{"id":229908,"date":"2026-02-23T02:28:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T02:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/23\/shock-of-century-as-spurs-reality-sinks-in-horror-show-exposes-big-reds-problem-pl-talking-pts\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T02:28:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T02:28:00","slug":"shock-of-century-as-spurs-reality-sinks-in-horror-show-exposes-big-reds-problem-pl-talking-pts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/23\/shock-of-century-as-spurs-reality-sinks-in-horror-show-exposes-big-reds-problem-pl-talking-pts\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Shock of century\u2019 as Spurs reality sinks in; \u2018horror show\u2019 exposes big Reds problem \u2014 PL Talking Pts"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Tottenham are edging closer towards suffering what would be the English Premier League\u2019s \u201cshock of the century\u201d, while at the top of the table, the title race is heating up.<\/p>\n

Spurs\u2019 woes were once again thrust into the spotlight with their latest crushing north London derby defeat to league ladders Arsenal.<\/p>\n

\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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And now several of English football\u2019s biggest names are fearing that Ange Postecoglou\u2019s former club could face the dreaded drop.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the mind games between rivals Arsenal and Manchester City have reached a new level as all things point towards a blockbuster meeting later in the season.<\/p>\n

Last season\u2019s champions are causing headaches despite snatching three points at the death against Nottingham Forest in what has been dubbed \u201cone of the biggest robberies\u201d of the season.<\/p>\n

Regardless, the result has ramped up the relegation pressure on Postecoglou\u2019s other former Premier League club.<\/p>\n

Scroll down for the latest Premier League talking points!<\/i><\/p>\n

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Racial abuse targeted at EPL duo | 00:31<\/p>\n

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\u2018SHOCK OF THE CENTURY\u2019: TOTTENHAM IN RELEGATION \u2018TROUBLE\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

Tottenham were battered 4-1 by Arsenal<\/a> in front of their home fans in interim manager Igor Tudor\u2019s first game in charge.<\/p>\n

Spurs dismissed Thomas Frank, but little seemed to change as they suffered a fourth straight defeat at the hands of the Gunners.<\/p>\n

Rubbing further salt into the wounds, Tottenham are winless in their last seven clashes with Arsenal.<\/p>\n

They have now also lost three straight Premier League matches and sit just four points clear of the drop zone after West Ham edged closer with a scoreless draw at home to Bournemouth.<\/p>\n

Things are looking real dire for Tottenham and the gulf in class between them and their league leading rivals was evident on Monday morning AEST.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a complete mismatch. They were in different leagues, Arsenal were so classy. They were so much better than Tottenham; it was like two different leagues,\u201d former Liverpool, Tottenham and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Tottenham aren\u2019t careful, they might be in a different league. They cannot keep performing like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have not won a game in 2026 [in the league]; it is a team devoid of personality. They\u2019ve had a personality bypass. They have to somehow show some character. They cannot carry on every year like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville shared similar concerns about Tottenham\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

After spending almost $2 billion on their 62,850 seat stadium and not having dropped to the English second tier since a one-year spell in the league below almost 50 years ago, Neville believes \u201cit\u2019s unthinkable\u201d that a big six club like Tottenham could find themselves in the Championship.<\/p>\n

But with 11 games left in the season, it is a very real possibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cTottenham are in trouble,\u201d Neville said. <\/p>\n

\u201cLast season, they really skirted with it a little bit, but they were always clear of it and they were managing the Europa League games and just getting enough points. You never really felt they were going to go down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis season, they\u2019ve got some real work to do and they better do it quickly. I watch West Ham, I watch Nottingham Forest, and they\u2019ve got something about them that you think they\u2019re going to pick up points.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not going to be the case that Tottenham can just sit there and think that this is just going to happen – they\u2019re going to have to work hard to get out of this mess.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unthinkable. But on the football side of it, they\u2019ve underdelivered for a number of years, they\u2019ve never found the right formula to get it right and this is the second season on the trot that they\u2019re in this type of position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neville continued: \u201cIt\u2019s not a fluke anymore. This is a pattern of what you are and it would be the shock of the century. It would be absolutely mind-blowing to think that they could disappear out of this league, but I don\u2019t think they will.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve shown an attitude against Arsenal for 55, 60 minutes. They were just beaten in the end by a better team. They have shown a little bit of ruggedness that they will need.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got to make sure that if they\u2019re playing a team here that doesn\u2019t get the crowd up as much and doesn\u2019t get these players up as much, that they show that same ruggedness. Because it\u2019s easy to show it sometimes in a north London derby where you have to and you\u2019re almost forced to in a manager\u2019s first game.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when the cameras are off, and they\u2019re playing against the team in mid-table next week and the week after – and maybe it\u2019s a little bit less motivation because of the fact of what the fixture is – are they going to be as rugged, as dogged and as hardworking and as pressurising?<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to need to be. Because if you just a few per cent off it in this league, you will get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

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EPL Wrap: City just 2 points behind top | 03:24<\/p>\n

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\u2018GOING TO BE A MASSIVE STRUGGLE\u2019: TITLE RACE HEATS UP<\/b><\/p>\n

Arsenal\u2019s big win over Tottenham also ensured that they kept a five-point buffer at the top of the table after a slip up last week.<\/p>\n

The Gunners became the first league leaders to ever drop points after leading 2-0 against a side in the relegation zone.<\/p>\n

Their 2-2 draw at last-placed Wolves left Manchester City smelling blood in the water and Arsenal looked shaky.<\/p>\n

City have a game in hand and moved to only two points behind their rivals when they defeated Newcastle 2-1 at home.<\/p>\n

The perennial contenders, who have won six of the last eight titles, will lift the trophy if they win all of their remaining matches given a top of the table clash will take place at the Etihad in April.<\/p>\n

Gary Neville believes that City sent a strong message to Arsenal with their post-match actions after the Newcastle victory on Sunday morning AEDT.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe celebrations at the end [after Newcastle] from Haaland and Pep Guardiola were meaningful. They were sending a message – that was mind games at play. Pep will say it\u2019s not, but it is,\u201d Neville said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time you speak now for the next two months, every time you do something on the pitch, it\u2019s going to be transmitting to the opposition team – that\u2019s vulnerabilities, strength, celebrations, whatever it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neville continued: \u201cSo what Arsenal had to cope with and the questions that they\u2019ve had to answer, I missed one of them out and that was the fact that Man City have sent a message that we\u2019re coming for you and we\u2019re going to be breathing down your neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cArsenal have withstood that, and they\u2019re going to have to withstand that for another six to eight weeks. They were never going to get this Premier League title handed to them on a plate. It doesn\u2019t work like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a struggle, it\u2019s a battle, it\u2019s a fight and this City team aren\u2019t quite the team that were going through those fights with Jurgen Klopp\u2019s Liverpool, but there\u2019s still some characters in that dressing room who understand it and know it – and particularly the manager, so they\u2019re going to be so dangerous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Arsenal will get there, but it doesn\u2019t surprise me that they are making mistakes and that City are coming back at them. They\u2019ll almost crawl over the line in the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a massive struggle. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be easy and that game is going to be monumental at the Etihad [on April 18].\u201d<\/p>\n

Before that blockbuster in the league, Arsenal and City will have the chance to land a few blows on one another in next month\u2019s League Cup final at Wembley Stadium.<\/p>\n

But Neville believes that while silverware is always much sought after, it will be Arsenal\u2019s trip to Manchester that will be of the utmost importance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have thought for a number of years when Arsenal have been going for this title that they\u2019re going to have to go and win at the Etihad. That\u2019s the only real way,\u201d Neville said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Carabao Cup final [on March 22] is a chance to send a message, because you\u2019re playing directly against them and you can cause them some real pain by taking a medal from around the necks, but what you can do is go and beat them at their own place.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go into Manchester City on that day and you\u2019re going to silence them and rock them to the core if you win. But on the other hand, if City beat you up like they did two or three years ago, when Arsenal had those problems defensively, it rocks you the other way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s in the far distance, it\u2019s not to start thinking about that now, but we know it\u2019s coming. The Arsenal fans know it\u2019s coming, the City fans know it\u2019s coming and it\u2019s about jostling for position.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Liverpool snatch late win at Forest | 00:37<\/p>\n

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\u2018REAL WORRY\u2019: LIVERPOOL GREAT\u2019S FEARS FOR REDS EUROPEAN AMBITIONS<\/b><\/p>\n

Jamie Carragher called Liverpool\u2019s 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest \u201cone of the biggest robberies\u201d of the Premier League season after a first-half \u201chorror show\u201d in which they were completely outplayed.<\/p>\n

The Reds struggled after losing midfielder Florian Wirtz to injury before kick-off, but a 97th minute goal from Alexis Mac Allister still ensured they got all three points.<\/p>\n

It was Liverpool\u2019s second straight victory and it was a much-needed one in their quest for a top four finish.<\/p>\n

Liverpool are sixth on the table, but are level on 45 points with Chelsea and Manchester United, who both boast a superior goal difference.<\/p>\n

United also have a game in hand as they make the trip to Merseyside to take on Everton on Tuesday morning AEST.<\/p>\n

Liverpool have a big opportunity ahead of them, however, with their next three matches coming against relegation battlers West Ham, Wolves and Tottenham.<\/p>\n

But Reds great Jamie Carragher is not getting his hopes up of Liverpool charging towards the Champions League places after what he saw in Nottingham.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still not [optimistic] and the reason I say that was more because of the performance today that was a real worry how poor Liverpool were,\u201d Carragher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a throwback to games at the start of the season that Liverpool won very fortunately as they did today. But it also reminds me a lot of games in that run when Liverpool lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said on the back of the Manchester City game I\u2019d be really interested how long Arne Slot sticks with this sort of front four – it\u2019s really offensive, really attacking and at times he can leave that midfield exposed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiverpool have not got great legs, energy or pace in the team and I think that really showed today. So as soon as the Premier League game as they were in today became end to end and fast and furious, they really struggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think at some stage Rio Ngumoha has got to come into the team or you may have to actually go with another midfield player and maybe lose probably a Gakpo or a Salah, probably Gakpo initially.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think Liverpool\u2019s pace and penetration in the wide areas is really lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Australia gearing up for Asian Cup | 00:43<\/p>\n

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\u2018SAD AND ANGRY\u2019: FOREST FEAR BEING CUT DOWN<\/b><\/p>\n

Liverpool\u2019s last gasp escape also created a lot of concern for Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n

After sacking three managers within the space of a season, Forest are only two points above the drop zone.<\/p>\n

They were widely praised for taking it up to Liverpool with their physicality, but it reaped no rewards.<\/p>\n

Forest are winless in their last four matches and with tough trips to Brighton and Manchester City to come in the next fortnight, they could find themselves in the bottom three.<\/p>\n

New manager Vitor Pereira, who replaced Sean Dyche earlier this month, was feeling hard done by after the final whistle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am frustrated, sad and angry with football,\u201d Pereira said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it was very unfair but this is football. We need to keep the good things and prepare everything to be ready for the next game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if he was confident that Forest will stay up, he replied: \u201cOf course, very confident. <\/p>\n

\u201cFrustrated but very confident. If we keep this organisation, we will get points for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie Carragher was similarly optimistic about Forest\u2019s survival chances.<\/p>\n

The Liverpool\u2019s greats confidence comes as The Tricky Trees have conceded just once in the two matches since Pereira took charge, despite failing to find the back of the net.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat he (Pereira) has seen in the first two games will make him really, really confident that they\u2019ve got more than enough to stay in this Premier League,\u201d Carragher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a really good coach, got great experience, and he\u2019s got some wonderful players in that Nottingham Forest team.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as I said, if they perform anywhere near as they have done in his first two games, they\u2019ll have absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of staying in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were absolutely fantastic, especially in that first half.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tottenham are edging closer towards suffering what would be the English Premier League\u2019s \u201cshock of the century\u201d, while at the top of the table, the title race is heating up. Spurs\u2019 woes were once again thrust into the spotlight with their latest crushing north London derby defeat to league ladders Arsenal. \ufeffGet all the latest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":229909,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[3262,83,1736,99,1192,12357,1846,18139,4284,16717,85,4399,1429,55867,6469,149,13655,405,70153,1425,70158,3355,15123,61639,12885,576,6437,4780,6443,108,3833,3272,1415,2232,70156,22340,5254,12566,1626,2446,1427,1728,34867,920,60131,70155,854,17410,70157,15334,70154,67431,18304,14407,70152,2242,1304,6866,2312,18468,69010,1019,38317,70151,3883,3002,1856,54567,7374,49082],"class_list":{"0":"post-229908","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-arsenal-football-club","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","11":"tag-brighton","12":"tag-champions-league","13":"tag-city-fans","14":"tag-city-of-manchester","15":"tag-city-of-nottingham","16":"tag-city-team","17":"tag-drop-zone","18":"tag-england","19":"tag-europa-league","20":"tag-europe","21":"tag-european-ambitions","22":"tag-final-whistle","23":"tag-football-news","24":"tag-football-side","25":"tag-gary-neville","26":"tag-gasp-escape","27":"tag-getty-images-inc","28":"tag-greats-confidence","29":"tag-home-fans","30":"tag-horror-show","31":"tag-igor-tudor","32":"tag-interim-manager","33":"tag-jamie-carragher","34":"tag-jamie-redknapp","35":"tag-justin-setterfield","36":"tag-league-leaders","37":"tag-liverpool","38":"tag-liverpool-football-club","39":"tag-london","40":"tag-manchester-city-football-club","41":"tag-manchester-united-football-club","42":"tag-massive-struggle","43":"tag-micky-van","44":"tag-midfield-player","45":"tag-mind-games","46":"tag-new-south-wales","47":"tag-newcastle-united-football-club","48":"tag-northern-europe","49":"tag-oceania","50":"tag-opposition-team","51":"tag-pep-guardiola","52":"tag-perennial-contenders","53":"tag-personality-bypass","54":"tag-premier-league","55":"tag-racial-abuse","56":"tag-real-pain","57":"tag-real-possibility","58":"tag-real-way","59":"tag-real-worry","60":"tag-relegation-battlers","61":"tag-relegation-fears","62":"tag-relegation-pressure","63":"tag-relegation-zone","64":"tag-sean-dyche","65":"tag-seat-stadium","66":"tag-sky-sports","67":"tag-superior-goal-difference","68":"tag-survival-chances","69":"tag-sydney","70":"tag-table-clash","71":"tag-things-point","72":"tag-thomas-h-frank","73":"tag-title-race","74":"tag-united-kingdom","75":"tag-vitor-pereira","76":"tag-wesley-fofana","77":"tag-xavi-simons"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=229908"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229908\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/229909"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=229908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=229908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=229908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}