Every word Thomas Frank said on Xavi and Romero red cards and mistake ref made with Liverpool goal

Here's every word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said after the defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening in the Premier League

Thomas Frank had plenty to dissect at his press conference after Tottenham's 2-1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool on Saturday night.

Spurs found themselves down to 10 men just after the half hour mark when referee John Brooks was told by VAR to look again at his decision to hand Xavi Simons a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Virgil van Dijk and the man in black duly flourished the red card as he watched the Dutchman trail his studs down his compatriot's leg.

Liverpool took the lead in the 56th minute when Cristian Romero's pass struck the back of Alexis Mac Alister and ricocheted back towards the Spurs box. The ball was worked to Florian Wirtz, who played in Alexander Isak to fire home. The Swede took a big hit from Micky Van de Ven in doing so and departed the pitch with what looked like an ankle injury.

The visitors' second goal followed 10 minutes later when Hugo Ekitike rose above Romero, with the aid of a push, to head in Jeremie Frimpong's deflected looping cross. Richarlison hit one back on 83 minutes when Joao Palhinha's scuffed shot from a corner bounced through to the Brazilian to fire into the bottom left corner.

Romero then completed his poor day when he picked up a second yellow card and then a red for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate during a tangle on the floor.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting questions to Frank after the game. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What were your thoughts on the performance and the two red cards?

I think overall it was a good performance tonight. Proud of the players and the team and how they responded. I actually think the first 30 (minutes) was also good from us and how we responded to setbacks through the game. It’s something we have been working very hard on because that is the biggest thing the best teams need to do. How do we respond to setbacks during a game because the best teams deal with it and move on and keep going. Stick to the plan, we talked about it before, structure and everything. Today we did that excellently. There was great personality and character in the team.

The first red which I have seen before, I also said before definitely a few times at Brentford and I have seen others, I don’t like this as a red card. I think the game is, probably too big to say gone, but for me it’s not reckless and it’s not exceptional force. He is chasing Van Dijk. He is trying to put pressure and then he changes direction. Unfortunately his foot is on (Van Dijk’s) Achilles. You can say ‘ah, you need to be smarter, don’t do it and all that’ but so are we not allowed to have physical contact anymore? The next thing on that is if he gets three games, which I don’t understand, how can he get three games for something which is not reckless? That is absolutely wrong and we probably can’t appeal it.

(We) responded excellently to that. Then 1-0 goal, we kept going. I think the second goal is a mistake from the ref. I think there are two hands in the back. Clear two hands in the back. I don’t understand how you can do that. Everywhere else you have seen that a thousand times out there on the pitch, someone will go up for a header, a goal kick into the centre-back, two hands in the back ‘boom’ foul. But apparently not in the penalty box. I think that was the biggest mistake in my opinion and from VAR but apparently that was not enough. We kept going.

What were your thoughts on the second red card?

I also think we got on the wrong end on two. You can see there's probably a reason why the whole team reacted as they do. I think that's probably a good indicator. Normally, if it's one player reacting, if it's the whole team, probably because there's something about it. I think we all played football enough and seen enough football that there's something probably around that. So, I can't see if it's right or wrong that he gives the first yellow. The second yellow, I see two big boys competing. Konate absolutely smashing through Cuti. It's a foul, I'm not saying more. His foot landed on Cuti's head. Not a yellow, I'm not saying that. Cuti makes a reaction. I think I guess it can be given, but also I guess it can be not given.

Does your captain need to control his emotions in that scenario with Spurs chasing the game?

I think any player needs to control their emotions and be cool-headed. It's not only because you're a captain that you need to be exceptionally cool-headed. That's also always good, of course. We're talking about a very passionate player that's been very good for this club and team in many years.

You at least got the crowd on board with the commitment shown by team?

Definitely the crowd were excellent and the fans were excellent today. I think they kept us going throughout the game and especially the last let's say 20 (minutes). They almost sucked the second goal into the net as well. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. It would have been an excellent comeback.

That was Tottenham's 11th home league defeat in 2025, that's the most the club have ever had in a calendar year in their entire history. They've only won four league games at home in 2025, which is the second worst since 1915. Can I just get your reaction to that? It's surely unacceptable.

I think it's fair to say, I said from the beginning, that it's so important that we do everything we can to make our home a fortress. And to make that home a fortress, we need more performances like we did today. Today, there was a few bits that didn't go our way. I think also a great effort for Kolo Muani and if that goes in 1-1, a little bit of margin there, then probably don't concede the 2-0. Then it's not a goal I need to discuss. So all those things you need a little bit going your way. I think stats you can spin either way. Overall, we as a club need to make a home that is very difficult to come to.

You just spoke about Xavi missing the next three games, how disappointed are you for him? Because he'll feel like he's let the team down tonight, but Arne Slot was saying that he's seen them not given this season against Liverpool?

That's why it's probably good Arne and I are agreeing on that one. So yeah, that's of course disappointing. I think it's harsh to say, because if it was intentional or a very stupid tackle, which I don't think it is, then it's one thing. So I just think it's too harsh. A tackle like that can be three games.

How much are you going to miss him now over this busy, festive period?

Of course, one game. Okay, that's one thing. But three games, of course, is too much.