Ange Postecoglou retains the support of Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s board, but the head coach is facing an important week as he fights to turn around his team’s form and hold on to his job.

Tottenham face Hoffenheim away in the Europa League on Thursday night, before hosting Leicester City in the Premier League and then closing the league phase of their European campaign against Elfsborg.

Despite dropping to 15th in the domestic table after a 12th defeat of the season against Everton, Spurs remain well placed to secure a top-eight finish in the Europa League and progress straight to the last 16.

That would be a boost to Postecoglou, as the Europa League is viewed internally as an important competition for Tottenham, with its winners qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Tottenham are ninth in the Europa League table and, by climbing into the top eight with victories over Hoffenheim and Elfsborg, would avoid a play-off round requiring them to play two extra games. That would help to maintain optimism within the club that Spurs could win the competition this season.

There is currently no suggestion that Postecoglou’s job is on the line, despite the terrible run of league results, and Tottenham are not assessing his future on a game-by-game basis.

Regardless of whether the Leicester home game on Sunday would place him under immediate pressure, it is a must-win match for Postecoglou and his team.

Club desperate to support and stand by Australian

Spurs desperately need to arrest their slide down the Premier League and the game against Leicester, who have lost seven successive league matches, provides the perfect opportunity.

As reported by Telegraph Sport last Friday, there is understanding over the injury crisis that Postecoglou has faced and the club are desperate to do everything they can to support and stand by the Australian.

Striker Dominic Solanke was the latest player to be ruled out with a knee injury over the weekend, while Postecoglou confirmed Brennan Johnson will miss three to four weeks.

Tottenham are working to make new signings this month. The club recalled young striker Dane Scarlett from his loan at Oxford on Monday, but he is expected to move elsewhere on loan this month in an attempt to play more minutes.

Other than the Europa League, there remains the carrot of the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, which Spurs lead 1-0.

Sacking Postecoglou would leave Tottenham in the difficult position of having to decide whether to appoint an immediate successor or give Ryan Mason the interim post for a third time.

Asking Mason to take over as caretaker again would be hugely embarrassing for Spurs, but there is currently a lack of available managers who are likely to be attractive to them.

Edin Terzic, the former Borussia Dortmund head coach, is out of work and would likely be one of the names discussed if Spurs were forced to make a change, but there is currently no signal that is about to happen.