The pressure on Thomas Frank is reaching boiling point after Tottenham slumped to yet another dismal home defeat, this time a 2-1 loss to Newcastle that dragged them perilously closer to the Premier League drop zone. On a night where Chelsea also threw away a two goal lead, it was the crisis in North London that stole a grim headline.
Spurs were booed off the pitch at full time, the fury of the supporters palpable after Jacob Ramsey’s neat 74th minute finish sealed a rare away win for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. The result leaves Tottenham languishing in 16th, just five points above the relegation places, and without a league win since late December.
“I understand the frustration and the easiest thing is to point at me,” a beleaguered Frank said afterwards, having been met with chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’. “That’s part of the job unfortunately. I will work day and night to turn this around but it is not just one person.”
The visitors dominated from the off and led at the break through Malick Thiaw’s scrappy stoppage time goal. Teenager Archie Gray briefly lifted the gloom with a well taken equaliser, but Newcastle’s superiority told as Anthony Gordon set up Ramsey for the winner. Spurs’ misery was only lessened by West Ham’s late concession at home to Man United, a result that stopped the gap from shrinking further.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior saw his perfect start wrecked by a stunning Leeds comeback. Two goals up through João Pedro and a Cole Palmer penalty, the Blues capitulated late on. A soft penalty conceded by Moises Caicedo was converted by Lukas Nmecha before Noah Okafor poked in a 84th minute leveller.
“If we want to improve and get to where we want to be, we have to make sure we’re switched on for 90 minutes. It’s as simple as that,” a frustrated Rosenior admitted. The two dropped points allowed Leeds to climb above Tottenham into 15th.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth fought back to win 2-1 at Everton with second half strikes from Brazilian youngster Rayan and Amine Adli, a result that sees the Toffees finish with ten men after Jake O’Brien’s red card.
For Tottenham, the alarm bells are now deafening. With a derby against league leaders Arsenal up next, the unthinkable, a first relegation since 1977 is becoming a very real fear. For Frank, time to turn it around looks to be running out.
