Tottenham boss Thomas Frank unaware of ‘extremely stupid’ Arsenal cup blunder before ‘painful’ defeat to Bournemouth

The under-pressure Spurs boss was pictured drinking from the cup, which prominently featured the Arsenal badge, but said he did so inadvertently.

It was an unwanted talking point for Frank on another discouraging night for his team, who were beaten at the Vitality Stadium after a 95th-minute winner from Antoine Semenyo.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’re not winning every single football match, so it would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal. Is there anyone thinking I’ve done that? All the staff have done it.

“They [Arsenal] have been in the changing room, the game before us. It’s normal to take a cup, give me an espresso. I do that before every game. I think actually it’s a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that.

“I think we’re definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with another logo of another club. Of course I’ll never do that. That’s extremely stupid.”

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“I loved the mentality in the second half, we went out there and were completely on top. There was one team out there, and it was us.

“We got a more than well-deserved equaliser. We were the team closer to winning it in the end, so to concede an equaliser five minutes into added time is so painful in every aspect.

“The team worked so hard. It’s very hard to take. You can never concede that when you’ve worked so hard to come back into the game though, of course.”

‘A lovely moment for Antoine’

If Wednesday evening marked an end to his Bournemouth career, it was a heartwarming one for Semenyo – who was given a rousing reception when exiting the field after netting a stunning winner.

“You have medical, all the formalities. I’m afraid to say it, as I don’t want to lose him, but I think it’s going to be his last moments with us.”

Iraola added: “The last games we were deserving [of] more [points]. It can’t go every time to the other side. Today we were the ones shooting from the edge [of the box], scoring.

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“A lovely moment for Antoine, very happy for him. Sometimes football gives you these things. He’s been top. He’s given everything, been committed to everything we wanted until the end.

“We gave him here all we could and I think it’s good that football gives him back this moment for sure.”

Semenyo’s winner ensured Bournemouth would win their first game since October, having gone 11 matches without victory.