Thomas Frank Breaks Silence After Being Spotted With Arsenal-Branded Cup Ahead of Bournemouth Match

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has addressed the controversy after images surfaced of him holding a cup bearing Arsenal branding ahead of Spurs’ 3–2 loss to Bournemouth.

Goals from Evanilson, Junior Kroupi and Antoine Semenyo handed Spurs their fifth Premier League defeat in 10 outings. The visitors made a fast start, with Mathys Tel scoring inside five minutes, before Joao Palhinha later brought them level at 2–2. However, Semenyo struck in stoppage time — just days before completing a lucrative move to Manchester City — to seal another away defeat for Frank’s side.

During the match, Spurs supporters noticed photos circulating online that appeared to show Frank drinking from a cup displaying Arsenal’s logo. The image, taken prior to kick-off, was shared by official photographers on the Getty Images and PA platforms.

Given Tottenham’s recent struggles, the photo did not sit well with fans, who voiced their frustration across social media. Bournemouth had hosted Arsenal on January 3, and while it has not been confirmed, the cup is believed to have come from that fixture.

Speaking after the match, Frank insisted he was unaware of the branding and dismissed the suggestion that he would knowingly use an Arsenal-branded cup.
“I definitely didn’t notice it,” he said. “If I had, it would have been incredibly stupid to take it. I would never do something like that.”

He added: “It’s a bit sad that this is even a topic. Football is going in the wrong direction if we’re worrying about what logo is on a cup. I would never intentionally do something so foolish.”