If we're 10th at Christmas I'll be under scrutiny, says Tottenham boss Postecoglou

LONDON : Ange Postecoglou will bring up a half century of Premier League games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with the jury still very much out on the Australian's impact at the club.

His side are in 10th place in the table ahead of their trip to champions Manchester City and defeat would provoke further debate about Postecoglou's progress.

The 59-year-old led Tottenham to fifth place in his first season at the helm - a solid improvement on their eighth-placed finish the season before.

But after a spectacular start to his Tottenham reign when they bagged 26 points from their first 10 Premier League games, the subsequent period has been mired in inconsistency.

This season they have won five and lost five of their first 11 games with the latest setback coming before the international break when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Ipswich Town.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, the former Celtic manager said his team had progressed from last season and that judging them so early in the campaign was unfair, although he admits he faces a crucial period with nine games in 29 days.

"I think it's going to be a real pivotal part of the season. If we're still 10th at Christmas obviously people won't be happy, but we might not be 10th," he told reporters.

"If we had a beaten Ipswich we'd be third and I reckon this press conference would be a lot different, wouldn't it? I'm not going to let my life be dictated by one result.

"I take a sort of wider perspective on these things, because I know how fickle it can be. But we need to address our position for sure. If we're 10th at Christmas, yeah, it won't be great, for sure, absolutely and rightly so there would be a lot of scrutiny around me."

Postecoglou insists there has been progress