Pressure on Conte as Spurs out-Foxed

TOTTENHAM assistant Cristian Stellini questioned Spurs’ mentality after they were thumped at Leicester.

Nampalys Mendy, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes (below) piled the pressure on manager Antonio Conte as the Foxes ran riot in a 4-1 win.

Rodrigo Bentancur had given the visitors an early lead but defeat left Spurs continuing to play catch up in the race for the Champions League.

Conte was back in the dugout after gallbladder surgery but Stellini admitted the players dropped their standards.

He said: “To be consistent is a long process, it’s a mental process, you have to be better mentally and better with the approach. After we scored the goal, something changed.

‘We are a team, in the team something has to change, not individually. It’s about the desire.

‘It’s about to recover the energy mentally. After a game against Manchester City maybe you used all the energy you had. To recover the energy is like a battle. You have to recreate the same energy.’

Stellini was pleased to have Conte return to the touchline but says his boss has to ease his way back.

Miguel Almiron’s 10th goal of the season and a late goaline clearance by Kieran Trippier ensured Newcastle boss Eddie Howe claimed a point on his Bournemouth return but only after a potentially costly 1-1 draw after Marcos Senesi poked the struggling Cherries ahead.

It may have been worse had Trippier not denied Dominic Solanke’s goalbound flick on the verge of full-time and that ensured the visitors extended their unbeaten top-flight run to 17 matches but injuries to Joe Willock, Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin will be a major concern to Howe with the Carabao Cup final only two weeks away.

James Tomkins took advantage of a mistake by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to earn Crystal Palace a 1-1 draw against Brighton at Selhurst Park.

Brighton had taken the lead on 63 minutes when Solly March connected with Pervis Estupinan’s cross at the far post on an afternoon largely dominated by the visitors.

Southampton were dealt a major blow in their fight for Premier League survival following a 2-1 defeat to 10-man Wolves at St Mary’s Stadium. Carlos Alcaraz opened the scoring for the hosts moments before Mario Lemina was sent off. Jan Bednarek’s own goal made it 1-1 with debutant Joao Gomes scoring Wolves’ winner in the closing stages.