Ange Postecoglou watched his Tottenham side fall to another defeat as Spurs lost against Aston Villa in the FA Cup on the same day Liverpool was stunned by Plymouth Argyle

Ange Postecoglou looked very tired heading into Hotspur Way on Friday morning after Tottenham's loss to Liverpool.

Tottenham were knocked out of two domestic cup competitions over four days, and Ange Postecoglou was quick to latch onto Liverpool’s FA Cup exit in defence of his own. Arne Slot rested 10 of his starters for the trip to Plymouth, giving himself a valuable lesson on the capabilities of those on the fringe in the 1-0 defeat.

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Tottenham were outclassed on the night, but the circumstances were far from straightforward. Missing key players was a crucial factor conveniently ignored in the post-match rhetoric. Spurs were poor, but the over-the-top reaction from Carragher and Redknapp lacked nuance, balance and professionalism.

Tottenham limped out of a second cup competition in the space of four days after Ange Postecoglou’s side were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth-round.

Two cup exits have left Tottenham staring at the prospect of another trophyless season and Ange Postecoglou facing perhaps his biggest crisis at the club.

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou delivered a passionate defence of his players after their FA Cup elimination at Aston Villa, accusing the team's critics of being "agenda-driven" and relying on "skewed" analysis.