Thomas Frank comes out fighting after horror night for Tottenham that saw players clash with fans

And the club appear to being lurching into crisis mode after players clashed with fans after the Bournemouth defeat, as well as club captain Cristian Romero lambasting the Tottenham hierarchy in a now-deleted post on social media.

"No doubt about that. Put it this way, would we love to be higher in the table and have more points? 100 per cent," Frank stated at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie against Aston Villa.

"We work hard every single day to make sure we perform well. We want to land in the best possible position at the end of the season."

The Dane conceded that his side's performances have fallen short of supporter expectations, acknowledging the club's tradition of attacking football remains unfulfilled under his stewardship.

"It's a fair question. We spoke about that frustration. It's the ethos of the club, it's something we're working very hard on," he said.

Frank, who described himself as possessing "above average intelligence", insisted his teams have historically been prolific in creating opportunities and finding the net.

"This team will do the same. It's fair to say we have been lacking in some of the tough, free-flowing offensive players that we've had in the last few seasons," he added, highlighting the ongoing challenge of matching Tottenham's attacking identity.

Frank's problems extend beyond results, with a mounting injury crisis threatening to derail any potential recovery.

Mohammed Kudus faces at least two months on the sidelines after sustaining a quad injury, ruling the Ghanaian winger out until after the March international break.

"Kudus is a bigger one in the quad. That's one where we expect him back after the March international break," Frank confirmed.

Rodrigo Bentancur has suffered what appears to be a significant hamstring problem, while Lucas Bergvall was undergoing assessment on Thursday.

Dejan Kulusevski's situation remains complicated, with the Swede receiving an injection ten days ago to address persistent knee pain, though a return to training remains three to four weeks away.

The coming weeks represent a critical juncture for the 52-year-old's tenure at the club.

Saturday's FA Cup third-round encounter with Villa is followed by a Premier League meeting with West Ham on 17 January, before Borussia Dortmund visit in the Champions League three days later.

Reports have described this trio of home fixtures as "pivotal" in determining Frank's immediate future, with reports suggesting the club is growing increasingly alarmed and considering all options.

Roberto De Zerbi, currently managing Marseille, has emerged as Tottenham's preferred candidate should they decide to make a change, though the Italian would reportedly favour Manchester United if both clubs approached him.