Tottenham Hotspur

Thomas Frank could feel the fans willing an equaliser as they got behind our 10 and then nine players battling back against Liverpool on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 and down to 10 men from 33 minutes, Richarlison gave us hope by pulling a goal back on 83 minutes. Cuti Romero then joined Xavi Simons on a red card, but our nine men pushed to the end, Pedro Porro forcing two fine saves from Allison in the Liverpool goal.

“The fans were excellent throughout the game,” said Thomas. “They really pushed us forward, they gave an extra nudge, especially in the second half, and after the 2-1 goal it felt like they're almost trying to suck the ball into the net for the 2-2 equaliser which would have been a tremendous result.

“So, they did everything, it was a great effort and a great feeling to have with them. I think that was really something magic, between the fans and the players, I felt that collaboration, that cohesion, that was fantastic and we need to build on that and keep going with that.”

Thomas is now building towards a trip to Selhurst Park to face Palace on Sunday (4.30pm UK). “You could that even after the 30 minutes (against Liverpool) that we had three good days on the training pitch (last week), that was really beneficial and now we're going to have a good week going into Palace, so we're going to use that very well and then we're going to be ready for them.”

Man Utd Women vs Spurs Women | Key Highlights | 2025/26  Tottenham Hotspur

Fridolina Rolfo's late strike consigned us to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Subway Women's League Cup on Sunday.

Just as in last week's Women's Super League encounter, we forged ahead at the Progress With Unity Stadium in Leigh, only to be pegged back by United. It means we bow out at the quarter-final stage for the fourth season on the trot.

Drew Spence struck a picturebook volley to open the scoring on 16 minutes but goals from Jess Park and Rolfo turned it around for the home side, who will now face Arsenal in the last four of the competition.

We were on the front foot straight away as Bethany England looped a header just wide from Matilda Vinberg's cross inside three minutes. United responded with Dominique Janssen firing just wide from 25 yards.

A super counter-attack prised United open on 13 minutes. England, Martha Thomas and Vinberg were all involved before Vinberg released Thomas, who in turn spotted Olivia Holdt sprinting to join the attack. Thomas picked out the pass - unfortunately, Phallon Tullis-Joyce made the one-on-one save with her legs.

It didn't take long for us to make the breakthrough. Three minutes after that break, Holdt's free-kick found England free at the far post, she headed back into the danger area, the ball was cleared to Spence who controlled and fired back a volley into the top corner, brilliant technique from the midfielder.

United's best spell came in five minutes after the half-hour mark. First up, Fridolina Rolfo's cross zipped across goal, then Julia Olme glanced a corner just wide. Superb defending kept the home side out from successive corners minutes later - Lize Kop saved point-blank from Olme, then Amanda Nilden got back on the line to head away Ella Toone's clever lob, destined for the net.

We swung momentum back our way - Thomas volleyed just wide before Eveliina Summanen's inswinging corner struck the foot of the post.

United started to get on top in the second half and Rolfo's dart down the left led to the equaliser on 51 minutes, her cross stroked home by Jess Park from 12 yards. Kop was at her best again to deny Janssen and Rolfo, twice, but United's Sweden international finally got the better of the goalkeeper with a clean strike from Melvine Malard's cross four minutes from time.

Spence struck another sweet volley as we searched for an equaliser, but this one went straight at Tullis-Joyce, who held on - as did the home side to progress to the last four.

Our final game of the calendar year sees us take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in the quarter-final of the Subway Women's League Cup (kick-off 1pm UK).

Watch the game below via WSL's Official YouTube Channel...

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our Subway Women’s League Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village this afternoon (Sunday 21 December, 1pm UK).

Martin Ho has made no changes to the starting side from last weekend’s dramatic 3-3 draw against United in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Martha Thomas retains her place in the forward line after netting her second goal in three games in last Sunday’s draw with United, while defender Amanda Nilden will make her 50th appearance for the Club as she starts at left-back.

Here’s our team in full…

Kop, Nilden, England (c), Holdt, Vinberg, Hunt, Thomas, Spence, Summanen, Neville, Koga.

Substitutes: Heeps, Radbourne, Bartrip, Rybrink, Graham, Gunning-Williams, Dennis.

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after our 2-1 loss against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.

Here's what he had to say...

Plenty of character shown - what were your thoughts on the performance and the two red cards?

Thomas: "I think overall it was a good performance tonight, proud of the players and the team and how they responded. I actually think the first 30 was also good from us and how we responded to setbacks through the game, something we have been working very hard on, because that is the biggest thing the best teams need to do. How do we respond to setbacks during a game because the best teams deal with it and move on and keep going, stick to the plan, we talked about it before, structure and everything. Today we did that excellently. There was great personality and character in the team. The first red which I have seen given before, I also said before definitely a few times at Brentford and I have seen others, I don’t like this as a red card. I think the game is, probably too big to say gone, but for me it’s not reckless and it’s not exceptional force. He is chasing Van Dijk. He is trying to put pressure and then he changes direction. Unfortunately his foot is on his Achilles. You can say ‘ah, you need to be smarter, don’t do it and all that’ but so are we not allowed to have physical contact anymore? The next thing on that is if he gets three games, which I don’t understand, how can he get three games for something which is not reckless? That is absolutely wrong and we probably can’t appeal it. We responded excellently to that. Then 1-0 goal, we kept going. I think the second goal is a mistake from the ref. I think there are two hands in the back. Clear two hands in the back. I don’t understand how you can do that. Everywhere else you have seen that a thousand times out there on the pitch, someone will go up for a header, a goal kick into the centre-back, two hands in the back ‘boom’ foul, but apparently not in the penalty box. I think that was the biggest mistake in my opinion and from VAR but apparently that was not enough. We kept going."

The second red?

Thomas: "I also think we got on the wrong end on two. You can see there's probably a reason why the whole team react as they do. I think that's probably a good indicator. Normally, if it's one player reacting, if it's the whole team, probably because there's something about it. I think we all played football enough and seen enough football that there's something probably around that. So, I can't see if it's right or wrong that he gives the first yellow. The second yellow, I see two big boys competing. Konate absolutely smashing through Cuti. It's a foul, I'm not saying more. His foot landed on Cuti's head. Not a yellow, I'm not saying that. Cuti makes a reaction. I think I guess it can be given, but also I guess it can be not given."

It's an emotional game, but does your captain have to control his emotions when you're chasing that equaliser?

Thomas: "I think any player needs to control their emotions and be cool-headed. It's not only because you're a captain that you need to be exceptionally cool-headed. That's also always good, of course. We're talking about a very passionate player that's been very good for this club and team in many years."

The commitment certainly got the crowd back on board...

Thomas: "The crowd were excellent and the fans were excellent today. I think they kept us going throughout the game and especially the last let's say 20, they almost sucked the second goal into the net as well. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. It would have been an excellent comeback."

Can I just get your reaction to the team's home form in 2025? It's surely unacceptable...

Thomas: "I think it's fair to say, I said from the beginning, that it's so important that we do everything we can to make our home a fortress. And to make that home a fortress, we need more performances like we did today. Today, there was a few bits that didn't go our way. I think also a great effort from Kolo Muani and if that goes in, 1-1, a little bit of margin there, then probably don't concede the 2-0. Then it's not a goal I need to discuss. So, all those things you need a little bit going your way. I think stats you can spin either way. Overall, we as a club need to make a home that is very difficult to come to."

You just spoke about Xavi missing the next three games, how disappointed are you for him?

Thomas: "That's why it's probably good Arne and I are agreeing on that one. So, yeah, that's of course disappointing. I think it's harsh to say, because if it was intentional or a very stupid tackle, which I don't think it is, then it's one thing. So, I just think it's too harsh, a tackle like that can be three games."

How much are you going to miss him now over this busy, festive period?

Thomas: "Of course, one game, okay, that's one thing. But three games, of course, is too much."

Thomas Frank praised the character and mentality of the players after a gallant effort to come from 2-0 down with 10 and then nine men against Liverpool fell just short – the Reds eventually holding on for a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

After an even start, Xavi Simons received a straight red card after a VAR review for a challenge on Virgil van Dijk on 33 minutes. Our 10 men competed well, but we were hit by two goals in 10 minutes from Alexander Isak (56) and Hugo Ekitike (66).

Speaking to us afterwards, Thomas reflected: “It was a very good performance, many good things. We worked very hard and talked a lot about how we deal with setbacks, because the best teams deal with setbacks – if you lose five passes in a row, for example, or you concede a goal or a red card, two goals, and I would say another red, and a few other situations. The team just kept going, great character, great mentality, great energy, I loved everything about that, I must say.

“I think we defended well until half-time, still had a few counters. In the second half we did the same, then conceded a goal - the second one, I think it’s a free-kick, in my opinion – then we get the 2-1 goal and really pushed hard. I think we had great moments and opportunities to get the 2-2.

“There a lot of good things in this team, a lot of good character, there's a lot, so I think we just had that little bit of a momentum shift throughout the game, I think we felt that we were 100% in the game, and also a little bit of determination when you feel you are hard done by and you need to show that grit, so I really liked that.

“I said that to the players straight after the game, I think that feeling… of course you feel hard done by, but the performance and the way that we were fighting and the way we were playing, giving everything, that's what you need to take forward in every minute of every game.”

A spirited fightback fell just short as we suffered a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening, finishing the game with nine men in a dramatic and chaotic ending at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Having been reduced to 10 men in the first period following a straight red card shown to Xavi Simons for a challenge on Dutch international team-mate Virgil van Dijk, we conceded twice in 10 second-half minutes to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike as the visitors made the most of their numerical advantage.

But we pulled one back through substitute Richarlison, his fifth career goal against Liverpool, and had the visitors on the ropes for the final stages, only to suffer another dismissal when Cristian Romero was sent off for a second yellow and we couldn’t find that equaliser in the closing minutes.

On a chilly evening in north London, five minutes had gone when the first effort at goal came, Randal Kolo Muani latching onto a bobbling ball 10 yards out only to see his effort blocked by Conor Bradley. The visitors had their first chance on 13 minutes, Dominik Szoboszlai lofting a free-kick in from the left which van Dijk headed straight at Guglielmo Vicario. The early stages lacked the intensity and tempo usually found in this fixture and it wasn’t until the 27th minute before the next major opportunity, as Djed Spence headed Pedro Porro’s cross back into the danger zone where Kolo Muani was waiting but his header was comfortable for Alisson in the Liverpool goal.

A big moment of controversy arrived moments later, when Xavi went to close down van Dijk as he was heading back towards his own goal and caught the Liverpool defender on the back of his calf. Referee John Brooks brandished the yellow card before VAR intervened, with Brooks upgrading the decision to a straight red card after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.

That obviously left us down to 10 men but it also changed the atmosphere in the stadium as the noise cranked up in support of the team. Liverpool naturally started seeing more of the ball and Vicario did well to tip away a Florian Wirtz effort on 37 minutes, although we did have a couple of swift counters before the interval, the best of which ending with neither Kolo Muani nor Spence able to get on the end of Pedro Porro’s cross.

The visitors brought on Isak at half-time and the pattern of the game was set, Liverpool dominating possession as we dropped back with a low block to try to keep them out, hitting them on the break whenever we could. It worked for the first 10 minutes of the second half until Romero’s intended pass to Kolo Muani was cut out and Liverpool struck, Ekitike and Wirtz setting up Isak who slammed past Vicario with 56 minutes gone. It was the briefest of cameos for the Liverpool forward as he was injured taking his shot under pressure from Micky van de Ven and was substituted.

Despite the setback we kept plugging away and hit the woodwork when Kolo Muani showed good pace on the attack and hit a shot which flicked off Milos Kerkez and looped up over Alisson onto the crossbar. That misery was further compounded by Liverpool’s second, Ekitike heading home Jeremie Frimpong’s cross to leave us with a mountain to climb.

Our heads didn’t drop though and we pulled one back with eight minutes remaining. It was a right old scramble, Brennan Johnson with a shot blocked, Joao Palhinha knocking the rebound into the middle, van Dijk missing his clearance and Richarlison was on hand to roll the ball into the bottom corner. That goal changed the whole complexion of the game. Players and fans were up for the battle, Liverpool suddenly were hanging on and when Johnson slipped the ball in behind for Richarlison, it looked like the equaliser might come, but Ibrahima Konate got back to block.

We were throwing everything at the visitors only to be dealt another blow when Romero was given a second yellow card for his reaction towards Konate when they were both on the ground. That was in the third minute of nine added on, but still we kept going, Porro hitting a 30-yard free-kick which Alisson did well to gather low down. Even with nine men, we put Liverpool under pressure but Alisson was there to push away a dangerous cross from Wilson Odobert. In the end we couldn’t find the elusive second and suffered yet another home defeat, but we came so close to pulling off an incredible comeback.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Pedro Porro both reached 100 appearances in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

Both in the starting XI for our clash with Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they have both now made a century of appearances in the competition.

Rodrigo joined us on a permanent deal back in January, 2022, from Juventus and enjoyed a blistering start to life in Lilywhite with a series of superb displays which helped us secure Champions League qualification that spring.

He then continued that form into 2022/23, adding goals to his game before he suffered a season ending anterior cruciate ligament injury the following January, which kept him out of action until October, 2023.

He played a key role in our run to Europa League glory in 2024/25, playing in all bar two of our matches that campaign, while he has been a mainstay under Thomas Frank this term, again playing all bar two of our matches.

Pedro Porro has also been a mainstay this season, playing in every single one of our games so far in 2025/26, while he also played a pivotal role in our Europa League triumph, scoring twice and providing three assists, including a goal and assist in the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.

The Spaniard initially joined us on loan from Sporting CP in the January of 2023 before making the move permanent in the summer.

Since arriving in N17, his ability to constantly be available has been beyond impressive. The defender has been in all bar three matchday squads since making the move to north London, with injury only preventing him from being part of our squad on two occasions.

Otherwise, he has been in the matchday squad for 144 of our 147 games since January, 2023.

Rodrigo has now made 137 appearances for the Club in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists.

Pedro has made 131 appearances, scoring 11 goals and providing 23 assists.

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our Premier League home encounter against Liverpool (Saturday 20 December, 5.30pm UK).

In our final outing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this calendar year, Thomas Frank has made one change to the team that started at Nottingham Forest with Lucas Bergvall coming in for Richarlison.

Radu Dragusin makes the matchday squad for the first time in almost 11 months since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in January.

Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur are both making their 100th Premier League appearance this evening.

Here’s our team in full...

Starting XI: Vicario, Xavi, Gray, Bergvall, Romero (c), Kudus, Pedro Porro, Spence, Bentancur, van de Ven, Kolo Muani.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Palhinha, Richarlison, Tel, Johnson, Odobert, Davies.