Igor Tudor fires Tottenham players warning amid Arsenal verdict after north London derby defeat | OneFootball

Spurs were second best on disappointing debut for new interim head coach

Eze added his fourth and fifth goals of the season against Arsenal on Sunday, with Viktor Gyokeres also hitting a brace for the Gunners. Tottenham’s only goal of a miserable first outing under Tudor was a first-half equaliser scored by Randal Kolo Muani.

It was Spurs’ heaviest defeat to Arsenal at home in a north London derby in the league since December 1978.

Tudor spoke afterwards about a defeat which opened his eyes to the challenge ahead for him and his 16th-placed side.

“[There is a] big gap in this specific moment between the two teams,” Tudor said. “It was too much [from] Arsenal for us in this moment with the problems we have.

“Even with the ball, a lack of confidence is very evident in the team. So we wanted and prepared to do the things but there is an opponent, there is a reality today. I’m very sad and very angry and everything but in one way it is also good to understand where is our goal.

“What is the goal of this club? What is the goal of this team? What is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff? To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players, and the medicine is you look in the mirror.

“Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits. Working hard is the only way.”

Tudor was asked whether the Arsenal rout had shown him the job ahead will be harder than he first thought when agreeing to succeed Thomas Frank.

“You never know,” he said. “You never know because this is a situation that I never saw. That we have ten players plus three players [available].”