Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor has apologised to fans after he was pictured alongside Benoit Assou-Ekotto appearing to mock his side's 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday evening.

The striker was not named in the squad for the hammering by the Reds and was pictured alongside Assou-Ekotto, who is out on loan at Queens Park Rangers, after the game, with the players holding up five fingers and smiling.

However, Adebayor said that the picture, which appeared on Twitter after the match, was taken before the game and that no offence was meant.

He wrote: "I apologise to all Spurs fans who thought from the Assou-Ekotto picture that we were making fun out of the defeat.

"That picture was taken BEFORE the game. I couldn't possibly known the score. I would NEVER DO THAT. That pose is how I pose in all my pictures..."

Following the loss, Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as manager.