Ange sanguine about FA Cup exit - and what it says about Spurs and Man City

Time's up in the cup: Ange exuded weary resignation and honesty after the game, as is his way Pic: YTJourno

Ange Postecoglou admits his side did not do enough to upset FA Cup holders Man City in Friday night's fourth round tie - and said it probably reflects the large gap his team still needs to bridge to become the champions' equals.

Spurs have made a habit of upsetting Pep Guardiola at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having won five in a row against them without conceding. Not this time.

Nathan Ake's goal two minutes from time edged a tight contest the visitors' way and nobody could really deny it was deserved. They were the ones bossing most of the game and playing on the front foot.

It is to Tottenham's credit that they stayed in the game with some determined defending and restricted the number of clearcut chances they faced. In the end, though, they could not quite fashion a breakaway goal or even take the game to a replay at the Etihad.

"We fought hard to stay in the game, but to be honest that's all we did - we just stayed in the game," Postecoglou said. "It wasn't enough tonight to get us over the line.

"They're a top team. They're the benchmark. We're not there yet. We're under no illusions about that.

"I thought the second half was okay. First half we were a little too passive in a lot of our play and it allowed them to get a bit of rhythm in the game and it's very hard to kind of arrest that mid-game - to wrestle that back off them.

"Second half there was a lot more conviction about our play but ultimately we were just working as hard as we could to stay in the game and that wasn't going to be enough."

The Aussie added: "They've got eight or nine years on us. I hope that people have a little bit of perspective about the team we're trying to be. It doesn't happen in six months. I don't think even City did it in six months.

"That doesn't mean you shy away from the challenge of it, or you don't get disappointed by it, or don't feel that you could have tackled them in a different way.

"It's not an excuse but the reality of it is they are well down the line in being the team that they are and we're still very much in the early stages."