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Dejan Kulusevski insists Tottenham Hotspur must 'change for the better' after Liverpool loss in Premier League

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Dejan Kulusevski has said that Tottenham Hotspur "have to learn" and "change for the better" after they suffered another bruising defeat at home.

Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were all on target for Liverpool as Arne Slot's side beat Spurs 6-3 in north London on Sunday.

Spurs have conceded nine goals in their last two matches – which included a 4-3 EFL Cup win against Manchester United – and earlier this month, shipped four at home in a defeat to Chelsea.

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Asked whether Spurs need more control in their performances, Kulusevski said: "If you want to get a result, maybe yeah.

"You have to think about how are we physically? Who’s playing? How many games have we played in the last week? Who are we playing? Have they rested for one week or something? You have to put everything in because it is like life – it’s not just black and white. It’s a lot of factors going into it."

He added: "No, maybe [Spurs' approach is] not [sustainable]. But you have to improve, you have to find ways. Maybe we should have let them have the ball more, but that’s not how we play. We went out, we gave everything. It didn’t work. Maybe we learn for the next time.

"We have to learn because we conceded six goals. I can’t sit here and say that we’re doing something perfectly. We’re not. We have to change a little bit for the better, always try to change for the better."

After a run of just two wins in seven games, Spurs have slumped to 11th in the Premier League.

Kulusevski also revealed that when Spurs pulled two goals back against Liverpool – including his strike in the 72nd minute – to reduce Liverpool's deficit to 5-3, he thought "something special" could be on the cards.

But Diaz delivered the final dagger to restore the away side's three-goal advantage late on, putting the game out of reach for Tottenham.

"I said to myself [when trailing 5-1]: ‘If you want to play, play now'," the Swede explained.

"It’s easy to play when you’re winning. It’s easy to play when everything is going good. If you want to be a man, step up now and do your best. And that’s what we did.

"Honestly, at 5-3, I said that we’re going to do it. It was so frustrating to see the ball go in [from Diaz] for 6-3, and after that, the game is over.

"I really thought that it could happen, something special."

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REACTION AS SPURS EDGE SEVEN-GOAL THRILLER TO REACH EFL CUP SEMIS

TWO-GOAL DOMINIC SOLANKE: "For sure(he feels relief). Obviously being 3-0 up we could have dealt with the game better, we killed ourselves a bit at times and made it harder but the most important thing was the win and we are through to the next round, so we are happy with that," he told Sky Sports post match.

ON FORSTER’S ERRORS: "That’s football sometimes. We stick together. Mistakes happen and they are a part of football. But we dig in. We showed spirit to make sure we stayed in the game even when we were going through a difficult period and we got the job done."

DEJAN KULUSEVSKI ON THE ERRORS AND THROWING AWAY A 3-0 LEAD: "It’s life. Sometimes it doesn’t go straight, but the important thing is that we win. We go through, but Sunday we go again against a good team (Liverpool) so I’m very happy for the win."

Asked what it would mean to win a trophy with Spurs, he added: "It would mean everything. That’s why we work (hard). We will try to win and we have got to keep going, get better and stay hungry."

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SPURS EDGE SEVEN-GOAL THRILLER AS SOLANKE STARS AND FORSTER ENSURES A NIGHTMARE

Dominic Solanke struck twice as Tottenham survived a self-inflicted scare to book a spot in the EFL Cup semi-finals with a rollercoaster 4-3 victory over Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The England striker netted for the fourth game in a row against The Red Devils when he flashed home a rebound on 15 minutes before Dejan Kulusevski doubled the hosts’ lead a minute into the second half.

Solanke then added his second of the night to put Spurs 3-0 up on 54 minutes, but two howlers from goalkeeper Fraser Forster set up a nervy finale with substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo both netting.

Son Heung-Min’s left-wing corner flew directly into the net to give Spurs breathing space two minutes from time, with Jonny Evans' header deep into stoppage time not enough to complete a comeback for the away side in a bonkers cup tie.

Tottenham will now meet either Liverpool, Arsenal or Newcastle in a two-legged semi-final to be played in January.

Image credit: Getty Images

TNT Sports

fire Ange Postecoglou ahead of clash with Spurs

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Southampton manager Russell Martin has defended struggling Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou ahead of Southampton's clash with Spurs, claiming he has "a lot of respect" for the Australian.

Postecoglou has been subjected to increasing criticism in recent weeks as his Spurs side have picked up just two wins in their last eight games, albeit with emphatic wins against Manchester City and Aston Villa respectively.

Tottenham battled to a 1-1 draw away at Rangers in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, while in their previous game they let a two-goal lead slip against London rivals Chelsea to eventually lose 4-3, conceding two sloppy penalties in the process.

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Postecoglou’s staunch commitment to his tactical approach has come under scrutiny in the aftermath of Spurs' recent failures.

But Martin took a different viewpoint, insisting Postecoglou’s Spurs team is "brave" and "aggressive", while acknowledging that they have also been "unfortunate with injuries".

The Southampton head coach highlighted Postecoglou’s Celtic team as an example of what the Australian is capable of if given time.

Postecoglou blasts Werner for ‘unacceptable’ performance against Rangers

Video credit: SNTV

The 59-year-old managed Celtic between June 2021 and June 2023, winning two leagues, two Scottish League Cups and a Scottish Cup.

"There was so much praise for being so aggressive, so brave, relentless restarts, energy… he did a great job," Martin said.

"So, when results are good no one questions the style or his conviction or belief system and the minute it starts faltering it’s always down to that."

Southampton's struggles

Martin has also been criticised for his tactical stubbornness as his newly promoted Southampton side sit rock bottom of the Premier League with just one win and only five points from 15 games.

"If you believe in something, and it’s taken you a certain way in life and on a certain pathway and journey, to deviate too far from that I think is crazy," Martin said in defence of his principles.

Southampton manager Russell Martin looks dejected after his side's 1-0 Premier League defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on December 7, 2024

Image credit: Getty Images

"I can’t speak for him [Postecoglou] but we are adapting. We adapt shape, we adapt approach, we adapt personnel but with the same consistency in what’s really important, with the same concept of the game so we can’t deviate too far from that otherwise we become nothing really.

"Everyone is just quick to criticise these days and I have a lot of respect for him."

Southampton have lost four of their last five games and are already eight points adrift of safety in the Premier League.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have lost their last two league games and have not won in the league since their 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City in late November.

The two out-of-form sides meet on Sunday at 19:00 UK time, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

How to watch Southampton v Tottenham

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Southampton v Tottenham will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 with coverage from 18:00 UK time on Sunday, December 15, ahead of a 20:00 kick-off.

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1 Tottenham Hotspur– Spurs fight back to salvage draw at electric Ibrox in UEFA Europa League

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Dejan Kulusevski scored a late equaliser to deny Rangers a famous win in the UEFA Europa League, as they were held to a 1-1 draw in a pulsating game with Spurs.

The hosts, who have a big cup final against Celtic at the weekend, were the better side in the first half, but found Fraser Forster in their way as he made solid saves from Nedim Bajrami and Václav Černý.

It did not take the Ibrox side long to find their feet after the break though, as Hamza Igamane netted for the fifth time in as many games when he converted in the 47th minute.

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That raised the roof at Ibrox, but try as they might, Philippe Clement’s side could not find a second, which proved costly as Kulusevski equalised late on.

There was more to come, with Cyriel Dessers forcing Forster into one stunning save and having a goal ruled out for offside as the shares were spoiled.

TALKING POINT - Pressure mounts on Postecoglou

Things have not been going well for Ange Postecoglou at Spurs, with the manager even exchanging words with supporters in recent weeks.

The former Celtic boss would have hoped a trip to Ibrox could have helped alleviate some pressure, but that could not have been further from the truth.

His side deserved little from the game, often struggling to cope with the Rangers forward line, and have now won only one of their last eight fixtures. Trouble could lie ahead, as a point will not be enough to silence any of his critics.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Vaclav Cerny (Rangers). The winger caused Spurs no end of problems from the Rangers right with a mesmerising display.

He was constantly able to cut inside and beat his man, and that often spelled danger, as it led to numerous shooting chances that Forster was forced into saving.

On another night, his quick feet would have grabbed a couple of goals, as the Czech Republic international, who is on loan from Wolfsburg, put in a dazzling display.

PLAYER RATINGS

RANGERS: Butland 7; Tavernier 7, Souttar 7, Propper 7, Yilmaz 7; Cerny 9, Raskin 7, Diomande 6, Bajrami 6, Jefte 6; Igamane 7. Subs: Balogun 6, Sterling 6, Barron 6, Dessers n/a, Fraser n/a

SPURS: Forster 8, Porro 7, Dragusin 6, Gray 6, Udogie 5; Bentancur 5, Bissouma 6, Maddison 6; Johnson 5, Son 6, Werner 6. Subs: Kulusevski 7, Sarr 6, Bergvall 6, Solanke 6

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Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur: How to watch UEFA Europa League on TNT Sports and discovery+ in UK, live stream and TV

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Published 09/12/2024 at 12:01 GMT

Tottenham travel to Glasgow as they face Rangers in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday at Ibrox. Both sides have both earned 10 points in their respective campaigns so far, and a win for either team would set them up for a strong challenge to earn an automatic qualification spot for the next round. Ange Postecoglou has come under increasing pressure after defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea.

‘Born out of desperation’ - Postecoglou reflects on ‘painful’ Spurs defeat

Video credit: SNTV

The UEFA Europa League moves onto matchday six on Thursday, with a glamorous all-British tie coming up in Glasgow.

Tottenham travel north to take on Scottish giants Rangers, with the teams neck and neck in the Europa League table.

Both sides have 10 points, with Rangers eighth and Tottenham in ninth, separated by goal difference.

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Tottenham have not won since their 4-0 win at Manchester City, and they lost at the weekend in a painful 4-3 defeat at home to Chelsea.

Manager Ange Postecoglou is feeling the pressure, so European success might go some way to winning back disgruntled supporters.

Rangers have four consecutive wins to their name, their last European match a 4-1 win at Nice, and the weekend seeing them beat Ross County 3-0. They sit third in the Scottish Premiership as they look set to lose out to arch-rivals Celtic once more.

When is Rangers v Tottenham?

Rangers will host Tottenham at Ibrox in the league phase of the Europa League on Thursday, December 12.

Kick-off is 20:00 UK time, with live coverage on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+. Coverage starts at 19:00.

How to watch Rangers v Tottenham on TNT Sports and discovery+

TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.

You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media. To find out where your local establishments showing TNT Sports are, use our Pub Finder Tool.

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