Spurs must exploit Copenhagen’s poor away record to ease growing tensions

Tottenham Hotspur must shake off the gloom of their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea when they host Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Thomas Frank’s side were booed off after Saturday’s London derby, a result that deepened frustration around their recent form.

It was their second straight defeat in all competitions and another reminder of how far their performances at home have fallen short.

Frank admitted it was the poorest attacking display of his career and promised changes ahead of Copenhagen’s visit.

Tottenham have taken five points from their opening three Champions League fixtures, and their 21-match unbeaten home run in continental competition remains a source of pride.

However, the atmosphere at the club has turned tense. Defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence drew criticism for walking off at full-time without acknowledging the fans on Saturday.

Copenhagen arrive in London searching for their first win of the Champions League campaign.

The Danish champions have collected just one point from their three matches, drawing with Bayer Leverkusen before falling to Qarabag and Borussia Dortmund.

Jacob Neestrup’s men were beaten 4-2 by Dortmund in a thrilling encounter in their last European outing, but have earned seven points from their last three league matches in Denmark.

However, history does not favour the visitors. Copenhagen have never beaten an English team away from home and have won only two of their last 21 away matches in the Champions League.

Their resilience and organisation makes them a tricky opponent for a Spurs side struggling for confidence.

Frank will be under pressure to strike the right balance between discipline and creativity, something his side lacked entirely against Chelsea.

Tottenham’s attacking options were limited at the weekend, with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still missing, but Frank will expect greater urgency from the players available.

A win would go a long way toward restoring belief and keeping Tottenham in contention for a top-eight finish in the Champions League league phase.

Anything less, and the frustration around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could deepen further before the international break.