Ange Postecoglou admitted Tottenham Hotspur “lost a bit of belief” after falling behind in Friday night’s 2-0 loss at Aston Villa – a result that underlined how bleak the end to their campaign has become.

Spurs were well-organised early on despite a makeshift lineup, with Son Heung-min and Wilson Odobert creating openings and Antonin Kinsky producing a strong save to deny Ollie Watkins. But once Ezri Konsa broke the deadlock after the hour, the visitors collapsed.

“Up until they scored the boys worked hard,” said Postecoglou. “They were really disciplined and organised. But once they got their goal, we looked fatigued. A lot of these guys haven’t played much and the game got away from us.”

Boubacar Kamara doubled Villa’s lead with a fierce strike, condemning Tottenham to their 25th defeat of the season in all competitions – equalling a club record from 1991-92. They have now lost eight of their last 11 Premier League matches.

Postecoglou made clear that preparations for Wednesday’s Europa League final had influenced his decisions. Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven stayed in London rather than risk injury at Villa Park.

“They’re available,” he said. “They did a strong session at home. If something had happened to them today, they’d be out. It just wouldn’t be smart.”

Captain Son’s return was a rare positive. The South Korean played over 70 minutes and will be crucial for the final in Spain. “It’s as much about Sonny feeling he’s getting back into rhythm,” the Australian added. “There were moments tonight where he showed that.”

Odobert, who started centrally, was one of few bright spots in attack. “Wilson was good,” Postecoglou said. “He lacks match sharpness but he’s intelligent. It was good to get him minutes because we might need him Wednesday.”

Injuries continue to mount. Pape Matar Sarr limped off with a back issue but the manager was hopeful it was precautionary. “Speaking to him afterwards, I don’t think it’s anything too significant,” he said.

Postecoglou acknowledged the experience gap in his side, with recent line-ups averaging years younger than their opponents. “Getting Sonny back gives us another experienced player. We’ve lost some key players recently and it shows.”

With their Premier League form in freefall, Spurs are clinging to the hope that a reset line-up can deliver one last meaningful performance. Otherwise, a season that promised progress could end with nothing to show for it but weary limbs and what-ifs.