Abbi Summers has joked that Tottenham might be better off skipping their trip to Anfield this Sunday and simply accepting a 3–0 forfeit defeat against Liverpool F.C..
Spurs are currently going through one of the toughest periods in their history. The club has gone 11 Premier League matches without a victory, leaving them dangerously close to the relegation zone. Since taking over from Thomas Frank last month, new manager Igor Tudor has endured a miserable start, losing all four games in charge.
Their problems deepened in midweek when Tottenham were beaten 5–2 by Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
Tudor’s difficult start has already led to questions about his future. Reports also suggest tensions within the squad after his handling of goalkeeper Antonín Kinský during the defeat to Atlético, which is said to have caused unrest in the dressing room.
Things could become even worse this weekend at Anfield. Tottenham sit 16th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone, meaning they could fall into the bottom three if results go against them. Their record against Liverpool offers little encouragement: Spurs have won only one of their last 16 Premier League meetings with the Reds, while Liverpool have lost just once in their last 31 home league games against Tottenham and have not been beaten by them at Anfield since May 2011.
Because of these circumstances, Summers suggested Tottenham might actually be better off accepting a 3–0 forfeit rather than making the trip. With as many as 11 first-team players potentially unavailable — including suspended defender Micky van de Ven and injured centre-back Cristian Romero, who suffered a head injury against Atlético — she believes playing the match could worsen their situation.
She added that forfeiting would spare the team from traveling and reduce the risk of further injuries or suspensions.
Ending on a darkly humorous note, Summers predicted a heavy defeat if the match goes ahead, joking that even Liverpool’s struggling forwards Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo could end up scoring hat-tricks in what might turn into a 6–1 rout. In her view, Tottenham would be better off accepting the 3–0 loss and focusing on their fight for survival. ⚽
