As Tottenham slide further towards a relegation battle, the pressure is mounting on Thomas Frank and attention turning to who could replace him as Spurs boss.
A 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle on Tuesday night was the latest disappointment on the lilywhite half of north London.
It was the 11th Premier League defeat of the season for Frank’s side and they sit 16th in the table after 26 games.
West Ham remain in the relegation zone after their draw with Manchester United on Tuesday, 18th in the able and five points behind Spurs.
With Wolves and Burnley both cut adrift at the bottom and Nottingham Forest also mired in a relegation scrap, Tottenham remain unlikely to go down, but it is not out of the question.
The situation is remarkable given they won the Europa League last season and have eased through the Champions League group stage this campaign, heading into the last 16 of the competition.
Although, perhaps less remarkable when considered they won the Europa League while finishing 17th in the top flight under Ange Postecoglou.
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With Spurs already out of the FA Cup, their next game comes against Arsenal on February 22 and there are question marks over whether Frank will still be in charge then.
After being booed off by his own fans on Tuesday, he was asked by TNT Sports if his job is under threat and Frank said: ‘I spoke to them [the owners] yesterday, so no.
‘I understand the frustration and the easiest thing is to point at me. That’s part of the job unfortunately.
‘I will work day and night to turn this around but it is not just one person. There is no doubt we need to improve and I need to be part of that.’
Who is favourite to be next Tottenham manager?
It is a familiar face who the bookmakers expect to be the next permanent manager of Tottenham, with Mauricio Pochettino the favourite for the role.
Currently in charge of USA, the 53-year-old was Spurs boss from 2014-19, reaching the Champions League final in his final year at the club.
The Argentine has regularly been linked with a return since his departure, going on to manage PSG, Chelsea and now internationally since he left.
Pochettino is not expected to leave his job with USA before the summer’s World Cup, which could mean Frank holds on till then, or a caretaker gets the role till the end of the season.
Next permanent Tottenham manager odds
- Mauricio Pochettino 6/4
- Roberto De Zerbi 7/4
- Xavi Hernandez 6/1
- Robbie Keane 6/1
- Ruben Amorim 10/1
- Xabi Alonso 12/1
- Oliver Glasner 12/1
- Enzo Maresca 20/1
- Michael Carrick 25/1
- Marco Silva 25/1
Also believed to be in contention for the job at Tottenham is former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has just left his job at Marseille.
The Italian left the Ligue 1 side after exiting the Champions League at the group stage and recently being walloped 5-0 by PSG.
The 46-year-old is highly regarded, though, and has also been linked with the Manchester United job.
Tottenham hero Robbie Keane, who is currently in charge of Hungarian side Ferencvaros, is also considered a possibility, as is former Barcelona boss Xavi.
Sacked Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is also among the favourites, followed by Xabi Alonso and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.
The gap between defeat to Newcastle and the visit of Arsenal could prove fatal for Frank, with the Spurs board having time to act.
Tottenham's next five Premier League fixtures
Sun Feb 22: Arsenal (h)
Sun Mar 01: Fulham (a)
Thu Mar 05: Crystal Palace (h)
Sun 15 Mar: Liverpool (a)
Sun 22 Mar: Nottingham Forest (h)
Frank told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday night: ‘I understand the frustration. It has been building up a little bit – last season it was similar playing in Europe and the Premier League.
‘We need to be resilient, mentally and physically. I am 100 per cent sure that it is a team effort, and it is not only one person. We are all aligned and we know what needs to be done.’
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