Football365

Man Utd could be forced to pursue other manager targets as Tottenham hold talks with Roberto De Zerbi about taking over from Igor Tudor, according to reports.

The Red Devils made a poor start to the new Premier League season but have turned things around in recent weeks under new interim boss Michael Carrick, who replaced Ruben Amorim in January.

Carrick has won six, drawn one and lost one of his first eight matches in charge with Man Utd flying up to third in the Premier League table and leaving fans dreaming of a Champions League return next season.

It had seemed like INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would opt for the former Man Utd midfielder as their permanent boss in the summer following his incredible start in the interim role.

However, shortly after their defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League, former CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs insisted that Carrick is not the “frontrunner” for the job and revealed the names of other candidates.

Jacobs said on The United Stand: “I don’t think we can call Michael Carrick the frontrunner for the job.”

MAILBOX: Was watching Liverpool and Arsenal more fun in the ‘pants’ years?

He added: “Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto Martinez are names being discussed at the moment.

“Mauricio Pochettino and Kieran McKenna are still appreciated, but are not expected to be frontrunners for the job.”

Man Utd want to appoint their next permanent manager before the World Cup starts on June 11 and GiveMeSport have claimed that De Zerbi is ‘one of United’s preferred external managerial candidates’.

De Zerbi is the obvious candidate as Nagelsmann and Martinez both have World Cup commitments with Germany and Portugal, and Tottenham ‘could stun Man Utd’ by hiring the Italian.

But Tottenham could now ruin the Red Devils’ plans if they choose to sack Igor Tudor, who has lost all three of his first three matches as interim boss in north London.

READ: Tudor sacked after triple loss as Tottenham caretaker’s final straw at former clubs remembered

GiveMeSport add that Spurs ‘could be forced to make a permanent hire earlier than that if Tudor’s poor form continues’ with De Zerbi ready to ‘hold face-to-face talks’ with Tottenham.

Former Man Utd defender Wes Brown insists that there is “no doubt” that Carrick is “in contention” for the permanent gig after his great start.

Brown told BetMGM: “I think if something is working then why change it? You can’t say if Michael [Carrick] will get the job permanently now but there’s no doubt he’s in contention for it.

“He was very much brought in as an interim for the rest of the season and I think we all expected that would be how it would go. However, he’s seriously in the conversation now after what he’s done since he’s come in.

“It’s a seriously hard job – you just have to look at the managers that have come in before him and how much they’ve struggled for evidence of that. He’s managed to get the players playing well again and in doing so they’ve won matches, and, at the end of the day, that’s what the Premier League is about.

“In the past people might have had questions about whether he’s a big enough name for the job but I don’t think they can really do that now,” he added. “Manchester United have gone for big names before and they’ve failed, so I think the fact Michael understands the club and knows what’s expected of the players make him a very strong candidate.

“He knows that more than pretty much any manager they could go for and that’s got to count in his favour. He’s got that experience under his belt now as well and there’s always a case that if they do go down another path and it goes wrong, they’ll look back and realise they made the wrong decision.

“Don’t get me wrong, he still hasn’t been there for very long but I don’t think there are many managers that could have done any better than Michael has done.”

Liverpool are hoping to replace Andy Robertson with Inter Milan left-back Federico Dimarco in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Reds improved that position in the summer transfer window when they brought in Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth in a deal worth around £40m.

Kerkez has pushed Robertson down the pecking order at Anfield and the Scotland international is expected to leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season.

There was a lot of interest from Tottenham in the January transfer window but the Reds ended up holding onto their experienced Scot.

Robertson is unlikely to end up at Spurs if they are relegated from the Premier League, which is becoming to be a real possibility, and the Liverpool defender insists he never lost focus while there was speculation around his future.

Robertson told reporters: “There was obviously interest [from Tottenham] — there was discussions had with both sets of clubs.But the decision was that I wanted to stay. We stayed at Liverpool and that was the decision made.

READ: Liverpool immediately knocked back in attempt to snatch two PSG superstars

“I was never not committed. I’ve been committed to Liverpool for the last eight and a half or nine years now and I’ll be committed until I’m no longer needed.

“That’s always been my mindset. This club has given me everything and I’ve given this club everything. It’s been a fantastic relationship so hopefully that continues and obviously January happened, but it is now gone.

“Now we move forward and like I said, my focus never came off trying to help the lads on the pitch and in training. Whatever was happening behind the scenes happened, and all I can say is that I kept focusing on football.”

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And now reports in Spain claim that Liverpool have ‘already found Robertson’s replacement’ and the name ‘generating the most interest is Federico Dimarco’.

The report adds: ‘Liverpool FC believe Federico Dimarco could adapt well to the Premier League style of play. The Italian is a full-back with a great ability to join the attack, good crossing quality, and a strong performance in offensive situations.’

Inter Milan are looking to negotiate a new contract for Dimarco to keep him out of the clutches of other European giants with Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid linked recently.

When Robertson’s departure is confirmed, Liverpool ‘could seriously accelerate their offensive to try and convince’ Inter to sell the Italy international.

Tottenham have identified two potential replacements for interim head coach Igor Tudor if they decide to sack the Croatian, according to reports.

The north London club are on a terrible downward trajectory and have failed to improve after sacking former Brentford head coach Thomas Frank last month.

Tudor took over from Frank to become interim head coach until the end of the season but there are already huge doubts that he will last the season.

The Croatian has overseen three losses from his first three matches in charge against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, and now faces a Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield sandwiched in between a Champions League double-header against Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham are now just one point away from the relegation zone after West Ham beat Fulham 1-0 on Wednesday and Spurs lost 3-1 to Crystal Palace on Thursday.

Our friends at TEAMtalk insist that Tudor ‘has escaped the sack, for now’ and are expected to wait until after the match against Liverpool in a week before potentially making any change.

READ: Tudor sacked after triple loss as Tottenham caretaker’s final straw at former clubs remembered

The report adds that Spurs ‘are preparing to remove Tudor in the near future’ and have moved to identify candidates who could replace the former Juventus head coach.

Former Tottenham forward Robbie Keane and ex-Brighton and Napoli boss Roberto De Zerbi are thought to be the two top candidates, although the latter is ‘less enthusiastic about the prospect of stepping into an interim situation’.

TEAMtalk are keen to stress that ‘no final decision has yet been made’ over whether to sack Tudor or not – but they are giving themselves the best possible chance of a smooth transition if they do decided to make a change.

Spanish website AS claims that Richarlison is ‘packing his bags’ ahead of a summer departure from Tottenham that could see him return to Brazil.

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365…

* Tottenham: Tudor ‘close’ to sack as stay of execution revealed; club legend ‘keen to step in’

* ‘It would be catastrophic’ – Defoe reveals Spurs relegation disadvantage vs West Ham, Nottm Forest

* Arsenal are ‘cardboard’ but Spurs will only get promoted on three conditions as seven players must go

Another player who’s likely to leave in the summer, even if Tottenham stay up, is Guglielmo Vicario with Tuttosport insisting that the Italian goalkeeper is ‘drained’ from his time in north London.

Vicario has a ‘less than idyllic relationship’ with new interim boss Tudor and ‘hopes to return’ to Italy and play for Juventus in the summer market.

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp reckons Spurs “could even be favourites” of them, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham to go down.

Redknapp told talkSPORT on Friday: “Four or five weeks ago I really couldn’t see Tottenham being involved in a relegation scrap.

“Every week has gone by it’s got worse. West Ham are now playing very well which is great, Forest picked up a big point the other night, the only other side getting sucked in now is Leeds, they’ve got sucked into that battle as well, I thought they were clear because they’ve had a good season, played ever so well.

“But Tottenham are bang in it now, must be truthful. They’re looking like they could even be favourites out the four to go, it’s that desperate.”

Tottenham might genuinely have to consider sacking Igor Tudor, but what results have led to his dismissal by his other clubs and what could be the final straw for Spurs?

Suspicions were raised about Tudor right from the off. Yes, the vast majority of Spurs fans wanted Thomas Frank gone. Yes, Tudor was only an interim appointment. But his track record didn’t exactly quell any nerves when he took the reins for Tottenham.

And now, three games in, Tudor has suffered three defeats. First it was 4-1 to Arsenal. Then 2-1 to Fulham. And most recently, 3-1 to Crystal Palace as their dismal home record continued.

Spurs are just one point above the relegation zone with nine games left. Could they panic and admit defeat with Tudor prematurely?

You barely hear of clubs sacking caretaker/interim/acting head coaches, but Spurs have done it before with Cristian Stellini in 2023. Now, expect to hear some calls for Tudor to face a similar fate.

But what does the end of a Tudor reign usually look like? These are the games that have got him sacked from his previous jobs (not counting any he resigned from or left by mutual consent).

Juventus (2025)

Lazio 1-0 Juventus

When he took the Tottenham job, much was made of the fact that Tudor had left Juventus at the end of an eight-game winless run a few months earlier. That didn’t really bode well.

Tudor had originally been an interim manager for Juventus at the back end of last season and, really, it should have stayed that way.

Although he helped them qualify for the Champions League, Juventus weren’t really convinced by Tudor. It was merely a lack of alternatives that prompted them to stick with him last summer.

He didn’t even make it to November at the helm, though. Back-to-back defeats to Como and Lazio in Serie A saw Juventus fail to score, as did a Champions League loss to Real Madrid in between.

The 1-0 loss to Lazio was not just the culmination of a three-game losing streak, but the end of the road for Tudor. Despite having 60% of the possession, Juventus only created three big chances against a team who’d already lost three of their first seven games and that Tudor should have been better prepared against after spending time in their own dugout in 2024.

Udinese (2019)

Udinese 0-4 Roma

With the same owners as Watford, Udinese aren’t shy when it comes to dispensing with managers.

Tudor has been there twice, returning in March 2019 – 11 months after his first appointment.

Seven months later, Udinese got rid of him after a 4-0 home defeat to Roma, who were down to 10 men for more than half of the game and had less possession than Tudor’s side.

That wasn’t even their worst defeat that month. Three days earlier, they fell to a 7-1 thrashing by Atalanta.

MEDIAWATCH: Spurs star ‘breaks silence’ after team-mate ‘appears to berate’ doomed Igor Tudor

Galatasaray (2017)

Yeni Malatyaspor 2-1 Galatasaray

Tudor took charge of Galatasaray in February 2017 after vacating his role with fellow Turkish side, Karabukspor. His new side went on to finish fourth by the end of that season.

They kept Tudor on, but only until that December. His downfall was a 2-1 loss away at Yeni Malatyaspor, who were newcomers to the Turkish Super Lig and were five games without a win at the time.

Galatasaray found themselves two goals down before half time and could only claw one back in the second half. Having registered just three shots on target, Galatasaray slipped from top of the league – having been eight points clear at one stage – to third after the loss.

Tudor said afterwards: “All my life is pressure. There are two popular things in Turkey. One is, ‘Tudor resign!’ [and] the other is this worthless system. Everyone is happy when my system fails. It is the mentality in Turkey. When the team loses, I am guilty one but when it wins, the success belongs to the footballers. Every coach in the world makes mistakes.”

The pressure had been building on Tudor for a while. Their elimination from the Europa League qualifiers by Graham Potter’s Ostersunds in July rang the first alarm bells, as did points dropped in Istanbul derbies with Fenerbahce and Besiktas.

The writing was on the wall and there was no way back from the Yeni Malatyaspor defeat.

PAOK (2016) 9/3/16

Panthrakikos 2-1 PAOK

After resigning from his first job with Hajduk Split in 2015, Tudor faced the sack for the first time with PAOK in Greece.

The axe fell in March 2016, less than a year into the three-year contract he was given the previous summer.

PAOK took the lead away at Panthrakikos, but ended up losing 2-1, conceding the winner with just a few minutes left.

PAOK’s club statement also blamed his sacking on “derogatory comments regarding the team’s quality”. Insert your own joke about Spurs here.

An entire 19 obstacles still remain, but there can no longer be any doubt as to the legitimacy of Arsenal’s Quadruple credentials.

If they can overcome quite literally by far the greatest team the world has ever seen, surviving a magic-adjacent wobble in the process, it is difficult to fathom what might possibly stop the Gunners now.

The answer is probably the same as it has been for months: themselves. But Arsenal manoeuvring a banana skin of this magnitude is somehow more compelling evidence that they are proper than a perfect Champions League record, a north London derby thrashing or a Fabian Hurzeler-baiting smash and grab.

Those occasions are easier for Arsenal to rise to. The Premier League is their bread and butter, the Champions League a more exotic hotel option of fruit, yoghurts and croissants. The rhythm and flow of those competitions is what Mikel Arteta has spent more than six years attuning this club to.

A trip to a third-tier team already deeper in the FA Cup than three generations of their support will have ever experienced, with every final semblance of pressure on Arsenal alone not just across these 90 playing field-equalling minutes but for the complexion of a season which still teeters between incomprehensible glory and unprecedented failure with each passing fixture, made for a remarkably difficult and potentially ungodly humbling afternoon.

The nine changes Arteta understandably decided to make to his starting line-up added another element of risk to a combustible equation.

Through that prism, a 2-1 win over an obdurate Mansfield side running purely on magical FA Cup fumes can only really be viewed one way: how absurdly funny it is that Arsenal were given a far harder time here than against Spurs a fortnight ago.

There are 59 places between these two teams in the English football pyramid, but the hilarious extent to which Mansfield have had their eye on this game and run for well over a month ought to be taken into account.

Since beating Sheffield United in the third round on January 11, the Stags had won two of their 11 games: 3-0 at home to Port Vale on January 17, then 2-1 against Burnley at Turf Moor in February to reach this stage.

They are 16th in League One but have games in hand on most of those around them and can now focus fully on pulling towards mid-table safety. And on this showing that will not take long.

It will never not be strange to see an open Bishop Street Stand, never mind a completely packed one. After ten minutes those condensed fans were cheering in gleeful anticipation as heroes from previous rounds in Louis Reed and Rhys Oates both went close. Five minutes later, former Leeds forward Tyler Roberts curled an effort just past the post.

The 11 shots Mansfield mustered by half time – more than Arsenal’s ten – was the most the Gunners had faced in a first half all season.

Much of that was born of Arteta’s curious selection call, combining mass rotation with an unfamiliar three-man defence to almost goad a shock defeat.

Cristhian Mosquera in particular struggled with facing what was presumably a club he grew up supporting. Some players performed at a level tangibly below their capabilities and will be relieved that the run-in likely features only top-flight opposition from here on out.

Arsenal merely adopted the dark (arts) but Mansfield were born in it, moulded by both facing and being managed by Steve Evans. They were on a diet of Exodus Geohaghon long throws while Arsenal were still passing it in under Arsene Wenger. This was never going to be easy.

Only with Piero Hincapie’s introduction for Leandro Trossard in the 38th minute did Arsenal discover the balance necessary to strike first through Noni Madueke and calm their nerves.

It was the first time ever that a Premier League side had started a competitive fixture with two players aged 16 or under. Max Dowman was excellent in a performance of real maturity, but the otherwise impressive Marli Salmon flaked at the wrong moment.

His pass into the middle was slightly short as Arsenal recycled possession, yet Hincapie’s response turned a lit match into a raging dumpster fire. Will Evans nipped in, fresh on as a half-time substitute, to bypass the barely-turning defender and slot past Kepa for the equaliser.

It was nothing Mansfield didn’t deserve, nor a moment they simply settled for.

Reed should have done better when the hosts outnumbered Arsenal on a counter; Kyle Knoyle did exceptionally well to clear off the line when the Gunners wasted their own five-v-two opportunity; Oliver Irow almost scored perhaps the most narrative-laden equaliser of all time as a Spurs loanee netting from a long throw.

In the end, Arsenal needed two summer signings to save them. Both Madueke and substitute Eberechi Eze’s efforts were technically phenomenal, brutally powerful, and validation of signings which cost more than £100m to turn Arsenal into a unit capable of competing on multiple fronts.

They had their fun, too, in their casting as the arch-villains of English football. Arsenal absolutely should lean into that laborious tag by calling for a handball when Frazer Blake-Tracy quite evidently chests a cross behind for a corner. They are within their rights to chant “same old Mansfield, always cheating” when Stephen McLaughlin is booked for diving, despite these teams having only ever previously met in 1929.

According to reports, Spurs head coach Igor Tudor is already ‘close’ to getting sacked by the Premier League relegation strugglers.

Former Juventus boss Tudor was drafted in to replace Thomas Frank at Spurs, with the 47-year-old tasked with guiding the Premier League giants to safety.

However, Tudor has had a poor start at Spurs and is yet to spark an improvement from his struggling squad, having deservedly lost his first three games in charge against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

With West Ham beating Fulham 1-0 on Wednesday night, Spurs are now only one point clear of the Premier League relegation zone with nine games of the 2025/26 campaign remaining.

In recent days, there has been speculation that Tudor’s position is already at risk, with a report from Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke now claiming that he is ‘close’ to an exit.

READ: Arsenal are ‘cardboard’ but Spurs will only get promoted on three conditions as seven players must go

O’Rourke has explained that the club could be “forced” to change their position on sacking Tudor, with his report noting that he could have brief stay of execution with the games against Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest said to be decisive.

“They obviously brought in Igor Tudor as a bit of a firefighter to try and get Tottenham out of trouble,” O’Rourke told Football Insider.

“He had a tough start with his first game against North London rivals and league leaders Arsenal, they obviously lost that game, then lost to Fulham.

“As long as they’re not getting results, pressure and scrutiny is going to build on Igor Tudor.”

He added: “They’ve got Atletico Madrid in the Champions League so it’ll be a welcome distraction away from their Premier League struggles. Then they go away to Liverpool and then a massive game against Nottingham Forest later in March.

“I think that’ll be a huge game for both clubs obviously down in that relegation dogfight as well. If Spurs don’t [pick up points], they’re going to find themselves in real trouble in that respect.

“Spurs ideally don’t want to have to make another managerial change, but if things don’t improve and results continue as they are, you just never know what the club might be forced into.”

A report from our pals at TEAMtalk claimed on Friday that club legend Robbie Keane has ’emerged’ as the ‘leading candidate’ to replace Tudor.

And talkSPORT are reporting that Keane is ‘keen to step in’ to replace Tudor, while Mauricio Pochettino and Marco Silva are mooted as options beyond this summer.

Jermain Defoe has commented on Tottenham Hotspur’s fight to avoid relegation, with West Ham and Nottingham Forest holding one advantage.

Tottenham‘s relegation fears increased in midweek as Igor Tudor’s side are now only a single point clear of the bottom three.

Under Tudor, Spurs have lost their last three Premier League games and have looked pretty hopeless against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

West Ham and Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have shown more signs of life in recent matches, with each side picking up points against Fulham and Manchester City in recent days.

Now, Defoe has admitted that it will be “tough” for Spurs to avoid relegation as most of their players are yet to “experience” a scrap at the bottom of the Premier League.

“It would be catastrophic, to be fair, if the club got relegated,” Defoe told The Sun.

READ: Arsenal are ‘cardboard’ but Spurs will only get promoted on three conditions as seven players must go

“A massive club like Tottenham – you look at the infrastructure and everything that comes about.

“I have been in both situations. Of course, the pressure of trying to win the league or finish in the top four is a lot of pressure.

“But I do feel like it is maybe a different type of pressure [at the bottom] when you have maybe not experienced something like this before. It is going to be tough.”

However, Defoe has explained why he thinks Spurs’ players “have got” the hunger for the relegation fight.

“The players have got that,” Defoe added when asked whether Tottenham’s players have the hunger for the relegation fight.

“If they didn’t have that, they wouldn’t have achieved what they have in terms of being young kids and growing up to play at this level.

“You need a little bit of fight about you – and if you haven’t got it, you are going to have to find it because it is going to be difficult.

“The reality is you are in a relegation fight. If you don’t win football matches, and teams in and around you start winning, then you are in trouble.”

When comparing Tottenham’s form in the Premier League and Champions League, Defoe added: “It is like one extreme to another.”

READ NEXT: Who will be the next Spurs manager? Dyche, Redknapp and Mason among the frontrunners

“The Champions League is obviously so big for the football club. But at the same time, I would love to stand here and say Tottenham are not in a relegation fight – but they are.

“The club has not experienced this before. These players have probably never experienced this before. There are some top players there.

“All the injuries they have had this season…it’s key to get some of those back from now to the end of the season. Hopefully, they can help this team win games.

“But it is going to be difficult. When I look at the West Ham performances, they have improved so much under Nuno. They have got a little bit of fight, a little bit of spirit and momentum. Leeds are the same, Forest are the same.”

Spurs ‘won’t come straight back up’ to the Premier League if they are relegated unless three things happen as seven players must go…

Also, Arsenal are ‘cardboard’ and a definitive answer is given to a ‘pretty tiring’ debate.

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com….

Spurs must ‘bin off’ seven players to get promoted at the first attempt

I still have the ticket from my first Spurs match. It’s framed, and has always been something I have cherished.

That Spurs team had some great players; Hoddle, Waddle, Clemence, Gough, Mabbutt, Ardiles….Clive Allen was one season away from plundering 49 goals in one season as we came so close to glory.

We lost that match 2-1 – two red cards, two players stretchered off. There were 21000 people at that game. It was dark, damp and cold.

But…it was glorious.

Last summer I gave up my season ticket in protest (I know, big deal) at the ownership of the club. Not just Levy but the entire Enic board. I hoped it would reverse psychology the whole club into winning. That didn’t work.

If Spurs go down, and lets be honest, it’s likelier than it not happening now, they won’t be coming straight back up. Not a chance. Unless they bin off Vicario, Porro, Romero, VDV, Bissouma, Richarlison, Dragusin. Players who should be standing up to be counted, are shaming the fans, and themselves (most of them are kidding themselves that The Big Transfer is incoming by the by).

Keep the kids, and bring in some battle hardened championship stalwarts.

The irony is, I think I might enjoy the championship far more than the PL. No more VAR!

Dan

READ: Premier League predicted final table: Spurs doomed as relegation crisis is laid bare

A definitive answer to the Arsenal debate… from a Liverpool supporter

The back and forth about what Arsenal are good at it is pretty tiring, and like their football, extremely boring.

We can essentially just conclude the whole discussion with the following: “Arsenal are the most successful version of Stoke the league has seen”.

I think that will cover it for everyone. Neutrals couldn’t stand the football Stoke produced during the Pulis years and Arsenal fans can bask in the glory of seeing their team be hard to beat, physical and likely league winners.

Dean LFC

Arsenal are cardboard

Arsenal are good. Genuinely, good. Arteta has built something organised, resilient, and relentless. So why does watching them feel like eating nutritious cardboard?

The answer lies in what we’ve been spoiled by. Guardiola’s City didn’t just win, they made football look like philosophy made flesh. Positional play so intricate it required a glossary. De Bruyne, Silva, Sane, Aguero – watching them was fun. Klopp’s Liverpool were an act of pure, barely-contained violence gegenpressing as ideology. Salah, Mane and Firmino doing what they wanted, and never running out of ideas. Even Ranieri’s Leicester had romance baked into every mad counter-attack, Vardy and Mahrez were incredible to watch. Conte’s Chelsea had a zip to them too, marauding wingbacks and Eden Hazard performing like a wizard.

Arsenal offer to the footballing world is competence. Rigorous competence. But competence without charisma is just efficiency, and efficiency doesn’t make the hairs on your neck stand up. They are boring to all but Arsenal fans.

There’s also the Arteta problem. The studied sincerity. The press conference performances. The tactical fouling dressed as culture, set-pieces as style. The sense that every decision on and off the pitch has been workshopped, focus-grouped, and sanitised of anything genuinely spontaneous.

Nobody dislikes Arsenal because they’re bad. Everyone dislikes them because they’re good in a way that somehow makes football feel less than what we know it can be. They’re close to winning an argument without ever making you love the debate.

JB (Roll on next season)

A West Ham fan on ‘the best relegation battle in many years’

This is setting up to be the best relegation battle for many years. Having gone to every game the season we went down with 42 points, and currently still being the bookies favorites to be the third team to fall through the infamous ‘trap door’, I take no delight in this. I think that 40 points may well be needed to stay up this year. On that note, last season 26 was enough to stay up. Wtaf??

However, signs from The London are encouraging. West Ham are playing well. Fernandes has quickly become our best player, Summerville is a menace and dropping Killman has transformed the defense (though we still can’t defend corners). If we had held on to a comfortable 2-0 lead at Chelsea and a deserved 1-0 lead against Man U after 96 minutes, we would already be clear. In fact I see that we have managed to top at least one table, the one for most points lost from winning positions, 20 (twenty).

Obviously the position is still greatly concerning. Bowen has had a prolonged dip in form (though still plays his balls off every game of course) and we are one key injury away from huge trouble. I also still worry about Nuno. His decision to play for the win against Fulham from the start was admirable, but doing so by replacing an in form center midfielder with a second striker, when we never play with 2 up top, and with players in that role who have never played together, was amateurish. It nullified our best attacking players and left us short in midfield. Fulham without Wilson looked completely there for the taking and it was infuriating that we ceded an obvious advantage by employing a novice ChampMan tactic.

However, I don’t think I would swap our position for the 3 teams above us. Leeds are quietly sinking since their, at the time, massive win against Forest at the start of February. They fit the job description for “team that has looked safe all season who surprisingly gets dragged into it”. Forest themselves have defied the odds by having a genuine new manager bounce in terms of performances. Perhaps most impressively they are showing substantial fight. The players seem committed and fully ‘bought in’ to the task at hand, as most obviously displayed against City this week.

Which leaves Spurs. As unlikely as it seems for a Big Six (sorry, had to do it…) club to be involved at this end of the table, last night’s performance was a genuine shock to me for the complete lack of energy, belief and fight of the players. There also didn’t seem to be any discernible game plan. Even before the sending off, Palace, who themselves have been on a terrible run and have officially carried “in turmoil” status since the start of year, were comfortably the better side before the red, regardless of the scoreline.

However, leaving aside the X’s and O’s, most worryingly for them, Spurs have “the stench”. I’ve talked about the stench a few times before, because it’s something that my own team has contracted quite a few times previously, including during one extended period this season. The stench is something you can palpably see and feel when watching a team play. No one has any confidence, everyone is playing with the crippling fear of being the latest person to bugger something up, you’re second to every loose ball, inexplicable errors creep in regularly (short hit passes, keepers slow to make positioning decisions. Also, the fans have moved through the period of angrily booing and shouting at the team at half and full times, to a strangely calm and quieter period where they are constantly waiting for the other boot to drop and for it to all fall apart again. It’s a nauseating and emotionally crippling period for a fan where it’s hard to summon the passion/energy to boo or scream anymore as you realise there’s no point. Importantly, it doesn’t matter how good your players are anymore, as once you have the stench everyone is infected. I’m sure Spurs fans are best placed to confirm or deny this theory, but it is definitely what I saw last night.

Re your (probably fair) point yesterday, after 2 years of having Spurs dropped into every single article, regardless of what it was about, at least 4 Spurs related entries in Winners and Losers every week even after the most mundane of draws, Spurs being featured in Big Weekend automatically etc etc, I stopped visiting the site due to this consistent perceived lack of journalistic impartiality. Unfortunately, after about 3 weeks of this, I felt like Mark Renton in his bedroom with the dead baby crawling on the ceiling and had to come back. Still a little sore about that maybe. But (cue Alan Partridge voice when he talks about Noel Edmonds), “obsessed with Tickers”?? Nah. Just a little shadenfreide perhaps.

Mike, WHU

READ NEXT: Nottingham Forest stars reassigned after relegation as Man City win Man Utd battle

Hurzeler is not a white knight

Amused by how many people in the mailbox and below the line think that Hürzeler has come out to defend our beautiful sport from the existential evil that is Arteta’s Arsenal. Judging by the outright cynicism from him and his team in that match I think it’s safe to say he was aiming for some Mourinho style hijinks hoping it’d get under the skin of everyone involved from the opposition players and fans to the officials. Which it did but not in the way he’d wanted. Any coach who has told his players to obstruct the goalkeeper (literally every time) and delay set pieces like they did isn’t your saviour in this anti-football nonsense narrative. He’s the same as the rest of his peers, including Arteta! Hürzeler’s just playing games and you’re apparently his willing dupes!

North-East Gooner

Just keep winning, Arsenal

Matt, Dublin, I suspect the reason that Gooners feel the need to remind you that everything is good “as long as they keep winning” is because every time we turn on the TV, look online, read the paper or listen to talks*ite, we are constantly told that everything about Arsenal is wrong, everybody hates are and we are all “insufferable”. They waste time (as has 90% of teams that turn up at the Emirates for the last Lord knows how long). They bend the rules (yes, because that is just an Arsenal problem, I have never seen any other players buy a cheap foul or get the physio on for nothing. They only score from set pieces (clearly not a stick to beat anyone else with).

I’m old enough to have enjoyed the Graham and Wenger eras. If you think I celebrated winning the league in 1989, 1991, 1998, 2002 or 2004 any more or any less than each other, then I question your knowledge of football fans. I am desperate to see Arsenal win the league, to share the experience with my son, who can’t remember watching them win anything and has endured the pain of finishing second for the last three years. Will we find something to be upset about? I very much doubt it.

Steve Lynch

I’ve been an Arsenal fan since my Dad told me I was.

In my lifetime I’ve seen Arsenal lose:

* The FA cup final

* The League Cup final (more than once)

* The Cup Winners Cup final (no longer exists)

* The UEFA Cup final (also no longer exists)

* The Europa League final

* The Champions League final

And, for good measure, I’ve also seen us lose the Premier League on the last day of the season.

I will take winning ugly over losing every time.

Steve

MORE ON ARSENAL: The most boring thing about Arsenal is clear after Arteta follows Klopp blueprint

Laura Woods missed the point

So I have just seen the comment that Laura Woods made regarding Alan Pardew’s comments that any Arsenal win may be seen with an asterisk next to it. Whilst I agree with her that it’s insulting to belittle any teams achievements I think she has ignored the crux of who caused this negativity around the so called “right” winners and subsequently why most fans pray they don’t win it.

Now I’m a 40 year old Chelsea fan that lived through some of the greatest years as a fan. Was our football pretty? Rarely. Was it efficient? Always. Was it frustrating to the purists? Deliciously so. Who were the “purists” at the forefront of said outrage? Arsenal fans every time.

I vividly remember Arsenal supporters fan girling over Barcelona desperately trying to draw comparisons between their mediocre tiki taka and Barcelona’s all dominating messi days. Whilst I despised that Barca team and have my tin foil hat theories on their success they did what they did and they knew how to win clean and how to win dirty so fair play.

The thing that I think gets under a lot of fans skin with this success is that it is diametrically opposed to what Arsenal fans have espoused for the past 20 years. You turned your noses up at us when we held out for the famous win at the nou camp, belittled any team that sat back for not playing the game to your own pre-defined rules and screamed “anti-football” from the rooftops like you were the greta thunbergs of football and Yet you have become the exact thing that you professed to hate.

You’re the Kier Starmer of football. Hollow and without principal. A match made in heaven.

Anthony, Kilburn (The problem with principals is that you have to stick to them)

Has Glasner signed a new contract at Crystal Palace?

Even by the standards of it’s never dull at Crystal Palace, it’s been eventful these past few weeks. They’ve played four teams in the relegation battle, beating Wolves and Spurs, drawing with Nottingham Forest and losing after seven mad minutes against Burnley. They’ve beaten Brighton, were unlucky to lose to Manchester United (a game I note garnered zero emails in the Mailbox), and are through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League. All of which leads me to just one conclusion: we are not far away from discovering that actually, everyone has patched up their differences and Oliver Glasner has actually agreed a new contract to carry on as Palace manager.

In hindsight, supporting Palace this season has been like watching a band you like have a huge hit and struggle with the aftermath. When they were starting out, right up to playing 500-capacity venues, they were fine, they’d built a following who appreciated what they did and some critics admired their musicianship. But once they’d had success, the tensions that had been simmering previously were now boiling over. Everyone involved had their own opinion on who the primary factor in the success was, and therefore who should have the biggest say in what they did next. All of which are disagreements that had been festering all along, but with less willingness to put them aside for the sake of the music. And like with an imploding football club, it’s the fans who suffer.

Speaking of imploding football clubs, we have to talk about Spurs. Last night, they were not far away from Palace in terms of xG, had the same number of shots on target, more touches in the opposition box and actually took the lead. But at the first sign Palace might get back into the game (ignoring the goal ruled out for a tight offside) they panicked and ended up having one of their defenders sent off. They made a couple of substitutions and changed formation to a back five, but still conceded two more goals after the penalty. It’s hard to pinpoint where the majority of the blame lies. Typically any sort of failure of organisation would suggest the manager was at fault, but I have sympathy for Igor Tudor, watching his side crumble. The ten players tasked with seeing the game at least to half time had an average of 169 top flight appearances to their names, so it’s perfectly reasonable for the manager to think they would have enough experience to draw upon to help them get the job done, but apparently not. So the drama continues, to the detriment of their chances.

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor is set to stay for at least one more match as Spurs ‘consider their options’, according to reports.

The north London club are on a terrible downward trajectory and have failed to improve after sacking former Brentford head coach Thomas Frank last month.

Tudor took over from Frank to become interim head coach until the end of the season but there are already huge doubts that he will last the season.

The Croatian has overseen three losses from his first three matches in charge against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace, and now faces a Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield sandwiched in between a Champions League double-header against Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham are now just one point away from the relegation zone after West Ham beat Fulham 1-0 on Wednesday and Spurs lost 3-1 to Crystal Palace on Thursday.

And now the Daily Telegraph that Tottenham are ‘considering their options for a second change of manager in a month’ after Tudor has so far failed to raise the levels of his squad.

READ: Who will be the next Spurs manager? Dyche, Redknapp and Mason among the frontrunners

Tudor ‘will take the team’ against Atletico Madrid next Tuesday and the report explains when Tottenham could make a change if they decide it’s necessary.

The Telegraph adds: ‘After that they have three weeks until their next Premier League game away at Sunderland on April 12, which looks like a natural break for a new manager to be installed. There could also be a Champions League quarter-final first leg to play in that period. Spurs may feel that they cannot wait until after the Forest game, if they are to make a change.’

There is no clear name who will be a frontrunner to take the interim job if Tudor is sacked but the report insists that ‘it is understood that talks have been held about appointing Roberto De Zerbi if they do stay up’ this season.

TalkSPORT also have an update on their own, as they reveal that Tudor ‘will continue as Tottenham manager for the immediate future’.

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365…

* Six Tottenham ‘jokes’ destroyed as Igor Tudor ‘has to go’ – ‘An absolute disgrace’

* Pedro Porro ‘smashes everything’ in ‘real headloss’ but did he ‘berate Igor Tudor’? Did he f***

* Tottenham ‘broken for seven years’, club source tells BBC amid calls for ENIC to ‘sell now’

Intriguingly, the website do mention that former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane is ‘believed to be keen on the job’ if Spurs do ‘decide Tudor is not the right man’ – but the Premier League club are reluctant to make a second change this season.

When asked if Tottenham are going down this season, former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “Yes.

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

“Pape Sarr is a Championship player. Conor Gallagher. How he played for Atletico Madrid, I’ll never know. He’s been awful. He’s been absolutely awful.

“Souza, who is this kid? He looks like he’s got two left feet. Honestly, it’s embarrassing. Seriously, the team is absolutely awful.

“Mathys Tel. I could have told you. A donkey could have told you last season that he was garbage, a donkey could have told you last season that Tel was not good enough.

“He ain’t good enough. And we signed him on a permanent. It’s unbelievable.”

For the Tottenham Hotspur fans looking for comfort today, we bring good news: Lincoln is lovely in winter…

For that is where Spurs are heading. How do we know? Aside from believing what our eyes are telling us, we’ve also done the relegation maths.

And not only are they going down. Unless Igor Tudor – or whoever their next manager is – sparks a dramatic improvement that looks less likely with each passing game, it might not even be close.

Their utterly wretched form in 2026 has seen them plummet into a relegation battle that looks increasingly unwinnable.

They have yet to win this year. The only other club in the 92 yet to taste victory in 2026 is Sheffield Wednesday, and the Owls have many more excuses than Spurs.

Also alarming for Tottenham is the fact that their relegation rivals are in better form. A glance at the form table tells you that and the calendar year table reaffirms it. Look at Wolves and West Ham…

If little changes, and the established patterns of form in 2026 hold, Tottenham are toast.

Taking each of the relegation candidates’ points per game record this year and adding it to their current points total, here’s how the bottom of the Premier League would look come the end of the season.

One positive, perhaps, for Spurs is they play most of their remaining nine games away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Which could be key because Spurs are dire at home, but somehow in the top half on the road, as the Premier League away table shows.

So how do Tottenham turn things around? Tudor was hired for the immediate impact he’s had at his previous clubs, but none of them were Spurs-level shambles and, three games in, he remains pointless.