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BURNLEY 2-2 TOTTENHAM: Thomas Frank watched his Spurs side grab a dramatic late equaliser at Turf Moor, but that wasn't enough to satisfy the vocal away support

When Cristian Romero’s sensational header ripped past Martin Dubravka, Thomas Frank’s face barely flickered. He knows a late, late equaliser at Turf Moor is not the sort of moment a Spurs manager should be celebrating.

But, hopefully, he later showed Romero his gratitude for making the inquiry into this result slightly less painful than it could have been. Even so, Frank left the field to the sound of his own fans telling him he faces the prospect of being sacked very, very soon.

In fact, the anti-Frank sentiment from Spurs supporters had been audible from the first whistle as they frequently serenaded him with a ditty that begins...‘sideways and backwards, everywhere we go.’

And to be fair to the complainants, they seemed to have a very valid point as their side spent half an hour or so playing a version of rondo that seemed to have little attacking purpose.

But to be fair, they did step up their intent and Dubravka, the excitable Burnley keeper, was still celebrating two decent saves when a botched clearance teed up a nice finish from Micky van de Ven.

Considering Burnley had, by that point, not got within shouting distance of Vicario, the breakthrough should have been decisive but this is not a decisive Tottenham team.

And while Kyle Walker’s assist was struck with uncharacteristic finesse, there was little defensive excuse for Axel Tuanzebe to be left unchallenged for an equalising volley.

Spurs had switched off following their deserved opener, to such an extent that even a side as limited as Scott Parker’s were able to take advantage.

And Spurs’ reaction was not exactly impressive. As honest as they are, this really is a limited Burnley outfit but they sensed a laziness about the visitors’ approach.

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It is either laziness or perhaps a touch of nervousness that makes individuals reluctant to take risks, to attempt the killer pass, to take on an opponent.

Burnley were no better but it was largely unimaginative and unadventurous stuff from Spurs. And if a team is unimaginative and unadventurous, the manager simply must take the bulk of the responsibility.

The bottom line is that this is a Spurs team that is not particularly attractive to watch and has large spells of possession without ever threatening to do something creative with it.

That gives every opponent huge encouragement and it really was no surprise when Lyle Foster put the home side ahead after Vicario had only kicked the Burnley substitute’s first effort straight back to him.

There were exceptions, Djed Spence being one. And he presented Mathys Tel with a decent chance but Dubravka pulled off another good stop.

And the other shining exception was Romero. Say what you like about indiscipline but he is a captain who is committed to the cause and his leveller - from a Wilson Odobert cross - was as good a header as you will see.

It still didn’t stop the Spurs fans telling Frank that his football “is s***” and it might not keep him in a job. But Frank still owed his skipper a lot of gratitude. A defeat here really would have been embarrassing.

But judging by the reaction of the travelling supporters, it is going to take a lot more than a captain’s intervention to keep Frank at Tottenham Hotspur.

TOTTENHAM 2-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND: On a night when Spurs boss Thomas Frank desperately needed a positive result, his side delivered one of their best of the season

Finally Thomas Frank got some much needed and deserved luck. This felt like it was going to be Frank’s last stand and yet somehow Tottenham produced one of their best results of the season to give their manager a stay of execution.

Whether it is enough to save him for any length of time remains to be seen because it feels like the die has been cast and even this result may just be delaying the inevitable.

But for what felt like one of very few occasions this season, the fans really got behind the team and the stadium was energised again.

The luck came in the shape of Borussia Dortmund going down to ten men after just 26 minutes when Daniel Svensson was sent off for an X-rated challenge after a VAR check.

Dortmund, sitting second in the Bundesliga, were by far and away the best team Spurs have faced at home in the Champions League this season and yet the German giants were at a huge disadvantage for more than an hour.

Then even when Dominic Solanke did his very best to miss a gilt-edged chance, the ball still trickled in off his foot from point blank range.

It was Solanke’s first start of the season, his first start under Frank and his performance highlighted just how much they have missed him because he was a strong focal point in attack.

Tottenham were defiant, determined and delivered a strong performance for their manager despite a crippling injury and absentee list which extended to 13 players.

Somehow Tottenham got themselves over the line and showed that unity can be a powerful force as the supporters quickly turned some pre-match jeers into cheers during the game. Frank got an absolute soaking on the touchline as the rain came down in North London but he will surely not care one bit.

This is the manager who has insisted that the board is still backing him and therefore he will believe that this result might represent the turning of a corner for his team.

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The Tottenham hierarchy were out in force in their magnificent stadium - and even the crowd was a respectable 52,713 - and this may at least give them something to think about.

Defeat would have surely spelt the end but maybe a win gives Frank until Saturday’s trip to Burnley and it extended their remarkable unbeaten home record in Europe to 24 games, a run which stretches back to February 2020.

It should also be enough to get them into the knock-out stages of the Champions League which is no mean feat in itself and will certainly help the bank balance.

Tottenham were ahead after 14 minutes. Pedro Porro’s corner was not cleared, Wilson Odobert slashed at a shot but then put over a low cross and there was Cristian Romero to turn home from close range.

Spurs skipper Romero threw his arms up in the air to whip up the crowd and suddenly all the negativity and doom felt as if it had been washed away.

Dortmund were reduced to ten men after Svensson made a reckless challenge on Odobert, Swedish referee Glenn Hyberg was sent to the VAR screen and duly sent off the Dortmund midfielder.

And you really knew it was going Tottenham’s way after 37 minutes. Odobert’s low cross put the ball on a plate for Solanke who did his very best to mess it up, missed his kick and then it almost deflected in off his foot and crept over the line.

Lucas Bergvall went off injured but there was a lovely moment for 17-year-old Jun'ai Byfield who came on for his first team debut after a month after signing his first professional contract which perhaps also highlighted the lack of resources.

Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani actually had chances to make it more comfortable and Dortmund, despite pressure and possession, rarely looked like scoring until Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario tipped over Nico Schlotterbeck’s late header.

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Manchester United are being linked with midfield reinforcements but face competition for Barcelona youngster Marc Casado

Atletico Madrid are reportedly threatening to rival Manchester United's attempts to sign Barcelona starlet Marc Casado. Diego Simeone's side are said to be in the market for midfield reinforcements following the sale of Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur.

The North London club swooped in to sign the England and former Chelsea star for £35million this month. However, according to reports in Spain, Atletico's fresh injection of funds could see them divert their attention to within La Liga and rival United.

Reports in Spain have claimed that Atletico are looking to reignite their interest in the 22-year-old after monitoring the Spainish midfielder last summer. Cascado's future at the Camp Nou is under scrutiny after finding his minutes limited under Hansi Flick, managing a series of cameo appearances in his 19 outings so far.

But he has been left frustrated with his last league outing coming in the final 11 minutes during the 2-0 win over Villarreal. The Spanish outlet has claimed that while Casado's preference, if he was to leave, would be to try his hand at football overseas, he would not snub a move to join Simeone's side.

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Therefore, United are being urged to act quickly if they're not to miss out on his services this month with the window slamming shut on February 2. The engine room could be the next position that requires an injection at Old Trafford with Manuel Ugarte's future uncertain, while Casemiro looks set to leave the club at the end of his contract in the summer.

Kobbie Mainoo has faced speculation over his future after being limited under former head coach Ruben Amorim. However, the England international was afforded his first league start of the season during Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City to get Michael Carrick's interim tenure off to a winning start.

Meanwhile, Flick has issued a stark warning to his players and those coming through the famous La Masia academy. The German's comments come in the wake of Dro Fernandez's looming controversial exit with the reigning France champions and Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain leading the charge to sign the 18-year-old.

He said: "If you want to play for Barca, you have to give everything...100 per cent. That’s what I want to say to everyone who is with us now or could be with us in the future. Same applies for La Masia youngsters training with the first team.

"They have to be here 100 per cent. These colours must be defended, that's what I want to see. As for the rest, I don't want them."

Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie has taken to social media to show the aftermath of an attack that left the back window of his car completely ruined just months after another shocking incident

Tottenham star Destiny Udogie has seen his £150,000 Range Rover attacked just months after being threatened with a gun. The 23-year-old took to Snapchat on Monday to show the aftermath of the attack.

He shared a video of the back window of his car, which had been smashed to pieces. Glass was shown to be strewn throughout his boot, while the Italian added the caption: “Yeah goodnight”.

Reports have suggested that Udogie returned to his car shortly after Tottenham’s defeat to London rivals West Ham United to find his car had been broken into. He was an unused substitute for the game.

It is the second time that Udogie has been at the heart of a shocking incident this season, having allegedly been threatened with a gun back in September as he walked down a street in Barnet.

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Asked by The Athletic whether he had been left shaken by the incident, he said: “Yeah, of course. It was not something I’d wish on anyone. It was a shock. But it’s OK, now we look forward.”

Udogie however praised the club for their help. He added: “The club showed me good support and was next to me every day. I’m really grateful to them for what they have done and for keeping me and my family safe. It’s really good for me.

“Obviously, it was important (to feel that support). Because it’s a new city for me. It’s my third year (at Spurs) but obviously London is a big city. So to be here with my family and my daughter, it’s good to have the club around me.”

On the incident, Spurs boss Thomas Frank added: “It is a terrible situation to have been in. I can’t speak too much about it as it’s a legal case, as we know, but the club and we have done everything we can to support him. He’s clearly doing well on the pitch, which is good and we’ll keep supporting him.”

Udogie signed for Spurs back in August 2022 in an initial £15m move from Italian side Udinese. He has since gone on to make 81 appearances for the North London side, having helped them to the Europa League title last season.

Udogie signed a new deal with Spurs in December 2023, a contract that is set to run until the summer of 2030.

Regardless of whether Thomas Frank remains in charge, Tottenham Hotspur host Borussia Dortmund at North London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a compelling Champions League group stage clash on Tuesday. This matchday seven encounter sees 10th-placed Dortmund travel to face 11th-placed Spurs, who trail the German side only on goals scored, but both teams are struggling for form.

Tottenham currently sit higher in the 36-team Champions League league-phase standings than in the 20-team Premier League, with Europe’s top competition offering a welcome distraction from their domestic woes in the 2025-26 campaign. The reigning Europa League champions secured their third league-phase win on matchday six, comfortably dispatching Slavia Prague 3-0 to stay within a point of the coveted top eight, which guarantees direct passage to the last 16.

That emphatic victory over the Czech side marked Tottenham’s third consecutive home win and clean sheet in this season’s Champions League, but Frank’s men have failed to win at home since then. Saturday’s result was perhaps the most damaging yet, as West Ham United stunned the Lilywhites with a 2-1 London derby victory, handing Tottenham their third straight defeat in all competitions and casting further doubt over Frank’s future.

Reports suggest internal discussions have taken place regarding the Dane’s position, but for now, he remains at the helm. Whether that will still be the case if Spurs falter in midweek remains to be seen.

On the opposite bench, Niko Kovac faces no such uncertainty at Borussia Dortmund, even though last season’s Champions League runners-up are also fighting to avoid the perilous playoff round. Dortmund’s last European outing ended in frustration, as they twice let a lead slip in a 2-2 home draw with Bodo/Glimt. Kovac’s side have conceded 10 goals on the road in this season’s competition—four each to Manchester City and Juventus, and two to Copenhagen.

Despite these struggles, Dortmund closed out 2025 and began 2026 on a positive note, edging St Pauli 3-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday thanks to a last-gasp Emre Can penalty, extending their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions. However, BVB remain a distant second to Bayern Munich in the league and were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by Bayer Leverkusen last month, making the Champions League their best hope for silverware this season.

Dortmund’s recent record in England offers little encouragement, with seven defeats in their last eight away games against English opposition in Europe. They have also lost their last four meetings with Tottenham, who memorably beat BVB 4-0 on aggregate in the 2018-19 last 16.

Tottenham vs Dortmund Team News

At a time when Frank needs every available player at his disposal, a double blow to his defense is the last thing the Dane would have wanted. First, Micky van de Ven is ruled out due to a suspension for accumulating yellow cards. To make matters worse, veteran defender Ben Davies was stretchered off with a concerning leg injury during the West Ham match, and there is still no definitive update on the Welshman's condition.

Nevertheless, he is expected to join Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Richarlison (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ineligible), and Radu Dragusin (ineligible) on the sidelines, while Joao Palhinha is also likely to miss out with a knock.

New signing Conor Gallagher is not registered for the competition, nor is the returning Yves Bissouma, and the match will almost certainly come too soon for Pape Sarr, who only wrapped up his Africa Cup of Nations campaign on Sunday.

Dortmund, meanwhile, have fewer injury concerns. Chelsea loanee Aaron Anselmino (hamstring) remains unavailable, while Marcel Sabitzer (calf) and Ramy Bensebaini (illness) both missed the five-goal thriller against St Pauli. Up front, Kovac faces an interesting selection decision, as Fabio Silva has recently displaced Serhou Guirassy in the starting lineup, and the former Wolves striker appears likely to retain his place for Tuesday’s encounter.

Tottenham vs Dortmund Prediction

Dortmund to win to nil - 9/2 (Betfred)

Over 2.5 goals - 4/5 (Betfred)

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There is less than two weeks to go until the January transfer window slams shut, with Manchester United still yet to make one signing so far this month

Manchester United are yet to make a single first-team signing in the January transfer window so far. After spending more than £200million in the summer, there was talk that United were going into dip into the winter market to further strengthen their squad.

However, United haven't opted to add just yet, though there is still more than 10 days for the Reds to change that. Despite their inactivity in the transfer window, Michael Carrick's side continue to be linked with signing several players, with a central midfielder thought to be at the top of their shortlist.

Elsewhere, United could be active on the outgoing front too, with Joshua Zirkzee linked with a move away from Old Trafford after failing to make the matchday squad against Manchester City on Saturday. Marcus Rashford's long-term future continues to be the centre of some speculation, as does Jadon Sancho's.

With that in mind, below is the latest Man Utd transfer news...

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United interested in Casado

Manchester United are interested in signing Marc Casado and have made an enquiry to see if the Barcelona midfielder is available, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

Casado, 22, emerged from Barca's infamous La Masia academy to make his senior breakthrough in 2022 and has since gone on to make 60 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan side.

However, Casado has struggled for regular game time at Barca, starting just 10 La Liga matches this season. There is mounting speculation that he could therefore leave in pursuit of more minutes.

It's claimed that Casado had been reluctant to even consider offers to move from Barca, due to the fact his lifelong dream' is to be a first-team star at Camp Nou. But Atletico Madrid have identified Casado as a potential replacement for Conor Gallagher, who moved to Tottenham for £34million last week, while United are keen on a move. The 22-year-old is thought to be contemplating his future at Barca and might be open to an exit.

United are said to have made an initial approach for Casado having 'closely monitored' him for some time.

No way back for Rashford

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes Marcus Rashford has no chance of making it back into the Manchester United squad, regardless of who takes charge from interim manager Michael Carrick in the summer.

Rashford, 28, has spent the campaign on loan at Barcelona and has impressed, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in 29 appearances. There is some United fans that would like to see Rashford return following his spell in Spain - but Murphy doesn't think that proposition is possible.

When quizzed on the current state of proceedings at United, Murphy told BOYLE Sports that Rashford should focus his attention on a new challenge away from United. He said: "I don't think Michael Carrick, or whoever gets the job, will be able to influence the club to change their approach on Marcus Rashford.

"I think he's had his chances and opportunities. Also, the fanbase has generally turned on him a little bit. I think he's too far gone. Even if he doesn't get the Barcelona move, a move somewhere else will benefit him.

"He looks like he's playing with freedom. I even saw him come off the bench against Real Madrid, and he looked so sharp, expressing himself and appearing like a different player.

"I think his days at United are over, regardless of who is in charge."

Under-fire Tottenham manager Thomas Frank insists that West Ham skipper Jarrod Bowen should have been given his marching orders during his side's 2-1 defeat

Thomas Frank has claimed Jarrod Bowen could have seen red for his X-rated tackle on Xavi Simons. The unhappy Tottenham boss claimed the England forward was fortunate not to get sent off after his challenge during Saturday’s defeat to West Ham.

Tottenham midfielder Simons was sent off last month after a VAR check for a challenge on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. Simons is set to start against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night even though he could not train because of an ankle injury suffered in Bowen’s challenge.

Frank said: “Xavi was out there today but didn’t train today because that was a bad tackle from Bowen. Not that Bowen is a bad guy and would do anything intentional.

“A bad tackle from behind which injured his ankle, he has a swollen ankle but because he’s so strong mentally, he will play through pain tomorrow. So that’s big credit of course to Xavi.

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“And by the way, while we are there, I can’t understand why that isn’t a red card when a red card is when he accidentally put his foot on Van Dijk. Anyway, that is a bigger discussion.”

Simons insisted that Tottenham can still turn their season around despite the huge doubts over Frank’s future as manager.

Ex-Rb Leipzig star Simons said: “Yeah obviously we want to turn this around. Especially playing in the Champions League, it's the biggest stage. Me playing against Dortmund, I’ve played them already in Germany.

“It’s special but at the same time it’s like every game, every game is a big game for me and the team. We want to pick that moment to bring the three points home.

“At the end, I would say this is the highest level of football, and as we know as a group, we have to stick together. It's not only the coach, it's the whole club, I would say. And that's the most important thing.

“In football, we're playing every two or three days. And we have to stick together and to go on, and tomorrow we have another opportunity to win.”

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank wanted to add fit-again Dominic Solanke to his squad for the Champions League - and that meant Mathys Tel had to be sacrificed

Mathys Tel has been axed from Tottenham’s Champions League squad for a SECOND time. The £30m summer signing has been told he will not be included for Tottenham's showdown with Borussia Dortmund in favour of Dominic Solanke.

It is a hammer blow for the France under-21 international who was left out of their Champions League squad at the start of the campaign but got a reprieve and played against Slavia Prague last month. But that lasted for just one game because he has been dropped again because Solanke is fit again and it must throw a huge question mark over Tel’s future at the club.

It also comes amid a massive injury crisis at Tottenham which leaves them missing THIRTEEN players for their showdown with Dortmund which is crucial for their chances of qualifying for the knock-out stages.

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Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said: “Yeah, I made the decision. It was not a nice decision to have to make. Unfortunately that’s football, you have to make a decision. With the way the rules are, the only option was it was either Dom or Mathys in the squad.

I chose Dom because… I think Mathys has done very well in the last couple of games and that’s the crazy thing, if I could pick from all the players that are fit, then he would start tomorrow. But I can only pick between the two of them and now he is out of the squad. That’s of course a tough one to take for Mathys.”

Tottenham’s missing list includes Micky van de Ven who is suspended while Conor Gallagher is ineligible and Ben Davies has undergone ankle surgery.

Joao Palhinha is the latest injury casualty while Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison are all out.

Even Xavi Simons has been a doubt with an ankle injury but is set to play with Frank insisting he only has 11 fully fit players to choose from.

Frank said: “It never rains but it pours. Even the best coach in the world, you are nothing without your players, your best players and it’s fair to say they haven’t been available enough the whole season which makes it a little bit more tricky.”

Under-pressure Tottenham manager Thomas Frank says he can win back the fans and pleaded for their support ahead of what could be his final match in charge

The lunch date at the training ground probably felt more like the last supper. Thomas Frank has been left in the bizarre scenario where he is taking charge of Tuesday’s showdown with Borussia Dortmund but is unsure whether he will still have a job by the end of the week.

Frank admits he is in “stormy weather” but took a glimmer of hope from his lunch meeting with members of the club hierarchy at the training ground.

Spurs boss Frank met with chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and Nick Beucher, son-in-law of co-owner Vivienne Lewis, on the eve of a game which could decide his future if that has not been done already.

Frank admitted that no assurances were given but still saw it as a positive because normally when a manager is about to be fired the directors are nowhere to be seen.

Frank said: “I haven't heard any situation like that in football where they say 'hey, mate, if you win tomorrow, no problem. If you lose tomorrow, no problem'.

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“We had a good conversation about life and football, the future of the club, everything normal, like you do. Of course, there's a little bit, how would we say, stormy weather out there.

“I just think it's an extremely good sign, because normally people are running away if there's bad news or bad weather coming, they're normally not coming in and being friendly for lunch.”

Even by football standards, it was an odd day for Frank who relied heavily on weather analogies amid his growing crisis at Tottenham.

There is a feeling that if there was an obvious caretaker or interim that Frank might have got his marching orders on Sunday following the defeat to West Ham which saw the crowd turn on the manager and the board.

But Frank was left to face the music on Monday and, when before he took the team for training, he was asked by photographers how he was. “I’m good, the sun is shining and we’re playing football,” he replied.

The reality was it was overcast and cloudy in North London and that has been the story of Frank’s seven month tenure. One win in his last eight games has left him on the brink.

Frank is a nice guy who probably is not a great fit for Spurs. His football is more about set-pieces than free-flowing entertainment. But you could only admire his “resilience” and determination to fight on.

When asked if he can turn it around, Frank said: “Yeah, I'm not in doubt of that. I think you can say in this game, you always need to show resilience. I listened to some interesting things the other day, where the three biggest things in showing resilience is one, you have good values.

“I see myself as a guy that has pretty good values. Two, you know reality. And reality is one in five people normally don't like you, no matter what you do. One in five love you, no matter what you do. Both of them probably biased either way too much.

“Then there's the three in five, that if you behave well, respectful, show integrity, do your best, normally that's the way. So no matter what you do, reality is someone will not like you.

“But I keep doing what I do, what I believe in. And then the last bit, by the way, have perspective in life, which I have in abundance. So, looking forward to the game tomorrow.”

Sadly, it is hard to believe one in five Spurs fans still love Frank. The biggest issue is that he appears to have lost the crowd. But he pleaded with the supporters to back the team against Dortmund.

Frank added: “The fans are crucial of course. I don’t see any club performing well without the fans supporting, helping and doing everything they can. It’s fair that it’s not been smooth and it’s not been as fluid as we want to. A little bit too much up and down.

“Unfortunately it’s a results business and there’s a lot of emotions in this as well but there’s a lot of signs it’s going the right way. Then of course when it’s a little bit tricky to play every third or fourth day, that makes it more difficult.

“We still need to find a way to get over the line but we’re much closer than we think and we just need to keep going.”