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Thomas Frank: Tottenham head coach expected to be in charge against Borussia Dortmund as Spurs look at alternative options

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Thomas Frank: Tottenham head coach expected to be in charge against Borussia Dortmund as Spurs look at alternative options - Sky Sports
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Thomas Frank is expected to remain in charge of Tottenham for their Champions League fixture against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.

Frank is set to take his pre-match press conference on Monday as normal ahead of their penultimate league phase match.

Sky Sports News reported on Sunday that Frank is under increasing pressure to keep his job and the Spurs hierarchy are believed to be looking at alternative options after board-level talks following the defeat at home to West Ham on Saturday.

No final decision has yet been made and the long-term plan has always been for Frank to lead the team through a difficult, transitional period for the club.

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Saturday's defeat reached new levels of toxicity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with reports of fans clashing with each other outside the ground, while a video has surfaced on social media of a fan approaching co-owner Vivienne Lewis in the hospitality section and making their feelings known regarding Frank's future.

Unlike the vast majority of managers who have lost their jobs this season, Frank has tried to remain positive, appreciative of this being a difficult period for the club.

He described his job as trying to turn around a "super-tanker" and that it was starting to go in the right direction. But that did not show in Saturday's result to relegation-threatened rivals West Ham, who ended a 10-game winless league run.

Not all of the blame can be levelled at Frank. The club is in a transitional phase following the post-Daniel Levy era in which new captains are steering the ship and new staff are still finding their feet in multiple areas.

Either way, though, this feels like an important moment at Tottenham and they will carefully consider the next steps ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home game against Borussia Dortmund.

Booed off and sacked chants from own fans - but Frank defiant

Under-pressure Frank remained defiant despite being loudly booed off by his own fans, who chanted 'you're getting sacked in the morning' at him following the 2-1 home defeat to West Ham.

Callum Wilson's last-gasp winner sparked toxic scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the South Stand called for the Dane to go after a run of eight defeats in 14 matches.

On Sunday morning, Spurs chief executive Vinai Venkatesham arrived at the training ground along with Frank and the players.

At his post-match press conference, Frank said of the boos and chants: "Of course, I probably have had better times. 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, and we will keep going forward."

Frank was surprisingly upbeat in his post-match press conference, likening his job to turning a "super tanker" around with Spurs sitting 14th in the table, 10 points above the drop zone.

Ahead of kick-off, Venkatesham released an open letter in the matchday programme which addressed several issues, including the relationship with the fans and player trading.

"I've seen the letter," Frank said, "and I took six to eight positive things out of the letter, not the negative things.

"What I take out of that letter is that a club, an executive team with Vinai on top, that are aligned and know that this is a big transition phase and it's a super tanker, we're turning in the right direction.

"And there's a lot of good signs behind the scenes, also in some of the performances.

"But of course, when you lose last minute to one of your rivals, it's very emotional in football, and there'll be noise.

"And that noise we need to keep out there and get [our] head down and keep walking, keep doing the right thing."

Frank also faced questions over team leaks on Friday, but he insisted he was not worried.

The Dane also believes his side are "close to something very good" despite a winless start to 2026.

Asked why he deserved more time, Frank replied: "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 Bournemouth and 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 close to something very good than further away.

He added: "I can promise that I'm sitting here and giving everything every single day.

"I feel the trust from everyone and there's only one way, and it's to keep going."

How Sky Sports reported on the Tottenham fans' response to Frank

Sky Sports' Oliver Yew at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

After West Ham scored late on: "The home fans are singing 'sacked in the morning' towards Thomas Frank, those of them that are left in their seats. There's a mass exodus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the West Ham fans celebrate."

At full time: "The boos die down before restarting again. The fans filing out by the press box are making their feelings known as well.

"Frank then makes his way to the tunnel, applauding as he goes. He's booed again and there's another chorus of 'sacked in the morning'. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before."

Tottenham's games in January and February

Tuesday: Borussia Dortmund (h), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

Saturday: Burnley (a), Premier League - kick-off 3pm

January 28: Eintracht Frankfurt (a), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

February 1: Man City (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

February 7: Man Utd (a), Premier League - kick-off 12.30pm

February 10: Newcastle (h), Premier League - kick-off 7.30pm

February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

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Christian Eriksen interview: On Man Utd exit, Thomas Frank at Tottenham and why he is loving his football at Wolfsburg

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"If I was not enjoying it, I would be on a beach somewhere doing something else," Christian Eriksen tells Sky Sports. "Whether it is sunshine or raining, even when it is snowing, I am still enjoying football." And football is still enjoying Christian Eriksen.

"It has always been about the same thing, the love of it, just that feeling of being a football player, on the pitch, running after a ball. Obviously, you want to win and play in the best possible teams you can. But I think that love of football never leaves you."

His new team Wolfsburg are not exactly flying in the Bundesliga. Earlier this month, they lost 8-1 to Bayern Munich. "Not nice at all." But Eriksen scored as they bounced back with a win over St Pauli. "We had a lot of stuff we had to prove to ourselves," he says.

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He also provided the cross for the late equaliser against Heidenheim at the weekend. Watching him up close on a bitterly cold day at the Volkswagen Arena, fans of the midfield maestro can rest assured that, even at the age of 33, the old Eriksen magic remains.

His five chances created in the game were as many as his team-mates managed between them and included one lovely ball over the top that should have brought the opening goal. Playing off the right, he drops deep, floats around, has freedom to roam.

In his pomp at Tottenham, Eriksen did all that and more and was arguably the Premier League's outstanding creative force. A big claim but the numbers support that. During his Spurs career nobody provided more assists or created more chances than the Dane.

Gut feeling for Wolfsburg

He also scored more goals from outside the box than any other Premier League player in that time. Wolfsburg fans have not seen one yet but this Rolls-Royce of a player feels at home in Volkswagen country. "I just had a gut feeling it would suit me," he explains.

"I could see myself playing for Wolfsburg, trying the Bundesliga. It is a very open league. One team can be 3-0 up in the last 10 minutes and it can still end up 3-3. There is a lot going on and every team wants to play a little bit. It is an exciting league to watch and to play in."

Remarkably, the Heidenheim game came 16 years to the day since Eriksen made his professional debut for Ajax. "Has it been 16 years since my debut? I have had a fun 16 years," he says. "It is still fun." But the hair is thinning and those team-mates are getting younger.

"All the new players coming up, they are born in the 2000s, even the late 2000s. That is weird," he says, smiling a little, amusing himself at the thought. "I am around such young kids. At the same time, although in football terms I am obviously very old, I do not feel old."

More time looking at a computer

So, how exactly has football changed over these past 16 years, then? Where to begin. "It has gone through different stages in terms of possession, then a bit of tactical work, then about possession again, then a lot of pressing, then a lot of athleticism," he explains.

"Now, there are a lot of stats going around, a lot of numbers you have got to hit, so there is a lot more time spent looking at the computer. You have to hit a certain amount of kilometres in training just to make sure you are in the right place for the next game.

"Years ago, that was not there. It was just on a hunch. Do you feel good? Okay, you are ready to go. Now, everything else is taken into consideration. What is your load? How many high-speed runs do you need to do? How many extra sprints do you need to do?"

Maybe I wasn't suited for him

He sounds a little bemused. "Even strikers now are the first guys to press. Double runs, triple runs." But he has been able to adapt. And he has done so having come through that moment nobody will ever be able to forget at the European Championship in 2021.

He almost lost more than his career that day in Copenhagen but recovered to add more chapters to his football story. Brentford offered a route back before he spent three seasons at Manchester United. But there was no role for him under Ruben Amorim.

"As a player, I did not feel he was going to look my way, in every sense. Of course, then you struggle a bit football-wise. But person-wise, we had a decent relationship, nothing wrong there. He has one idea. Maybe I was a style of player not really suited for him."

Brentford was safe for Frank

He insists that he wants the best for the club and believes "a new manager brings new ideas" and sees it as a "chance for everyone" again. Kobbie Mainoo, especially? "I hope for anyone, it does not matter if it is Kobbie or someone else. I hope the club has success."

Eriksen is well placed to assess the issues at Spurs too, having played under Thomas Frank at Brentford. Is he surprised to see Frank's struggles? "Yes and no," he says. "I mean, the pressure is bigger. Of course, Brentford for a long time was a safe place."

He adds: "Now, he is in a new place with new eyes and people want something else. I hope he gets the time to change it and see what he can do. But I know football moves quickly and there are a lot of new ideas this week and then next week it will be another idea."

If Eriksen sounds like he has seen it all in football, one wonders what is left for him. The World Cup playoffs in March are on his mind. "The chance to play at the World Cup would be special. That is the first aim and to hopefully have a big tournament after," he says.

Enjoying what is ahead

His contract at Wolfsburg has another season to run after this and he is determined to see an improvement. "We have lost way too many games this season. But we are on a better run now than we were before." As for the personal goals, well, they never change.

"Just to keep improving and just to have fun on a football pitch. I mean, that is what I have been doing for so many years," But does he cherish all this a bit more after what he has been through? "I think I am just enjoying the moment, as I was before," he adds.

"But at the same time, I know what you can lose. So, I am happy with what I have. Maybe I am not cherishing it more but I am just enjoying what is ahead." What is certain is that we should cherish every opportunity we get to see Christian Eriksen playing football.

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FREE STREAM: Good Morning Transfers on Sky Sports News - Latest football transfer news, updates and rumours

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Good Morning Transfers and The Transfer Show are back on Sky Sports News for the January transfer window - and you can watch right here.

Sky Sports News reporters give you all the latest updates on deals going on throughout the January transfer window and debate the potential big moves. Just click or tap the video at the top of the page.

Remember, you can follow the latest transfer news every day with the dedicated Sky Sports Transfer Centre.

Looking for dedicated news about your club? Bookmark your Premier League club's page here for live updates and transfer developments.

Club news, transfers and gossip: Arsenal | Aston Villa | Bournemouth | Brentford | Brighton | Burnley | Chelsea | Crystal Palace | Everton | Fulham | Leeds | Liverpool | Man City | Man Utd | Newcastle | Nottingham Forest | Sunderland | Tottenham | West Ham | Wolves

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Thomas Frank: Tottenham board looking at alternative head coach options after holding talks over Dane's future

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The Tottenham board have not made a final decision about the future of head coach Thomas Frank but are looking at alternative options.

Talks are believed to have taken place at board level about whether Frank should continue after Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by West Ham.

The hierarchy are taking their time to make a decision, while considering potential short-term successors in the event Frank does depart.

The 52-year-old is expected to hold his press conference on Monday ahead of the Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, as things stand.

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The Spurs board want to stick to a long-term plan that includes Frank, which has always been the plan, but Saturday's defeat reached new levels of toxicity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which could be the point of no return.

There are reports of fans clashing with each other outside the ground, while a video has surfaced on social media of a fan approaching co-owner Vivienne Lewis in the hospitality section and making their feelings known regarding Frank's future.

Unlike the vast majority of managers who have lost their jobs this season, Frank has tried to remain positive, appreciative of this being a difficult period for the club.

He described it as trying to turn around a "super-tanker" and that it was starting to go in the right direction. But that did not show in Saturday's result to relegation-threatened rivals West Ham, who ended a 10-game winless league run.

Not all of the blame can be levelled at Frank. The club is in a transitional phase following the post-Daniel Levy era in which new captains are steering the ship and new staff are still finding their feet in multiple areas.

Either way, though, this feels like an important moment at Tottenham and they will carefully consider the next steps ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home game against Borussia Dortmund.

Booed off and sacked chants from own fans - but Frank defiant

Under-pressure Frank remained defiant despite being loudly booed off by his own fans, who chanted 'you're getting sacked in the morning' at him following the 2-1 home defeat to West Ham.

Callum Wilson's last-gasp winner sparked toxic scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the South Stand called for the Dane to go after a run of eight defeats in 14 matches.

On Sunday morning, Spurs chief executive Vinai Venkatesham arrived at the training ground along with Frank and the players.

At his post-match press conference, Frank said of the boos and chants: "Of course, I probably have had better times. 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, and we will keep going forward."

Frank was surprisingly upbeat in his post-match press conference, likening his job to turning a "super tanker" around with Spurs sitting 14th in the table, 10 points above the drop zone.

Ahead of kick-off, Venkatesham released an open letter in the matchday programme which addressed several issues, including the relationship with the fans and player trading.

"I've seen the letter," Frank said, "and I took six to eight positive things out of the letter, not the negative things.

"What I take out of that letter is that a club, an executive team with Vinai on top, that are aligned and know that this is a big transition phase and it's a super tanker, we're turning in the right direction.

"And there's a lot of good signs behind the scenes, also in some of the performances.

"But of course, when you lose last minute to one of your rivals, it's very emotional in football, and there'll be noise.

"And that noise we need to keep out there and get [our] head down and keep walking, keep doing the right thing."

Frank also faced questions over team leaks on Friday, but he insisted he was not worried.

The Dane also believes his side are "close to something very good" despite a winless start to 2026.

Asked why he deserved more time, Frank replied: "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 Bournemouth and 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 close to something very good than further away.

He added: "I can promise that I'm sitting here and giving everything every single day.

"I feel the trust from everyone and there's only one way, and it's to keep going."

How Sky Sports reported on the Tottenham fans' response to Frank

Sky Sports' Oliver Yew at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

After West Ham scored late on: "The home fans are singing 'sacked in the morning' towards Thomas Frank, those of them that are left in their seats. There's a mass exodus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the West Ham fans celebrate."

At full time: "The boos die down before restarting again. The fans filing out by the press box are making their feelings known as well.

"Frank then makes his way to the tunnel, applauding as he goes. He's booed again and there's another chorus of 'sacked in the morning'. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before."

Tottenham's games in January and February

Tuesday: Borussia Dortmund (h), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

Saturday: Burnley (a), Premier League - kick-off 3pm

January 28: Eintracht Frankfurt (a), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

February 1: Man City (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

February 7: Man Utd (a), Premier League - kick-off 12.30pm

February 10: Newcastle (h), Premier League - kick-off 7.30pm

February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

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Thomas Frank future: Tottenham board hold talks over head coach with Dane under increasing pressure to keep job

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Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank is under increasing pressure to keep his job.

Talks are believed to have taken place at board level about whether Frank should continue after Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by West Ham.

The Spurs hierarchy are believed to be looking at all options at this point - but no final decision has yet been made.

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The Spurs board want to stick to a long-term plan that includes Frank, which has always been the plan, but Saturday's defeat reached new levels of toxicity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There are reports of fans clashing with each other outside the ground, while a video has surfaced on social media of a fan approaching co-owner Vivienne Lewis in the hospitality section and making their feelings known regarding Frank's future.

Unlike the vast majority of managers who have lost their jobs this season, Frank has tried to remain positive, appreciative of this being a difficult period for the club.

He described it as trying to turn around a "super-tanker" and that it was starting to go in the right direction. But that did not show in Saturday's result to relegation-threatened rivals West Ham, who ended a 10-game winless league run.

Not all of the blame can be levelled at Frank. The club is in a transitional phase following the post-Daniel Levy era in which new captains are steering the ship and new staff are still finding their feet in multiple areas.

Either way, though, this feels like an important moment at Tottenham and they will carefully consider the next steps ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home game against Borussia Dortmund.

How Sky Sports reported on the Tottenham fans' response to Frank

Sky Sports' Oliver Yew at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

After West Ham scored late on: "The home fans are singing 'sacked in the morning' towards Thomas Frank, those of them that are left in their seats. There's a mass exodus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the West Ham fans celebrate."

At full time: "The boos die down before restarting again. The fans filing out by the press box are making their feelings known as well.

"Frank then makes his way to the tunnel, applauding as he goes. He's booed again and there's another chorus of 'sacked in the morning'. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before."

Tottenham's games in January and February

Tuesday: Borussia Dortmund (h), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

Saturday: Burnley (a), Premier League - kick-off 3pm

January 28: Eintracht Frankfurt (a), Champions League - kick-off 8pm

February 1: Man City (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

February 7: Man Utd (a), Premier League - kick-off 12.30pm

February 10: Newcastle (h), Premier League - kick-off 7.30pm

February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

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Wolves vs Newcastle - Live match updates

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Wolves 0-0 Newcastle

It's well struck by Lewis Hall, but no one can get a clean connection and it goes out for a goal kick.

Wolves 0-0 Newcastle

Kick Off! Wolves 0-0 Newcastle

We're off and running at Molineux!

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Here they come!

The players are on their way out...

Wolves vs Newcastle teams reminder

Premier League table

Here's how the teams stack up ahead of today's action...

Edwards: Confidence has grown at Wolves

Wolves boss Rob Edwards speaking on Sky Sports Premier League about what has changed since his first game in charge:

"There's more confidence now. I think there's more belief around.

"I believe we're working harder and there's a little bit more cohension as well.

"Confidence is a thing you can't just grab or give to someone straightaway and it's taken a bit of time to get here.

"We're going to have dips and lows and everything as the season goes along, but hopefully there's a little bit more resilience now to deal with that and deal with those moments.

"We've come back a couple of times and got points recently, which has been really good.

"There's lots more good things and positives to think about and to see, but you've got to keep going and try to keep some consistency.

"We all want to be in the Premier League, of course that's the aim, but we came into a situation where there was a lot of difficult things going on at the football club, a bit of anger around. That will take some time to turn around.

"We've been improving and our aim is just to try and keep that going."

If there's money to spend, we'll do so, says Howe

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on PSR constraints:

"I don't count the money.

"I will react to the information I am given and collectively we will come to the right decisions.

"I don't think it's the case that there is a pot of money stood somewhere.

"I think PSR is constantly moving and changing, depending on our income. Lots of thing affect our income, whether we are in the Champions League or how successful we are during the season.

"You can't ever really get one reading on it becuase it changes on a daily basis. We are having to react to that as we go through the season.

"All I can assure everybody is that if there is money to spend, the club are willing to spend it. There's not a case of anyone holding anything back but of course, we have to comply within the rules and we know how important that is."

Wolves' away game against Crystal Palace moved

Wolves' away game against Crystal Palace has been moved from Saturday February 21 to Sunday February 22.

This is due to the Eagles' participation in the Conference League knockout phase play-offs.

The match will now kick off at 2pm and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Wolves players keen to right wrongs, says Edwards

Rob Edwards believes his Wolves side are itching to “right some of the wrongs” as they look to continue their mini-revival when they welcome Newcastle on Sunday.

Bottom of the table with just two Premier League points to their name on Christmas Day, Wolves were on course to break several unwanted records but they are now unbeaten in four matches in all competitions.

They are still 14 points adrift of safety but Edwards insisted there is nobody looking to cut and run during the January transfer window after draws at Manchester United and Everton and a win over West Ham in recent weeks.

Edwards told a press conference: “With the group that we’ve got at the moment – which is interesting with the position that we’re in – there’s no one knocking on my door saying, ‘I want to go’.

“I’ve not had one of those conversations at all. The group are fighting here right now, and anyone coming in would have to want to be here and want to be ready for the fight.

“A lot of the lads around here want to try and right some of the wrongs. They want to help the club, and want to do well for themselves, but for the football club as well. They really are genuinely all committed.”

How in-demand Wolves wonderkid Mane changed the mood at Molineux

Mateus Mane has scored in each of Wolves' last two Premier League games and made himself undroppable under Rob Edwards at the age of just 18.

Adam Bate looks at how the teenager has impressed and why he has changed the whole atmosphere at Molineux...

Mateus Mane's Wolves impact: How in-demand teenage wonderkid changed the mood at Molineux under Rob Edwards

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Did you know?

Wolves are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games (W1 D2), earning more points from these matches (5) than they had from their previous 22 combined (3 – W0 D3 L19).

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Today's officials

Sam Barrott takes charge of today's match, with Tim Wood and Wade Smith his assistants.

The fourth official is Simon Hooper, the VAR is Paul Tierney and the assistant VAR is Richard West.

Jones Knows' prediction

Our resident betting expert has had his say on today's game...

Wolves have quietly become a very difficult team to score against. The standout trend in their recent performances is defensive improvement, and it's backed up by serious underlying numbers.

Across their last six games, only Arsenal can better Wolves' expected goals against process of 0.99 per 90. That's elite territory.

Wolves have faced Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United in that spell. So while the sample size is small, the quality of opposition gives those numbers real credibility.

We know Newcastle are a very different proposition away from St James' Park - and it's the attacking drop-off that's most striking. In their last 17 Premier League away games, they've scored more than 1.5 goals just three times.

On average, Newcastle are managing just 1.2 goals per away game in that run, struggling to generate sustained pressure or high-quality chances on their travels. The 6/5 with Sky Bet on them scoring under 1.5 goals again on the road looks a winner in waiting.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1

Newcastle team news

Starting XI: Pope, Trippier, Hall, Botman, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon, Barnes, Thiaw, Woltemade, Guimaraes.

Subs: Ramsdale, Wissa, Elanga, Willock, A Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar, Neave, Miley.

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Wolves team news

Starting XI: Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, Mane, Hwang, Arokodare.

Subs: Johnstone, Doherty, Wolfe, Strand Larsen, Arias, Agbadou, Lima, R Gomes, Lopez.

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Thomas Frank: Under-pressure Tottenham boss faces pivotal home clash against West Ham on Saturday

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Thomas Frank faces the most pivotal game of his Tottenham tenure on Saturday.

A home defeat against relegation-threatened London rivals West Ham, who are 18th and are on a 10-game Premier League winless run, would be simply unthinkable for Frank.

And with West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo also under huge pressure, it is a game which Sky Sports' Tim Sherwood has labelled as 'El Sackico'.

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But Frank's press conference on Thursday did not give the impression that his job would be under threat if Spurs were to lose to the Hammers.

In fact, it felt like the Dane had been given some good news over the last few days.

And I get the impression that he has probably been told that he will have at least the coming matches to turn this around, and even possibly until the end of the season.

This felt like a press conference from August or September, when things were rosy for Frank. His answers on Thursday were long, he smiled throughout, and there was an air of defiance.

And why wouldn't there be after a positive week of change for Frank ahead of Saturday's crunch clash.

On Wednesday, he was handed a "top signing" in Conor Gallagher following his £34m arrival from Atletico Madrid.

Then a day later, two announcements came - Frank had hired John Heitinga as his new assistant first-team coach, while at boardroom level, Carlos Raphael 'Rafi' Moersen was appointed director of football operations in a newly created role.

My understanding is that Rafi is not Fabio Paratici's replacement after the co-sporting director's exit at the end of the January transfer window was confirmed on Wednesday.

Rafi will work closely with sporting director Johan Lange in what Tottenham believe is a modern, high-performance football structure, as we wait and see whether Paratici will be replaced.

Can Frank win fans over?

So it has been another week of change at Spurs - and Frank will be hoping for more change on Saturday: the mood of the fans.

Boos once again greeted the full-time whistle after last Saturday's FA Cup third-round home defeat to Aston Villa.

That loss was Tottenham's seventh in their last 13 games, while Frank's side are winless in 2026.

It is why most fans have just not taken to Frank, with some frustrated at his defensive style, while others are upset at things he says in press conferences. The Arsenal cup blunder at Bournemouth has not helped either.

But even before a ball is kicked on Saturday, there could be an air of frustration with protests planned - although it will be intriguing to see the attendance at these protests following the signing of Gallagher.

What is for certain is that if things go wrong against a relegation-threatened London rival, then a toxic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be hugely troublesome for Frank.

The Lewis family and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham will be there, and if they notice the crowd's unhappiness, then there could be a real issue.

Frank knows that only a win laced with attacking intent will appease his detractors.

Does Frank deserve to be under pressure?

After the Villa defeat, Frank looked like a man under pressure.

But I do have sympathy for the 52-year-old because this squad is not good enough.

If Tottenham were to sell all of their players right now, then arguably only Micky van de Ven and maybe Cristian Romero would go to a bigger club, like Real Madrid or Barcelona.

But then some fans believe that the squad is better than 14th in the Premier League.

The problem for Frank has been that key members of this squad - James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke - have all been missing, with only Solanke just returning from injury.

There has also been so much change going on around Frank at the club, including Daniel Levy's shock exit in September.

This week has been evidence of the new era at Tottenham, and perhaps Frank needs to be given a bit more leeway following the dramatic revolution.

What Frank can control, though, is the style of football, which has rightly contributed to the pressure on him.

A better free-flowing Spurs with the shackles off will help the ex-Brentford boss turn things around.

But ultimately, for Frank, he will just want the victory on Saturday in what many feel is a win-or-bust game.

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