OPINION: IAN WRIGHT’S VERDICT: TOTTENHAM PLAYERS HAVE ALREADY QUIT ON THEIR NEW MANAGER TUDOR
Igor Tudor breaks the silence! Get the truth on the Van de Ven "blanking" rumours and Tottenham's fight to survive the 2026 season today.
Tottenham boss Igor Tudor has had to shoot down claims that Micky van de Ven ignored him during their North London Derby loss to Arsenal. Tudor’s first game in charge couldn’t have gone much worse. Arsenal ran away with a 4-1 win, leaving Spurs fans even more frustrated.
Tudor came in to steady things after the club sacked Thomas Frank, but Spurs are still stuck near the bottom. They’re sitting 16th, just four points clear of West Ham in 18th, and their form has been brutal.
It’s nine straight league games without a win for Spurs, and with West Ham suddenly picking up points, Tottenham looks like they’re getting pulled even deeper into the relegation mess. On top of all that, people are starting to question whether Tudor is really the guy to turn things around.
During Sunday’s game, a lot of viewers thought Van de Ven flat-out ignored his manager when Tudor tried to give him instructions. Ian Wright, never one to hold back, said on The Overlap podcast that it looked like the players had already checked out. Gary Neville and Roy Keane weren’t quite as convinced, but Wright doubled down.
“I saw Tudor try to speak to Van de Ven; he just blanked him, totally blanked him,” Wright said. “That tells me they’ve checked out already.”
“You think so?!” Keane shot back. “They did that with Thomas Frank too, when he tried to walk around the pitch.” Neville called Wright’s take "harsh", but Wright wasn’t backing off.
“This guy’s new; he wants Van de Ven to come over, and Van de Ven just stands there staring at him,” Wright added. “You see that, and you just know it’s not a good look.”
With Fulham up next, Tudor was peppered with questions about any supposed rift at his press conference on Thursday. He put the rumours to bed: “If you watch closely, I didn’t speak to him. After the game, I told him to come closer, and he did. We didn’t even talk about it because nothing happened. He’s a fantastic professional, a fantastic guy. He’d never do something like that.”
When reporters asked what he learned from the Arsenal loss, Tudor didn’t offer much. “Nothing much to say. We already talked about the game and those moments right after. Not much more to add, especially now. The less we talk, the better. Right now, we’re just working hard every day, trying to climb up the table and improve. That’s all that matters.”
ALAN SHEARER NAMES MAN CITY CLEAR FAVORITES FOR THE 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE CROWN
Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1. Alan Shearer discusses why the title race is now firmly in City’s hands.
Alan Shearer came away really impressed by how Arsenal played against Manchester City, but he thinks their earlier slip-up against Bournemouth could end up being what costs them the Premier League title.
City closed the gap to just three points behind Arsenal with a 2-1 win in Sunday’s big clash, with Erling Haaland bagging the winner at the Etihad. Kai Havertz managed to pull Arsenal back into the game after a disastrous mistake by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and that was right after Rayan Cherki had given City the lead with a bit of magic.
Havertz had a golden chance to equalise late on after Eberechi Eze hit the post, but he couldn’t finish it. You could see the frustration on the faces of the Arsenal players; they’ll be kicking themselves for missing those chances in the days ahead.
The win puts City in a great position. They have a game in hand, and if they beat struggling Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday, they’ll go top of the table. Arsenal, meanwhile, are back at home on Saturday against Newcastle, and with just one win in their last six games, it’s hard to see that as anything other than a must-win for them.
Shearer didn’t hold back when he talked about Arsenal’s performance. On The Rest Is Football podcast, he said, “Where was this last weekend against Bournemouth?" Where was this fight, this urgency? Because honestly, I think that’s the game that’ll haunt them, not today. They were flat against Bournemouth. Against City, though, they looked sharp. You can’t really complain about how they played this time; they took the game to City, created loads, and really gave it a go. It was a brilliant match.”
Shearer still thinks City are now the clear favourites for the title, but he fully expects more drama before it’s all over. “Arsenal had their moments. They missed some huge chances, Havertz’s header at the end, that one-on-one, but you have to back City now. Look at the past month or so: the teams they’ve beaten, the way they’ve played. But I still don’t believe both City and Arsenal will win all their remaining games. There’s bound to be another twist.”
On a lighter note, Shearer joked that at least Arsenal won’t have it too tough next weekend, coming up against a Newcastle side stuck in a four-game losing streak. “Look, if only football were that simple, everyone just winning every match, it’d be boring. I’ve been in those title races myself; I know how tense it gets. It never goes perfectly for anyone. The one positive for Arsenal is that they’ve got Newcastle next, and they’re in terrible form. That’s something to hold onto.”
When asked if City should be considered the outright favourites now, Shearer didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve got a game in hand; they’re on a roll; they’ve got the momentum. They’re favourites now, no doubt about it.”
ROBERTO DE ZERBI ISSUES BOLD CLAIM, BACKING WINLESS SPURS TO WIN REMAINING FIVE GAMES
Tottenham suffer late 2-2 draw against Brighton. Read why Roberto De Zerbi believes they can still avoid relegation.
Tottenham let three crucial points slip away on Saturday, conceding a late equaliser to Brighton. Spurs looked set for a win after Xavi Simons put them 2-1 up in the 77th minute, but a Kevin Danso error handed Georginio Rutter the chance to score five minutes into stoppage time.
That goal stung. Spurs could’ve moved out of the relegation zone, at least for a day or two, since Nottingham Forest and West Ham weren’t playing until later in the weekend.
The draw also means Robert De Zerbi is still waiting for his first win as Spurs boss, though at least he’s finally earned his first point. Right now, Tottenham sits just one point from safety, but if results go the wrong way, they could be four points adrift by the end of the gameweek.
If Spurs want to survive, they have to start winning. Next up is a must-win against the bottom club Wolves. Nothing less will do, especially with tough games against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea, and Everton closing out the season.
De Zerbi Clearly Rates Simons
Big performances from key players are Spurs’ only way out, and Xavi Simons is right at the heart of that. De Zerbi was impressed with what he saw from the Dutch midfielder against Brighton.
“He played very well. "A great game", De Zerbi told football.london. “I think he can get even better, because a player like this needs to feel confidence from the manager. I’m here to give him all the confidence he needs.
“When I played, I was a number 10 myself, so I understand what he’s thinking. I think I’m lucky to have him, but he’s lucky too, because as a former number 10, I might understand him better than most coaches.”
Simons has six goals and seven assists this season. If he keeps those numbers climbing in the last few matches, Spurs have a real shot at staying up, especially since Kulusevski and Kudus are still out. The good news? James Maddison is fit again after a bad knee injury in preseason, and he’s set to return in the next week or so.
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