Frank frustrated as Spurs have to fight back to force a late draw at lowly Burnley

Burnley (1) 2 v Tottenham Hotspur (1) 2

van de Ven 38

Tuanzebe 45

Foster 76

Romero 90

By a Capital Football reporter at Turf Moor

Premier League

Matchweek 23

Cristian Romero rescued Tottenham Hotspur from an ignominious defeat at relegation-threatened Burnley with a 90th minute equaliser, but the 2-2 draw at Turf Moor did little to ease the pressure on the beleaguered Spurs head coach Thomas Frank.

In the Premier League, Tottenham have now won just once in their last eight matches. They finished 2025 with the best away record in the top flight, but during January they have lost one and drawn two of their three games on the road.

Still missing several stars, Spurs started brightly at Burnley, showed a lot of attacking intent, and created plenty of chances to score, but they were repeatedly denied by a brilliant performance from the Clarets keeper Martin Dúbravka.

It took Tottenham’s two centre-backs to get their goals, as Micky van de Ven gave them the lead that their early dominance deserved, before their frustrating fragility forced them to show fortitude and fight back, rewarded with Romero’s late leveller.

Nevertheless, that did not prevent the travelling fans from expressing their displeasure at the end, with anti-Frank chants and booing, having been vociferously supportive until letting their concerns come out in the closing stages.

They even demonstrated some humour in adversity, celebrating the first goal by singing “We are staying up!” - a chant also heard around this time last year when the team was precariously placed in the table under Frank’s predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.

The current coach was conciliatory afterwards, saying: “First and foremost, I want to thank them for travelling and supporting the team throughout the game, which they do. I’m sure they can recognise and acknowledge especially the first half.

“And the improvement we’ve done, when we could and should have put it out of sight. But also acknowledge the will-power and character of the team that keeps running, keeps fighting, to the end. We just need to keep going. We do so many things right.”

Frank’s analysis of the contest was detailed: “Dúbravka was man of the match. He was that for a reason. That means we did a lot of things right offensively. I think we came here, took some of the confidence from the game against Dortmund into the game.

“I think first half we were good. I think actually we were very good, dominating the game, on top of the game, scoring the 1-0 goal, creating a lot of chances, opportunities. Could have done the 2-0.

“More or less if not out of sight then definitely in a very good way to try to win a football match. And we concede a chance. We give nothing away first half, except a goal at the end of the first half, that we can never, ever, ever concede.

“Because it just changed a little bit the momentum going into half-time. Then the second half, we’re coming out, we’re not as dominant. But I still think we are ok, on top. We got a big chance to Dominic Solanke to go 2-1 up.

“And then we concede another goal that we can never, ever, ever concede. That makes it difficult for us. But big praise to the players for showing the character and running power and will-power to keep going.

“And we created big chances to match, to Xavi and I think there was one more. And then the goal. So did more than enough to get the equaliser. And over the game I think did more than enough to win it.”

Burnley had a goal disallowed in the ninth minute, when Lucas Pires was adjudged to be offside before putting the ball into the net across Guglielmo Vicario, a decision confirmed by the solitary recourse to VAR of the afternoon.

By then the visitors had already brought the first save out of Dúbravka, with Djed Spence, a right-back again playing on the left wing, striking low from the edge of the penalty area and timewise inside three minutes from the kick-off.

It was the start of the Slovakian stopping Spurs almost on his own. Just after half-an-hour had been played, he tipped away a left-footed drive by Wilson Odobert. Then, from the resultant corner, he punched the ball away.

Odobert latched on to it for a well-struck effort repelled by Dúbravka, who immediately got back up to also save from Conor Gallagher as Tottenham’s new signing reached the rebound seeking his first goal for the club.

However, the goalkeeper was helpless and his back line hapless at the subsequent corner, with a defensive clearance going straight to van de Ven for a first-time left-footed connection that was almost unstoppable.

Yet Spurs could not consolidate their advantage, as Dominic Solanke drifted in and out of the match on his first league start of the season, and Yves Bissouma started for the first time since the Europa League final.

Alongside Bissouma in midfield, Gallagher is still settling in after his transfer earlier this month, while van de Ven was moved from centre-half out to left-back in an adjusted set-up in defence. And it was from Burnley’s right side that they got back in the game.

Kyle Walker was excellent as captain throughout, and from a throw-in he played a superb cross over to the far post for Axel Tuanzebe ghosting in to strike first-time for his first goal in the Premier League - and another one by a central defender.

Letting Burnley score from their first threatening attack, in the final minute of the first half, undid all of Tottenham’s positive play until then, and, already low on confidence, they ended up needing a goal in the final minute of the second half for a draw.

That was because Lyle Foster put the home side in front with a quarter of an hour to go, seven minutes after being sent on as a substitute. He got a double attempt at it, with Vicario saving his left-footed effort but not the right-footed follow-up.

Frank was understandably upset about the defending, which was made to look worse by Destiny Udogie trying to stop the goal on the the line but only ending up helping the ball into the net. To his great credit, the Spurs boss responded bravely - and it worked.

He took off a centre-back and both his holding midfielders, bringing on additional attackers, with the eventual outcome that Romero scored for the third match in succession, in an eight day period with a loss, a win, and a draw.

Tottenham had this month ended Bournemouth’s 11 game winless run in the league, and then West Ham United’s 10 matches without a victory in the Premier League. At least they avoided adding Burnley to that list.

The Clarets had come into this encounter with no wins in 13 appearances, extending back to October. And this was the closest that they had got to breaking the streak. In that case, the accusations about “Dr Tottenham” would have become overwhelming.

Burnley: (4-2-3-1) Dúbravka - Walker, Tuanzebe, Estève, Humphreys - Ugochukwu, Florentino (Laurent 69) - Edwards (Mejbri 85), Anthony, Pires - Broja (Foster 69)

Tottenham Hotspur: (4-2-3-1) Vicario - Porro (Udogie 46), Danso (Tel 78), Romero (Drăguşin 95), van de Ven - Gallagher (Scarlett 85), Bissouma (Gray 78) - Odobert, Xavi Simons, Spence - Solanke

Attendance: 21,618