The Mirror

Tottenham slumped to a dismal 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with the pressure on Thomas Frank increasing, despite only arriving at the club in the summer

Another week, and another Premier League manager feeling the heat. Last week it was Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who has ended a tricky week with successive victories to lift the mood at Anfield.

It's a different story for Tottenham and Thomas Frank however. Their dismal 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Sunday sees Spurs marooned in the bottom half of the table with just one win from their last seven Premier League matches.

The manner of the defeat at The City Ground has piled the pressure on Frank, who only arrived at the club from Brentford during the summer. But supporters are growing increasingly concerned at the direction of travel under the Dane, with a section now calling for a change in the dugout.

Spurs face Liverpool next, before a tricky looking trip to Crystal Palace rounds off their 2025. But with fans turning and issues with players in his squad, can Frank survive the long cold winter?

We asked our team of writers to give their verdict on whether Tottenham should sack their second manager in six months and accept their mistake before it's too late....

John Cross

Tottenham have to give Thomas Frank time. It would be a terrible mistake to pull the trigger before Christmas and not give a new manager an opportunity to turn things around.

Spurs have 22 points after 16 games which is one point worse off than at the same stage under former boss Ange Postecoglou.

But far worse is the style of football, a lack of entertainment and also identity. Having said all that, those are exactly the things that a new manager needs time to introduce. It was never going to be an overnight success.

Frank inherited a squad which had won the Europa League but was abysmal for most of last season. I thought the squad was better than it actually is. They need another transfer window - and quick.

It is so short on quality, character and fight. The meek surrender at Nottingham Forest was really worrying. But they are just four points off fifth place!

But who is out there to do a better job? Managers need time. Mikel Arteta went through a far worse spell at Arsenal. Even Manchester United have indulged Ruben Amorim.

Yes, Tottenham must improve. But Tottenham would be making a grave error by making yet another change this quickly into Frank’s reign.

Andy Dunn

Here is what big clubs do nowadays. Here is how elite football organisations operate. They stay classy. They trust their judgement.

Patience is the new knee-jerk. Hire-and-fire is old hat.

Tottenham Hotspur is a giant that has been hibernating for years and it will be a long job to properly raise it from its slumber. The idea Thomas Frank should be fired ten wins into his tenure is faintly preposterous.

After a good point at Newcastle United, Spurs beat Brentford by a couple and Slavia Prague by three before putting in a poor performance at the City Ground.

How can that be sackable form? Spurs are above Eddie Howe’s team in the Premier League table.

At worst, they will be in the play-off stage of the Champions League. Yes, they were pretty awful at Nottingham Forest. Yes, they have been very inconsistent.

But, including the European Super Cup. Frank has been in charge of 25 Spurs games and has lost only eight of them. To dismiss him would be ludicrous.

Neil McLeman

Tottenham have fewer points this season than after 16 games under Ange Postecoglou in the last campaign. And they were shockingly bad at Forest on Sunday.

But the North London club cannot keep chopping and changing - and Frank is a proven if limited Premier League boss who was interviewed by both Chelsea and Manchester United last year. Who would do better right now?

This should have been a season of relative stability under Frank after they finished 17th last season but won the Europa League under Big Ange. But beating his former club Brentford has been their only good result since October.

After the Forest defeat, Frank stated there is no “quick fix” and this is a pretty average squad of players assembled at great expense. Take out the injured Dejan Kulesevski, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Destiny Udogie and the team is even more ordinary.

A top six or seven finish - and European football next season - should be the ambition this season. If it doesn’t happen, it will not be just Frank’s fault.

Nathan Ridley

We've seen this film before haven't we? An up-and-coming manager overperforms in the Premier League and gets a long-awaited move to a bigger club, then it all falls apart.

For Thomas Frank and Tottenham, it does feel like the warning signs are there. Although Spurs are doing well in Europe, their Premier League form has left much to be desired and going out of the Carabao Cup so early, combined with a tricky-looking FA Cup tie, doesn't bode well.

But I'd stick with him. This is a manager who's been at a forward-thinking club in Brentford, has a track record of improving players and is capable of building a solid team out of possession - exactly what Tottenham lacked under Ange Postecoglou.

Of course, Frank needs to get more out of Spurs' attacking players but the eventual returns of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison will no-doubt help with creativity. Spurs have tried every other profile of manager, so I'd stay the course for now.

Conor Mummery

After Sunday's dismal 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, Thomas Frank said: "If no-one gets the time, no-one can turn it around. This is not a quick fix." That may be true, and as many have pointed to, the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta both had tricky starts at Liverpool and Arsenal respectively, but were given the time and the money to turn things around. There has though, been no indication whatsoever that Frank is capable of the level of transformation that followed in both of those cases.

Tottenham have won just four of their last 14 games in all competitions, and there has been nothing in the majority of those performances to suggest results will eventually turn in their favour given time. Frank was brought in, largely, to stabilise a leaky defence. But Spurs have shipped 16 goals in their last five away games, and have looked just as toothless going the other way.

The last time Spurs recorded a lower points tally at this stage of a season was 2008/09, when they managed just two points from their first eight games under Juande Ramos. The club acted quickly and replaced the Spaniard with Harry Redknapp in October, and they need to act as ruthlessly this time around if they are to turn this season into a positive one.

Ben Husband

Thomas Frank is a good manager, what he did with Brentford was seriously impressive. But he's in the wrong place at the wrong time and both parties are better off just accepting that reality.

Setting up Brentford in the Premier League is a completely different challenge to doing so at Tottenham - and so far he has been found seriously lacking.

Yes, they are missing two of the most creative players in Maddison and Kulusevski, but their absences alone don't explain the tepid displays under their struggling boss. According to Opta, Spurs' average xG is at 0.96 per game, the 17th worst in the division and their worst since the stat began to be recorded (2012/13).

This all feels eerily similar to Nuno Espirito Santo's tenure in North London, a good manager, but a bad fit. Spurs accepted their mistake just four months into that reign, which ended in a desperate run of form not too dissimilar to their current malaise.

Frank will almost certainly go elsewhere and succeed, but that shouldn't stop Spurs from ripping off the plaster sooner rather than later.

Thomas Frank has come under pressure after Tottenham Hotspur lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest, but former Spurs striker Gary Lineker has urged fans to be patient

Gary Lineker has called for patience regarding Thomas Frank's future. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker suggests that only the club's board truly understands the level of pressure surrounding their head coach.

Increasing scrutiny follows another disappointing display and outcome at the weekend. Sunday's 3-0 thrashing by Nottingham Forest saw Spurs crumble under pressure, with Callum Hudson-Odoi netting twice before Ibrahim Sangare added the third.

Managing just a solitary shot on target throughout the entire match, supporters have grown worried not only about results but also the lack of attacking intent demonstrated under Frank's leadership thus far. That has placed the coach under early scrutiny from fans, who are demanding improvements in both performances and results in the coming weeks.

Former Spurs owner Alan Sugar even suggested that the board needed to fire Frank and replace him with Jurgen Klopp. Lineker, however, believes it is premature to question the Dane's future, arguing that only the ownership truly knows where he stands. On The Rest Is Football podcast, he asked: "Do you think Thomas Frank is under pressure or not?

"The truth is, when we say these things, only the owners know really, don't they? They've had a decent week, going OK in the Champions League, generally, but one or two good results, it's a bit up and down, isn't it? But it's like all these... You need time, don't you? You need time."

Micah Richards then added: "There are only four points between 12th and fifth. 26 points [Crystal] Palace are on, and Spurs are on 22 points. So you know you can have a good week. Around Christmas time, normally, obviously, it's more ferocious – only one game on Boxing Day, but normally around that Christmas period, you can change it around, can't you?

"And [Frank's] only four points off fifth place, where when we're making our predictions at the start of the season, Spurs are fourth, fifth, sixth, in that. So they're on track for where they need to be – I just think the fans are a little bit disappointed in the football that they are seeing, so that's where the pressure comes from."

Lineker highlighted the shift in approach from Ange Postecoglou to Frank, whilst also acknowledging their difficulties during the previous campaign. He said: "Well, they were very gung-ho with obviously Ange Postecoglou, weren't they? We did get entertaining games one way or the other. Whereas I think Thomas is probably more pragmatic in his approach."

"But I can't see why he would be under pressure at the moment. You've got to remember as well that Tottenham finished 17th last season.

"Now I know that towards the latter stages of the competition, there was obviously a clear priority, and that was the Europa League, but having said that, they still did finish in 17th place. It's way too early, really. You've got to establish yourself at a football club; he's not really had one window yet.

"He came in halfway through, and one or two transfers mostly fell through, didn't they? Morgan Gibbs-White, [Eberechi] Eze, who ended up going to Arsenal. So that was difficult before you start. So cut him some slack, surely."

Whilst the Premier League table remains congested at the summit, offering Spurs a route back into European contention, this hinges on them rediscovering their rhythm. Defensive lapses have proved problematic, whilst their blunt attacking display have only magnified these shortcomings.

The supporters are not the only ones feeling the strain, as Frank has disclosed his anger following the Nottingham Forest setback. He said: "I think I do everything to control my emotions.

"There is a hurricane inside me, because it's deeply frustrating we are not doing better (here) after three good performances. I think it is extremely important to be calm and measured and, of course, have very direct and clear messages.

"We will say it at the right time, so they're not in doubt of what I think. I'm very honest about where we are as well. I was also very honest – this was a very bad performance. No two ways about that, but also know that to change this, this will take some time. No one will want to hear about that. It's just reality.

"I think the ones who have followed the club and the team, it's fair to say there's been a few not too consistent performances, and that's the thing. We are working very hard."

Djed Spence was visibly unhappy after being brought off by Thomas Frank in Spurs' 3-0 loss away to Nottingham Forest, the second time that he's shown dissent towards his manager this season

Thomas Frank will speak to Djed Spence after the Tottenham star reacted angrily to being substituted during Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Spurs were thrashed at the City Ground to leave them with a record of just one win from their last nine Premier League games.

In November, 25-year-old Spence and team-mate Micky van de Ven were seen walking past Frank following their 1-0 loss at home to Chelsea, later apologising to their boss. Now the Tottenham full-back has found himself being accused of disrespecting Frank again.

After his number came up in the 59th minute, Spence was seen gesturing and shaking his head. Frank didn't see the moment but will speak to the England international.

"I didn't see it," the Spurs manager said post-match. "Of course I will look back to be aware of it. I think there can be three reasons.

"He can be disappointed with his own performance, the team's performance, he can be disappointed with being subbed off. I'll ask him about that."

Frank insists that he's the right man to turn Tottenham around, having only been in charge six months. Spurs are languishing 11th in the Premier League table approaching the halfway stage and they're already out of the Carabao Cup.

In the Champions League, however, one win from their final two league phase games will book them a place in the last 16. A calamitous first-half goal set the tone for Sunday's loss to Forest before Sean Dyche's side made it a rout.

"I think it's pretty evident that if no one gets the time, no one can turn this around," Frank said. "This is not a quick fix. Today was a very bad performance.

"No two ways about that, but also know that to change this, this will take some time. No one will want to hear about that, it's just reality."

Should Djed Spence be punished? Have your say in the comments section.

Frank didn't want to lay the blame on Guglielmo Vicario for the Tottenham goalkeeper's role in the opening goal. "No… I think you see that every week in the Premier League and from every team all over the world," the former Brentford boss explained.

"So there's no problem with that. Mistakes like that happen. When things are going against us we need to keep doing the right thing and keep our cool heads."

Spurs host Liverpool on Saturday in their final home game of 2025.

Tottenham struggled under Ange Postecoglou, but at least it was fun and entertaining. Under his predecessor Thomas Frank, Spurs have become turgid and inconsistent

Thomas Frank admitted that his calm personality hid a “hurricane inside.”

Sometimes it is probably better to show the people how much you care and how much it is hurting. Maybe he should have let his guard down at the City Ground.

At the moment, it should hurt for Tottenham. Three steps forward (a battling draw at Newcastle and back-to-back home wins against Brentford and Slavia Prague) followed by an almighty leap backwards with a shocking defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Shocking? The performance was. You have to admire Spurs for laying out free scarves for the travelling fans. That sort of thing is a nice touch. But it quickly gets forgotten amid the chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from the Forest fans.

And there is no doubt how much Frank cares. The Tottenham fans are - and perhaps this is being generous - divided on Frank. The football is not very good, the home results have been woefully inconsistent. And the players are hardly helping either.

Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario has such poor body language. Throwing his arms in the air in frustration as if it is always someone else's fault but his own.

That was why Spurs fans were so upset with him and booed him after a howler against Fulham. Vicario was at the centre of two big moments at Forest, the second of which he is throwing his arms up in the air after being beaten by Callum Hudson-Odoi’s long range cross shot.

But the first one is just woeful. This is not about playing out from the back. This is about a straight pass from the keeper. That is what Vicario did and he played Archie Gray into trouble.

It was on Vicario. Not Gray. Vicario should be playing a pass at an angle. It is basic. There should be a law against a straight pass from the keeper. The keeper has landed his teammate in a right old mess. It was shocking.

Djed Spence threw a tantrum when he came off (hurling a jacket to the ground when he was substituted). These moments undermine the manager - and it is the last thing he needs.

Yet still Frank keeps his calm. Maybe he needs to lose his temper in a public show for the fans. You can file the Forest defeat under the really bad performances against Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham and Bournemouth. Wolves even. And that was a draw.

Frank desperately needs to find some consistency. Even if is just in terms of level of performance. You cannot go from battling 2-2 draw at Newcastle to lame, meek woeful surrender at Forest in such quick succession.

Equally, the club must back Frank in the next transfer window. The squad is not good enough. They are crying out for a new keeper. They have got an assortment of nearly men forwards who look as if three should be traded in for one decent striker.

They desperately need Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski back. That will make such a difference. But we are into Ange Postecoglou territory there: bemoaning injuries and missing players.

At least Ange Ball was fun and entertaining. Plus it delivered a trophy. Going from that to inconsistent turgid football is a big ask.

But Frank must be given time to show if he is up to the job. It is a big ask to step up from Brentford to Tottenham. And at the moment, the gap looks too big. It is Frank’s job to prove otherwise.

Tottenham Hotspur are struggling and former part-owner Alan Sugar wants the club to sack Thomas Frank and bring in former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to replace him

Former Tottenham Hotspur part-owner, Alan Sugar, has urged the club to sack Thomas Frank and bring in ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The Spurs boss is facing mounting scrutiny following Sunday's 3-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest, which extended Frank's disappointing run in north London.

The Dane arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Brentford over the summer, but fans have grown increasingly frustrated with the team's playing style and dismal home record. Tottenham have managed just two league victories at home this season and languish in 11th place in the Premier League table after Ibrahim Sangare and a Callum Hudson-Odoi double secured victory for Forest at the City Ground.

The pressure is intensifying on Frank, whose side trails the top four by six points - the position that guarantees automatic Champions League football next term. Sugar, who served as Spurs chairman for nine years in the 1990s, has called for the club to consider a managerial shake-up.

The 78-year-old has advocated for Tottenham to appoint Klopp in place of Frank. He said: "With the massive fortune of the Lewis family, it would be a win-win situation if they hired Jurgen Klopp in January.

"Loads of money for players and a great manager. Who agrees?"

Sugar's hopes of seeing Klopp at the Spurs helm may prove futile, though. The German departed Liverpool at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign after almost nine years in charge - stating he no longer had the energy for such a demanding role.

The ex-Dortmund and Mainz gaffer has made it abundantly clear that he has no plans to return to the dugout. He's also adamant that managing another English team apart from Liverpool is a non-starter, even if he were to reconsider his decision to retire from management.

"I said I will never coach a different team in England. So that means if [he returns] it's Liverpool," Klopp revealed on the Diary of a CEO podcast.

"So yeah, theoretically it's possible. I love what I do right now, I don't miss coaching. I don't. I mean I do coach, just different, not players. And I don't miss it.

"I don't miss standing in the rain two-and-a-half, three hours. I don't miss going to a press conference three times a week, having 10-12 interviews a week. I don't miss that.

"I don't miss being in the dressing room in the sense that I don't have it often enough. I coached 1,080 something games. So, I was in the dressing room very, very often.

"I'm 58, that's from your perspective, old from the other side, it's not that old. That means I could make the decision in a few years. I don't know. [If] I had to make the decision today, I won't coach again, but thank God I don't have to do that. I can just see what the future brings."

Thomas Frank and Djed Spence haven't always seen eye to eye this season and there was another flashpoint involving the pair in Sunday's defeat at Nottingham Forest

It was another day to forget for Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank on Sunday. The London side lost heavily at Nottingham Forest to increase the pressure on the Dane, whose relationship with defender Djed Spence came into focus once more.

Spence and fellow defender Micky van de Ven appeared to snub Frank after a defeat to Chelsea earlier in the campaign. Both men apologised personally to the boss, but there was another flashpoint involving Spence at the City Ground.

As reported by BBC Sport, the latest episode came when Spence was substituted by Frank around an hour into Spurs' defeat. He is claimed to have appeared to question the decision when leaving the field after his number came up.

Spurs were 2-0 down at the time thanks to a brace from Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. Ben Davies took Spence's place in a triple change, with Joao Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall also entering the fray, but it mattered little as Ibrahim Sangare added a third for the hosts.

Defeat leaves Frank's team in the bottom half with just 22 points from 11 games. Forest, meanwhile, moved five points clear of the relegation zone with their victory.

Spurs winger Mohammed Kudus delivered a brutally honest assessment after the defeat. "Not good enough. A very disappointing result," the Ghanaian said. "We didn't create enough today, including myself. We need more effort in our all-round game.

"To win a game in the Premier League is very difficult. We need the same input every single day. We lacked that. We needed to do more. The final quality, including myself, some of the decisions we took today was a bit in a rush. We need to pick it up and focus on the next game."

Next up for Spurs is a league meeting with Liverpool on Saturday. They follow that with London derbies either side of the turn of the year, away at Crystal Palace and then Brentford.

Fans on social media voiced their frustration at Frank's substitution during and after the Forest reverse. "Davies coming on for Spence has been an awful call by Thomas Frank," wrote one, while another said: "Frank is seeing this diabolical [Pedro] Porro performance and decides to take Spence off instead" and a third said "I can't wait to hear Frank explain how [Davies] for Spence and [Palhinha] for Bentancur were gonna help us at 0-2 down!"

While some have called for a change of manager, others have been less trigger-happy, with one writing: "I still think Frank should be given time. Build and use our best players when they are back fit. But Frank needs to be a little serious!"

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank is looking to rectify Spurs' home Premier League struggles when the Europa League winners host his former employers Brentford on Saturday afternoon

Thomas Frank admits he's felt the weight of extra pressure since swapping Brentford for Tottenham. The Dane, who spent nine years bossing the Bees, knows only victory will do today against his former employers.

After almost six months in his new role in N17, he concedes the period of adaptation has not come without stress. Frank said: "Definitely, definitely I’ve felt that.

"It hasn’t surprised me because I knew that was the difference when I walked into it. But like anything else, you don’t know it before you’re standing in it. Like really know it. So now I know it's ‘okay, it’s like this,' and then we deal with it."

The 52-year-old tactician has now won just eight of his opening 22 matches in the Tottenham hot-seat. Additionally, his side have picked up just one sole victory - on the first day of the season against Burnley - from seven Premier League home encounters.

Frank actually boasted a better points-per-game ratio at both Brentford and Brondby and he's now acknowledged that he's still yet to determine his strongest Spurs XI.

When quizzed on whether that was the case, he replied: "Yes, I think it’s fair. I’ve got an idea of quite a few positions but I also think there’s competition so it's not that easy all the time to say 'okay, it's just those 11' because you need more than 11 players.

"Normally you see most teams find their strongest team and it will usually be those nine players all the time and then maybe change two, sometimes it's 10."

At Brentford, Frank was used to playing just once per week, occasionally twice but he would regularly oversee a full week of training.

Saturday's contest will represent Tottenham's fourth game in just 11 days and the gruelling festive schedule only gets tougher from here on in.

In his view, the fixture pile-up is the toughest challenge he's had to navigate since moving across the capital.

He continued: "I think the biggest difference obviously now is the amount of games, I think that’s the biggest thing, the short turnaround.

"Of course I experienced it during Covid, we had 21 games in a row, that was Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Wednesday and so on. With a lot of travelling, that’s heavy.

"Nailing the message, nailing the team and all that bit, how you create a side that should be more and more in sync when you also need to rotate, that's the challenge."

Tottenham have no fresh injury concerns ahead of hosting Keith Andrews' side after Destiny Udogie and Brennan Johnson both came through unscathed following small fitness worries at Newcastle.

Spurs are looking for their first win in six in all competitions. Only Wolves (one) have claimed fewer home points in the Premier League this term.

Destiny Udogie has spoken for the first time since allegedly being threatened with a gun in London in September, thanking the Premier League club for their response

Tottenham Hotspur defender Destiny Udogie has thanked the club for their support after he was allegedly threatened with a gun by a football agent. The Italy international is alleged to have been threatened on September 6, with police called at 11.14pm.

"We have been providing support for Destiny and his family since the incident and will continue to do so," a Spurs spokesperson said in November. The club indicated not much more could be said at the time as it was an ongoing legal matter, but Udogie himself has spoken about the way the club have helped him through the ordeal.

“The club showed me good support and was next to me every day,” Udogie told The Athletic. “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.

"It was not something I’d wish on anyone," the former Udinese star added. "It was a shock. But it’s OK, now we look forward.”

Udogie, who was part of Spurs' Europa League winning squad last season, has played 15 times for the North London club this term. He has missed part of the season through injury but started the last three league games under Thomas Frank.

"It is a terrible situation to have been in and 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," Frank said when asked about the defender in early November. "We'll do that and he's clearly doing well on the pitch, which is good and we'll keep supporting him."

Frank gave Udogie the full 90 minutes on Tuesday as Spurs twice came from behind to draw with Newcastle United. Next up is a London derby against Brentford, with their under-pressure manager chasing a first league win in six.

"It's nice timing to get the three points on Saturday. The one way to win is to put in the good performance in there," the Danish boss said ahead of the game against his former club.

"Work on the things we're constantly working on, phase two, phase three, making it quicker. Be sharper, quicker and more penetration when we need to have that. Play with intensity, brave, and we're looking forward to it."

Newcastle were awarded a 'harsh' penalty after an intervention by the video assistant referee against Tottenham. Rodrigo Bentancur was judged to have fouled Dan Burn in the area as he stopped his run, while not looking at the ball.

Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot after being handed a second look by VAR, having initially not blown his whistle over the incident. Anthony Gordon then converted the resultant spotkick to hand Newcastle a late lead at St James' Park.

Premier League match centre explained: "After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of no penalty to Newcastle United. Referee announcement: 'After review, Tottenham number 30 makes a holding offence at the back post and clearly does not look at the ball. My final decision is penalty kick.'"

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher felt it was a cruel decision. "I do feel the penalty award was really harsh," he said on commentary.

"I do understand he wasn't looking at the ball, but at the end it was the sheer power of Dan Burn, who is so much bigger and stronger than him...Burn was almost putting him on the floor."

Despite the incident occurring in the 86th minute, Spurs found a way back into the game. Cristian Romero scored a dramatic overhead kick to earn a point for Thomas Frank in the 95th minute.

The Argentine defender had already scored earlier in the evening to level the scores after 78 minutes. Bruno Guimaraes had come off the bench to initially hand Newcastle the lead after Spurs failed to record a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

"Newcastle will be furious," said Carragher following Newcastle's equaliser. "Tottenham have had two shots on target and two goals."

"Wow! It isn't the greatest connection, it has come off his shin!" he added on Romero's strike. "How has that gone in? Newcastle will be kicking themselves."

Despite the result, Jonathan Woodgate believes Frank will be unhappy with Tottenham's performance. The ex-Newcastle and Tottenham defender did give credit to the Lilywhites, however.

"I just didn't think Tottenham were good in all parts of the game, whether offensively or defensively. They didn't really want to pass," said Woodgate on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Newcastle seemed to drive the game much more than Spurs. When Bruno Guimaraes came on and scored I thought they were going to go on win.

"Then you have to give Spurs credit, they didn't give up, they kept on going and the captain comes up with two goals.

"It's a really strange game from a Spurs points of view and Thomas Frank won't have been happy with that display."

Jamie Carragher believes Marco Silva deserves a chance at managing at a bigger club and has mentioned Tottenham as a potential destination amid the pressure on Thomas Frank

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Fulham boss Marco Silva would be ideal for a club like Tottenham Hotspur amid ongoing uncertainty around Thomas Frank's future. The Danish head coach replaced Ange Postecoglou in the dugout earlier this summer, but his side have struggled in recent weeks.

The 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham at the weekend means only Wolves have a worse home record than Frank's side in the Premier League this season. Spurs were two down after just six minutes when Harry Wilson capitalised on a mistake from Guglielmo Vicario.

The Italian goalkeeper lost the ball on the edge of his box and Wilson curled the ball into the back of the net. The next time the Spurs goalkeeper touched the ball, there were boos from the home crowd, which left Frank and Pedro Porro furious.

"I didn't like that our fans booed at him [Vicario] straight after and a few times he touched the ball," Frank said in his post-match press conference. "They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch.

"And we do everything we can to perform. After, fair enough, boo, no problem. But not during. That's unacceptable in my opinion."

Reports from The Telegraph claim Spurs held an emergency meeting to discuss the disconnect with fans last month, and ahead of the trip to Newcastle, Frank said: "I completely understand the frustration.

"If we don't win there will always be a frustration. We have not won much at home this season - and also last -so the frustration can grow. It's my job to do what we can to have calm.

"We are nothing without fans. Tottenham Hotspur is nothing without the fans. My point was that during matches we need each other. Afterwards the booing can be fair. During, then we need to make it a fortress and, to do that, we all need to be together."

A fresh report from The Sun says some Spurs stars are frustrated with Frank's tactics with players confused over their roles due to changes in plans at short notice. However, Frank claims to have the full backing of the Spurs' hierarchy, but there is growing speculation about his future.

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher said: "I’ve always been a fan of Marco Silva, even when he first came to the Premier League with Hull. I think he’s the one manager Everton should’ve stuck with, when they kept changing manager under [Farhad] Moshiri and the owner, he was the one I liked.

"I’ve always seen Marco Silva [as the level of] Tottenham – not quite to go from a [club like] Fulham to Liverpool or Manchester City, or a team that can compete for the league, but a level just below where they are trying for Champions League = maybe a club like Aston Villa.

"That will be the next step for him in the Premier League, and I think he deserves one of those jobs when they next come up."