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ANGE POSTECOGLOU may be experiencing a wildly inconsistent season - but for Gus Poyet, things at Spurs are the same as they ever were.

Tottenham started off last week beating Southampton 5-0 and Manchester United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup - but then were trounced 6-3 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

It means supporters never know what to expect from Postecoglou's side.

But Poyet sees no difference to how things were when he was playing for the club 20 years ago.

And the Uruguayan does not believe that will change until the club fundamentally switches at its core.

Poyet, who assisted Juande Ramos the last time Spurs won a trophy in 2008, told SunSport via Odds comparison: “It was like that when I played for them. I promise you, it was.

“We were there, we were able to beat the best team and then have the worst results. I remember being 3-0 up against Manchester United at home and we lost 5-3.

“How can you be so good in the first half and so bad in the second half?

“This year against Brighton was the same. Two-nil up at half-time and then they lost 3-2.

“Things, they don’t change, until there is something from inside, and I mean right from the core, that change.

“In Spurs, that core didn’t change over the years. It’s more or less the same.”

Some supporters believe that change would involve chairman Daniel Levy and owners ENIC departing the club.

There was a protest ahead of the Liverpool game, and some balloons were released in the 24th minute to signify 24 years of ENIC ownership.

But Poyet did not single out Levy or the way the club is run as the core switch that is needed - more a mentality shift akin to opponents Liverpool where everything is calmer.

The ex-midfielder, who scored 23 goals in 98 Spurs games between 2001-04, added: “It’s a situation with Spurs where every year is like this wish from everyone that it’s going to be the year that something will change.

“For whatever reason, I cannot explain, it’s unique, something always happens.

“A bad result, or a terrible second half, or an incredibly bad performance.

“The ups and downs are too dramatic. For a team to improve over the years, to be consistent, or to be there, you need to be more calm in the good and bad times.

“We can talk about Liverpool, being good for so many years, but because you are competing with someone like Man City who are so good as well, it doesn’t mean you are going to win.

“But you need to maintain it and not get frustrated for one bad result or one bad season.

“With Spurs, everything is a bit up and down.

“It has to come from inside, the consistency, from the core of the club. That’s something that will be important for Spurs if they want to achieve some stability.”

A driving factor for the frustration that has engulfed Spurs in recent years is their 17-year wait for silverware.

Postecoglou will hope to end that this term and is into the Carabao Cup semi-final, where they face Liverpool.

Poyet, who won the FA Cup as a Chelsea player, added: “If I was a Tottenham coach, I would not be thinking about anything else except winning a trophy.

“You’re not going to win the Premier League but can I win a cup? Yes. Winning a trophy makes players winners. When you become a winner, it becomes a habit.”

ANGE POSTECOGLOU hit back at fresh scrutiny over his attacking style — as Tottenham shipped six to Prem leaders Liverpool.

The fed-up Spurs boss argued with a TV reporter and was close to blowing his top following repeated questioning over tactics.

Spiky Postecoglou, whose dodgy defence has conceded 13 goals in the last three home games, snapped: “I’m just going to stop answering these questions.”

Postecoglou pointed to the injuries to keeper Guglielmo Vicario as well as centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham’s first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie also started on the bench as Arne Slot’s pace-setters ran riot in North London.

The Aussie added: “If people can’t see the obvious, I’m not going to point it out. Make of it what you want, yes, we’re conceding goals.

“If you want to discount the fact we’re missing a goalkeeper, two centre-backs and left-back . . .

“I don’t know what to say any more.”

Postecoglou was pushed over whether Spurs will benefit from his commitment to attacking football in the long term.

He said: “I have been really patient the last 18 months sitting up here answering the same questions over and over again.

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“If people want me to change my approach, it’s not going to change.

“We are doing it for a reason, we are doing it because we think it will help us to be successful.”

Postecoglou described this thumping defeat as “painful” which leaves Spurs 11th and eight points off the top four.

Yet they have scored more goals than anyone else in the top flight with 39 and are in a Carabao Cup semi-final.

Supporters even sang Postecoglou’s name at 5-2.

Asked about the fans’ reception, the Tottenham chief replied: “I thought the fans were good today, very good, given it was a difficult day.

“Maybe some of them understand the situation we’re in right now. It seems many don’t.

“I hope they see what we’re trying to build here as I really believe it’s going to be something that gives the club and fans what they want.”

Postecoglou said last month if his side were still tenth at Christmas then he would expect people not to be “happy”.

That was pre-injury crisis but this defeat left his side in the bottom half.

He added: “All I can do is navigate us through a difficult period.

“If you’re saying tenth means I’m not doing a good job and I should be uncomfortable, well that’s for others to judge.”

TOTTENHAM fans protested against chairman Daniel Levy ahead of their defeat to Liverpool.

Spurs were outclassed by the league leaders, who inflicted a 6-3 defeat to leave Ange Postecoglou's side in the bottom half at Christmas.

The Tottenham boss has copped his fair share of flack this season, and he confronted the angry travelling support after an insipid defeat to Bournemouth.

But ahead of the Liverpool match a small group of supporters marched against Levy.

Banners were held up calling for the long-term club chief to leave his post, with supporters carrying black balloons bearing the words: "L£VI OUT".

One banner read: "I don’t care about Levy and he don’t care about me."

While another took a broader aim at the owners, saying: "To dare is too dear. ENIC out."

Organisers planned to release the black balloons onto the pitch in the 24th minute, but few reached the grass.

Tottenham fans have put up with soaring prices since the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, yet results on the pitch have gone backwards.

They sit 11th going into Christmas having lost eight of their 17 Premier League games.

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Their saving grace this season is their cup form, having progressed to the Carabao Cup semi-final this week following a win over Manchester United.

TOTTENHAM have given Ange Postecoglou the green light to sign a goalkeeper from the EFL, according to reports.

Spurs have been without No1 Guglielmo Vicario since November when he was ruled out with an ankle injury.

Fraser Forster came into the side as his replacement but has made mistakes, including passing the ball to a Manchester United attacker in his own box in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham are ready to bring in another keeper and have identified Burnley stoppe James Trafford as their first choice target, report The Mirror.

Postecoglou has reportedly been given the green light to make a move for Trafford, who could cost £20million.

Trafford received his first call-up to the England senior squad last month and boasts 19 Under-21 caps.

He joined Burnley in the summer of 2023 and made 28 Premier League appearances last season.

His performances attracted the attention of Newcastle but they were unable to agree a deal with Liverpool.

Vicario is expected to be out injured for a few more months, so Fraser will deputies unless a replacement is found.

Spurs have also looked at Sunderland's young keeper Anthony Patterson as well as Sheffield Wednesday rookie Pierce Charles.

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Postecoglou is happy enough with Forster in the mean time, despite his mistake against United.

He said: “He’s disappointed as well, because he was outstanding for us. He didn’t have a lot to do before then. And even the first half, I thought he was really good with his feet.

“The first one probably affected his confidence a little bit. He lost a bit of belief, and that second one just compounded it. But he’s a big boy and is another one that’s stood up for us big-time in this period. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

THE Carabao Cup semi-final draw has been made with Tottenham Hotspur dealt a tricky tie against Liverpool.

Spurs will have to topple the league leaders, while north London neighbours Arsenal will face Newcastle in the other tie.

Arsenal will feel they have been given the kindest draw possible, while Spurs face a tough test against Liverpool.

The tie also means that there's a possibility of a North London derby final should both Arsenal and Spurs win their ties.

Spurs will certainly have their work cut out for them against a high-flying Liverpool side.

Arne Slot's team, the current Carabao Cup holders, booked their place in the last four with a tricky victory at Southampton last night.

Despite Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott's first-half goals, the Reds made it hard work for themselves in the second period, with manager-less Saints unlucky not to draw level after Cameron Archer pulled one back.

Arsenal dumped Crystal Palace out on Wednesday night, with a sublime Gabriel Jesus hat-trick completing an impressive turnaround in a 3-2 win.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had netted an early opener, but the Brazilian's treble ultimately proved decisive, even if a late Eddie Nketiah consolation did make for a nervy ending.

Newcastle, meanwhile, edged one step closer to their first domestic trophy in nearly 70 YEARS by dumping Brentford out.

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Sandro Tonali ran the show at St James' Park with a first-half double, but the Toon Army's celebrations were slightly overshadowed by concerns for Joelinton.

The Brazilian midfielder needed hospital treatment after being on the wrong end of a nasty challenge.

Bees star Nathan Collins struck Joelinton with an elbow, and caught the Newcastle man's head with his studs as he fell back to the ground.

Tottenham completed the semi-final line-up by comfortably dispatching of Man Utd in arguably the game of the round at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A Dominic Solanke brace either side of a Dejan Kulusevski goal set the wheels in motion, before those same wheels dramatically fell off.

Fraser Forster committed two goalkeeping howlers to gift Ruben Amorim's side a lifeline, before fellow understudy Altay Bayindir let Son Heung-min score directly from a corner.

Jonny Evans' late goal was not enough as Man Utd were sent home empty-handed.

The Carabao Cup semi-final first legs will take place in the week commencing January 6th 2025, with the second legs to follow in the week beginning February 3rd.

The final will take place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday March 16th.

STEPHEN CARR knows all about beating Manchester United in a big League Cup tie.

Just over 26 years ago, defender Carr was part of the Tottenham team that stunned Sir Alex Ferguson's soon-to-be Treble winners with a 3-1 quarter-final home win.

Chris Armstrong (twice) and David Ginola scored against a weakened Red Devils — albeit one that included Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham.

But it was a great Spurs cup night at the old stadium in an era with very few of them.

Former right-back Carr, 48, told SunSport in association with William Hill: “Manchester United were very successful back then, but the League Cup wasn’t as important. Their eyes were on the treble.

“So it was a great time to play them.”

United were the last of the big guns left in the competition that season, so the draw opened up nicely for Tottenham.

They took full advantage. After sneaking past Wimbledon in the semi-finals, 10-man Tottenham — following Justin Edinburgh’s red card — saw off Leicester at Wembley with Allan Nielsen’s late winner.

But today, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs are unlikely to have it that easy in the latter stages.

They might have dumped out League Cup specialists Manchester City but Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle are waiting in the wings if they see off United.

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Yet Carr — who played every minute of that 1999 final — reckons Postecoglou can keep his second-season promise and lead Tottenham to a first trophy since 2008.

He said: “They can definitely win the cup, but it’s a very strong line-up.

“People say the top teams don’t care about this competition — but there are some massive clubs still in there.

“There’s no reason why Spurs can’t win it. Postecoglou said he always wins a trophy in his second season, so fingers crossed he does.

“Tottenham can beat anybody on their day. They’re unbelievable, especially at home. If they play like we know they can, they can turn over Manchester United.

“The problem is they’ve struggled getting back-to-back results.

“They get an unbelievable result like against Manchester City and then one like Ipswich. They’re so up and down.”

Carr spent 11 years at Tottenham from 1993 to 2004, when they finished between seventh and 15th.

So the cups were often seen as a welcome break.

During that 1998-1999 season, the 11 games Spurs won in the two domestic cups — they also reached the FA Cup semi-finals — was as many as they managed in the Premier League.

And Carr reckons the cups could favour Spurs again this season, saying: “There’s a gap between cup games so out of all the teams left in the competition, cup football suits them most because they’re not as consistent.

“The other big boys go on long winning runs, whereas Tottenham don’t.”

During December, Spurs play nine times across three competitions.

Along with the League Cup, they are in the Europa League — as well as challenging for the Prem’s top four.

But Carr believes their 17-year trophy drought means this last-eight tie is the biggest of the lot.

He added: “It’ll be a big statement to beat Manchester United. They are starting to play now. It’s not the same team who were struggling under Erik ten Hag.

MANCHESTER UNITED ace Alejandro Garnacho has been recalled to the squad that will face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup after being omitted from the derby with Manchester City.

However, there is still no sign of Marcus Rashford, who was also left out of Sunday's Manchester derby at the Etihad by United manager Ruben Amorim.

Garnacho, 20, had a snood pulled over his mouth and wore a black beanie hat before the trip to north London and Thursday's quarter-final clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A lot of the Red Devils' players travelled to Stockport train station by coach after gathering at the airport car park.

However, Rashford, 27, was unaccounted for at the Manchester giants' rendezvous point.

Nevertheless,, Amorim and some other players drove straight to the station.

This comes after the England international strongly suggested he will leave Man Utd after declaring he is ready for a "new challenge".

The forward also reported unwell for training on Monday, while Amorim gave the players Tuesday off.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese tactician confirmed that both Garnacho and Rashford would be in contention to return to the squad against Tottenham.

Amorim said: "If they train well then I have to make a choice. We will see see at the end of training.

"Of course [I expect a reaction]. I expect the best of each player every day so we will see after training."

Amorim was quite vague when explaining Garnacho and Rashford's omission from the 2-1 victory against City but insisted it wasn't due to a disciplinary matter.

The Man Utd boss said: "It is important to say why, it was not a disciplinary thing. Next week, next game new life, they are fighting for their places.

"But for me it is important the performance in training, the performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, they way you engage with your teammates, the way you push your team-mates.

"Everything is important in our context in the beginning of something when we want to change a lot of things, when people in our club are losing their jobs, we have to put the standards really high.

"For that, they have to fight for their place in the team and today the team we proved we can leave anyone outside the squad and manage to win if you play together.

"I’m going to say again it was not a disciplinary thing. It’s the small details. You can see the games like I see, there are some things that have to change.

"But it is a new life, it’s not a disciplinary thing, it’s the performance in training, the performance in game and then I have to change, to choose players.

"If it was disciplinary, I would say that here and it will be a bigger problem but it was not that.

"It was just that I want to improve my players and you understand that for so long, for example with Rash, we tried a thing and it doesn’t work. Let’s continue to do the same thing or try something different?

"So it’s as simple as that. If they train well with the talent they have we will be so much better with them. Both of them. But they have to work hard, they do, today they trained really hard so it’s a good thing. New week, new life, let’s see the next one."

AFTER impressive, much-needed wins in the Premier League on Sunday, Tottenham and Manchester United meet on Thursday for a spot in the Carabao Cup semi finals.

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Tottenham vs Man Utd preview

It's an intriguing final eight left to battle it out for League Cup glory. No tie more so than the one at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both Tottenham and Manchester United got much-needed and hugely impressive victories last weekend and must surely be coming into this on a high.

Spurs ran riot on Sunday on the south coast, putting five beyond Southampton in the first half.

That result came at a great time for Ange Postecoglou, who is facing increased scrutiny in the Spurs hot seat.

But he always wins a trophy in his second season in charge, so he won't be taking this lightly.

Ruben Amorim's United put together an incredible comeback in the final five minutes to add to Manchester City's woes.

Amad Diallo's performance has grabbed most of the headlines, with the remainder of the headlines surrounding the decision to drop Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squads altogether.

While the manager has also been carrying out investigations into who is leaking the team news. So it'll be interesting to see who makes the squad and starting XI here.

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Comeback

Throwing away leads looked to have become Spurs' thing, having chucked away 2-0 leads to lose to both Brighton and Chelsea in the last couple of months - as well as drawing with Fulham having lead earlier this month.

And Manchester United showed their powers of recovery for the second game running, losing 1-0 to win 2-1 against Plzen and City.

They came from behind against Bodo Glimt too making it three times it's happened in six games.

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Cornered

Playing with fast, direct wingers should almost always guarantee corners.

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There were 15 corners in Spurs' last home game and 18 in the one previous to that. So value has been searched.

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RODRIGO BENTANCUR’S appeal against his seven-game ban for racism has failed.

The Tottenham midfielder had hoped to cut the lengthy suspension by one match, meaning he would be available for Sunday’s hosting of league-leaders Liverpool.

But an independent appeal board has dismissed his claim so will be unavailable for the clash with Arne Slot’s Reds, as well as Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.

He has already missed Premier League games against Manchester City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Southampton.

The ex-Juventus man, though, has been allowed to play in the Europa League.

Bentancur, 27, was slapped with a seven-game suspension for bigoted comments aimed towards Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.

The Uruguayan used the racial slur while appearing in a TV interview in his homeland in June.

He was asked by the interviewer to provide a shirt belonging to a Spurs player.

And Bentancur replied: “Sonny’s? I could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”

Bentancur was also hit with a £100,000 fine and ordered to take part in a mandatory face-to-face education programme.

Spurs accepted the charge but felt seven games was “severe” and so appealed.

But the original ban was upheld.

The FA said in a statement on Tuesday: “An independent Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.

“An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a seven-match suspension on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.

“This appeal was dismissed following a hearing, and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the Regulatory Commission.”

EVEN Russell Martin turned his back on his sorry Southampton team as the goals rained down on them.

The now-former Saints gaffer - who was sacked straight after this 5-0 demolition - had already headed down the tunnel to prepare his half-time team-talk before James Maddison struck an ingenious fifth.

Martin's gaffe compounded a nightmare first half which saw Maddison net before and after strikes from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr.

The goal blitz from the visitors provided Tottenham chief Ange Postecoglou some welcome respite and a first win in six.

But for Martin it was pure humiliation that, at the interval, looked in danger of matching the record-breaking 9-0 suffered by Ralph Hasenhuttl against Maddison’s Leicester in 2019.

It did not reach that scale of torment but it was still seriously painful for the 38-year-old.

He was subjected to taunts of “We want Martin out” and “Russell Martin, you’re football is s***” by the home fans - many of whom left early.

And with just five points from the first 16 games taken - a position from which no Premier League side has ever survived - it spelled the end for Martin's job.

Fans were frustrated by his pursuit of sexy football which seemed ill-fitting with the quality of players at his disposal at this level.

There was plenty of anger vented in the away end too - despite the scoreline - in the direction of watching chairman Daniel Levy.

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Supporters see the 62-year-old as the primary reason for their lack of success during his 24-year reign, and sang anti-Levy songs throughout.

St Mary’s was the scene of Antonio Conte’s epic meltdown in March last year which saw the Italian verbally torch the club and the players for being second-rate.

It came after his Spurs side had somehow gone from 3-1 up with ten minutes to go to drawing 3-3 - and it proved to be the Italian firebrand’s last game in charge.

A blurring of the vision Conte and the club had for the future first appeared eight months earlier in pre-season and centered around Spence.

Unprompted, Conte brought up the subject of the £12.5million signing from Middlesbrough and branded him a “club signing”.

He never played him and, amazingly, Spence had to wait two and a half YEARS before making his first start for Tottenham last night.

Most would never have expected it to come after he had a season-long loan spell to Leeds cut short last term due to his poor attitude.

But the 24-year-old bucked up his ideas over the summer and was kept by Postecoglou, who finally gave him a chance from the off here with Pedro Porro tired and out of form.

It proved to be worth the eternal wait as Spence was excellent and beautifully crafted the 38-second opener, driving forward and threading the ball through for Maddison to stick between Alex McCarthy’s legs.

After a dismal run of one win in eight games, it was the perfect start for Postecoglou’s injury-hit side - but it was about to get so much better.

Still, the away fans ensured their point about Levy was not lost amid the celebrations and instantly after Maddison’s goal they were back to telling their chairman to go.

One became two on 12 minutes and then three two minutes after that.

First, a Maddison cross deflected off Jan Bednarek’s head and fell to the feet of Son, who gleefully fired home.

The South Korean then turned provider as he squared for Dominic Solanke, who Bednarek did just about enough to stop him from scoring but not from Kulusevski turning in the rebound.

Spurs’ support cheered that with a rendition of “I don’t care about Levy, he don’t care about me, all I care about is Kulusevski”.

But at that point it was the home fans’ response that took centre stage as they turned on Martin with raucous chants.

He opted to make a change with poor Kamaldeen Sulemana the fall guy for the flailing display and defender Nathan Wood sent on in his place.

It did little to stem the tide though and on 25 minutes, Son squared for Sarr who danced round Saints’ backline and stuck it past the helpless McCarthy.

Postecoglou had copped severe stick the last time he was on the South Coast with fans branding him “Poste-no-clue” after a limp 1-0 loss at Bournemouth ten days ago.

They were singing his name here though after Sarr’s strike, giving the Aussie some light relief during the most testing time of his tenure.

Some Saints’ supporters opted to leave at that point, no doubt fearing a Leicester-esque embarrassment.

Ex-Fox Maddison had an inspired second just before half-time here as he blasted from the acutest angle.

It called to mind Frank Lampard’s famous touchline strike against Barcelona for Chelsea all those years ago - but Martin was already down the tunnel as it rippled the net.

Saints were booed off and then booed on again - you don’t see that too often - before ironic oles for consecutive passes and self-deprecating songs of how they were "coming for you," Portsmouth in the Championship.

Their side were actually better after the break but the devastating damage had already been done, pushing Martin’s post to breaking point.

Some of the Saints' fans who opted to stay until the end taunted Martin with chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning'.

While a banner lifted by fans read: "R.M GET OUT OF OUR CLUB."