We ARE in the title race, insists Ange
Ange Postecoglou insists his Tottenham side are still in the title race despite a hit- and- miss last few months.
Spurs are fifth in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Liverpool and one point behind fourth-placed Arsenal, with 18 games remaining.
They travel to Manchester United tomorrow buoyed by two January signings and important players such as Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison on the way back from injury.
‘By definition we are, aren’t we,’ said Postecoglou when asked if his team were in with a realistic chance of winning the title. ‘If I said no, you’d turn around and say, “Come on, Ange”.
‘Yes we are — and until the point where you’re not, why would you discount the possibility? We’ve gone through a really tough period and we’re hanging in there. We’ve clawed our way back. Our performances for the most part have been pretty consistent.
‘But all that’s meaningless if we don’t finish the season stronger than the first half of the season.’
There is quiet confidence inside the club that Tottenham can improve after bolstering their squad with forward Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig and centre back Radu Dragusin for £26.7million from genoa.
It is a mark of chairman Daniel Levy’s trust that he has taken the uncharacteristic step of backing his head coach with transfer funds so early in the January market.
‘Most clubs feel more secure doing it if they have trust in those decisions and these are my decisions, I take responsibility for the transfers,’ said Postecoglou, who approved targets identified by new technical director Johan Lange and his recruitment team.
Dragusin was the top priority, a right- sided central defender mobile enough to play in an aggressively high line, and Werner was an opportunity they did not expect but seized upon, regardless of two disappointing years at Chelsea or his failure to hold down a place at Leipzig.
‘ It’s fair to say if Timo were playing regularly and scoring goals, he wouldn’t be here,’ said Postecoglou. ‘We wouldn’t be able to afford him, simple as that. When
Johan presented it to me, I was really excited because I thought here was an opportunity that normally wouldn’t come across our desk at this point. Our priority was the centre back position, but I could see some real possibilities for him playing in our system.’
Spurs go to Old Trafford without Son Heung-min, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, who are all on international duty.
Ben Davies is out for a month with a hamstring issue. giovani Lo Celso and Dane Scarlett are also injured but Van de Ven returned as an unused substitute in the FA Cup against Burnley. Romero has been back in full training this week and could be ready for United after three games out.
Maddison, out since early november with an ankle injury, is expected to rejoin first-team training before the FA Cup tie against Manchester City on January 26.
‘He’s getting closer,’ confirmed Postecoglou. ‘ I’ll be hoping between the two Manchester games he’s back training with the first team as long as there’s no setbacks in that two-week window.’
Tottenham have won four of their last five in the Premier League after a run of five without a win, and are positive about the future.
‘ It does excite me,’ said Postecoglou. ‘We certainly feel we can finish the season stronger than we started. We have scratched and clawed our way into a decent position in the league, we’re into the next round of the Cup. We’ve got a platform to kick on from.’
For Manchester United, manager erik ten Hag confirmed yesterday that Antony is one of six players expected to be back for the Spurs game, with Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Luke Shaw, Christian eriksen and Amad Diallo also available again.
Speaking for the first time since Jadon Sancho rejoined Borussia Dortmund on loan following their fall-out, Ten Hag sent the briefest of farewell messages to the england winger.
‘I hope he’s doing well, so I wish him the best of luck,’ said the Dutchman. ‘That’s it. I hope he’s doing well and he’ll be a success.’
Asked about Sancho again, Ten Hag added: ‘I replied. I think it’s enough.’