‘IT ISN’T JUST ABOUT FINISHING ABOVE THEM’

JOSE MOURINHO was adamant that finishing above arch-rivals Arsenal is not a priority for Tottenham after his side won the north London derby to overtake the Gunners. Toby Alderweireld’s late header sealed victory for Spurs, a result that moved them two points above the Gunners with three games to play. After two decades of Arsenal dominance, Tottenham have finished above their neighbours for the past three seasons. But Mourinho said: ‘That is a fan’s view. I have to be more ambitious than that. ‘I could look at it in a selfish point of view and say since I arrived, if the championship started in that moment, even with all the problems we had, we would now be fourth or fifth in the table. ‘I don’t want to be selfish, I don’t want to look at it just as a fan that is happy to finish above Arsenal. ‘I would love to play Europa League. It is not a competition I am in love with, it is not a competition I would like very much to play, but when you cannot play Champions League you play Europa League. ‘In my career I only played Europa League twice, and I won it twice. Chief Football Reporter

It would not be bad to play it a third time and win it a third time.’ Mourinho praised his players for giving their all in an empty stadium. The game — usually one of the most hotly contested of the season — perhaps lacked its usual ferocity as it was played behind closed doors. ‘What I asked from them tactically they gave me, what I asked from them from the emotional point of view, they gave me even more,’ the Portuguese added. ‘They were fantastic. They felt the game as fans. We spoke about it not being a great season for fans to enjoy and this is really important for that.’ Arsenal manager Arteta said: ‘We have to learn, in every game something happens. A little margin here, a little margin there. But I’m sure we will get there. ‘I’m proud because I’ve never seen them play like they did today. I’m sorry for the fans, I know how much this game means to them. ‘If we minimise the mistakes we make and play like that, we will win many, many, many football games.’ . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY ORIGINAL COPY