The China Mail - Tottenham face key call as relegation threat grows

Spurs, who have been in the English top flight for nearly half a century, collapsed to a 3-0 defeat against relegation rivals Nottingham Forest at home on Sunday.

Before the match, fans had gathered on the streets of north London in their thousands to show their support for the beleaguered team in scenes more reminiscent of a trophy parade.

There was also a fizzing atmosphere inside the club's gleaming stadium as Spurs dominated for large periods of the first half.

But Igor Jesus put the visitors ahead on the cusp of half-time and Tottenham unravelled after the break, conceding twice more as the stands rapidly emptied.

The defeat stretched Tottenham's winless Premier League run to 13 games, leaving them 17th in the table, just one point and one place above West Ham, who are in the drop zone.

Tottenham are the ninth-wealthiest club in the world, according to Deloitte's latest rankings, underlining the extraordinary nature of their current predicament.

Sunday's miserable result piled the pressure on former Juventus boss Tudor, who has lost five of his seven matches in charge in all competitions since replacing Thomas Frank.

Club bosses now have a huge decision to make during the international break. Do they stick or twist as they seek to avoid an embarrassing and shocking first relegation since 1977?

Tottenham have taken just 30 points from 31 Premier League games this season. Accounting for the modern tally of three points for a win, it is their joint-lowest return at this stage of a league campaign, along with 1914/15.

It is a bleak situation for a club that celebrated Europa League glory last season under Ange Postecoglou, who was nevertheless shown the door after his team finished 17th in the Premier League.

Tudor was unavailable for post-match media duties on Sunday after being informed of a family bereavement, with that unenviable task falling to his assistant, Bruno Saltor.

Much-travelled former Croatia international Tudor was parachuted in last month with a brief to save Tottenham's season but he has been powerless to stop their slide.

A bullish Saltor said he was "100 percent" confident Spurs could survive, pointing to the recent 1-1 draw at Liverpool and a midweek win against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, despite an aggregate loss.

"Right now, every small detail is going against us," he said. "It's about turning that around and that's what gives me confidence."

- 'Toxic' environment -

But ex-Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy said it was "impossible" for Tudor to stay and believes the club, considered a member of the Premier League's "Big Six", will take the plunge.

"I think it's really difficult for the players to play in an environment that's so deflated and toxic," he told the BBC.

"The only way you can change that is either winning games, which they're not doing, or change a manager -- what the fans want.

"If they keep him in charge, it's five league games without a win. A new guy comes in, gets one win, all of sudden, it can turn quickly. I think it's a risk worth taking and I think they'll take it."

Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson said the creditable 1-1 draw against Liverpool "papered over the cracks".

"It was the worst result they could have, because a point was no good and it kept him in a job," he said.

Tottenham's only crumb of comfort on Sunday was a defeat for West Ham at Aston Villa, but they cannot rely on gifts from the Hammers, who have shown positive signs in recent weeks.

Spurs are not in action again until April 12, when they face a tricky trip to Sunderland.

Before then the hierarchy have a decision to make that could decide the club's immediate future.

D.Peng--ThChM