It was another afternoon to forget for Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou on Sunday as defeat against Leicester City leaves them anxiously looking over their shoulder at the table.
Despite taking a first-half lead through Richarlison, two goals in the space of five minutes at the start of the second half from Jamie Vardy and Bilal El-Khannouss saw Leicester - who had lost their last seven league games - turn the match on its head and take all three points.
The result was met with anger in the stands, with a lot directed towards chairman Daniel Levy. But it also left a lot of questions being asked over the future of manager Postecoglou.
With matches in the Europa League, Premier League, and Carabao Cup on the horizon, football.london understands that Spurs are sticking with the Australian. The club are in the midst of an injury crisis, which has been pointed to by Postecoglou.
The loss to the Foxes caught a lot of attention around football. Here is a look at what the national media made of the defeat and, in particular, what it could mean for Postecoglou’s future.
The Guardian, Jacob Steinberg
It could be a defining result for both sides. While Leicester revelled in their show of defiance, with Boubakary Soumaré superb in midfield, an injury-hit Spurs floundered again. Postecoglou, who saw tired limbs and frazzled minds on the pitch, is in trouble. Spurs are eight points above the relegation zone after one win in 11 games and it would not be a surprise if this proves a defeat too far for the Australian…
…The dissent was louder than ever. Levy, not Postecoglou, is blamed for years of underachievement. The end of the transfer window approaches and still Spurs are yet to strengthen a squad wholly unsuited to the demands of European football. Postecoglou needs help, even if misgivings over his tactical approach are fair.
Read more here .
BBC Sport, Swan Kearns
While Postecoglou may be running out of credit - Spurs are 15th and have collected five points from the past 33 available - it was Levy who bore the brunt of supporters' anger within the ground.
While results are the main reason for supporter fury, the inactivity of the club in the transfer window is only making things worse.
Czech goalkeeper Kinsky remains Spurs' only signing of the January transfer window.
Postecoglou urged the club to show "urgency" in the market after the defeat by Everton last weekend.
With eight days left in the transfer window, both Postecoglou and Levy are in need of help.
Read more here .
The Telegraph, Matt Law
As the chants of “we want Levy out” echoed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Ange Postecoglou will surely have been aware that days such as this rarely end well for the chairman’s head coaches.
History tells us that when the fans turn on Levy, he usually turns on the manager and, no matter how desperate the club may have been not to rush into a decision on Postecoglou’s future, the Australian must now be in some peril…
…Should Levy feel forced into a change, then he will surely be keen to avoid the prospect of what would be an absurd third term as caretaker manager for Ryan Mason.
That is not to say Mason is not a capable coach or a willing servant, but a top-flight club with any sort of discernable plan should not have to keep asking one of their former players to fill in. Postecoglou’s best hope of hanging on to his job might be that Spurs cannot find a suitable available replacement.
Read more here .
The Sun, Tom Barclay
Levy may not have backed Postecoglou in the market so far this January, but until now he has supported the Aussie despite the club’s plummet down the table.
There has been a deep desire for it to work for the ex-Celtic manager and an understanding over the spate of injuries.
That faith is about to be given its strongest test yet though after this calamity.