JUST IN – James Maddison and Kulusevski’s verdict ahead of City clash left everyone in surprise, no one could believe what they said.
‘Of course we will’ – Tottenham stars make feelings clear on helping Arsenal by beating Man City.
Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have been speaking ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Manchester City – a game that will have a huge impact on the title race
Two Tottenham Hotspur players have made it clear that they are not interested in helping Arsenal by defeating Manchester City. The Spurs squad is solely focused on their own season, with no regard for the impact of their match against City on their rivals, Arsenal.
Following a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, Arsenal currently lead the table by one point as we head into the final week of the campaign.
City have a game in hand, which will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tomorrow (Tuesday) night. A win would put the current champions, who are vying for their fourth consecutive title, two points ahead and in control going into the final day when they face West Ham at the Etihad.
Arsenal, who are aiming for their first title since 2004, will conclude their season on Sunday at home against Everton. They will be anxiously hoping for a favour from their north London rivals who have won all four of their Premier League home matches against City since moving into their new stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s team did manage to defeat Tottenham at the venue in the FA Cup in January but were held to a 3-3 draw in the reverse league fixture in Manchester this season.
Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are paying no attention to the implications their results may have on other teams, with their sights set solely on Tottenham’s dwindling chances of a top-four spot. They’re banking on fourth-placed Aston Villa slipping up against Liverpool tonight, though even a draw would keep Spurs’ hopes alive.
Spurs players faced backlash from Arsenal fans after conducting their lap of honour after the Burnley win instead of after their clash with City. Kulusevski acknowledged the odd timing, saying: “It was a strange feeling but it was for the kids today because it was an afternoon game but the season is not over, absolutely not.”
When quizzed on whether any Spurs fans had urged them to throw the upcoming City game to thwart Arsenal’s title ambitions, Kulusevski expressed his enthusiasm for such matches. “It’s a team we love playing against,” he admitted.
“We love playing against the strongest teams. So it’s going to be a nice evening. The fact they leave spaces behind the backline is one thing, but there are many different things when you play against the best.”
Maddison, reflecting on the recent 2-1 victory over Burnley, emphasised the need for a strong finish: “We needed a reaction after four losses. It is something a club like Tottenham should never have, four losses in a row. We had to put it right. Now we need to finish the season strongly.
“Of course we will be giving everything on Tuesday. We are professionals. The only way we can qualify for the Champions League is if we win all our games, so (helping Arsenal) that’s one for the fans to talk about, not us players.”
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou similarly insists his side will be going out to win – even though three points for the hosts would hand Arsenal a massive chance to win the league. He said: “I think we’ve got what it takes to make a game of it and play our football and see where that takes us.
“They’re an outstanding team and they and Arsenal are the benchmark of the competition right now. They’re 20-odd points ahead of us and we’ve got some ground to make up, but it’s at our place, it’s 95 minutes of football and we’re going to have a crack.”
