LONDON: Aston Villa pushed Tottenham boss Thomas Frank closer to the sack with a 2-1 win over the Dane’s troubled side in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
Frank is on the brink after Tottenham paid the price for conceding twice in a woeful first-half display in north London.
Emiliano Buendia put Villa ahead and Morgan Rogers increased the visitors’ lead.
Tottenham improved after the break but although Wilson Odobert reduced the deficit, they were unable to avoid a second successive defeat.
The loss ended in suitably ugly fashion for Tottenham as their frustrated players became embroiled in a clash with Villa after the final whistle as boos cascaded from the stands.
Tottenham have won just three of their past 14 games and sit 14th in the Premier League, only three places above where they ended last season under Ange Postecoglou.
If Frank can survive until next weekend, another loss at home to lowly West Ham would surely bring an end to his disastrous reign.
Frank added to his problems when he drank from a cup emblazoned with the branding of Spurs’ bitter rivals Arsenal before Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday.
That embarrassing gaffe drew the ire of Tottenham supporters, who once again booed Frank and his players at the final whistle.
Now Frank is out of the Cup following the latest damp squib in the former Brentford manager’s wretched first season in charge.
Hired to replace the sacked Postecoglou, who ended the north Londoners’ 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season, Frank increasingly looks out of his depth at a club with Tottenham’s expectations.
Villa, who haven’t won the FA Cup since 1957, have now won twice at Tottenham this season after a 2-1 victory in the Premier League in October.
Unai Emery’s team also beat Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round last season.
- Nowhere to hide -
Desperate to buy himself some breathing space, Frank ignored the trend of Premier League managers resting their key players in the FA Cup by naming a strong line-up.
To mark the 125th anniversary of becoming the first non-league side to lift the FA Cup, Tottenham wore a special commemorative kit with no player surnames on the back and the sponsors and club badge less visible than usual on the front.
Unfortunately for Frank, Tottenham’s first-half display was closer to a non-league effort than the standards expected of his expensively assembled team.
Villa took the lead from their first serious attack in the 22nd minute.
John McGinn and Donyell Malen carved through the creaky Tottenham defense with a rapid exchange of passes before Buendia lashed high into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
Villa fans taunted the Tottenham boss with chants of “Thomas Frank is an Arsenal fan.”
And Frank’s problems mounted when Brazil striker Richarlison limped off with an apparent hamstring injury.
Tottenham were rudderless and it was no surprise when Rogers bagged Villa’s second goal on the stroke of half-time.
It was the kind of flowing move that Frank has so rarely been able to inspire from his players as Buendia’s deft back-heel teed up Rogers for a clinical close-range finish.
Tottenham were improved in the second half and Odobert reduced the deficit in the 54th minute.
Randal Kolo Muani won possession in midfield and slipped a pass to Odobert, whose low drive arrowed into the far corner from 12 yards.
In a brief burst of pressure, Xavi Simons hit the post before Kolo Muani’s strike forced a save from Marco Bizot.
But their momentum fizzled out in the closing stages to leave Frank with nowhere to hide.
