The Mirror

Igor Tudor certainly knows the size of the task in front of him now.

It was a brutal introduction to English football as they were battered 4-1 by Arsenal in the North London derby and the few remaining Tottenham fans in the stadium booed the players off at the final whistle.

The familiar question no longer feels such a given. Are Spurs are too good to go down? Well, are they? On the evidence of Sunday, Tottenham are in a full-scale relegation scrap and are facing the fight of their lives to stay up.

Relegation would be unthinkable. It is why they sacked Thomas Frank and rolled the dice with Tudor in a desperate attempt to bring in some new manager bounce.

Tudor, whose last job was at Juventus, introduced his own style into the Spurs line-up as it was high press, energy, five at the back and warriors in midfield. It simply did not work. They were exposed by Arsenal. That is on Tudor. Yes, they do have got a catalogue of injuries for a start but their form is so alarming.

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They are the only team in the entire league without a win in 2026. They have not won in the Premier League since a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace on December 28. They have not won in nine Premier League games, they have drawn at Burnley in that time and lost at home to West Ham who are perhaps the biggest threat to their survival.

West Ham were unlucky not to beat Bournemouth on Saturday or hold on to win against Manchester United. If they had, Spurs would be right in it.

Even so, they are fifth from bottom, just four points above the drop zone and now face a trip to Fulham in their next game then it’s Palace at home followed by Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland.

The plain truth is that Tottenham are in serious trouble. That quickly became obvious to Tudor who looked a worried man on the touchline.

One of his coaching staff sat in the press box and was getting increasingly agitated at the way Arsenal ripped Spurs apart in the first half, particularly down the home side’s left.

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It was probably a good idea that they found a different seat for him in the second half. Mind you, there is always an army of analysts in any press box these days.

They know they have got problems because they are the team without hope, without form and momentum and a crippling absentee list.

Tottenham last went down in 1977 and, despite finishing fourth from bottom last year under Ange Postecoglou, they were never going to go down. They finished 13 points above the drop zone.

That is the key difference this year. It’s tight. West Ham are picking up points. Wolves are doomed and it looks bleak for Burnley. But West Ham are picking up points. Nottingham Forest played well but lost to Liverpool and Vitor Pereira will give them a lift.

This is a full-blown crisis. The last team who were cast as being too good to go down? I think it was West Ham in 2003. They finished with 42 points - the highest in a 20 team Premier League season - and still went down.

That team had David James, Paolo di Canio, Glen Johnson, Trevor Sinclair, Joe Cole, Freddie Kanoute, Jermain Defoe and Don Hutchinson. And a few more besides.

To good to go down? Up against that team, are Spurs really any better. It is hard to argue that Tottenham really are in serious trouble.

And the specie of relegation for a club in a £1billion stadium would be catastrophic let alone the humiliation for the fans.

Arsenal secured a 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening in a fiery derby, in which, Declan Rice was subject to disgusting abuse targeted at his partner, Lauren Fryer

A Tottenham Hotspur supporter attempted to taunt Declan Rice during Sunday's North London derby by showing a photograph of the player's partner whilst appearing to hurl abuse toward him. Tempers flared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday evening, as Arsenal emerged 4-1 victors over their fierce rivals.

Whilst jeers and catcalls are commonplace in the charged atmosphere of a derby fixture, one Spurs supporter appeared to cross the line when he held up a photograph of Lauren Fryer towards Rice on his mobile.

In a Shutterstock photograph circulated on various social media platforms - which has subsequently been requested for removal [by the player/club] - an individual in the home section of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is visible leaning over the advertising boards with an image of Rice's partner displayed on his phone screen.

Rice, who was nearby, had his back turned away from the supporters as he made his way back towards the pitch. It follows Fryer taking steps to wipe her Instagram account in 2024 after enduring a wave of vile online trolling regarding her looks.

The appalling harassment of Fryer started in December 2023, when an anonymous social media profile told Rice that he "could do better," whilst others also persistently aimed digs at Fryer over her appearance. Consequently, Fryer took the decision to remove all of the photographs from her account.

With 105,000 followers on the platform, Fryer's account still contains no posts, whilst she is also absent from Rice's Instagram. In response to the online abuse in April 2024, Rice shared a heartfelt statement in support of his partner, saying: "She is the love of my life and I don't need an upgrade."

Fryer has also previously been defended by Dani Dyer, partner of West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, who said last year: "It was so hard for her, the trolling, as she doesn't put herself out there. I think it's harder when you are not in [the celebrity world] and you are being personally attacked. I found that hard. She is a really good mum, who keeps to herself. No one deserves to be criticised like that.

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"It was so cruel...We didn't speak about it a lot. What we did talk about is how she is so nice and so great and looks absolutely gorgeous. Plus, she's Dec's childhood sweetheart and you can see how much he adores her."

Rice and Fryer originally crossed paths at school before entering a relationship at the age of 17, and have remained inseparable ever since. The WAG, who originates from Chessington, has stood by Rice throughout his entire career - from his debut at West Ham right through to his outstanding recent displays with Arsenal.

They welcomed a son named Jude together in August 2022, and have maintained their family life predominantly away from the spotlight. Despite vile attempts to ridicule him, Rice proved crucial to a Gunners outfit who secured a 4-1 victory over their fierce rivals in Spurs on Sunday, completing the full 90 minutes in the heart of midfield.

Eberechi Eze broke the deadlock for Arsenal 32 minutes into proceedings, before Randal Kolo Muani restored parity immediately. Viktor Gyokeres then handed his team the advantage once more moments into the second period, before Kolo Muani believed he had rescued a point again.

However, the Frenchman's second effort was eventually disallowed due to a push on Gabriel in the build-up, maintaining the scoreline at 2-1 in Arsenal's favour. Eze grabbed his brace 64 minutes into the encounter, before Gyokeres sealed the contest emphatically in the game's closing stages to claim all three points in a commanding triumph.

Following the result, Arsenal extended their advantage over Manchester City at the Premier League summit to five points heading into their remaining 10 fixtures of the campaign. Next up for Mikel Arteta's outfit is a clash with Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, March 1.

With City possessing a crucial game in hand over Arsenal, the league leaders will not be granted any margin for mistakes as they aim to secure their first championship in over two decades come May.

Igor Tudor had a nightmare start to his spell with Tottenham Hotspur with a 4-1 defeat to fierce rivals Arsenal and Spurs are now very nervously looking over their shoulder

Igor Tudor is still refusing to think about relegation despite quickly realising his Tottenham Hotspur team is 'full of problems'. The North London side sit 16th and just four points clear of the relegation zone following Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

That heavy loss extended Spurs’ wait for a league win to nine matches - their last coming in December against Crystal Palace. But Spurs’ interim boss is not yet considering the prospect of the club falling into the Championship.

Speaking after his side’s defeat, the Croatian said: "Difficult start against a team who is now in this moment. A different level of physical state of mind, so congratulations to them.

"They [Arsenal] were much better and they deserve this win. I got the spirit which we wanted to do things, but it was not enough. It is nice to understand where we are in this moment.

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"It showed me on Tuesday that we need to work hard and work hard and seriously. Now in this moment, the team is full of problems. The only key is to work on the training day by day and be humble. We need to be more aggressive - we need to be more compact. These are the keys.

"You understand the gap with the mental sharpness of one team and other teams. This is a thing we need to change. I saw players available to do this, but we need more time to do this. Thinking about relegation doesn't bring you anything to anybody."

Despite Tudor not considering the threat of relegation yet, there are plenty of pundits that are. Asked if Spurs were in a fight to avoid the drop, former Tottenham star Jermain Defoe said: “Of course [they are in a relegation fight]. The games are running out and that’s the reality.

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“No, I don’t think they’ll go down,” he replied when asked if Spurs could end up in the Championship. “They play against Fulham and Crystal Palace, they’re capable of winning those two games.

“Hopefully they’ll get the injured players back. I’ve said before about the injuries… the list is unbelievable and it was the same last season.

“So many key players are missing but there’s some long-term ones as well. That’s the worry but I don’t think they’ll go down.”

Meanwhile, fellow former Spurs star Jamie Redknapp has real concerns that relegation could indeed be the result for the North London side. He said: “They [Arsenal] were so much better than Tottenham, it was like two different leagues.

“If Tottenham aren't careful, they might be in a different league. They cannot keep performing like this. They've not had a win in 2026.”

Tottenham get immediate verdict on Randal Kolo Muani call vs Arsenal as Gary Neville agrees

Referee Peter Bankes decided to disallow Randal Kolo Muani's equalising goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal in the North London Derby because of a foul on Gabriel Magalhaes

Gary Neville and Clinton Morrison agreed that Randal Kolo Muani fouled Gabriel Magalhaes before Tottenham Hotspur had their equaliser against Arsenal chalked off. Gabriel theatrically threw himself to the turf after sensing minimal contact on his back from the Spurs striker.

Kolo Muani then brought down the Conor Gallagher delivery before drilling the ball past David Raya, but referee Peter Bankes sounded his whistle to award Arsenal a free-kick. Tottenham skipper Micky van de Ven immediately approached the official to protest Spurs' case.

His new manager, Igor Tudor, also signalled with both hands from the touchline that Gabriel had dived. However, that was not the consensus on commentary.

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Sky Sports' co-commentator Neville said: "That was a foul. He was too obvious, Kolo Muani.

"Kolo Muani gives Gabriel a nudge; it was clear from here. It's soft from Gabriel, we've seen it before, but it's two hands on the back."

Former Premier League striker Morrison echoed the same view on BBC Radio 5 Live, commenting: "That is a push from Randal Kolo Muani. It is a foul, and it is the right decision."

Tudor also refrained from criticising the decision during his post-match press conference. He said: "Oh, you know about this, touching the players in the box.

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"It's always about referees here, you know. They have their favourites who, you know, they make decisions based on, you know, how they feel, how they see.

"So it's nothing. Sometimes they let things go. Sometimes, no, this is just how it is."

The head coach singled out Kolo Muani for recognition after netting his first Premier League goal. Tudor said: "He had a good game today.

"We wanted to inject some fresh energy with Dom [Solanke] and Richie [Richarlison]. He wasn't subbed off due to his performance.

"He played very well. It's a promising start, and I'm pleased for him."

Arsenal ran out clear winners in the North London Derby to restore their lead at the top of the Premier League

Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze was involved in an awkward moment with Sky Sports interviewer Patrick Davison after the Gunners thrashed Tottenham in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's side ran out 4-1 winners thanks to a brace from the England international and another from Viktor Gyokeres.

It marked Arsenal's biggest win at Tottenham since 1978 and ensured they moved five points clear of Manchester City in second place who had closed the gap with a win over Newcastle United on Saturday. Eze opened the scoring just after the half hour mark, but their lead would last just two minutes with Randal Kolo Muani equalising for Spurs.

After a cagey first half, Arsenal turned the screw in the second 45 and ran out comfortable winners with Eze and Gyokeres among the standout performers.

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Sky Sports interviewer Davison suggested that Eze’s finishes were "simple," with the Arsenal man taken aback by his line of questioning. The Arsenal man said: "They're not simple!

"But I'm always trying to get in those positions to find the space, to work hard and get those opportunities. It takes a long way to go there.

“Today it's worked out, thank God for it. We put in a good performance, we did what we needed to do today which was the main thing.

“We know what we're capable of. We know what we can do. We have to play games to dominate and win, we have the players in the team to do it. An important win and performance."

Eze was linked with a move to Spurs in the summer, but opted for a move to the Emirates Stadium and has impressed in both outings against the Gunners' north London rivals this season.

When asekd if Spurs fans were giving him grief, Eze said: "Quite a lot! That's football, it's understandable. You just keep doing what you're doing."

The brace at Spurs meant Eze has scored five goals against Arsenal's arch-rivals this season, after a hattrick in the 4-1 win on home soil.

When asked why he always seems to score against Tottenham, Eze said: "I don't know. I try to score every single game. It seems to work quite a lot against Tottenham. It's a feeling you get."

He also paid tribute to Arsenal striker Gyokeres who enjoyed his best performance in a Gunners shirt since his move to the club from Sporting in the summer.

"Vik was doing it all game, you can see his work ethic," Eze said. "He helps the team not just with his goals but the effort he puts in.

"It gets players like me in the best positions and it helps a lot. He's got his two goals today which he deserves."

Arsenal were given late cause for concern against Tottenham after star winger Bukayo Saka limped off.

The England winger was involved in a heavy fall, with Spurs midfielder Xavi Simons landing on his ankle. Saka received treatment from Arsenal medical staff before being replaced by Noni Madueke.

Saka played a full part in the post match celebrations, which would indicate that his issue isn't too bad. Regardless, Mikel Arteta will be hoping that the issue isn't serious.

Saka is in the middle of another brilliant season for the Gunners, having scored eight times and provided seven assists in all competitions. He has already had to endure a few injury issues this term, with hamstring and hip problems.

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But his form has been good enough to see him rewarded with a new contract at the Emirates Stadium that sees him tied down to the club until 2031.

Speaking after that news was confirmed, Arsenal boss Arteta said: "I think they are all very important.

"We are very happy that the players are feeling in such a strong way about the club and what we are doing and the way they feel treated and the fact that they can continue to improve and win what we want to win together.

"Bukayo’s news, obviously, is great, he’s one of our own, we got him here since he was very, very little. For him to make that decision and the club to be so aligned with him, I think it’s a really positive thing."

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Saka's latest issue was a bitter end to what was a near-perfect day for the Gunners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Eberechi Eze had given Arsenal the lead during the first-half, with Randal Kolo Muani levelling matters.

Viktor Gyokeres restored Arsenal's lead after the break and then got another in stoppage time following a second strike for Eze.

The win lifts Arsenal five points clear of rivals Manchester City in the race for the Premier League crown. The Gunners are back in action next Sunday as they take on Chelsea at the Emirates.

Tottenham vs Arsenal was delayed TWICE with the referees' technology causing a baffling suspension.

The match was brought to a halt during the first-half, with the second period also hugely delayed as the issues persisted. Fans loudly booed the delays, with Gary Neville also among those left furious.

He said: "This is a disgrace by the way. Not the fact that the actual technology's broken down, that happens in all our houses all over the country every 10 minutes. However, the game has to carry on without technology. This is ridiculous. It just looks pathetic, doesn't it? It's embarrassing for everybody involved."

That rant followed some similar comments that had come in the first-half of the game. Referee Peter Bankes brought play to a halt after seven minutes, with the fans left in the dark over what had caused the delay.

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He said: "This is an absolute nonsense. One of the most important games of the season, fantastic start to it, really quick. And we're now two or three minutes stopped, players having to sort of re-warm up again, reset. Absolute shambles.

"They haven't got the common sense or the authority, leadership, to go, 'come on, let's read the room here.' There's 62,000 people in this stadium, there's millions watching at home and do they really think it's that important that they can't find some form of communication with the linesman over on the far side? Put your flag up if you're going to make a decision or you want to speak to him."

Play eventually got underway. Eberechi Eze and Randal Kolo Muani scored the goals to reignite the match.

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But there were yet more frustrating scenes shortly after the break. With both teams on the pitch and ready to restart, the officials then started adjusting their equipment once more, to the frustration of supporters.

Play evenutally got back underway, with Viktor Gyokeres giving Arsenal fans a brilliant start to the half as he restored his side's lead.

Kolo Muani thought he had managed to get on the scorsheet once more to level matters but saw his second goal ruled out for an apparent foul on Gabriel. Eze then netted again on the hour mark.

Gary Neville slammed the decision to bring Sunday's North London Derby to a halt due to an issue with the officials' technology.

The match was paused by referee Peter Bankes after just seven minutes following an electric start. The delay saw the atmosphere fall flat, supporters left somewhat in the dark.

Neville left far from happy and shared his disgust on commentary. He said: "This is ridiculous, the whole game cannot stop just because of an IT issue - this is an absolute nonsense, one of the most important games of the season and the players all now have to reset.

"This is an absolute nonsense. One of the most important games of the season, fantastic start to it, really quick. And we're now two or three minutes stopped, players having to sort of re-warm up again, reset. Absolute shambles.

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"They haven't got the common sense or the authority, leadership, to go, 'come on, let's read the room here.' There's 62,000 people in this stadium, there's millions watching at home and do they really think it's that important that they can't find some form of communication with the linesman over on the far side? Put your flag up if you're going to make a decision or you want to speak to him."

Despite Neville being left fuming, fellow pundit Clinton Morrison suggested the pause actually helped Spurs, who were under pressure in the opening stages.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "This is doing Tottenham a massive favour as Arsenal are on top. Igor Tudor can have a word with some of his players."

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The game eventually got back underway after a seven-minute delay. Arsenal were in dire need of a victory heading into the game, having been held by Wolves in midweek, with Manchester City then cutting their lead at the top of the table to just two points with their victory against Newcastle.

Meanwhile, Spurs' need for a win was also just as high, with the North London side having been dragged into a battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Eberechi Eze had given Arsenal the lead with his fourth goal against Spurs this season, only for Randal Kolo Muani to strike back moments later.

The referee tasked with overseeing this weekend's north London derby clash doesn't officiate two Premier League clubs

Peter Bankes will oversee one of the most heated and eagerly anticipated fixtures of the season this Sunday afternoon when Tottenham take on Arsenal in the north London derby.

The Lancashire-born referee is vastly experienced and the perfect pick for such a high-stakes fixture, but interestingly, the 43-year-old has never officiated matches involving two particular Premier League clubs.

Bankes, a FIFA-listed referee since 2021, will be assisted by Eddie Smart and Blake Antrobus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The fourth official has been confirmed as Sam Barrott, with Darren England and assistant Tim Wood in charge of VAR.

Hailing from Merseyside, Bankes' County FA is the Liverpool Football Association. And it is for that reason that he has never taken charge of a match involving either Liverpool or Everton.

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Premier League referees must declare which football team they support, and are not allowed to officiate matches involving that club or fixtures directly affecting them. They are also generally avoided for clubs in their immediate local area, even if they don't support them, as well as clubs associated with their County FA.

Bankes has taken charge of 18 Premier League games this season and shown 72 yellow cards, averaging four per match. He has also brandished three red cards, including one for two bookable offences, while awarding five penalty kicks in the current top-flight season.

Some Arsenal fans may be encouraged by his appointment for the derby, given Mikel Arteta's men have won nine, drawn one and lost three of their 13 games with Bankes in the middle. Two of those losses came against Southampton, one in the FA Cup and one in the league.

His most recent game in charge of Arsenal was their 1-0 win over Chelsea in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Before that, he took charge of their 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa in December and their 5-1 mauling of Manchester City back in February 2025.

He has also only given out 12 yellow cards to Arsenal players and has not yet sent off a Gunners star. Meanwhile, Spurs fans may be less happy to see Bankes on Sunday.

The referee has managed to incense several Tottenham managers down the years, including Jose Mourinho in September 2020. Mourinho was left raging with Bankes during a 1-1 draw with Newcastle for a handball decision against Eric Dier.

In August 2022, Bankes was on the wrong end of some choice words, this time from Antonio Conte, following a game against West Ham. The Italian was unhappy with how Bankes handled a penalty incident when he overturned an on-field decision against Aaron Cresswell, denying Spurs a penalty.

Bankes was labelled "embarrassing" for his "very, very strange" decision. More recently, Ange Postecoglou was left fuming that two penalties weren't awarded to James Maddison during a 2-1 win over Sheffield United.

A footballing legend admitted his love of Arsenal stopped him from signing for their biggest rival

Moving to a rival club is something that traditionally doesn't sit well with supporters in football, and understandably so. For legendary AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta, it was his affection for Arsenal that prevented him from putting pen to paper on a deal to join Tottenham Hotspur.

After spending 21 years with the Italian powerhouse, the 59-year-old secured seven Serie A championships and lifted the Champions League trophy on five occasions.

Considering his reputation as one of the finest defenders on the planet during his playing days and Milan's struggles in the mid-1990s, Costacurta had multiple chances to explore new opportunities elsewhere.

Most notably, a switch to the white side of north London nearly became reality after discussions with then-Spurs manager Gerry Francis in 1996 about the eye-catching transfer from Milan to the capital.

Speaking in 2016 before an AC Milan vs Arsenal legends fixture, Costacurta - who hung up his boots in 2007 following his Champions League final triumph over Liverpool - revealed that a move to Spurs never materialised due to his lifelong devotion to the Gunners.

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"The idea of living in London was very exciting," Costacurta told Arsenal.com. "But I finally refused and you know why? Because I couldn't betray my English love. The truth is that I've been a keen Arsenal fan since my childhood, and playing for 'our' bitter rivals would have been high treason.

"When I was younger I liked the Arsenal shirt, the stadium, and some of the players from the 1980s such as Liam Brady. And I've always gone against the tide. All my friends were Manchester United or Liverpool fans, so I picked Arsenal and I've never changed my mind."

Despite claiming 24 major trophies throughout his illustrious career, it was remarkably his outing at Highbury during the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup that stood out as amongst his most cherished memories.

He recalled: "The first game is possibly one of the favourite matches of my entire career. Not so much because of the game itself, which was very intense but perhaps not very exciting as the final score was a 0-0 and the only time we were really under threat was at set pieces.

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"It was more for the setting of Highbury. [The] Emirates is wonderful and over time it will gain its own mythical aura, but Highbury was unique." The fierce north London foes go head-to-head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the second derby meeting of the campaign.