Pressure is mounting on Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou after Spurs crashed out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the same week.
Spurs held a 1-0 lead over Liverpool from the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, but their advantage was quickly wiped out as the Reds ran out 4-0 winners at Anfield on Thursday.
With an injury to Richarlison further worsening a crippling injury crisis, Spurs went to Villa Park on Sunday in the FA Cup fourth round with another patched-up team and could not cope with a rampant Aston Villa side.
Spurs fell to a 2-1 defeat, with Deadline Day signing Mathys Tel scoring his first goal for the club in injury time for a flattering scoreline.
It leaves Spurs with just the Europa League as a realistic trophy opportunity and Postecoglou again facing questions over his future.
“People can judge me,” Postecoglou said after the defeat at Villa Park. “They can say I’ve done a bad job, I’m not up to it or whatever. That’s fine.
He added: “My responsibility at this football club is this group of players and this team, to get them to play in the manner I want them to and bring us success. Whether people think I can do that or not, that’s for others to judge. “
“It can’t be that people think [I’m using the injuries] as an excuse. That’s just not anywhere near close to objective analysis. That’s just agenda-driven stuff. If it’s to get rid of me that’s fine. Good on ya. Go for it a million times.”
There has been no indication that Spurs are ready to sack Postecoglou, rather they are currently supporting the manager and have sympathy over the ongoing injury crisis.
However, that has not stopped other managers being linked with the job, namely Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva.
Next Tottenham manager odds
- Thomas Frank: 11/2
- Andoni Iraola: 11/2
- Marco Silva: 11/2
- Kieran McKenna: 11/2
- Edin Terzic: 13/2
- Mauricio Pochettino: 7/1
- Ryan Mason: 9/1
- Erik Ten Hag: 10/1
- Eddie Howe: 14/1
- Gareth Southgate: 14/1
- Massimiliano Allegri: 16/1
- Xavi Hernadez: 16/1
(Odds via Paddy Power, subject to change.)
