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Dejan Kulusevski has defended under-fire head coach Ange Postecoglou and said Spurs are "paying the price" for not having enough available players.

Spurs sit 15th in the Premier League table after Sunday's 2-1 loss to Leicester extended their winless run to seven games, but Kulusevski insists their injury crisis is the reason for their poor results.

Tottenham's injury list has stretched into double figures in recent weeks, leaving them with a threadbare squad for a hectic run of fixtures as they compete on four fronts.

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Micky van de Ven is in line to return from a hamstring problem in Thursday's Europa League meeting with Elfsborg, but James Maddison is the latest name on the injury list with a calf strain.

Speaking ahead of the Elfsborg game, during which Spurs will look to seal their passage to the last 16, Kulusevski acknowledged their Premier League form has been "very bad" but insisted the context of their absentee list is key.

"Opinions change," he said when asked about recent criticism of manager and players.

"I don't listen to no one because I know the truth and I see the truth from my side. It is not important what people say. It has never been, actually.

"The league is very bad and the game on Sunday was tough to lose but you have to stay clear-minded and focus on the goals.

"We have made mistakes, don't get me wrong. We have made a lot of mistakes.

"But we are 11 fit players, or 10 fit players, in four competitions. That's not OK and that's why the team is paying the price, in the league especially.

"You can look at the manager, you can look at the players. But I think it's bigger than that. It's everything involved."

He continued: "We play three games a week with nine or 10 players. That's all I need to say, it's nothing more than that.

"I think everybody has got to watch the picture and ask themselves how we came this far. That's it.

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying," he added when asked if the squad is not big enough.

"We are 11 players playing three games a week for a long period. I don't see any other team doing that. That's the only thing we should look at."

'Ange is the right man for Spurs'

Kulusevski added that Postecoglou is the right man to lead Tottenham through this difficult period and agreed with his manager's assertion that Spurs could still achieve "something special" this season.

"Yeah I agree with him," he said. "Three cups, we're doing really well in the cups. I think we can do big things in these last four months."

Asked why Postecoglou was the right man, Kulusevski added: "Because we had games where we showed perfect football and football not many teams can play in the world.

"We played beautiful against (Manchester) United, City away 4-0 and yeah we're behind him.

"I have to fight for him because I believe in that football too. Yeah, he is the right man."

Ange: Pressure doesn't affect me

Postecoglou, meanwhile, insisted he is unaffected by the recent scrutiny surrounding his future, saying he is instead focused on turning their form around in the Premier League and continuing their pursuit of silverware in the cup competitions.

"It doesn't affect me," he said. "It never has and it never will. My view on my role has never been about self-preservation, it's about trying to achieve.

"I'm still in a position where we can do that. You suggest there's a running commentary on me at the moment which is not surprising given our league position, but I don't have to respond to that or get involved in that.

"It doesn't interest me, it doesn't affect me. What's important to me is preparing for tomorrow's game.

"We're in a great position to still achieve something really special this year. I'm going to push everyone at the club to not lose sight of the fact that the possibilities of us doing something special are still there if we work our way through it."

Postecoglou revealed Van de Ven will play some part against Elfsborg having not featured since December 8 but Maddison is facing two to three weeks out with a calf strain.

Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are also available to face Elfsborg but Cristian Romero will only come back into contention following Sunday's Premier League meeting with Brentford, live on Sky Sports.

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I feel sorry for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham need to be careful. They've had Jose Mourinho, they've had Antonio Conte, they've had Nuno Espirito Santo - those managers that the crowd have gone mad at. 'We want the Tottenham way'.

They've brought Ange Postecoglou in. We've seen what he did last season when he had a fit team and he got them flying and then they drifted away.

Business as usual at Spurs for Ange | Who's to blame for Spurs' struggles? Levy in firing line

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But he entertains, he wants to play on the front foot and he can do that when he's got his centre-half Micky van de Ven playing because he's the main man.

But stick with Ange. If he goes now, they're going to go with someone who's got to come up and shut shop up, play 10 at the back, play counter-attacking football - the fans will go mad again.

Give him a chance. Give him next year as well and I'm not saying that because I'm Arsenal and want them to lose every week.

Tottenham are a good team to watch when they've got their players fit but Van de Ven has to play.

Spurs need to buy midfielders

They need midfield players. They've got no midfield players. They've got Rodrigo Bentancur but the others haven't been good enough. They don't dominate football matches in the midfield. Whoever comes in doesn't dominate.

They have a half-decent goalie in Guglielmo Vicario. They've got two good centre-halves, or one very good and the other one - Cristian Romero - better when he's playing with Van de Ven.

They've got a good centre-forward in Richarlison who's just starting to play now. Dejan Kulusevski would get in virtually every team in the Premier League but they need that spine.

The goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky's come in, and they needed a goalie, but that goalie isn't going to play when Vicario's fit.

This is the problem with Tottenham. It's alright going, 'oh, we'll go out and buy him, buy him, buy him', but none of them will play when all the others are fit.

Tottenham haven't got the money to give £70,000-a-week for people sitting on the bench.

Cup competitions give Ange and Spurs hope

I'd be patient.

Who knows, they're still in all the cups. They've probably got more chance of winning the Europa League because they haven't got Liverpool in the Europa League.

They're still in all the competitions. I would sit tight.

Where would the fans rather be: sixth in the league and out of every cup? Or 15th in the league but still in every cup?

The only problem is when those Daniel Levy [Tottenham chairman] banners start coming out, there's only one thing that's going to happen and that's, 'I'm going to take the pressure off me - off you go, manager'.

Tottenham's upcoming fixtures

Elfsborg (H) - Europa League - Thursday

Brentford (A) - Premier League - February 2, live on Sky Sports

Liverpool (A) - Carabao Cup - February 6, live on Sky Sports

Aston Villa (A) - FA Cup - February 9

Man Utd (H) - Premier League - February 16, live on Sky Sports

Ipswich (A) - Premier League - February 22

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Ange Postecoglou set to remain in charge at Tottenham Hotspur despite the club's poor run of form.

Spurs blew a 1-0 half-time lead against Leicester on Sunday to suffer a fourth-straight league defeat, while their only top-flight win in their last 11 games came at bottom-placed side Southampton.

Tottenham have suffered back-to-back defeats against struggling sides, having been beaten at Everton - in a game which saw them go 3-0 down at half-time - followed by the defeat by Leicester, who had previously lost seven consecutive league games.

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Their alarming Premier League form, which has seen them drop closer to the bottom three than the top half of the table, has put Postecoglou under immense pressure but it is business as usual at the club with the Spurs boss expected to be at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday ahead of game the Europa League home game against Elfsborg.

There is acknowledgement that Spurs, who are on a run of seven league defeats in their last eight matches, are still in the mix to win a first trophy in 17 years with the north London side in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, the FA Cup fourth round and on course to reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

Results against Man City and Liverpool in the Carabao Cup have offered a glimpse into what is possible under Postecoglou and everyone at the club is working together to improve consistency to avoid more embarrassing results like the defeats suffered against Ipswich and Leicester.

There is also a belief league results will improve as injured players return.

Internally at Spurs there is sympathy for Postecoglou with the injury crisis at the club.

They are beset by injuries, with James Maddison the latest player to be sidelined, joining an absentee list which stretches into double figures. Postecoglou also revealed that both Richarlison and Pape Sarr, in an ideal world, would not have started against Leicester but such are their injury issues, he had no choice but to play them.

Nearly four weeks into the January transfer window, their only senior signing is the 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, but Spurs will ideally help Postecoglou and sign at least one player before next Monday's transfer deadline, dependent on capturing the right player.

There have been changes to the recruitment department in the last year and all moves in the market are being made to avoid panic and help Spurs long term.

Tottenham are understood to have considered signing a new left centre-back earlier in the window - making checks on players such as PSV Eindhoven's Olivier Boscagli and Feyenoord's David Hancko - but have instead been focused on a new forward after adding goalkeeper Kinsky.

The club wanted to sign Randal Kolo Muani but he has joined Juventus on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while reports linking Spurs with Ajax's Brian Brobbey are thought to be wide of the mark.

Sky Sports News revealed last week they are one of the clubs monitoring the situation around Southampton winger Tyler Dibling but a summer move is more likely, while they are also one of the clubs having a look at a potential Evan Ferguson loan. Brighton have opened the door for their frontman to go out on loan, with Fulham also linked.

There are other options too and Tottenham's focus on attack has come as a surprise to many supporters given they are one of the best attacking teams in the league but among the worst defensively. Spurs' xG is the sixth-best in the Premier League but they are 14th in terms of xG-Against.

Postecoglou dismissed questions over his future after Tottenham's new "low" against Leicester, but retains belief the club can still achieve something special this season.

Home fans turned on Spurs chairman Daniel Levy during the second half and while boos greeted full-time after this latest defeat left them 15th in the league, Postecoglou, speaking after the game, felt his depleted squad continue to give everything during a period of 17 fixtures in two months amid a continuously-growing injury crisis.

"I really believe in this group of players. Even today, what I asked of them, some of the performances were outstanding considering what they've been through. To me that's all positive, but ultimately, the fact that we've lost another game of football, the focus is on that," Postecoglou reflected.

"I have felt all along that the players are still very committed to what we're doing. That's important to me because I firmly believe in it.

"This is probably as low as we've been so far this year but I still think that in these last three months we can do something really special and I think these players believe that.

"Right now it's very hard to visualise that when you think of the current circumstances we're in. You just have to look at our absences today and they'll all be back.

"Even missing Madders (James Maddison) today, he was so good the other night.

"All these little things that are not allowing us to get any momentum, I'm sure they will change and when they change, I'm really confident we can make an impact."

Redknapp: Spurs' history means Ange must find results

Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:

"I will also say that the manager needs a little bit of help.

"They're down to what we call bare bones. Just maybe even go and find a couple of loans for him. They brought in a goalkeeper. Yeah, they probably needed to do that. But just give him a little bit of support. You know, you've lost Solanke now and you've lost other midfield players.

"It just feels like the manager needs a bit of help. Needs a bit of backing if you believe in him. He's got huge games coming up.

"I think we all look at the game against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

"That feels like a massive game for his Tottenham future, you know, and I think he'll still be the manager up to then. If they were to go out of that, I think there's going to be a lot of question marks because this form just can't carry on, especially with the history of other managers leaving."

Carra: If you sack Postecoglou, who do you bring in?

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

"I'm in a situation where, who would you bring in? I think you've got to allow them to get his players back. They're not going to get relegated.

"Allow them to have the cup competitions. Who knows, the second half of the season, you get your two centre-backs back, Solanke back. You can have a decent run on that Europa League, because I don't think there's great strength in that Europa League.

"And then you go from there. I don't think they should be changing that any time soon. Let them get his players back and get to the end of the season."

Who's to blame for Tottenham's woes? Levy in the firing line

Analysis by Sky Sports' Nick Wright:

The first chants of "we want Levy out" were audible long before the implosion which condemned Spurs to their latest defeat against Leicester on Sunday. The home fans were airing their dissatisfaction early in the first half. What happened later just increased the volume.

It was the embattled Ange Postecoglou, of course, who had to face the cameras afterwards. That is the lot of the head coach. But he is not the main target for the ire of the home supporters. Chairman Daniel Levy is the man in the firing line.

Read the feature in full

Tottenham's upcoming fixtures

Ange Postecoglou set to remain in charge at Tottenham Hotspur despite the club's poor run of form.

Spurs blew a 1-0 half-time lead against Leicester on Sunday to suffer a fourth-straight league defeat, while their only top-flight win in their last 11 games came at bottom-placed side Southampton.

Tottenham have suffered back-to-back defeats against struggling sides, having been beaten at Everton - in a game which saw them go 3-0 down at half-time - followed by the defeat by Leicester, who had previously lost seven consecutive league games.

Transfer Centre LIVE! | Tottenham news & transfers⚪

Spurs fixtures & scores | FREE highlights▶️

Got Sky? Watch Tottenham games LIVE on your phone📱

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Their alarming Premier League form, which has seen them drop closer to the bottom three than the top half of the table, has put Postecoglou under immense pressure but it is business as usual at the club with the Spurs boss expected to be at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday ahead of game the Europa League home game against Elfsborg.

There is acknowledgement that Spurs, who are on a run of seven league defeats in their last eight matches, are still in the mix to win a first trophy in 17 years with the north London side in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, the FA Cup fourth round and on course to reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

Results against Man City and Liverpool in the Carabao Cup have offered glimpse into what is possible under Postecoglou and everyone at the club is working together to improve consistency to avoid more embarrassing results like the defeats suffered against Ipswich and Leicester.

There is also a belief league results will improve as injured players return.

Internally at Spurs there is sympathy for Postecoglou with the injury crisis at the club.

They are beset by injuries, with James Maddison the latest player to be sidelined, joining an absentee list which stretches into double figures. Postecoglou also revealed that both Richarlison and Pape Sarr, in an ideal world, would not have started against Leicester but such are their injury issues, he had no choice but to play them.

Nearly four weeks into the January transfer window, their only senior signing is the 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, but Spurs will ideally help Postecoglou and sign at least one player before next Monday's transfer deadline, dependent on capturing the right player.

There have been changes to the recruitment department in the last year and all moves in the market are being made to avoid panic and help Spurs long-term.

Postecoglou dismissed questions over his future after Tottenham's new "low" against Leicester, but retains belief the club can still achieve something special this season.

Home fans turned on Spurs chairman Daniel Levy during the second half and while boos greeted full-time after this latest defeat left them 15th in the league, Postecoglou, speaking after the game, felt his depleted squad continue to give everything during a period of 17 fixtures in two months amid a continuously-growing injury crisis.

"I really believe in this group of players. Even today, what I asked of them, some of the performances were outstanding considering what they've been through. To me that's all positive, but ultimately, the fact that we've lost another game of football, the focus is on that," Postecoglou reflected.

"I have felt all along that the players are still very committed to what we're doing. That's important to me because I firmly believe in it.

"This is probably as low as we've been so far this year but I still think that in these last three months we can do something really special and I think these players believe that.

"Right now it's very hard to visualise that when you think of the current circumstances we're in. You just have to look at our absences today and they'll all be back.

"Even missing Madders (James Maddison) today, he was so good the other night.

"All these little things that are not allowing us to get any momentum, I'm sure will change and when they change, I'm really confident we can make an impact."

Redknapp: Spurs' history means Ange must find results

Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:

"I will also say that the manager needs a little bit of help.

"They're down to what we call bare bones. Just maybe even go and find a couple of loans for him. They brought in a goalkeeper. Yeah, they probably needed to do that. But just give him a little bit of support. You know, you've lost Solanke now and you've lost other midfield players.

"It just feels like the manager needs a bit of help. Needs a bit of backing if you believe in him. He's got huge games coming up.

"I think we all look at the game against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

"That feels like a massive game for his Tottenham future, you know, and I think he'll still be the manager up to then. If they were to go out of that, I think there's going to be a lot of question marks because this form just can't carry on, especially with the history of other managers leaving."

Carra: If you sack Postecoglou, who do you bring in?

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

"I'm in a situation where, who would you bring in? I think you've got to allow them to get his players back. They're not going to get relegated.

"Allow them to have the cup competitions. Who knows, the second half of the season, you get your two centre-backs back, Solanke back. You can have a decent run on that Europa League, because I don't think there's great strength in that Europa League.

"And then you go from there. I don't think they should be changing that any time soon. Let them get his players back and get to the end of the season."

Who's to blame for Tottenham's woes? Levy in the firing line

Analysis by Sky Sports' Nick Wright:

The first chants of "we want Levy out" were audible long before the implosion which condemned Spurs to their latest defeat against Leicester on Sunday. The home fans were airing their dissatisfaction early in the first half. What happened later just increased the volume.

It was the embattled Ange Postecoglou, of course, who had to face the cameras afterwards. That is the lot of the head coach. But he is not the main target for the ire of the home supporters. Chairman Daniel Levy is the man in the firing line.

Read the feature in full

Tottenham's upcoming fixtures