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With a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup, Ange Postecoglou will now have his laser sharp focus on the Europa League as he aims to win an elusive trophy for Tottenham Hotspur.

Postecoglou earlier in the season had pledged he always wins trophies in his second season but with his Spurs struggling in 14th in the Premier League, the Europa League is his last hope.

The Aussie cut a frustrated, dejected figure after the loss to Villa as pressure continues to mount on his position.

Joe Hart, one of his strongest supporters since their team at Celtic, had a simple message for him after the result.

"Stay strong. It's a tough moment, a real tough moment and you can see that he feels it," he said on BBC Sport.

"He wears it, his heart's on his sleeve and at this moment in time he's being tested, he's really being tested.

"He's being tested of his beliefs, he's asking questions of himself, of course he is, we all do in difficult times but that's where you need support, you need the club behind you, you need the team behind you and at this moment that's what they really need."

Hart argued Spurs aren't playing the way Postecoglou would be training them.

The team has been hit by an injury crisis this season, which worsened on Friday when Richarlison limped off during a Carabao Cup loss to Liverpool.

"It's a time to rediscover who they are because they're not playing the same football they're practicing," he said.

"Trust me, in training they'll be bopping it through the lines, they'll be receiving it on the half turn. That is not happening out there at the moment."

With no domestic Cup matches, Postecoglou will now have more time to try get back a full strength side as injuries continue to decimate his squad.

Spurs' next match will be against Manchester United in a week before clashes against Ipswich and Man City.

His opponent for the round of 16 match in the Europa League is yet to be confirmed and will be played on March 6.

Hart believes the European competition will now need to be the major focus for Spurs.

"That has got to be the narrative of the season, that's when they need their players fit for ... it looks like they're just going to kind of bodge their way through the Premier League season, unfortunately if we're being brutally honest, that's what's going to happen," he said.

"Because the Premier League smells Tottenham at the moment, they know how to play against Tottenham Hotspur, they know when they put pressure on them it's going to be difficult.

"Europa League, different animal, different leagues, more respect coming into it and you can create those special nights."

Tottenham is reportedly not about to sack embattled manager Ange Postecoglou despite Spurs fighting to avoid Premier League relegation.

The Guardian reports Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is not considering axing the Aussie coach any time soon.

Postecoglou was once again probed on his future following a 2-1 loss to Leicester on Monday.

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It was another dismal result against an opponent which had previously lost its last seven matches in a row in the competition.

Tottenham — a club in English football's so-called “Big Six” which attempted to join a breakaway Super League of major European clubs in 2021 — is languishing in 15th place in the 20-team league.

Their seven-match winless run in the league is its worst since 2008.

If the club was to sack him, the job would likely fall to the senior assistant coach Matt Wells, or assistant Ryan Mason.

Postecoglou had another run-in with a Spurs fan after the game- his third caught on camera this season.

The Aussie was making his way up the tunnel as several fans yelled, before he stopped and doubled back to give one person a death stare.

Postecoglou was quickly ushered away by Spurs staff.

Postecoglou said Tottenham's current situation was “as low as we've been” this season and is banking on the imminent return of a number of key players — especially centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven — to help turn round the team's fortunes.

Asked if he thinks he should be given that time, the Australian coach said: "Who knows mate? I reckon there’s a fair chunk that will say ‘no'.

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“When you are a manager of a football club, you can be very vulnerable and isolated. I don't feel that. I really feel like this group of players are giving everything for the club and I’ve got a group of staff who are really committed. I can focus on that.”

Postecoglou might only still be in a job because of his record in other competitions this season, with Spurs in the English League Cup semi finals — and leading Liverpool 1-0 after the first leg — and in the automatic qualification spots in the Europa League.

“There’s still a fantastic opportunity this season to make an impact,” he said.

Tottenham's league campaign is unravelling spectacularly, however, with only eight points separating the team from the relegation zone.

“From my perspective, I see a group of players that are giving as much as they can. I know it will turn,” said Postecoglou, who has been in charge of Tottenham since June 2023.

Tottenham has been beset with injuries this season, especially in defense, and was playing three days after a win at Hoffenheim in the Europa League.

Tottenham saw its woeful run of form extend to one win in 10 games in the Premier League on Monday morning.

Spurs’ only league win since the end of November was against Southampton on December 15.

Ange Postecoglou’s team is into the semi finals of the English League Cup and leads Liverpool 1-0 after the first leg, but is just three places above the relegation zone.

The semi final second leg isn’t until February 6 at Anfield and speculation over Postecoglou’s position is mounting.

He was prickly with BBC Sport following the game and responded to the first question with, "great way to start an interview".

Many observers are of the belief the Aussie's time as Spurs manager is up.

Others argue he is not the problem.

He boldly declared earlier in the season that he would win a trophy this campaign.

"I have the responsibility of the group of players. I do have to try and get us through this and that's what I've got to focus on," Postecoglou said on Monday.

"For me to focus on anything else is abstaining myself from the responsibility I have.

"My belief doesn't waver.

"We are in a pretty extreme situation with injuries. If you look at the situation we're in, it will eventually dissipate. I certainly hope and believe it will.

"We'll give ourselves the opportunity to get consistency in performance and results. I certainly haven't lost belief or determination to turn it around and the players showed in the second half that they haven't either."

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and Archie Gray (own-goal) all scored for Everton before halftime at Goodison Park.

Spurs mounted a late fightback with goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison, but it wasn’t enough to deny David Moyes his first win since returning to Everton club for his second spell in charge.

Ange Postecoglou has admitted he is tired of the questions around his tactics as Tottenham's poor form is placed back under the spotlight against Nottingham Forest.

Forest's magical season continued in style against Spurs as the home side claimed a 1-0 victory to cement their position in third on the Premier League table.

Anthony Elanga slotted his third goal in three games in the tight contest, with Postecoglou's men left scrambling into the gaps of several absent players.

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The loss for Spurs, currently positioned 11th, marked their ninth from 18 games.

Postecoglou's men have conceded 26 goals this season but sit second on the overall goals scored (39) so far across the competition. Liverpool are the only team to have slotted more goals with 40.

While the victory was one Nuno Espirito Santo likely savoured, given he lasted just four months at the helm of Tottenham in 2021, for Postecoglou, it was one that added to the already mounting pressure on his future.

Spurs are on course to reach the Europa League knockouts and have progressed to the League Cup semi finals but have not had the same success in the Premier League.

The Australian manager jumped to the defence of his team's results noting the extensive injury list is beginning to take its toll on the group.

"We are asking a lot of this group of players, a lot of these guys are playing every three days," Postecoglou said.

"It's only logical they are not going to be at their sharpest, but they are trying.

"It's obviously disappointing to be beaten. It was never going to be a game with too many chances, I thought we had a fair chance where we could have got something out of the game.

"I still thought we created some good moments, and we weren't able to capitalise on them. The keeper has pulled off some good saves to keep them in the game.

"We needed a goal to break them open and we didn't seem to get it.

"But it was always going to be a tight game here. We just couldn't get over the line."

Spurs have been without several key stars including centre-backs Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies, while first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has been ruled out due to a broken ankle.

Radu Dragusin joined the list of injury concerns for Postecoglou after he was seen limping off the field late in the match.

Postecoglou's horror run has sparked some fiery post-game reactions, with his response to the side's 6-3 defeat to Liverpool drawing the attention of reporters.

Asked about his response following his side's previous defeat, Postecoglou replied: "I wasn't angry."

"I don't think there are many managers that bounce into interviews after being beaten feel sort of cheery about it.

"Fair to say I am getting tired of the same questions and answering the same way.

"I just think it's almost like people sort of want to poke the bear to see if I react.

"Obviously after a loss it's a lot easier for people to get a reaction out of you."

Tottenham has launched an appeal against the severity of Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match ban for making an offensive comment about South Koreans in relation to a remark about Spurs teammate Son Heung-min.

"I've said all along, he's made a mistake, we've accepted that he has made a mistake," said coach Ange Postecoglou.

"We believe the first one (ban) was harsh and we've appealed that, which I think is our right. That's the whole process."

Bentancur will remain suspended from domestic competitions while the appeal is heard. He is set to miss six Premier League games and an English League Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United. The ban doesn’t cover European competitions, so he can play in the Europa League.

Appearing on a Uruguayan television show in June, Bentancur was asked for a Tottenham player’s jersey and replied, “Sonny’s?” He added it could be Son’s cousin, too, because “more or less they are all the same.”

Bentancur later apologised to Son on Instagram, saying it was a “very bad joke” and he would “never disrespect you or hurt you.” Son accepted the apology.

Details of the decision released by the independent commission showed that Bentancur explained his comments “were sarcastic and a gentle rebuke” for the journalist calling his teammate “The Korean” and that he challenged the reporter’s description of Son.

The Spurs manager added: "I get that people want to burn people at the stake these days, but as I keep saying, part of this process, if you want a real sort of education, is to understand," added the 59-year-old.

"When somebody makes a mistake and they pay a penalty, part of that is education and hopefully treating him in a way that people see is the way forward.

"Whether it is Rodrigo or anyone else. I'm old enough in life, I've made bigger mistakes than that mate, but I was allowed to learn from it. Hopefully I'm a better human being because of that."

In its conclusions, the regulatory commission, however, wrote that “even on the basis of the player’s evidence and submissions, we consider the player’s conduct in using the words he did, in the full context in which they were used, was clearly abusive and insulting, and would amount to misconduct.”

The commission added that it also took into consideration the fact that Bentancur did not intend to offend Son or anyone else.