Tottenham continues to carry the nickname "Doctor of the Premier League" returning hauntingly this season. They once again become a resuscitation medicine for teams in crisis, and Burnley is the next patient waiting for treatment.
This month, Spurs successively helped Bournemouth and West Ham regain the feeling of victory. Bournemouth ended their 11-match winning streak with a 3-2 home victory, while West Ham also ended their 10-match winning streak in the league with a thrilling 2-1 victory right in north London.
Burnley's situation is even more tragic. Vincent Kompany's team is going through a 13-match winning streak in the Premier League and faces an increasingly obvious risk of relegation.
This is not the first time Tottenham has rescued teams facing difficulties. Last season, Ipswich - a Premier League newcomer - ended a 10-match unbeaten streak since being promoted with a victory against Spurs in November 2024. A month earlier, Crystal Palace also found a way out when ending a 8-match unbeaten streak thanks to facing Tottenham.
Therefore, the away trip to Turf Moor this weekend is life-and-death for coach Thomas Frank. The Danish strategist understands that "Tottenham Clinic" is not allowed to operate again, because defeating the penultimate team in the rankings is completely unacceptable.
The pressure was somewhat reduced after the important 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in the middle of the week. Former Spurs captain Michael Dawson, commented on Soccer Special that Frank "caused some people to shut up for a few days".
However, Dawson also emphasized: "It was a very good performance against Dortmund, but you always have to aim for the next match. And playing away at Burnley's stadium at this time is even more difficult".
Another defeat will put Tottenham in a state of alarm. Spurs may fall to 16th place, only 7 points ahead of the relegation group if other results are not favorable, in the context that February is considered a real nightmare.
Their next 4 matches are all against teams in the top 8, including the confrontations with Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal and the away match at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
Tottenham's Premier League performance makes fans even more worried. They have only won 2 of their last 13 matches in the domestic league - only Burnley, Wolves and Bournemouth have worse records since the beginning of November.
Since the beginning of last season, Spurs have lost 31 matches in the Premier League. In the same period, only Wolves - the team at the bottom of the table - suffered more defeats (36 matches).
For Tottenham at this time, the away match at Turf Moor is not simply a match. It is the boundary between continuing to slide into crisis or holding on to hope for the rest of the season.
But Thomas Frank also received a rare positive signal in this difficult period. That is the return of Dominic Solanke after a long period of injury recovery.
The English striker reappeared after 5 months of absence and immediately made an important mark in the victory against Dortmund, when he scored his first goal of the season in his first start.
Solanke's presence in attack helps Tottenham play directly and with more weight, while opening up space for Xavi Simons to shine with a prominent performance behind the center forward.
Frank will need both of these factors to maintain their form at the end of the week if he wants to reduce the pressure that is surrounding him and gradually turn the tide of the season.
