Tottenham Hotspur's dismal run of form took an ugly turn on Saturday as defenders Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro were involved in a heated exchange with the club's own travelling supporters following a dramatic 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.
Late Semenyo winner sparks post-match fury
The match at the Vitality Stadium was decided in the 95th minute by a fairytale goal from Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, scoring in his final appearance for the club before a £65 million move to Manchester City. The late winner condemned Spurs to their tenth defeat in twelve Premier League games, leaving them languishing in 14th place in the table.
As the final whistle blew on a chastening loss, Dutch centre-back Van de Ven and Spanish full-back Porro approached the section housing the away fans. An animated discussion ensued before goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario intervened to pull the pair away from the confrontation.
Frank admits to widespread 'frustration'
Under-pressure manager Thomas Frank, who later faced questions about being photographed with an Arsenal-branded coffee cup, admitted he had not seen the incident but understood the emotions involved. "I haven't seen that situation," Frank stated. "I think it's fair to say everyone involved in Tottenham – players, staff, fans – everyone is frustrated. Today is a tough one to take."
He defended his team's effort, particularly in the second half, but acknowledged the pain of the result. "To concede a winner five minutes into added time is so painful in every aspect," the Danish boss added.
Midfielder Joao Palhinha, who scored Tottenham's second goal with a spectacular 78th-minute overhead kick, also addressed the tension. "The supporters were sharing their frustrations. We of course understand, we respect them," he said. "It’s a punch in the stomach after what the team did during the game."
Arsenal cup gaffe adds to manager's woes
The evening had begun awkwardly for Frank when he was pictured pre-match drinking from a paper cup bearing the logo of arch-rivals Arsenal. He vehemently denied any intentional provocation. "Definitely not noticed it," Frank insisted. "It would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal... I think actually it's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that."
The incident evoked memories of last season, when former boss Ange Postecoglou also confronted fans after a loss at Bournemouth, and of Frank being booed by Spurs supporters following a drab Christmas draw at Brentford.
To compound Tottenham's misery, the match saw further injuries as Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur were substituted. Frank confirmed the club is active in the January transfer window but warned it is "difficult" to secure players who can immediately improve the squad.
