Tottenham Hotspur’s form has been appalling.

The club have lost five of their last six Premier League games and the exception came in a clash with West Bromwich Albion, a team in the bottom three.

The 2-1 loss to West Ham United at the weekend means that the club are currently nine points off the top four.

It has led to intense speculation over Jose Mourinho’s future as manager, with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers, the managers of RB Leipzig and Leicester City respectively, linked with a potential move to north London.

It remains to be seen if that comes to pass as there are still some shoots of hope in Spurs’ season.

They remain in the Europa League and are almost guaranteed to be in the Round of 16 after their 4-1 first leg win over Wolfsberger in the competition. The second leg is this week.

Spurs also play Manchester City in the League Cup final at Wembley and Danny Mills, the ex-England international, believes that the club will not sack Mourinho until there is no chance of them winning any silverware.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “It comes down to trophies.

“Could Tottenham win the Europa League? Quite possibly with the players that they have. Could they beat Man City in that one-off game? It’s difficult, but yes they could.

“Mourinho could come away with two trophies and a Champions League place because of the Europa League. That’s unbelievably successful in terms of what Tottenham do.

“While they’re still in the Europa League, nothing is going to happen between now and the end of the season.

“If they end up finishing eighth and they don’t win anything then questions will be asked.

“There’s a good chance that they could win a cup or a couple and suddenly that puts Tottenham into a whole new level again.

“The Carabao Cup could well be enough, if they finish in the top six, to keep him there another year and they can build on that.

“I still believe he’s a great coach and a great manager but I’m not employing him. If you give him the tools to do the job properly, give him some money to spend to get some real good defenders in, then Tottenham could be a real proposition next season.”

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

This is very probably absolutely right.

Spurs do not have all that much hope of a top-four finish at this stage – they are nine points off the pace, although they do have a game in hand – and so it makes sense to chuck the eggs in the Europa League basket.

Winning the competition is a viable avenue into the Champions League and doing so would also go some way to vindicating Mourinho’s appointment.

It is often said that he is a winner and ending Spurs’ 13-year trophy drought while also sealing qualification to Europe would absolutely see his methods championed rather than challenged.

It is a big if, though. And a defeat to City at Wembley plus a Europa League exit could well see the axe fall sooner rather than later.