Thomas Frank blasts refereeing decisions and claims Spurs “fully deserved” their point after 2–2 at Newcastle
Thomas Frank watched on as Tuesday night’s clash finished Newcastle 2–2 Spurs.
Despite not being at their sharpest, Newcastle were still the superior side throughout and carried far more attacking threat. Even so, Spurs somehow held out for 70 minutes before Bruno broke the deadlock with a brilliant finish.
Spurs didn’t register a shot on target until the 77th minute, but they made it count when Romero headed in the equaliser. Minutes later, VAR intervened to flag a clear foul on Burn at a corner, allowing Anthony Gordon to confidently restore Newcastle’s lead from the penalty spot.
However, Spurs snatched a late point when another poorly defended set piece allowed Romero to score again—this time with a mishit overhead kick that crept into the bottom corner, their second and final shot on target.
After the match, Thomas Frank criticised the officials and insisted Spurs had earned “a more than well-deserved point.”
Reflecting on the result, Frank said:
“The perfect bicycle kick—off the shin and into the bottom corner. Let’s start by praising Cuti. He earned it with an outstanding performance: defending, composure, duels, and then two goals. The bike kick will get the headlines, but the header was even better than many strikers could manage.
“I loved the character the team showed after three tough games. To come here—our fourth match in ten days, our third away game—go behind twice and still fight back… it says everything about their mentality.
“As for the penalty, I don’t think it was one. Even someone from Newcastle told me they didn’t think it was a penalty. We need consistency. If that’s a foul, you’d get two a game. I think the referee had it right initially—VAR should only intervene if it’s clear and obvious.
“But I want to focus on us. It’s a great point away from home and I’m pleased.
“The fans were exceptional—3,000 travelling up here, backing us all game, singing for Vicario. That’s real togetherness.”
When asked how much the travelling support meant, he replied:
“You could really hear them, and this is a tough place for away fans. They matched the team’s effort and that togetherness pushed us on. It helped us earn what I believe was a fully deserved point.”
On Romero’s leadership:
“Of course it makes a difference. You can set everything up tactically, but key moments often depend on big players. Cuti delivered that today.”
On the importance of showing spirit:
“It’s vital. We played well against PSG, and the Fulham match was just a nightmare—2–0 down after six minutes—but the team kept going. When you’re in a difficult spell, there’s only one way through it: work hard and keep fighting. The players did that brilliantly tonight.”
Newcastle 2–2 Spurs – Tuesday 2 December 2025, 8:15pm
