Igor Tudor is poised to lead Tottenham in their Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday, despite increasing scrutiny over his role, as reported by sources to ESPN.
Since taking over as interim manager after the dismissal of Thomas Frank last month, the Croatian has suffered defeats in all four of his matches. He has come under fire for replacing goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky just 17 minutes into Tuesday’s Champions League round-of-16 loss to Atlético Madrid.
Nevertheless, Tudor will hold his typical pre-match press conference on Friday, and ESPN sources indicate that he is expected to remain in charge for the upcoming trip to Anfield.
Despite this, there is concern among senior figures at Spurs, as the club sits precariously just one point above the relegation zone, having not secured a Premier League victory since December 28.
Tudor, 47, was appointed partly due to his capability to take over clubs mid-season and immediately influence results positively.
However, Tottenham has faced significant challenges under his management, conceding 14 goals in his four matches, and some have questioned his approach to player management, particularly after he appeared to overlook Kinsky as he exited the field in Madrid.
– ‘Killed his career’: Schmeichel, Hart among goalkeepers offering support to Spurs’ Antonín Kinsky
– Igor Tudor accused of ‘adding fuel to the fire’ as Tottenham fans demand action
At that point in the match, Tottenham was already trailing 3-0, with Kinsky having made two critical errors—losing his footing for the first goal and inadvertently assisting Julián Álvarez with a weak clearance that turned into a goal—when Tudor decided to replace him.
Teammates Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, and João Palhinha quickly rushed to console Kinsky, who was brought in to replace Guglielmo Vicario.
Tudor later defended his decision, stating, “It was the right choice given the circumstances, especially considering the pressure on Vicario. Toni is a good goalkeeper, and I stand by my decision. While it may seem easy to critique in hindsight, I thought it best for both him and the team under such unusual circumstances.”