Soccer

Spurs considering sacking Nuno Espírito Santo after Manchester United defeat

Chairman Daniel Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici held talks on Sunday

Nuno Espírito Santo could be sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur. Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Ed Aarons
Sun Oct 31 2021 - 16:22

Nuno Espírito Santo’s future as Tottenham manager is in serious doubt after chairman Daniel Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici held crisis talks following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester United.

The deflating loss, in which Tottenham did not manage a shot on target, was marked by the home fans booing the manager’s substitutions and calling for Levy to go. It is understood that despite signing a two-year contract on July 1st, the chairman and Paratici met on Sunday to discuss his future following a disappointing run of results that has left Spurs eighth in the Premier League.

The Porto manager, Sérgio Conceição, and his Portuguese compatriot Paulo Fonseca – who has been heavily linked to the vacant post at Newcastle – are believed to be among the potential replacements should Tottenham decide to sack Nuno.

Supporters booed the former Wolves manager after he substituted Lucas Moura for Steven Bergwijn on Saturday and Nuno was later subjected to more barracking from home fans as he conducted his media duties after the final whistle before they were moved on by stewards. Asked if he had a message for supporters, Nuno responded: “What can we say? It’s the reality. When our fans don’t see what they expect, what they want, they are going to show to you, they are going to boo. We have to be strong and accept it, recognise that it’s not words that are going to take away the anger they are experiencing at this moment, only actions.”

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The Tottenham captain, Hugo Lloris, also called for unity but admitted “a solution” was required for them to move on.

“It’s not a good moment at all,” he said. “We concede too much, we don’t score enough, we don’t create enough. But I want to believe in the club and myself and my team-mates. When you’re a professional you expect critics. The fans expect more from us, but this is not the moment to give up, this is the moment to stick together. But also we need to find the solution to move on.”

Spurs have already endured heavy defeats to Chelsea, Arsenal and Crystal Palace and scored just nine goals in their 10 league games, with Harry Kane having found the net in the league just once since a summer in which he agitated for a move to Manchester City. They have gone two hours and 16 minutes without having a shot on target in defeats by West Ham and Manchester United.

Nuno was appointed in June after Spurs tried and failed to land a number of other candidates for the manager’s role, including Antonio Conte and Gennaro Gattuso. He signed a two-year deal. José Mourinho had been sacked in April, with Ryan Mason being put in temporary charge and Spurs finishing the season in seventh place. – Guardian