Ange Postecoglou believes injuries are solely responsible for Tottenham's poor form and is certain the team are in a better position now than they were when he took charge.

Spurs are languishing in 15th in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's home clash with Leicester City, having gone six games without a victory, losing five of them.

Since the start of December, only bottom club Southampton (eight) have lost more Premier League games than Tottenham's seven, while the Saints are also the only side to concede more goals (25) than Spurs have (22) in that period.

A series of injuries to key players have hampered them in recent weeks. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defenders Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and striker Dominic Solanke are all out.

Asked if he could explain Spurs' dismal run at Friday's pre-match press conference, Postecoglou said: "It's just injuries.

"I mean you can walk outside and say, 'Jeez it's really bright', and say to yourself maybe it's not the sun. But it is the sun, mate, we've just got injuries.

"Every decision that is made is from me. I am responsible for this. 

"If you want a head on a stick, take mine, but I am absolutely 100% confident that we are in a better place as a football club today than when I started."

The latest team news from Ange  pic.twitter.com/UpBk5dKWxo

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 24, 2025

Leicester, meanwhile, are 19th in the table – two points off safety – after losing seven straight league games. Another defeat would see them equal their all-time record, having lost eight in a row between March and April 2001.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has already come under fire after just seven weeks at the helm, but he insists everyone at the King Power Stadium is united.

"The relationship with players and managers and coaches is one of development, improvement and praise," he said.

"Things which are done well are addressed, things which can be improved are addressed. We are united as a unit – as a squad and staff. 

"I'm very motivated to change this situation. It's the only way to get out of a difficult situation. When you are in adversity, it's about unity, hard work and rolling up your sleeves."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Leicester City – Jakub Stolarczyk

Stolarczyk is the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to concede multiple goals in each of his first five appearances in the competition, shipping 11 goals in total. 

The last Foxes keeper to concede multiple goals in six games in a row was Ron-Robert Zieler in the 2016-17 campaign. Can he avoid replicating that unwanted feat?

Tottenham – Dejan Kulusevski 

Only Chelsea's Cole Palmer (62) has created more chances in the Premier League this season than Kulusevski (56). 

The Swede has also scored in four of his last eight games, scoring four goals, although he has finished on the losing side in three of those games.

MATCH PREDICTION – TOTTENHAM WIN

Leicester boss Van Nistelrooy is only the fourth manager in Premier League history to suffer a run of seven consecutive defeats within his first 10 games at a club, along with Alan Ball at Manchester City in 1995 (eight in a row), Mick McCarthy at Sunderland across 2003 and 2005 (10 in a row) and Terry Connor at Wolves in 2012 (seven in a row).

Since he took charge of Leicester for the first time on December 3, only Brentford (176) and Southampton (169) have faced more shots than the Foxes (154). 

The 17.1 shots they have faced per game under the Dutchman is still marginally fewer than they did under his predecessor Steve Cooper earlier this season (17.6).

On the squad’s stimulus

"We’re very motivated to change this situation around. In adversity it’s about unity, dedication, staying together. And that’s where we are at the moment." pic.twitter.com/IXr3RFYLxA

— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 24, 2025

Tottenham have lost their last three Premier League matches, last losing four in a row between April and May 2024. 

They did not lose four in a row at all between 2005 and 2023, and Postecoglou could become only the second Spurs manager to lose four consecutively on two occasions, alongside David Pleat in 2003-04.

Tottenham have won five of their last six Premier League home games against Leicester (one loss), scoring at least three goals in all five of those victories.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Tottenham – 61.6% 

Leicester City – 19.5% 

Draw – 18.9%