Tottenham would have already sacked Igor Tudor if Spurs didn’t have to face Liverpool at Anfield in their next match, according to Paul Merson.

Tudor replaced Thomas Frank in the middle of February with Tottenham in terrible form before the Dane was sacked by the north London club.

Tottenhamhave not improved under Tudor with the Croatian interim boss losing all four of his matches in charge of the club.

Spurs are now in serious danger of being relegated from the Premier League with Tudor’s side just one point ahead of the Premier League’s drop zone.

Their 5-2 loss against Atletico Madrid marked a new low after Tudor decided to start young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in one of the biggest matches of the season, before deciding to substitute him after just 17 minutes with Tottenham 3-0 down.

The Athletic‘s David Ornstein revealed on Friday night that Tottenham ‘are actively working on options to replace’ Tudor if Spurs lose to Liverpool on Sunday.

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Ornstein added: ‘Spurs are contingency planning for the event of bringing Tudor’s reign to an end following the Anfield trip.’

When asked if he was shocked that Tudor was still in charge of Tottenham, Merson told Sky Sports: “I am and I’m not.I am because of the results and I’m not because it’s Liverpool away.

“I don’t know what manager would want to come in for that game. There are timings – I think they will wait until this game is over and it gives them another week then before the big game.”

Put to him that a new manager could have seen a trip to Liverpool as a free hit, Merson replied bluntly: “No. Who did we see it with, Ange (Postecoglou)? At Forest? he took it at Arsenal, they got ripped to shreds and it was the start of going down. It’s not a free hit at all, you come in and get beat three or four and it’s, ‘what has he done?’.

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“I think they will wait and I’ll be shocked if he’s manager next week against Nottingham Forest.”

Tottenham interim boss Tudor insists that the rumours that he could be replaced make him “laugh” as the reality would just be “hope” that things will change.

Tudor told Sky Sportson Friday: “People think a new coach will come in and things will change and the problems will resolve. It makes me laugh.

“When people want a new coach, it’s a new hope. People always want new hope that things will change but the reality is totally different. The reality is not that.

“In this world where everyone has an opinion, you can never win. But as coaches we have to focus on what we can change. We need to stay calm and believe in ourselves.”