Frank condemns refereeing decisions as Spurs fall to nine men in Liverpool loss

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank launched a strong critique of referee John Brooks after his side slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Liverpool, a match shaped decisively by two red cards and a series of contentious decisions in north London.

Spurs were reduced to nine men as Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero were both dismissed, while second half goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike gave Liverpool control before Richarlison set up a tense finale late on.

The defeat leaves Tottenham facing a difficult festive schedule with Simons now expected to serve a three match suspension against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland. Frank’s frustration reflected growing pressure after another afternoon where discipline and officiating became central talking points rather than football.

The atmosphere was edgy from the outset, with Spurs pressing aggressively and Liverpool looking to exploit space in transition. That balance shifted after half an hour when Simons, chasing Virgil van Dijk, caught the Liverpool captain late, a challenge upgraded to a red card following a VAR review.

Frank argued the tackle lacked excessive force and questioned both the decision itself and the severity of the expected ban. Despite being a man down, Tottenham stayed compact and reached half time level, drawing encouragement from their resilience.

Liverpool finally broke through on 56 minutes when substitute Alexander Isak struck, though the forward picked up an injury in the act of scoring. Moments later, Ekitike doubled the lead with a powerful header, rising above Romero. The Tottenham defender protested a push in the buildup but the goal stood.

Spurs continued to push despite the odds and were rewarded when Richarlison pulled one back with seven minutes remaining. Momentum briefly swung their way as the home crowd sensed a possible escape.

Any hopes of a comeback faded when Romero, already booked, was shown a second yellow card for reacting to a challenge involving Ibrahima Konaté. Frank defended his captain, suggesting the incident was a physical contest rather than misconduct, but Tottenham were left with too little time and too few players.

For Frank, the focus now turns to maintaining belief through a demanding run of fixtures, even as he insists key decisions went against his side. Liverpool left with the points, while Tottenham were left counting suspensions and reflecting on a match where control slipped away as much through officiating as execution.