Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham are an easy target for pundits, having come in for strong criticism in the aftermath of Thursday's EFL Cup semi-final loss at Liverpool. 

Tottenham went into the second leg of their last-four tie with a 1-0 advantage, but they were blown away by the Premier League leaders in a comprehensive 4-0 defeat.

Spurs failed to record a single shot on target for the first time in any game under Postecoglou, with their five shots totalling just 0.18 expected goals (xG) to Liverpool's 3.72.

Speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp said he had never seen a team "go down with less of a fight" than Postecoglou's men.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, laughed off the idea that the result was ever in doubt, saying: "It's Tottenham. When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise you?"

Carragher also claimed Liverpool faced more of a challenge in January's FA Cup third-round win over League Two Accrington Stanley than they did on Thursday.

Accrington registered more shots (eight), a greater xG total (0.24) and more touches in the Liverpool area (13 to eight) in that match than Tottenham did this week.

But when speaking at a press conference to preview Sunday's FA Cup tie against Aston Villa, Postecoglou said the external noise did not affect him.

"I get the pile-on at the moment, it's really easy for people to stick their boots in and question the players, but I don't," Postecoglou said on Friday.

"It's not about taking it on my shoulders. Thursday night doesn't direct me in what I do and think. 

"We're an easy mark at the moment, obviously making a semi-final is an absolute disaster.

"We were disappointed it didn't go the way we wanted and we didn't perform at the levels we wanted, but that doesn't define this group of players in my eyes."

Postecoglou, who does not expect any of Spurs' injured players to return this weekend, then suggested reaching the semi-finals had inflated expectations around the club.

"I assume not making the semi-final would have put us in a better place. But that's the way people are seeing us at the moment," he added.

"When we have a disappointing night, like we did last night, gives an opportunity for everyone to go as hard as they can. That's fine. 

"There's only one way to change that, that's with us, just by getting back out there and playing the football I know we can and getting a result on Sunday."