seven months in charge.

“Every Tottenham fan cannot accept the situation. We are aware of that. But it’s not enough to just be aware of that.

“The situation is not easy because we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system to suit the players that are available in this moment.”

Captain Cristian Romero is suspended for the visit of Arsenal, while James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall are among those set to miss out through injury.

Ange Postecoglou warned that this would happen.

When the Australian was given his marching orders by Tottenham after winning the Europa League title in May - the club’s first piece of silverware in 17 years - his ‘John the Pragmatist’ proclamation rang in the ears of Spurs fans around the world.

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It was almost a decade ago during his time as Socceroos boss that Postecoglou uttered the words: “At some point in time I’ll get replaced by ‘John the Pragmatist’ and you can all be happy and revel in it.”

As Postecoglou began to globetrot from Japan to Scotland and then England, the quote from the aftermath of a 1-1 draw with Chile at the 2017 Confederations Cup became more and more iconic.

With the news breaking in the space of just 14 hours across Wednesday night and Thursday morning AEST that Postecoglou’s Tottenham replacement Thomas Frank and his Nottingham Forest successor Sean Dyche had been sacked, the Australian’s warning once again rang true.

Postecoglou’s time at Forest will go down as a chaotic footnote in the history of both manager and club, but Tottenham’s decision to discard the former Celtic boss holds a longer lasting legacy.

Frank traded west London for north London after the Spurs hierarchy identified him as the antithesis of Ange.

The Dane enjoyed a successful seven-year spell with Brentford where he brought the Bees up from the Championship and then established them as a Premier League club.

He did so off the back of solid defensive formations and a hardworking team who were brought together with a budget dwarfed by many of their rivals.

Frank was viewed as being ready to make the step up to a big club, but things unravelled quickly in his eight-month stint.

As Frank packs up his desk, Tottenham sit 16th on the Premier League table.

That is one place better than Postecoglou’s squad finished last campaign.

But Spurs are only five points above the drop zone right now.

Whereas last season, they finished 13 points clear of relegation.

Postecoglou’s side were never seriously threatened with going down despite rolling out inexperienced starting XIs in the final few months of the season once the European campaign became the clear priority for an injury-hit squad.

While the losses mounted in the league and frustration grew, there was at least always the promise of glory that was eventually fulfilled by Postecoglou against Manchester United in Bilbao.

The same cannot be said of Frank.

“It is easy to think Postecoglou lasted as long as he did because the vision he outlined, however flawed, was a thing of beauty,” The Guardian’s David Hytner wrote.

“Spurs fans demand excitement and attacking football and Postecoglou allowed them to dream. He seemed to have the knack of keeping them onside with his persuasive and almost romantic rhetoric, along with the patches of stirring stuff on the field.

“With Frank, it was the opposite. If a Spurs manager is going to prioritise defensive tightness, set‑piece productivity and forcing turnovers in dangerous areas, he had better deliver results, especially at home. The margins are finer, the buy-in more problematic. It was the case to an extent with (Jose) Mourinho and (Antonio) Conte.”

Frank’s promise was to compete on all fronts.

That certainly fell flat as in addition to the disastrous league campaign, chances to win trophies were gone before they truly began.

Frank’s side were knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle back in October - Postecoglou made the semi-final last season.

While they were eliminated from the FA Cup in their first outing of the competition - a 2-1 loss at home to Aston Villa, the same side who knocked them out in the fourth round a year prior but that was at Villa Park.

The Champions League campaign has been Tottenham’s sole success so far this season.

Spurs remarkably qualified in fourth place for the Round of 16 - where they will meet one of Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge or Galatasaray.

But the draw gods did smile on Frank’s men as half of the teams they faced in the eight-game league phase failed to make the top 24, who reach the knockout phase, in a 36-team competition.

And none of Tottenham’s opponents finished in the top eight and secured direct passage to the Round of 16.

Behind closed doors, it appears that the situation was even more dire than the on pitch numbers suggest.

Frank lost the playing group early on.

He publicly admitted so much himself last week, saying, “I am pretty sure there are also some players who don’t think I am the best bloke or whatever it is.”

It was his obsession with Tottenham’s fiercest rival that irked the most.

Frank was publicly ridiculed by Spurs supporters after he was spotted drinking from a cup with an Arsenal logo on it before a 3-2 loss at Bournemouth last month.

It seemed to be an innocent mistake as the Gunners had visited the Cherries earlier that week and must have left a cup behind.

But Frank was not spared the wrath of angry supporters who vented their fury, and created a treasure trove of memes on social media.

Multiple reports in the wake of Frank’s sacking suggest that those memes were shared among players and Tottenham staff.

Spurs were battered by their north London rivals 4-1 in November with Eberechi Eze, who Arsenal pinched from under Tottenham’s nose during the summer transfer window, scoring a hat-trick to rub salt into the wounds.

Frank’s fascination with the league leaders surrounding that derby was not appreciated.

One source told Telegraph Sport: “He was constantly going on to the players about Arsenal and they quickly got sick of it. Even before and after the game at the Emirates, he was telling them how good Arsenal were. The feeling among some was very much ‘just shut up about Arsenal’.”

Frank’s style of play was valso a sticking point.

After the chaotic frenzy of Angeball, the switch to a more dour gameplay was a challenging one.

A source told Telegraph Sport of Frank’s early training sessions after taking charge: “Most of the work was on what to do out of possession and how to nullify the opposition, rather than working on how they could hurt opponents.”

It did not sit well with the players who reflected “fondly” on their time under Postecoglou.

Midfielder James Maddison never took the pitch under Frank after he unfortunately sustained an ACL injury in pre-season.

But during a guest punditry appearance on Sky Sports in December, the England international laid out how different the training pitch looked during the Australian’s two seasons at the helm.

“We’d never have a session with Ange where the base of the session, the model, wasn’t around how we played, with fullbacks inside, wingers high and wide, not really allowed to move from the touchline, kind of fixed wingers, and then rotation from the midfield three,” Maddison said.

“Sometimes he’s shown us clips … of the fullbacks in the No.10 positions, and maybe your No.10 and your No.8 in the fullback positions, just like rotations.

“There’s still structure, it just didn’t matter who the personnel was … and he enjoyed that. We loved playing (that way).

“You (pundits) would describe it as chaotic and entertaining, but it was really fun to play, and we ended up with a trophy under Ange, so huge respect (for him).

“I loved that little period with him. We had ups and downs. but that’s what I miss.

“That period under Ange was one I look back on fondly.”

Maddison’s comments show why almost every member of the playing group took the social media to express their fondness for Postecoglou in the aftermath of his sacking.

Given the connection the Australian had with his players, Frank could be forgiven for feeling like a step-parent coming into the family home.

He was never able to create the same rapport.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris reported that a Tottenham player said Postecoglou was perhaps not the best coach, but the players respected him, admired his charisma and listened to what he said.

That player said that his colleagues quickly stopped listening to Frank because he did not have the personality required to coach a big team.

Many at Tottenham also felt that Frank exert enough authority over his players.

The Dane tried to draw a line in the sand early in his tenure by leaving Yves Bissouma out of the squad for pre-season UEFA Super Cup loss to PSG due to serial lateness.

But Frank’s threats appeared thinly veiled as captain Cristian Romero went unpunished for a social media post attacking the club hierarchy for its inaction during the January transfer window, and a reckless red card against Manchester United that incurred a four-game suspension.

While fellow defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence also seemingly got away with acts of disrespect towards the manager, ignoring him as they stormed off the pitch after a home loss.

The fans were off side too.

Calling those who taunted goalkeeper Gianluigi Vicario after a howler earlier in the season, “not true fans” generated outrage.

With all those issues combining with the mounting losses, it meant any excuses wore thin.

“Once the fans stand up and instil that ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’, and it wasn’t just a couple, it looked like it was untenable,” former Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown told Fox Sports News.

“It was a sad moment watching Thomas Frank. He looked broken. He looked like he didn’t have the answers.”

Tottenham have been cruelled by injuries this season, but that has become an annual tradition as Postecoglou wrestled with the same problem.

Frank insisted that he needed more time to turn the ship around.

“I didn’t expect us to be in the position we are in with 11-12 injuries,” Frank said after Tuesday’s loss to Newcastle at home.

“There are a few before me up here at Tottenham and many other clubs that have lost their head. I have to stay calm. We have to get through this together.

“I also think there is a lot of studies that show (sacking the manager) is not the right thing to do.

“The only thing I am focused on is fighting. We of course understand we are not in a good situation. But with everything in life, you need to stay calm and keep going.”

In the end though, he did lose his head.

Roberto De Zerbi, who left Marseille on Wednesday, is one of the favourites to replace Frank.

While one of their current coaches, John Heitinga, is reportedly in the conversation to take on an interim role for the remainder of the season.

Several managers, including former boss Mauricio ­Pochettino, are set to become available after this year’s World Cup.

Pochettino is in charge of host nation the USA and has not shied away from talk of a return to Tottenham when asked about the possibility in recent years.

Spurs also fancied Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola as a replacement for Postecoglou.

Whichever direction they go in, there is a belief that they need to recapture some of the spirit of Postecoglou’s tenure.

“I think the players are there. I just think a change in attitude (is needed),” former England midfielder David Bentley told Fox Sports News

“The negativity around the football club (needs to go). When Ange first came in, he got that attitude back. He got that buzz back from the fans, from the players with the way they were playing.

“They sort of lost that in the last six months again.

“With what’s gone on with the boards, Daniel Levy leaving, they need to encourage that positive environment.

“Whoever comes in needs to be the right man that encourages that mental positivity around the football club.”

Tottenham has sacked Thomas Frank, after he failed to improve the side’s Premier League performance following Ange Postecoglou’s European trophy-winning stint.

Home fans chanted for the Spurs boss to be “sacked in the morning” after a 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Tuesday (UK time) and they got their wish.

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Frank has been axed with the club 16th in the Premier League and facing a genuine threat of relegation, after winning just two of their last 17 matches.

“The club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today,” Tottenham said on social media.

“Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

“However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.

“Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the club forward. We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.”

Roberto De Zerbi, who left Marseille on Wednesday, is the favourite to replace Frank.

Frank replaced Postecoglou in June signing a three-year contract.

He was previously Brentford’s head coach for seven years, leading them to promotion and then stability in the top flight.

The Aussie’s final season in charge saw Tottenham score 38 points and finish 17th, but 13 points safe of relegation, while they also won the Europa League.

The decision to sack Frank is not a cheap one.

Tottenha were forced to pay £6.7million in compensation to Brentford after appointing Frank in the summer. His arrival saw him sign a yearly deal of £8m-a-year.

The ex-Brentford manager has already received £6m from the club and could mean Spurs may need to pay the £18m ($34 million AUD) still left on his contract.

However, there may have been a clause in the 52-year-old’s contract for a smaller pay-off fee.

Incredibly, Postecoglou was scheduled for a recording of Gary Neville’s Stick to Football podcast on The Overlap YouTuibe channel when news of Frank’s sacking broke.

The Overlap shared a teaser clip of Postecoglou’s reaction.

“Some timing eh,” he said.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, described Frank as “extraordinary” after the Dane’s dismissal, but said football managers are all vulnerable to the sack.

“It is always very sad news when you have a colleague that doesn’t continue doing his job because Thomas is an excellent coach, he’s an extraordinary man, and he’s proven that in the league,” said Arteta.

“But we know where we are. We know that our responsibility is beyond just performance. And results dictate what happens with us.”

Asked if Premier League clubs are now too impatient for success, Arteta replied: “In the context of every club it is very different, but it’s always a possibility.

“But at the end as well, this league is so competitive. We are all vulnerable because anybody can beat you on the day, you know that. And that’s really tough to manage.”

Through 26 matches under Frank the club has 29 points, just three above 17th-placed Nottingham Forest (where Postecoglou briefly coached after his sacking), and five above the relegation zone (West Ham, 24 pts).

“I understand the fans’ frustration,” Frank responded when asked about the fan booing following the defeat to Newcastle.

“It’s a position they don’t want to be in. We are working day and night to try and change. It’s a position the club have been in the last two years. The pattern is the club are struggling to compete in Europe and the Premier League.”

Injuries cruelled both Postecoglou and Frank though the English press was far more critical of the Australian coach.

“I didn’t expect us to be in the position we are in with 11-12 injuries,” Frank said.

“There are a few before me up here at Tottenham and many other clubs that have lost their head. I have to stay calm. We have to get through this together.

“I also think there is a lot of studies that show it is not the right thing to do.

“The only thing I am focused on is fighting. We of course understand we are not in a good situation. But with everything in life, you need to stay calm and keep going.”

Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, said he would be delighted to return to Spurs amid suggestions he could act as a caretaker boss, but the 78-year-old Englishman won’t be expecting a call.

Redknapp was Tottenham manager from 2008-2012, taking the club into the Champions League.

“Would I fancy it? Of course I would do it, without any shadow of a doubt,” he told Sky Sports News.

“But I am a realist – I don’t live in (cloud) cuckoo land. It is very doubtful if I would get the job. But could I do the job? Yeah, of course I could do the job.”

Spurs have pulled off a mammoth transfer coup, hijacking Aston Villa with a £34m (AUD 68m) move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher.

Initially, Villa had finalised a verbal agreement with the Spanish club on a loan deal with a buy option that would see the 25-year-old return to the Premier League under Unai Emery.

Tottenham powerbrokers had reportedly inquired about Gallagher according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, but Villa’s move was the most concrete of the pair.

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That was until it was revealed by Sky Sports that Spurs have agreed to a permanent move for the former Chelsea midfielder, with Thomas Frank desperate to add reinforcements.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury during Tottenham’s loss to Bournemouth which is set to keep him sidelined for the majority of the remaining season.

Frank made it clear he was desperate to recruit in the midfield, and Spurs bosses then swooped in to recruit Gallagher.

The England international joined Atletico in 2024, making a move from Chelsea where he spent two seasons.

Previously, he played for Charlton Athletic, Swansea, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace — having tallied 136 Premier League appearances.

Spurs have been one of the most active clubs so far in the January transfer window, selling winger Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for $70m AUD.

Meanwhile, according to TalkSport, Spurs have also agreed a deal with Santos for left-back Souza who has been signed for a reported fee of $26m AUD.

It’s an interesting recruitment decision considering both Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie have both shared duties on the flank this season under Frank.

Tottenham have had a turbulent season thus far, sitting in 14th place under the former Brentford boss who replaced Australia Ange Postecoglou.

Under Frank, Spurs have won only seven of their 21 Premier League games, with pressure mounting on the Danish mentor to keep his job.

WEST HAM STAR WANTS OUT

If their performances on the field weren’t ugly enough, one of West Ham’s star players wants out of the London club.

According to Sky Sports, Lucas Paqueta is pushing for a return to Brazil, with Flamengo reportedly willing to pay £26m ($52m AUD) to secure his services.

Paqueta garnered interest from rival Premier League clubs, but reportedly has a desire to return to his home country.

The Brazilian Serie A’s transfer window will remain open until March, meaning Paqueta could continue to push for a move beyond January.

Regardless of where the midfielder lands, Paqueta reportedly will not be at the club beyond this season and did not feature in the club’s latest FA Cup tie against QPR.

West Ham splashed £51m ($102m AUD) to make the Brazilian their record transfer in 2022 but could be resigned to losing a significant portion of that figure.

The London club are currently in a relegation battle, sitting 18th and seven points from Nottingham Forest outside of the bottom three.

THE GUEHI SITUATION

As it stands, Marc Guehi’s future is up in the air.

The English international have a host of clubs interested in acquiring his services, but the Crystal Palace gun is in no rush to make a final call.

That is according to Sky Sports’ News’ Chief Correspondent Kaveh Solhekol, who is reporting Manchester City have concrete interest in signing the defender in January.

However, for a move to eventuate, the PL heavyweights will have to table an offer that is “too good to turn down”.

Elsewhere, both Liverpool and Arsenal are also in the running with both clubs previously showing an interest in the star centre back in the summer.

Liverpool went as far as making a £35m ($70m AUD) bid for his services, meaning any offer during the January transfer window may have to trump that figure.

However, Arne Slot’s side will reportedly instead push to sign Guehi as a free agent next summer, having held discussions with him regarding how he will be used.

Outside of the Premier League, German giants Bayern Munich are also interested in signing Guehi as a free agent.

CITY SPLASH THE CASH FOR BOURNEMOUTH TALISMAN

Antoine Semenyo said Friday that he wants to “rewrite history again” at Manchester City after joining from Bournemouth for a reported fee of £65 million ($130 million).

The 26-year-old, who has scored 10 Premier League goals this season, has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad and will be a major addition to their attacking arsenal.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham were also interested in the London-born Ghana international, who had a buyout clause that was understood to expire on Saturday.

The widely trailed transfer is the first major move by Premier League clubs in the January window.

“I have watched City over the last decade under Pep Guardiola, and they have been the dominant team in the Premier League as well as achieving amazing things in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup,” said Semenyo.

“They have set the highest of standards and it’s a club with world-class players, world-class facilities and one of the greatest managers ever in Pep.”

On debut, Semenyo scored one and assisted another goal in a 10-1 win over Exeter City, which marked the biggest ever win of Manchester City’s modern era.

An emerging Welshman has completed his move from Tottenham to a Premier League rival for a record club fee.

Meantime, Liverpool is closing in on an Ecuadorian, while Raheem Sterling pursues a permanent Chelsea exit with two London clubs in the mix.

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Brennan Johnson on Friday completed a move from Tottenham to Crystal Palace for a reported fee of £35 million (AU$70,362,425).

The Wales international, 24, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park.

The forward, who fell out of favour under Thomas Frank at Spurs despite being the London club’s top scorer last season, is set to make his debut for Palace in their Premier League match against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday.

“I’m really excited and I’m really happy,” said Johnson, who is Palace’s record signing. “Crystal Palace are such a great club, one that I’ve always admired.

“It’s a great time for me to be here and join the journey that this club is on.”

Palace manager Oliver Glasner said: “Brennan will give us options in our attacking play with his pace and goalscoring ability.”

Johnson finished with 18 goals last season and scored the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United to end Tottenham’s 17-year wait for silverware.

However, he has largely been a back-up to Mohammed Kudus since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou.

The transfer will be a huge boost to Glasner, who said his threadbare side were in “survival mode” following Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Fulham.

FA Cup holders Palace, 10th in the Premier League table, travel to Newcastle eager to end a six-match winless run in all competitions.

REDS CLOSE IN ON ECUADORIAN

Liverpool is set to cement a move for Club Brugge centre-half Joel Ordonez, as the Reds source defensive reinforcements for coach Arne Slot.

The Daily Mirror reports Liverpool could spend as much as £43 million (AU$86,472,570) for the 21-year-old Ecuadorian, given the initial purported fee of £35 million (AU$70,362,425) could increase with add-ons.

Since joining Club Brugge in 2023, Ordonez has made 57 starts for the Belgian giant, including 12 this season.

Brugge sits second in the Belgian Pro League with a second-best goal difference of 14, with Ordonez helping lead the club’s stout defence.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s 26 goals conceded through 19 games is 10th-worst in the Premier League, with the Reds’ need for help at the back no secret.

Liverpool is fourth in the standings, 13 points shy of current leaders Arsenal.

STERLING WANTS PERMANENT CHELSEA EXIT

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling is reportedly “prioritising a permanent move” away from the Blues, with two rivals in the frame to land his signature.

Sterling, 31, has been on the outs at Chelsea — spending the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal — though Enzo Maresca’s exit isn’t expected to change the winger’s situation.

ESPN’s James Olley reports West Ham and Fulham have shown interest, but that Sterling rejected the Hammers’ advances due to the fact the club pursued a loan move as opposed to a permanent one.

Meanwhile, Fulham reportedly expressed an interest in attaining Sterling last transfer window and is considered interested in assessing a move this time around.

Chelsea is thought to be keen on offloading Sterling’s £325,000-a-week (AU$653,545) salary, with 18 months still left on the deal he initially signed in 2022 when crossing over from Manchester City.

Tottenham fans turned on Guglielmo Vicario after the Spurs goalkeeper conceded two early goals in Saturday’s Premier League home loss to Fulham.

The visitors scored twice in the opening six minutes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Kenney Tete and Harry Wilson finding the back of the net.

The second goal came courtesy of a comically poor clearance from Vicario, who was out of position near the corner flag when Wilson scored. It was the earliest Tottenham had ever conceded two goals in a home Premier League game.

“Vicario is getting absolute pelters from his own supporters,” former England striker Alan Smith said on Sky Sports.

“He makes a complete hash of his clearance.

“You don’t hear that often, booing your own player after seven minutes.

“A goalkeeper too. This could get really testing for the Spurs players now.”

Fulham ultimately sealed a 2-1 victory, with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus scoring in the 59th minute to set up a tense final half-hour.

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LAST-GASP GOAL SPARES MAN CITY’S BLUSHES

Phil Foden spared Manchester City’s blushes with a last-gasp winner after the Premier League title challengers blew a two-goal lead in a dramatic 3-2 win over lowly Leeds on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were in danger of losing more ground in the title race following a second-half collapse at the Etihad Stadium.

Foden and Josko Gvardiol put City two up before the interval, but third-bottom Leeds hit back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

Foden clinched a nerve-jangling victory that lifted City into second place, four points behind leaders Arsenal, who travel to third-placed Chelsea on Sunday.

It was a much-needed win after consecutive defeats against Newcastle last weekend and Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.

“It was a relief,” Guardiola said.

“The game was not perfect in the first half but it should be over with the chances we had.

“Football is emotions. We conceded the second and after we made a step up. In the end it’s the quality of Phil.”

Guardiola’s decision to make 10 changes against Leverkusen backfired in a 2-0 loss that prompted the furious Spaniard to claim his players “didn’t try”.

Foden, Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva, Gianluigi Donnarumma were among the stars back in City’s starting line-up for the Leeds clash.

City had made their worst start to a campaign for five years and their second-worst under Guardiola.

But they took just 59 seconds to move in front as Foden fired a close-range strike in off the bar.

Leeds had no answer to City’s slick start and Gvardiol looked to have put the hosts in complete control with a tap-in from Nico O’Reilly’s header in the 25th minute.

Calvert-Lewin made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, reducing the deficit with a clinical finish after pouncing on Matheus Nunes’ woeful pass inside the City area in the 49th minute.

Leeds equalised in the 68th minute when Nmecha’s penalty - awarded for Gvardiol’s foul on Calvert-Lewin - was saved by Donnarumma before the forward recovered to score from the rebound.

In stoppage-time, Foden cleverly made room in the area for an ice-cool finish as Guardiola breathed a sigh of relief.

Leeds’ sixth defeat in their last seven matches increased the pressure on manager Daniel Farke.

NEWCASTLE’S BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR BOSS

Elsewhere, Newcastle celebrated boss Eddie Howe’s 48th birthday with a 4-1 rout of Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

A first away league win since April 7 was the ideal present for Howe, whose side made an explosive start when Malick Thiaw headed home from Lewis Miley’s corner after just 52 seconds.

It was the fastest goal in the Premier League this season.

Beaten in their previous four away games, Newcastle netted again in the 25th minute when Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford allowed Miley’s shot to squirm past his woeful attempted save.

Everton looked exhausted after playing with 10 men for much of Monday’s win at Manchester United, when Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off for slapping teammate Michael Keane.

Nick Woltemade made it three with a cheeky chip over Pickford in the 45th minute.

Thiaw’s 58th-minute header added to Everton’s misery and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 70th-minute eye-catching strike was little consolation for David Moyes’ men.

Brentford striker Igor Thiago reached 11 league goals this season as his double fuelled a 3-1 win against second-bottom Burnley in west London.

Igor Thiago and Zian Flemming traded penalties late in the second half, before the Brazilian bagged his second in the 86th minute and Dango Ouattara put the result beyond doubt in stoppage-time.

Sunderland climbed to fourth place after fighting back from two goals down to beat Bournemouth 3-2 at the Stadium of Light.

Amine Adli and Tyler Adams, with an audacious effort from the half-way line, scored for Bournemouth in the first half.

But Enzo Le Fee’s 30th-minute penalty was followed by Bertrand Traore 46th-minute equaliser.

Brian Brobbey completed Sunderland’s stirring revival, heading in Le Fee’s cross in the 69th minute.

Joao Pedro finally brought a halt to his Chelsea goal drought as the Brazilian striker sealed a 1-0 win to extend Tottenham’s dismal record on their home turf.

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Enzo Maresca’s side took the lead when Joao Pedro netted late in the first half of the London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was his first goal in nine games in all competitions dating back to his last strike against Fulham on August 30.

The 24-year-old has netted only three times for the Blues since signing from Brighton in a £60 million ($78 million) move in the close-season.

Chelsea’s third win in their last four Premier League games lifted them into fourth place, behind third-placed Tottenham on goal difference.

Tottenham haven’t won at home in the league since beating Burnley on the opening weekend of the season in August.

Their wretched home league form in 2025 started under Frank’s predecessor Ange Postecoglou and the former Brentford boss is yet to find a cure.

Although they lost in the League Cup fourth round at Newcastle in midweek, Tottenham have fared much better on the road this season, with an emphatic 3-0 win at Everton in their previous top-flight game.

But Tottenham fans are beginning to show signs of discontent at Frank’s prosaic tactics, which stand in stark contrast to the club’s ‘to dare is to do’ ethos.

“This will be a big result for Chelsea, but lot for Frank to ponder,” Jamie Carragher said post-game on Sky Sports.

“They have a big problem in this stadium.”

Adding to Frank’s problems, Van de Ven and Spence headed towards the tunnel after the final whistle and, despite Frank seemingly telling them to thank the Tottenham fans, they walked past the Dane, who stared in their direction before he turned to applaud the crowd.

“I think that is one of the small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who are doing everything they can. Theyperform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, so I don’t think it is a big problem,” Frank said.

“All the players are of course frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that.

“I think it is about, which is difficult, to be consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”

Frank was hit by an early injury blow when Lucas Bergvall suffered a head injury and was replaced by concussion substitute Xavi Simons.

Bergvall appeared to plead with Tottenham’s medical staff to let him stay on and when they refused, he angrily pushed one of the medics before Frank intervened to diffuse the situation.

Alejandro Garnacho carried Chelsea’s main threat in the first half as the Argentine forward tested Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario from distance.

Vicario went down with an knee injury midway through the half, but he was able to continue after treatment and immediately came to Tottenham’s rescue.

Pedro Porro’s clearance rebounded off Garnacho to Joao Pedro inside the area and Vicario stood tall to repel his low strike.

But Joao Pedro wasn’t to be denied and he made amends for that miss with Chelsea’s opener in the 34th minute.

Moises Caicedo tenaciously harried Simons and van de Ven on the edge of the Tottenham area, winning possession and poking the ball towards Joao Pedro, who lashed into the roof of the net from six yards.

Frank was furious with Tottenham’s sloppy defending, kicking a water bottle in disgust on the touchline.

Having ended his barren run, Joao Pedro nearly struck again when he took Malo Gusto’s pass and unleashed a powerful effort that Vicario tipped over.

Rodrigo Bentancur could consider himself fortunate to escape with a booking after the Tottenham midfielder’s ugly challenge on Reece James was deemed “not serious foul play”.

Tottenham finally forced Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez into action on the stroke of half-time with a Mohammed Kudus blast, but the Spaniard was equal to it.

Enzo Fernandez, unmarked 10 yards from goal, headed wastefully over from James’ cross soon after the interval.

Frank’s side were guilty of conceding possession far too easily, with their lack of attacking impetus leaving their supporters increasingly frustrated.

The fans’ angst mounted as Vicario had to tip over from Pedro Neto’s fierce strike and Tottenham never seriously threatened a late escape.

TABLE-TOPPING ARSENAL ‘EXCEPTIONAL’ IN WIN

Elsewhere, Arsenal brushed Burnley aside 2-0 to surge seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have won five league games in a row to position themselves as firm favourites to end their painful two-decade wait to be crowned English champions.

Viktor Gyokeres headed the Gunners ahead following a Declan Rice corner in the first half at Turf Moor for his first league goal since mid-September -- yet more joy for the set-piece specialists.

England midfielder Rice himself headed home to double the visitors’ lead in the 35th minute and put them in total control.

“The first half was exceptional -- we scored two goals and gave nothing away,” Arteta told the BBC.

“That was the platform. We had to make a few changes and didn’t have that much control in the second half. Defending was exceptional again, we didn’t give anything.”

Arsenal, who have now won nine games in a row in all competitions, have enviable options in attack but their team is built on a rock-solid defence that has conceded just three league goals in 10 games this season.

MANCHESTER UNITED SALVAGE DRAW

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, seeking their fourth straight league win, were on track to climb to second in the table when leading 1-0 at the City Ground courtesy of Casemiro’s first-half opener.

But Forest, who had not scored a league goal since September 20, roared back after the break as their confidence flooded back.

Morgan Gibbs-White headed the home side level in the 48th minute before Nicolo Savona tapped in just two minutes later to complete a dramatic turnaround.

But Amad Diallo levelled with a sweet volley in the 81st minute to rescue a point for United, who have been much improved in recent weeks after a poor start to the season.

Amorim, marking a year since his appointment as United manager, was disappointed to drop points but encouraged by his team’s mentality.

“I feel in the recent past if we had had this situation (from 1-0 up to 2-1 down) we would have struggled so much more than today,” he said.

“My feeling is we played well but we dropped a little bit of energy. When we have the full energy we are the better team. My players are giving everything but we have the potential to do better.”

Forest, who last month appointed Sean Dyche as manager to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou, remain in the relegation zone, four points behind 17th-placed Burnley.

IN OTHER GAMES AROUND THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Rock-bottom Wolves, reduced to 10 men in the first half following the dismissal of Emmanuel Agbadou, are an alarming eight points from safety after a miserable 3-0 defeat at Fulham, with manager Vitor Pereira under mounting pressure.

Crystal Palace returned to winning ways courtesy of a header from Jean-Philippe Mateta and an own goal from Brentford’s Nathan Collins, which made it 2-0.

The evergreen Danny Welbeck netted his sixth Premier League goal of the season and there were also two for Diego Gomez as Brighton pummelled Leeds 3-0.

Bournemouth, second in the Premier League, travel to face Manchester City on Monday.