Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Liverpool was painful enough for supporters, but the fallout from the match has only intensified the scrutiny on Xavi Simons.
The Dutch midfielder found himself at the centre of a storm after a reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk led to a red card and changed the direction of the game. What followed was a brutal assessment from talkSPORT presenter Jeff Stelling, who did not hold back in his criticism of the Tottenham star.
Simons arrived in north London during the summer with huge expectations attached to his name. Tottenham invested heavily to bring him in from RB Leipzig, believing they were signing one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
Early on, his performances were inconsistent, and while there had been signs of improvement in recent weeks under Thomas Frank, the clash with Liverpool undid much of that goodwill. In a game that had been relatively quiet, Simons’ late first-half tackle on Van Dijk suddenly brought chaos.
Initially, referee John Brooks produced a yellow card, and play continued. However, VAR soon intervened and sent the official to the pitch-side monitor. After reviewing the footage, Brooks overturned his decision and dismissed Simons with a straight red.
Tottenham were left to battle Liverpool with ten men, a task that ultimately proved too difficult as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat.
After the final whistle, Simons took to social media to apologise. He insisted there was no intent to harm Van Dijk and expressed regret towards the Liverpool defender, his own teammates, manager Thomas Frank, and the Spurs supporters. It was a calm and respectful response, but it did little to soften the reaction from some sections of the media.
Jeff Stelling was particularly unforgiving. Responding to a fan who expressed sympathy for Simons, Stelling dismissed the idea entirely. He described the challenge as stupid, claimed it was done with intent rather than being accidental, and said the player had badly let his team down.
He went even further by labelling Simons a terrible signing for Tottenham, a statement that reflects both frustration with the incident and disappointment with the player’s overall contribution so far.
Those comments are harsh, especially considering Simons is only 22 and still adjusting to the demands of English football. Since arriving at Tottenham, he has struggled to consistently influence games, managing just two goals and three assists in 22 appearances.
That return is well below what many expected, particularly given the size of the transfer fee and his reputation from spells in Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
The red card could not have come at a worse time for the midfielder. He had begun to look more settled, showing flashes of his technical quality and intelligence on the ball.
Moments like these, however, can stall progress and dent confidence. Adapting to a new league often takes time, and not every talented player hits the ground running in the Premier League.
There is still a path forward for Simons at Tottenham. Difficult moments can either define a player negatively or become the turning point that sparks growth.
How he responds after his suspension will be crucial. If he returns with greater discipline and determination, this setback could fuel a stronger second half of the season.
In the short term, Simons will be unavailable during a demanding festive period. The red card has earned him a three-match ban, ruling him out of key games against Crystal Palace and Brentford, as well as the visit of Sunderland at the start of January. He is expected to return for Tottenham’s trip to Bournemouth on January 7, giving him a clear target to work towards.
For Thomas Frank, the hope will be that this incident becomes a lesson rather than a lasting stain. Simons has undeniable ability, and Tottenham did not invest so heavily without believing in his potential. Whether he proves Jeff Stelling wrong now depends on how he learns from this moment and whether he can finally deliver the impact Spurs fans have been waiting for.
