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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 19: Thomas Frank, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 19, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
At the end of the breathless 2-2 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, focus was drawn to the crowd\u2019s reaction to what proved to be one of the game’s critical decisions.<\/p>\n
There were 10 minutes on the clock when manager Thomas Frank turned to his substitute bench and decided that, to alter the 0-1 deficit, he needed a change.<\/p>\n
Up until that point, Xavi Simons had provided a few brief moments of excitement in what had been a drab affair for Spurs; yet, when the electronic board was held aloft, it was the Dutchman\u2019s number that was displayed.<\/p>\n
Boos cascaded down from the stands of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium at the decision. If Frank didn\u2019t feel the pressure before, then he most certainly did after the sub.<\/p>\n
Fortunately for the Danish coach, he was vindicated just five minutes later when replacement Mathys Tel lashed in an equaliser into the net, and before, stunningly, Richarlison completed the turnaround.<\/p>\n
Even with their visitors reduced to 10 men, Spurs couldn\u2019t see the job; however, and United left with a 2-2 draw thanks to a headed equaliser by Matthijs de Ligt.<\/p>\n
Facing the media in the pressroom postgame, Frank was asked if he felt like his substitutions had worked.<\/p>\n
“Yeah, sometimes you are lucky, but of course every single time I take a decision to sub a player it\u2019s with one aim – to make the team win or get back into the game or try to see the game out,” was his modest response.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s with only one aim – to try to win the game. No doubt, Mathys did well, great goal, great involvement and in general I think Xavi played a fine game, positive, but also you need a bit of freshness.<\/p>\n
Questioned simply about the boos, Frank kept it brief.<\/p>\n
“I just say every time I make a decision it is with one aim. To make the team better,” he said.<\/p>\n
Frank did admit he was still figuring out the right way to set up his team.<\/p>\n
“We are searching to find the right balance up front, and I think when we look at the game back, I think there was positive bits going forward also from the game,” he added. <\/p>\n
“I think we created one of the biggest chances – Richarlison from a cross from Brennan after, what, five, 10 minutes. <\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it’s the small things – he scores on that instead of Bryan then it changes a little bit and opened up the game a tiny bit more, but we constantly work on the relationships and try to improve it with the players and try to find what is exactly the right blend, but I think there were small steps in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of greater concern for Frank was the comparison drawn between himself and another manager in Spurs\u2019 recent history who was fired after a disastrous change against Manchester United, which was booed by the home crowd: Nuno Espirito Santo.<\/p>\n