ntonio Conte has reiterated that ending within the prime 4 would make for a profitable season for Tottenham however believes they’re certainly one of eight golf equipment preventing for 2 remaining Champions League locations.
Conte’s Spurs face backside membership Southampton at St. Mary’s tomorrow, aiming to strengthen their grip on fourth place.
Spurs are 4 factors away from Newcastle, though the Magpies have performed two video games fewer, whereas seventh-place Brighton would theoretically go degree on factors with Conte’s aspect in the event that they win their two video games in hand.
Securing consecutive top-four finishes is the one remaining goal for Spurs this season after they have been eradicated from the FA Cup and Champions League, and Harry Kane is among the many gamers to have stated that competing for fourth place alone is now not adequate for the membership.
Conte, although, has beforehand stated that ending in a Champions League spot this season can be the equal to profitable the title for Spurs and the Italian thinks eight golf equipment, together with Manchester United in third and proper right down to Tenth-placed Chelsea, are scrapping for 2 remaining locations within the prime 4.
Antonio Conte and Tottenham are extensively anticipated to half methods on the finish of the season
/ Tottenham Hotspur FC through Getty Pictures“To finish in the top four I think is a really, really good achievement for every club in the Premier League,” Conte stated forward of the go to to the south coast. “You can see the table, there are important teams that in the past won important trophies and now they’re struggling for a place in Champions League.
“The race will be really difficult this season. Don’t forget Brighton, because they have important players in the squad and they are on a good run. I think they’re involved in this situation. Brentford also are playing a fantastic season.
“Then there’s Newcastle, Liverpool and I don’t forget Chelsea. This season will be an important race for all the teams involved. There’s also United in this race. For sure it will be a good achievement to finish in Europe this season, like last season. I think in every season, to finish in the top four means you had a good season.”
Conte, who’s extensively anticipated to depart Spurs on the finish of the marketing campaign, insisted he’s not perturbed by mounting hypothesis concerning the id of his successor.
Luis Enrique, Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel are all regarded as within the job ought to Conte go away Spurs on the finish of his contract in June, whereas Marco Silva, Roberto De Zerbi and Thomas Frank have additionally been talked about as potential candidates.
Requested if he was bothered by the experiences, Conte stated: “No, I think we have to accept every type of situation.
“The most important thing to know is you’re working very hard every day to improve the club you’re working. For a manager, this is important and to know you’re giving not 100 per cent but much more to improve the club that believe in yourself.”
Conte added that he’s assured he won’t be sacked earlier than the tip of the season and has insisted he was joking when he recommended that might be the case after final week’s Champions League elimination by AC Milan.
“[My comment] was a provocation, a joke,” he stated. “You [the media] asked me about the future and I said to you that you don’t know what happens. Because maybe the club can sack me. But I don’t think the club is thinking this. The club sees everyday what me and my staff, we are doing for this club. It was only an answer about my future.”
Conte will once more be with out Hugo Lloris (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (ACL), Yves Bissouma (ankle) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) in opposition to Saints however has stated that Lloris will nonetheless be primary when he returns to health, regardless of the spectacular type of his understudy, Fraser Forster.
