Ange Postecoglou uses familiar Tottenham excuse as sack fears grow after Everton loss

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou still has faith his side can get back to their best this season, with Spurs now sat just eight points above the relegation zone after losing to Everton

Ange Postecoglou has vowed to turn things around after Tottenham were beaten 3-2 by Everton to pile the pressure on the manager.

Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and an unfortunate own goal from Archie Gray earned David Moyes his first win since returning as Toffees boss earlier this month. Everton were 3-0 up at half-time, but almost let their lead slip late on.

Dejan Kulusevski got one back for Spurs after an error from Jordan Pickford, before Richarlison scored in added time after an excellent cross from teenage prospect Mikey Moore. However, it was too little too late for Tottenham and Postecoglou was left bemoaning a woeful first-half display

“It is a difficult result,” the under-fire Spurs boss told Sky Sports. “We struggled to really get in the game in the first half and that gave Everton and momentum. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb but the players certainly tried to claw the game back but we just fell short.

“We couldn’t really take control of the game. We struggled to get any traction in terms of with and without the ball and that allowed to get in behind us. We had some chances where we probably should have capitalised early on, but in the end it wasn’t enough.”

Postecoglou has made no secret of Spurs’ injury woes this season and he references their crisis again. He added: “We are pretty stretched.

“We literally had 11 players fit enough to start the game. We weren’t in total control of our organisation and Everton capitalised on that and we paid the price for it. Radu [Dragusin] had to come off because of the deep cut and restructure.

“Second half we had the fair share of the game. We started strongly and I thought Richarlison made a difference and a presence and Mikey Moore gave us something on the left.”

The result leaves Tottenham 15th in the Premier League, just eight points above the relegation zone, but Postecoglou remains confident things will improve despite calls for him to be relieved of his duties. When asked if his faith was starting to disappear, he insisted: “No it doesn’t.

“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.”

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