Spurs boss 'can't fault players' after second-string team lose at Wolves

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou said Saturday's 2-1 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers was down to a second-string team playing without the fluency that took them to the top, and he refused to blame those who had hardly played this season.

Spurs took an early lead and held on for 90 minutes before Wolves scored two stoppage-time goals to deny the north London side top spot in the Premier League standings as they fell to their second straight defeat.

"Disappointed obviously, particularly after it happened so late, but it's part of the pain of football and when things happen in those circumstances you've just got to take it," Postecoglou told reporters.

"I can't fault the players' effort or commitment. It was always going to be a tough game anyway at Wolves. We just couldn't hold out."

Postecoglou fielded a makeshift starting lineup due to injuries and suspensions, with three of his regular back four missing for the early kickoff at Molineux Stadium.

"We started well but we could have been a bit more positive and be a little bit more aggressive with the ball," he said.

"I've got to temper that with the fact that we've made so many changes and we're not going to get the same type of fluency, especially when particularly three of your back four are virtually starting for the first time."

He said a lot of his men hadn't played in a while and were perhaps cautious, looking mainly to get through to the end of the game after their early goal.

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil said it was the proudest he had been of the squad since taking charge of the club days before the season began.

"We were the better side after the first five minutes. Even at 1-0 down after 85 minutes I was proud. The understanding of what we were trying to do and the mentality were excellent," he told the BBC.

"The two goals make it easier to deliver the message, but I was proud - really pleased, and I'm sure the fans enjoyed it."

Meanwhile, Arsenal handed Burnley a sixth straight defeat in all competitions with a 3-1 home win on Saturday to move up to second in the Premier League table, level on points with leaders Manchester City.

Arsenal dominated possession and encountered stiff resistance in the first half from Burnley but they took the lead on the stroke of halftime when Leandro Trossard headed home before clattering into the post

Burnley equalised nine minutes into the second half when Josh Brownhill scored with a deflected effort but centre back William Saliba restored Arsenal's lead two minutes later from a corner.

Oleksandr Zinchenko made it 3-1 with an improvised volley but Arsenal's night afternoon on a sour note when Fabio Vieira was sent off for a high boot when he caught Brownhill on the knee with a mistimed challenge.

At Old Trafford, defender Victor Lindelof scored in the second half as struggling Manchester United breathed a collective sigh of relief with a 1-0 victory over Luton Town in the Premier League on Saturday.

Erik ten Hag's team, who have won two successive league games after stumbling to their worst start since 1962, provisionally climbed two spots in the standings into sixth place on 21 points after 12 games.

Luton Town, who have just one league victory in their debut season in the top flight, are 17th.

United created numerous chances as they dominated the game before Lindelof finally broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, the Swede smashing home from 16 yards after Luton failed to clear Marcus Rashford's cross.

The victory was a welcome reprieve for United, who have lost nine of their last 18 games in all competitions, have been eliminated from the League Cup and are struggling in the Champions League after a 4-3 loss at Copenhagen on Wednesday.