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"I MESSED UP": READ XAVI SIMONS' EMOTIONAL APOLOGY TO VIRGIL VAN DIJK TODAY

Xavi Simons issues a heartfelt apology to Virgil van Dijk after a VAR-upgraded red card leaves Tottenham with nine men in a 2-1 loss.

"I messed up": Read Xavi Simons' emotional apology to Virgil van Dijk today
Why Xavi Simons feels responsible for Liverpool’s chaotic 2-1 win.

Tottenham's Xavi Simons said sorry to Liverpool and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk for the tackle that got him a red card in their game.

The ref, John Brooks, first gave Simons just a warning but changed his mind after watching a replay. Simons didn't seem to argue, but his coach, Thomas Frank, wasn't happy.

I messed up, Simons posted online. Virg is my captain. I'd never try to hurt him or anyone. To my Spurs teammates, my coach, and the fans, I'm sorry; I'll take the blame.

Frank thought Simons should've only gotten a yellow card, but Simons looked like he accepted the decision.

First, I'm really proud of the guys, Frank told BBC Match of the Day. They tried their best and showed great heart, and worked hard to handle problems.

They reacted well to problems. The first was the red card, which... I've seen it given before, but I don't agree with it.

I don't like those reds because they ruin the game. I don't think it was that bad of a tackle. The ref gave a yellow, so I don't think it should've been a red.

Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike scored for Liverpool, enough to win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Arne Slot's team struggled, even with an extra player.

"We handled it okay," Frank said. The players stayed focused, defended well, and kept trying. Then we let in a goal, and the second was a bad mistake.

The striker pushed with two hands—you can't do that.

Referees make mistakes, but VAR should've helped, but didn't.

We didn't give up, scored a good goal to make it 2-1, and kept fighting. Then Cuti [Romero] got a second yellow; you could feel it in the game.

Two guys battling, Konate's foot landed on his head, no yellow.

Cuti moved a bit, but I don't think it was worth a second yellow. We hung in there and dealt with it well.

BRUNO SALTOR OFFICIALLY JOINS TOTTENHAM AS ASSISTANT COACH FOR THE NORTH LONDON DERBY

Tottenham appoints Bruno Saltor! Discover the new coaching team under Igor Tudor and the departures following Thomas Frank's exit.

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Tottenham Confirm Bruno Saltor as Assistant Coach Under Igor Tudor

Tottenham Hotspur just shook up their coaching staff, bringing in Bruno Saltor, a guy who’s worked with Chelsea and West Ham in the past.

Saltor’s stepping in alongside interim boss Igor Tudor until the season wraps up. Spurs let go of Thomas Frank earlier this month, and, like Manchester United, they’ve decided to go with a temporary setup for now and figure out the bigger picture in the summer.

Tudor, who’s managed clubs like Marseille, Lazio, and Juventus, is set to take charge for the first time this weekend in the North London derby against Arsenal. Saltor will be in the dugout for his first Spurs match, too.

If you’ve followed Saltor’s career, you might know he’s often worked with Graham Potter. That’s how he ended up at both Chelsea and West Ham. When Potter left Chelsea in 2023, Saltor took over as interim head coach. His one match in charge ended in a 0-0 draw with Liverpool. Frank Lampard replaced him soon after, and Saltor stayed on as part of the coaching staff until Mauricio Pochettino arrived, at which point he moved on. He later reunited with Potter at West Ham but left when Potter did in September.

Tottenham’s official statement confirmed the news: “Following the arrival of Igor Tudor as Head Coach until the end of the season, we can now confirm the appointment of three additional coaches to our Men’s First Team coaching staff. We welcome Bruno Saltor as Igor's assistant coach." Born in El Masnou, Spain, Saltor started his playing career in his home country before joining Brighton in 2012. He made 235 appearances there over seven years, then moved into coaching with the Seagulls after retiring in 2019. Since then, he’s picked up experience at Chelsea and West Ham.

Along with Saltor’s appointment, Spurs also announced some departures. Justin Cochrane, John Heitinga, and Chris Haslam are all leaving the coaching staff after Frank’s exit. The club thanked them for their efforts and wished them well.

GLASNER OUT? CRYSTAL PALACE CONSIDERING IMMEDIATE EXIT FOR BOSS AFTER DISMAL EUROPEAN DRAW

Oliver Glasner’s exit is imminent! Discover why Robbie Keane has emerged as the favorite to lead Crystal Palace out of crisis.

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Odds crash on Robbie Keane becoming the next Crystal Palace manager.

Oliver Glasner was supposed to stick around at Crystal Palace until the end of the season. That was the plan, anyway. But after another rough run of results, his exit could come a lot sooner.

Thursday night in Bosnia should’ve been nothing special, just a routine first leg against a team Palace should handle easily, with the real test back at Selhurst Park next week. Instead, a 1-1 draw against Zrinjski Mostar turned into another mess in a season that’s gotten uglier by the week for Glasner and Palace.

The travelling fans didn’t hide how they felt.

Palace have only managed one win in their last 15 games. That’s not a blip; it’s a full-on collapse, and it looks like Glasner’s time might be up even faster than everyone thought.

People at the top of the club have started openly asking if letting Glasner finish out his contract is actually hurting more than helping. He said back in January that he’d leave when his deal was up in the summer, but with results falling off a cliff and morale at rock bottom, those discussions have picked up speed.

Word is, Palace have already started looking for Glasner’s replacement, planning for a summer hire. But now, it looks like they might bring in his successor right away.

One name has shot straight to the top of the list: Robbie Keane.

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook says Palace are considering Keane as a short-term fix if Glasner goes before the season ends. Keane’s reputation has soared lately. He won the Israeli Premier League with Maccabi Tel Aviv, then took the Hungarian league title in his first season at Ferencváros.

His win rate at Maccabi was over 73 per cent. He’s also done time as an assistant coach at Leeds and Middlesbrough. People who’ve played for him, like Ireland’s Callum O’Dowda, rave about him. O’Dowda said, “As soon as he opens his mouth, you want to listen. It’s phenomenal, really. On the coaching side,e he has been good.”

For now, Keane is still in charge at Ferencvaros, who are still in the Europa League, so prying him away won’t be simple.

Palace sit 13th in the Premier League, eight points clear of the relegation zone, but that gap feels less safe with every week they fail to win.

Tottenham even considered Keane as an interim manager before they went with Igor Tudor.

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