Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham: Four Spurs Players Thomas Frank May Be Reluctant to Rely On Against PSG After the Embarrassing Defeat

Thomas Frank looked stunned as he watched his Tottenham side swept aside by local rivals Arsenal on Sunday evening. Spurs were convincingly beaten 4-1, with Richarlison’s spectacular long-range strike serving only as a consolation.

Several key players showed the manager they cannot be fully trusted in high-pressure matches. Tottenham were already clinging on before Mikel Merino slipped a perfectly timed pass to Leandro Trossard, who had acres of space to fire in the opener. Eberechi Eze struck twice on either side of half-time and later completed his hat-trick. Richarlison’s goal caused brief nerves for Arsenal, but Mikel Arteta’s men fully deserved the win.

The defeat drops Spurs to eighth in the Premier League, while Arsenal moved six points clear of Chelsea at the top. Seeing their biggest rivals edge closer to a first league title in over twenty years hurt Tottenham fans, but the most painful aspect was the display of four underperforming players. Frank now has major decisions to make ahead of the midweek clash with PSG, particularly regarding those four.

First is a player who initially appeared to be a clever signing. Joao Palhinha was dominant during his first spell in the Premier League with Fulham, but his return to England has quickly gone downhill. His ability to break up play remains, yet the limitations in his distribution are becoming clear—issues that also troubled him at Bayern Munich. Many supporters criticised his performance at the Emirates, questioning whether he should remain a starter.

Rodrigo Bentancur, Palhinha’s midfield partner, also came under heavy scrutiny from fans. The pair were overrun by Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Eze in midfield. While many teams struggle at Arsenal, the manner in which Tottenham’s midfield collapsed was concerning. Supporters challenged Frank’s decision to persist with a partnership that clearly isn’t functioning.

Destiny Udogie, rarely a regular under Frank, also endured a difficult evening. Off-field matters may have played a role, but he appeared unsuited to the manager’s system. Once an energetic, overlapping full-back, he now looks far from the dynamic player he was. He struggled significantly against Bukayo Saka and was careless in possession, losing the ball 13 times and increasing the pressure on Spurs. Whether this was simply an off-day or a sign of deeper issues remains unclear.

Kevin Danso was another talking point when the lineups were announced, with the defender joining first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. The idea appeared to be added defensive stability and the chance to utilise Danso’s long throws. Instead, it backfired. Danso lost Trossard for the opening goal, and his display was poor enough for Frank to substitute him at half-time. Though he won all three of his duels, he was frequently targeted by Arsenal’s press due to his limited ability on the ball.

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