The Mirror

William Gallas has branded Tottenham’s campaign a ‘disaster’ and warned they need to win a cup to save their season.

Ange Postecoglou’s men languish in the bottom half of the Premier League table and are well off the pace in the race for the Champions League spots after a poor run of results. However, Spurs are 90 minutes away from the Carabao Cup final and through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Former Tottenham star Gallas insists his old club have blown any chance of a top-four finish and warned Postecoglou must win some silverware to rescue their campaign.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Everton, the Frenchman said: “Tottenham’s season has been a disaster. We’ve seen it too many times, they can give you one good performance and in the next game, they are not here. They are not consistent.

“Champions League, it's beyond them, it's finished. The manager's got big pressure on his shoulders, because the only way he can save his season is to win the FA Cup or to win the League Cup.

“It's not about getting to the final and losing it, it's to lift a trophy. I don’t think they are going to qualify for a place in the top four now, so they need to win something.”

Tottenham’s season took another turn for the worse after they surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose Wednesday night's North London derby against Arsenal. Spurs have won just seven league games all season, losing 11, and Gallas insists the blame lies at Postecoglou’s door, despite their lengthy injury problems.

Gallas added: “The manager has made some mistakes - he's too stubborn. He won't change the way he plays and that's why Tottenham are in the position they are.”

William Gallas was speaking on behalf of Prime Casino.

Son Heung-min is ready to pick Tottenham up off the canvas once again - despite claiming Spurs have sunk to an all-time low during his decade at the club.

Their worrying season plunged to new depths of despair on Wednesday night when they were beaten in the north London derby at Arsenal, meaning Tottenham have lost 11 of their 21 Premier League matches this term.

But Son is convinced all hope is not lost, particularly with a crucial Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on the horizon against Liverpool, stating: "It’s a big pain. The game means a lot for the club and the fans, it was a very frustrating and painful night.

"I am in there every single day taking responsibility and I just want to lift them as much as I can. But sometimes, when the results are not there, with a young group they are really down.

"I've been here almost 10 years and have never been in this position, this kind of situation. We are where we are, so I need to be stronger and to lead the group in a positive way."

Spurs travel to Everton today and in previous years, Goodison Park is a ground that has brought them great joy. The Toffees have not beaten Tottenham on home soil in the top-flight in over 12 years and are six matches without a win in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou retains the full backing of the Spurs hierarchy and also his captain, who is adamant the players must take responsibility for their inconsistent displays.

Son, who struck the opener against the Gunners, continued: "It’s not only the manager, it’s also the players and everybody. The results are not something someone should take all the responsibility and blame for. Sometimes it is unlucky that you don’t get the results.

"Not only the gaffer, but every player, including me first, we have to take responsibility for this kind of situation. It’s not the time to be pointing [fingers] at each other. At the moment it’s important that we stick together in every circumstance.

"We were having the conversation before the start of season about injuries and too many games. And we are still having it.

"All we can do as players is recover well, sleep well and eat well, and just prepare for the game as much as we can and be on the pitch as sharp as possible."

Teenage starlet Archie Gray has emerged as one of only few Spurs players worthy of credibility in recent weeks after impressing as a makeshift centre-back.

Son, who holds the 18-year-old £30million summer acquisition in the highest regard, is delighted with Gray's progress amid the turmoil.

He concluded: "I cannot speak highly enough of him. He is working so hard, what a lovely kid. On and off the pitch he is fantastic.

"I’ve seen so many things with young players, in the media they can get pushed so much and go the wrong way. So I don’t want to celebrate him too much, I want him to stay on the floor as he is now.

"He is a very humble guy, I want him to stay as long as possible as a boy. But as a player, I don’t have to say much. Whatever the team needs - centre back, right-back, left-back, midfielder - he can play any position.

"I spoke to him as well and said to him that playing centre back will help him in the future. He is having to deal with big strikers and that physicality will definitely help him. Any position that he gets game time in, is always good for him. He's doing an amazing job."

Tottenham legend Garry Brooke, who won two FA Cups with the club, has died at the age of 64 following a long illness, the club have announced.

Brooke passed away on Saturday morning as Tottenham reflected on an "impossibly difficult time" for the ex-midfielder's family.

A statement from Tottenham read: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former player Garry Brooke this morning, following a lengthy battle with illness. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this impossibly difficult time."

Brooke went on to play 101 times for his boyhood club Spurs, scoring 18 times, before becoming something of a journeyman in his career as he turned out for Norwich, Dutch side Groningen, Wimbledon, Stoke City, Brentford, Colchester United, Reading and St Albans City.

Norwich also paid tribute to their former player with a statement reading: "All at Norwich City are saddened to learn of the passing of former player Garry Brooke after a battle with illness. We pass on our sincere condolences to Garry's loved ones at this sad time."

Brookes' FA Cup-winning team-mate at Tottenham Ossie Ardiles took to social media to make his own gesture. He said: "Very very sad news. Gary was a wonderful player and even more a wonderful friend.

"My thoughts and prayers with your family and friends. Very honoured to have played football with you and been your friend. Rest in peace dear Brooksy."

Brooke was born in Bethnal Green in 1960 and joined Tottenham in 1978, first having a loan spell with Swedish side GAIS before making his debut in the 1980-81 season.

That first campaign was a successful one as it resulted in him lifting the FA Cup with Spurs after a 3-2 win over Manchester City in the final, which saw him come off the bench.

The following year in 1981-82 Brooke would win another FA Cup with Spurs, coming off the bench once again in extra time.

Alejandro Garnacho’s Manchester United departure has been given the green light by Liverpool and Tottenham’s failure to land their respective transfer targets.

United rejected a bid from Napoli worth just under £40million for Garnacho this week, with the Red Devils demanding a fee closer to their £60m valuation of the player. The 20-year-old winger’s Old Trafford future has come under doubt since he was dropped by Ruben Amorim for the 2-1 win over Manchester City in December.

Talks over a new contract with Garnacho have also been unproductive, while United would be open to selling the Argentine due to a potential sale helping them stay on the right side of PSR rules. He himself is reportedly receptive to a move to the Serie A league leaders too.

He has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to thank if Napoli end up tabling a huge bid. Given that the Georgian winger forced through a move to Paris Saint-Germain this January, Napoli will have the funds required to sign a much-needed replacement. Kvaratskhelia’s PSG transfer, worth around £59m, is now nearing completion after he confirmed his Napoli exit on social media on Thursday.

It was reported earlier this month that Liverpool were long-term admirers of Kvaratskhelia and were considering a move for the 23-year-old. But PSG are believed to have struck an agreement with Napoli, paying Kvaratskhelia’s fee over three installments as he arrived in Paris on Thursday, completing his medical the following morning.

That, in turn, has concluded the transfer saga surrounding out-of-favour PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani. With Kvaratskhelia’s arrival, PSG agreed to send Kolo Muani, who they signed for £77m in 2023, to Juventus on a six-month loan deal as he was deemed surplus to requirements.

Juventus will now cover the Frenchman’s wages until the end of this season, which comes as a blow to several other clubs including Spurs, who reportedly wanted to sign Kolo Muani this January. However, Juve do not have an option to buy him permanently, which means PSG will still look to find a permanent destination for the 26-year-old in the summer.

Spurs were reported by David Ornstein on NBC Sports to have made Kolo Muani their primary transfer target this month, while United also showed some interest. Ange Postecoglou was said to be impressed by the forward’s versatility - but the north Londoners will now have to look for an alternative to the former Eintracht Frankfurt star.

Tottenham chiefs remain fully behind Ange Postecoglou and have no plans to sack the Australian despite the club's awful season.

Wednesday's North London Derby defeat to Arsenal has left Spurs sitting 13th in the Premier League table. They could even drop into 14th if Manchester United beat rock bottom Southampton on Thursday night.

The defeat to the Gunners means that Postecoglou's side have now lost 11 games in the league this year. That is their joint-most at this stage of a season, along with the 1997-98, 2003-04 and 2008-09 campaigns.

They are now just eight points above the relegation zone and are closer to 18th-place Wolves than they are to the European places. It is an uncomfortable position for Spurs, with Postecoglou likely feeling the heat.

But according to football.london, Postecoglou retains the 'full backing' of clubs chiefs. They are said to understand what he is battling through and believe they are trying to put the 'right structures and people' around him.

Spurs remain hopeful that Postecoglou can turn his side into trophy contenders once he comes through this period. Having said that, the trip to Everton this weekend appears to be increasingly important.

Postecoglou does have a number of mitigating factors on his side. The first is his side's awful luck with injuries, with Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies all currently sidelined.

That has forced him to play 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray out of position in central defence. Postecoglou has refused to make excuses for his side though and instead insisted they need to improve their performance levels.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Tottenham sack Ange Postecoglou? Comment below.

He pulled no punches in his assessment of the defeat to Arsenal. The Australian admitted Spurs let their fierce rivals 'dictate the game', though did take responsibility for their poor display.

"Nowhere near good enough, especially in the first half. We were too passive. We let Arsenal dictate the game. Second half was a little better not nowhere near good enough. Not acceptable," he told TNT Sports.

"Ultimately the responsibility lies with me and how I prepare the players. I'm more interested in how we play and we were not anywhere near the levels today. Go back to work and prepare for a tough game.

"Of course they [defeats] hurt me. Not acceptable. Too many losses this year. Too many games getting away from us. It needs to stop. No other way of looking at it. If you give up now, there's no point. Right now we have a big game against Everton this weekend. That's our focus."

Takehiro Tomiyasu signed for Arsenal in a last-gasp transfer in the summer of 2021 - but very nearly joined their north London rivals Tottenham on the same day.

The Japanese full-back was part of a busy transfer window for the Gunners three years ago, joining Ben White, Nuno Tavares, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale and Albert Sambi Lokonga in moving to north London.

The Gunners splashed out £17million for the former Bologna star, with Tomiyasu snubbing Spurs at the eleventh hour to make the transfer happen.

Speaking to DAZN Japan, Tomiyasu said: "I thought I wasn’t able to join Arsenal. I thought I was going to Spurs. On deadline day, I rejected them. Arsenal asked me to join them and I did immediately."

The 26-year-old has made 84 appearances for Arsenal since his last-minute move, scoring two goals in the Premier League and assisting six times across all competitions.

While the right-back appeared quite a lot throughout his debut season for the Gunners, he has fallen out of favour, with White and Jurrien Timber climbing the ranks above the number 18.

Given his lack of football, Tomiyasu has been linked with Inter Milan this January transfer window. However, it is understood that Mikel Arteta isn't interested in letting the full-back leave.

Tomiyasu, whose contract expires in June 2026 after he extended his Emirates stay in March last year, is an integral part of Arsenal's squad. Fellow defender Ben White previously spoke about his personality and performances on the pitch.

In 2021, White said: "Obviously, you’ve all seen how he’s performed when he’s playing for Arsenal. He’s such a nice guy. He fitted straight in when he came. All the boys love him and he’s doing the business on the pitch as well. He’s doing really well."

North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are set to clash in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, rekindling their historic rivalry.

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, find themselves six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool following a 1-1 draw with Brighton. Joao Pedro's penalty was enough to frustrate the visitors in the match and cut two birds with one stone as the two bets came in with the second-half equaliser.

Compounding their woes, the Gunners suffered a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final and were eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties. This match presents an opportunity for Arsenal to regain momentum and boost their confidence by securing a victory against their fierce rivals.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are in search of a turnaround after going four Premier League matches without a win, including a recent 2-1 home loss to Newcastle. Ange Postecoglou's team narrowly avoided an FA Cup upset, requiring extra time to overcome fifth-tier Tamworth.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur Odds

The North London Derby promises to be a busy one for the betting markets and the bookies are heavily backing the Gunners to come out victorious in this one.

Arteta's side are best priced at 21/50 with bet365 while Sky Bet, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Unibet all have them trading at 2/5 while CopyBet is offering 38/100. Meanwhile, Tottenham will be looking to avoid three successive league defeats against their arch-rivals and are best priced at 6/1 with Midnite, Paddy Power and Unibet while Sky Bet, William Hill and CopyBet all have Postecoglou's side at 11/2 to come out victorious.

In this fixture last season, the match finished 2-2 with both sides taking a point apiece and a repeat of that is going for 10/1 while Arsenal to pick up another 1-0 win - similar to the reverse fixture's result - is priced at 13/2 with CopyBet.

Arsenal - 38/100 (CopyBet)

Draw - 21/5 (CopyBet)

Spurs - 11/2 (CopyBet)

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur Betting Tips

Arsenal to win and both teams to score - 29/20 (CopyBet)

Over 9.5 total corners - 4/9 (CopyBet)

Leandro Trossard to score or assist anytime - 5/6 (CopyBet)

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Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr are nearing a deal for an April 26 fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Talks for the fight ramped up over the weekend with the pair and their promoters, Eddie Hearn and Ben Shalom, in attendance at the Ring Magazine awards. Those discussions are now at a crucial stage and a deal could be wrapped up very soon.

Benn, 28, has been recently cleared to reapply for his British Boxing Board of Control licence after a National Anti-Doping Panel judged that UK Anti-Doping must lift his temporary suspension as they were not "comfortably satisfied" a doping offence had been committed.

The London boxer was under investigation after two adverse analytical findings in VADA tests for the prohibited substance clomiphene, a fertility drug which has performance-enhancing benefits.

The second test was revealed just days before Benn was due to face Eubank Jr in October 2022. Eubank Jr has since lost and beaten Liam Smith in that time and got a win over Kamil Szeremeta. While Benn did box twice in the US when his suspension was lifted previously.

The bout will be contested at middleweight if it is agreed. ESPN first reported the date and weight but we can reveal that the home of Spurs is the target venue. Hearn and Shalom both held talks with Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh at the weekend in a bid to broker a deal for the fight.

The pair had previously failed to agree on purse splits for the bout but now most of the major stumbling blocks have been removed.

"I think we either get it made this week or we don't," Hearn told Sky Sports. "His Excellency has made it clear that it's a fight that he wants to see and be involved with, which helps, because it enables him to sit in the middle and negotiate with both sides.

"If I was negotiating with Eubank, I don't think the fight would get made, if I'm honest. Luckily I'm not. We are drawing closer to the finishing line. It's not done yet, but a stadium blockbuster awaits hopefully in April.

"If everybody was sensible, I'd be 100 per cent [confident the fight happens]. But this is boxing, and no one is sensible. Watch this space."

Benn and Eubank Jr are sons of famous fighting duo Nigel and Chris Snr, who had two epic battles back in the 1990s and were mainstream names in the sport.

Rodrigo Bentancur has confirmed on social media that he is "all good" after suffering a nasty injury scare on Wednesday night.

The Tottenham midfielder fell awkardly to the turf early on in the Carabao Cup semi-final triumph over Liverpool and was treated by medical staff for 10 minutes. He was eventually stretchered off after receiving oxygen on the pitch.

It was confirmed at half-time that the Uruguay star had been taken to hospital but also that he was conscious and communicating. And Bentancur delivered a positive update to concerned fans on his Instagram story not long after.

He posted: "All good, guys! " and showing appreciation with "Thank you for the messages!!! Congratulations [for] the victory boys!!!"

Alongside the positive update, he included a photo of himself giving a thumbs up and grinning, indicating that he was recovering well after the alarming incident.

Ange Postecoglou's team rallied after Bentancur's early injury and went on to secure a narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool, with Lucas Bergvall netting the decisive goal.

Speaking post-match, Postecoglou admitted it was hard for the players after seeing him go down awkwardly after seemingly missing a header at a Liverpool corner.

"There's nothing too detailed (at this stage), Postecoglou told reporters. "He was conscious when he came off the field and he’s been taken to hospital for some observations so we’re hoping he’ll be okay.

"It was pretty distressing at the time, seeing him go down like that, for the players. Dealing with adversity, these players just compose themselves and responded to it really well."

Tottenham will travel to Anfield for the return leg of their semi-final next month as Postecoglou's side bid to earn a place in the final and a chance to land the first trophy of the domestic season.

Referee Stuart Attwell addressed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to explain the decision to disallow a Dominic Solanke goal in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Liverpool, but Reds fans would later have a big issue with the official.

In a first for English football, referee Attwell announced the decision to chalk off Solanke's strike in the 76th minute as the forward was offside. The Spurs No.19 raced onto a Dejan Kulusevski pass and slotted home, but the flag didn't go up.

However, after the incident was checked over by VAR, it was deemed that Solanke was just ahead of Liverpool's deepest defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and so therefore offside.

The Carabao Cup semi-finals are being used to trial a new system which sees referees explain VAR overturns to the crowd in the stadium once the final decision is reached.

The system was in play for Arsenal's semi-final first leg against Newcastle on Tuesday night, but with no overturns needed in that clash, Attwell's intervention became a first in the English game.

After the decision was reached, Attwell said over the microphone: "After a review, Dominic Solanke was in an offside position in the build-up to the goal. The final decision is offside." The decision was met with boos from the home crowd, while online many people found the novelty of hearing Attwell's voice rather bizarre.

One fan said: "Haha it's proper weird hearing the referee!" Another added: "That VAR offside decision being announced on the pitch by the referee seemed really strange, especially as there was no flags on the play."

However, Attwell's later intervention got many more football supporters talking. The referee somehow decided not to issue a second yellow card to Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall when he brought down Liverpool full-back Kostas Tsimikas. Moments later, Bergvall scored the only goal of the first leg when Tsimikas was off the pitch to give Spurs the lead in the tie.

The focus on Attwell swiftly turned from his announcement of the offside goal to that decision, with one fan saying: "Stuart Attwell fancy explaining that one?"

Another added: "I look forward to the referee explaining why that wasn’t a second yellow card in his post match interview. Oh that’s right, those incompetent jokers don’t have to live by the same rules as the players and managers they screw over."