Saturday's showdown marks a reunion filled with pressure, and a failure to beat his former side would deepen scrutiny on Frank and his Spurs side.

At present, both clubs sit level on points (19) in the Premier League, a reflection of how dramatically things have shifted since Frank's departure from Brentford under the stewardship of new boss Keith Andrews.

Meanwhile, Brentford's forward Igor Thiago has emerged as the league's second-top scorer with 11 goals, at least six more than any Tottenham player.

Underlying metrics, including expected goals and expected goals against, suggest Brentford have adapted quickly to life without Frank, arguably better than many pundits anticipated.

That makes them a dangerous opponent, even on the road, where their recent form has been shaky.

For Tottenham, the problems have been clear. They have won only three of their last 14 matches across all competitions, and they remain yet to secure a Premier League home win since the opening weekend. Over their last 21 league games at home, they have emerged victorious just three times.

After a disappointing loss to Fulham, Frank addressed the loss of fan support head-on. "When you say you lose the fans, how many is that? Five per cent? 10 per cent? 15 per cent? 20 per cent?. We would like to get all 100 per cent on board and there's only two things we can do. We can perform and keep connected."

Saturday's game should not be approached cautiously, with respect to Brentford or not, but with intent. Tottenham need to assert dominance, create chances and score, something they've shown glimpses of, most prominently in their midweek 2-2 draw away at Newcastle United, which at least eased a run of poor results.

This is a match Spurs must win. It's a chance for redemption. A chance for Frank and his players to deliver something tangible to worried supporters.

Pirates and Swallows share spoils in Soweto Derby