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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.”

Thomas Frank is under mounting pressure at Tottenham after just two wins from the last 13 matches, with former Barcelona boss Xavi among potential replacements

As Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank continues to face mounting pressure, speculation has begun about who could replace the Dane in North London should his tenure come to an end. One name being mentioned is Xavi, who has been without a club since his spell as Barcelona manager came to an end in 2024.

Frank took over from Ange Postecoglou less than a year ago but now finds himself under scrutiny following a woeful league campaign. Saturday's home defeat to West Ham left Spurs languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table, with a return of just two home league wins all season a major factor.

Xavi has previously been linked with Premier League positions and was among the candidates mentioned as a potential successor to Enzo Maresca at Chelsea before the Blues appointed Liam Rosenior. There's no certainty he would accept the Spurs role if it were offered but the former Spain midfielder has expressed his ambition to eventually manage in England.

Xavi was asked by The Athletic in 2025 about an eventual return to the dugout. "Of course? Where, I don't know," he said.

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"There's no hurry for me, but I'd like a good project. Like, 'You have four years to work and make a project'. I'd love to work in the Premier League because I love the passion there. In Spain, it's too much about the result."

Xavi singled out Arsenal's Mikel Arteta as a manager who has been entrusted with a project. Now six years into his time as the Gunners' boss, Arteta has seen significant progress after an initially rocky start.

"Arteta with Arsenal – it's his sixth year with Arsenal and there were seasons when it was difficult, but his club trusted the process and continued. He's doing well. That doesn't happen in Spain," Xavi added.

Despite the recent home defeat and subsequent boos from the crowd, Frank may still lead Spurs into their Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. The loss marked West Ham's first league victory in over two months.

"It's tough to take, it hurts a lot," the manager told Sky Sports following the defeat. "The boys put everything in, and that's a sign of a squad that is fighting, doing everything they can to try and win. It's fair to say if there was to be a winner in the second half then it should have been us.

"The way we came back into it, the same as at Bournemouth, both games we lost in the last minute. That makes it emotionally tough for the players, me, the club, the fans, everyone. We conceded on a deflected shot and a last-minute corner, which we should have done better with."

Tottenham Hotspur are currently considering their options if they decide to part ways with under-fire manager Thomas Frank, with a five-man shortlist being drawn up, according to reports

Thomas Frank will remain in the hotseat for Tottenham Hotspur's clash with Borussia Dortmund - but there's allegedly a five-man shortlist Spurs could turn to should they choose to axe him.

Frank, 52, suffered a torrid weekend as relegation-threatened West Ham United defeated them 2-1 on home soil. With jeers and boos ringing around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the outlook appeared grim for the former Brentford boss.

It's also been reported that key figures at Tottenham have been conducting talks regarding his future at the club, despite him being anticipated to occupy the dugout when Spurs welcome Dortmund in the Champions League. Should Frank get the boot, Spurs have already identified five potential replacements, according to reports.

As per the Times, Johnny Heitinga, the recently dismissed former Ajax boss who now forms part of Frank's coaching staff, could be handed control if Frank receives his marching orders. Considering the Dutchman's difficulties at Ajax, this would probably only be on an interim basis.

Amongst the more long-term contenders is Andoni Iraola, but given he is extremely valued and respected at Bournemouth, it might prove challenging to tempt the Spaniard mid-season.

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There has also been speculation that Mauricio Pochettino features on the list, which would represent an incredibly emotional homecoming for the Argentine. Nevertheless, this would have to be delayed until after the World Cup at the very earliest, considering he is guiding the USA towards their home tournament.

Recently sacked former Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso is also amongst the contenders and was discussed during a recent board meeting. Should he fancy taking on the north London role, he could do so immediately, as he is presently without a club.

Yet reports suggest he believes more attractive opportunities might arise if he holds off until the summer. Additional reports also suggest Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner could feature prominently on Spurs' wishlist.

The Austrian recently appeared poised to leave Selhurst Park, after he criticised the club for "abandoning" him and his squad with their decisions to offload Eberechi Eze in the summer and Marc Guehi in January. However, Palace and Glasner have apparently reconciled, and the FA Cup winner is now anticipated to stay in position until his contract expires at the end of this campaign.

Yet Frank remains convinced that he can reverse fortunes in north London. He remained bullish when questioned about his future following the damaging defeat to West Ham.

He declared: "If you're not winning enough, we know that you're not getting enough support from the fans. But when we're winning, it will change when we start winning again, which we will do.

"Not in doubt of that. I also think you can look a little bit at the performances, let's say the Bournemouth and the Villa and this game here, if the players stop running or stop doing anything or not working hard, and we were not the team that was closest to winning, then you can say, okay.

"But I think the team is working very hard and I still think, and I know it sounds a little bit crazy, that we're closer to something very good than further away."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is under pressure after a string of poor results this season including the Premier League defeat to West Ham United on Saturday

Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has opened up about the pressure Thomas Frank is under amid speculation about his position as Tottenham Hotspur manager. The 52-year-old has found it difficult to turn things around since arriving at the club last summer, with the Spurs board now weighing up his future.

Saturday's loss to West Ham United left Spurs languishing in 14th place in the Premier League standings, having secured only seven victories from 22 matches this campaign. Significant portions of the Tottenham support have already turned against the Danish manager, with chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning' ringing out during the closing moments of the West Ham defeat.

Tottenham have managed just a single win in their past eight fixtures and have been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions. The Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund this week could prove pivotal to their chances of advancing in the competition.

Rooney reckons Frank will sense that a managerial change is on the cards and confessed he understands that feeling following his own dismissal as Plymouth manager last year. Speaking on Match of the Day, Rooney said: "I've seen Thomas Frank at the end of the game and I felt for him. I've been in that position and it's not a nice place to be.

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"It's a lonely place to be sometimes and especially when he'll be feeling that a change is coming. I think the Tottenham fans have spoken.

"We've seen it before with the Tottenham fans and they're not happy with what's going on. Unfortunately, when that happens, it looks like he'll lose his job.

"I've stood at Elland Road [when Birmingham City manager] and I knew it was coming just after New Year. New Year's Day actually I think.

"Yeah, you know and it's not a nice feeling because you want the ground to swallow you up."

Spurs have endured a torrid run, losing eight of their past 14 matches and securing victory in only two of their last 13 top-flight encounters, with Frank acknowledging that responsibility rests with him. Following the loss to West Ham, he admitted: "Of course, I've probably had better times.

"It's probably not the best time of course, but I understand, I'm the man in charge, so the blame will go to me. That's fair.

"No problem in that sense. As long as they are backing the players, doing everything they can to support them and drive them forward, that's what we do and we will keep going forward."