Thomas Frank believes Tottenham must stay upbeat in the Premier League, despite a lowly position. Spurs sit 13th after drawing with Sunderland, yet are only seven points behind fourth-placed Liverpool. Attention now turns to Wednesday’s trip to the Vitality Stadium, where Spurs meet Bournemouth, who lie 15th and trail Tottenham by four points.
Frank stressed that the tight nature of this season means Spurs cannot lose belief. The head coach views the table as compressed, with small gaps between most clubs. That context shapes his message before facing Bournemouth, who recently lost 3-2 to Arsenal but pushed the league leaders hard throughout.
Frank described the current campaign as highly competitive and stressed that details often decide results.
"The difference between teams is very small. It's small margins. So we need to look optimistically and positive on the future, but also understanding where we are and keep working very hard to improve and make sure we are ready against a very good Bournemouth team. I know they haven't won as much lately, but they are a team that is very competitive with Iraola. Watch the game against Arsenal. That was a very tricky game that Bournemouth easily could have at least get something out of. "
Spurs approach this match knowing recent games against Bournemouth have been difficult. Bournemouth won 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in August and aim to secure a first league double over Spurs. Tottenham have already lost two of their last three Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, matching their defeats from the first 14 clashes.
Bournemouth’s defeat to Arsenal extended a long poor league run. Andoni Iraola’s side have now gone 11 Premier League matches without a win. However, the performance against the leaders offered encouragement, as Bournemouth produced 1.43 expected goals compared with Arsenal’s 1.13, suggesting the contest was closer than the scoreline showed.
Midweek fixtures highlight issues for both Bournemouth and Tottenham in the Premier League. Bournemouth are winless in seven midweek league matches, drawing three and losing four, after previously winning seven of eight such games. Spurs are also struggling on these dates, failing to win any of their last 10 midweek league fixtures.
Premier League Bournemouth vs Tottenham: key players to watch
Junior Kroupi has become a major attacking threat for Bournemouth this season. The forward has scored in five league matches, contributing six goals in total. Yet those games brought only one victory for Bournemouth, with three draws and one defeat, underlining how the team has not always capitalised on Kroupi’s impact.
Tottenham rely heavily on Richarlison in front of goal. Richarlison leads Spurs in Premier League scoring this season with seven goals. However, the forward’s recent output has dipped. Richarlison has completed 90 minutes in each of Tottenham’s last three league matches but has not scored in any of those fixtures.
Junior Kroupi’s display against Arsenal drew strong praise from team-mate Marcus Tavernier. Kroupi struck a long-range goal that briefly raised hopes of a late fightback at the Vitality Stadium. "Ive said before, Junior is a generational talent, Tavernier told the club website. The club has done an amazing job to pick Kroupi up. That boy has an unbelievable future ahead of him and today he showed why hes such a good talent in the world of football. "
Another superb goal from Junior Kroupi pic.twitter.com/jMKtrJEOX6AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) January 3, 2026
Tottenham’s defensive numbers away from home add an extra layer to this contest. Spurs have kept five clean sheets in 10 league away matches this season, already beating their four shutouts on the road in 2024-25. Another clean sheet would mean three consecutive away league shutouts for the first time since April 2022.
Historical trends and data models point towards a tight Premier League Bournemouth vs Tottenham encounter. Both sides have poor midweek records, and Spurs’ away defence contrasts with Bournemouth’s attacking spark from Kroupi. Prediction models suggest a balanced game, with a draw viewed as the most likely outcome between these closely matched teams.
A trip to the south coast is next @Castrol pic.twitter.com/TRbMwIoly1Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 5, 2026
