Tottenham Hotspur could be poised for an unexpected reunion with former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard after the international break.
Ange Postecoglou’s side suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss at the hands of Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon following goals from Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap. Rodrigo Bentancur did pull a goal back in the second half, but the North London club were unable to find the all-important equaliser.
Spurs are now 10th in the league standings after 11 games with five wins, one draw, and five defeats so far. In the Europa League league phase standings, they are seventh despite the defeat to Turkish side Galatasaray earlier this week.
After the international break, Spurs will return to action with a huge league meeting with current holders Manchester City. That will be followed by a Europa League home tie against Serie A giants Roma.
However, the Italian club now face a period of uncertainty as they parted ways with manager Ivan Juric on Sunday shortly after their defeat to Bologna. Juric replaced Daniele De Rossi at the start of the season, but they sit 12th in the league after 12 games with just three wins.
“He handled a difficult environment with the utmost professionalism, and for that we are grateful,” the club said in a statement. “We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
“The search for a new head coach has already begun and we expect an announcement in the coming days.”
One of the names that has emerged as a shock candidate to replace Juric is former Chelsea boss Lampard. The 46-year-old represented the London club as a player for the majority of his senior career, and has coached Derby County, Everton and Chelsea since his retirement in 2017.
According to outlet TEAMtalk, Lampard has been discussed as a potential candidate to take the reigns at the Stadio Olimpico. However, ex-Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is understood to be at the top of their shortlist after he left his role as head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team in October.
As Roma intensify their search in the coming days, it can be expected a new manager will be announced by the end of the international break. Should Lampard be the one tasked with the job, he will line up against Spurs for one of his first games in charge for the Europa League clash.
Four points currently separate Tottenham and Roma in the Europa League table, making the match up later this month a crucial tie for both teams. Only the top eight in the table will automatically qualify for the knockout rounds, while those placed ninth to 24th will be required to contend play-offs.
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