Conte claims Red Devils will always be a monster possessing big power
ANTONIO CONTE describes Manchester United as a “powerful monster”.
Nevertheless, the Tottenham head coach feels his team have precisely the weapons needed to slay the giant beast in its Theatre of Dreams. “Manchester United always have the power,” Conte, below, said. “Even in the last 10 years, every season, they had the power to go into the transfer market and to invest big, big money.
“Two years ago, when they finished second, they went into the transfer market to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and RafaVarane. This power is never finished at Old Trafford. “Maybe the results were not at the same level as the investment but United in the present and the future will always be a monster that you have to go to fight against.” Those weapons? At times they have been rather too concealed for the purists’ liking as Tottenham have counter-attacked their way to results.
However, in a call to arms which reflects the club’s ‘To Dare is to Do’ motto, Conte wants his side to head into Old Trafford tonight brandishing “personality, football and ideas”.
“It’s not a good place for the opponent, there is a fantastic atmosphere,” he said. “But, at the same time, it’s a big theatre. You have to go there and play with personality, play your football, show your ideas.
“So I’d like my team to go there and play with personality, with the desire to get three points. This will be a good step for us.”
Big enough to lift them up one point behind Arsenal, whose only failure this season came at Old Trafford at the start of September.
“We know very well it will be difficult,” Conte said. “United won against Arsenal and Arsenal are top of the league. They lost only that game at Old Trafford.
“At the same time, I want us to go there and aspire to have a good performance and try to have a good result.”
Since Sir Alex Ferguson left, Spurs have actually clocked up 652 Premier League points compared to United’s 630.
But Conte remembers United fondly from their pomp – indeed there were rumours of interest from Ferguson in the former midfielder.
“We are talking about a top club with amazing history,” he said. “I lived as a player at Juventus during their best period. I saw this fantastic period at United.
“I knew through my agent that Mr Ferguson appreciated me a lot at that time, although you never know if the agent tells you the truth or a lie.
“I didn’t speak to him because then I wanted to stay in Juventus and to finish my career in Juventus. Were my wages too high? No, no. That was not the problem.”