SLEEPLESS IN SPURS BATTLE
Nuno not kipped since Gunners defeat but confident he has team’s backing
NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO revealed he has not slept since Sunday’s north London derby defeat by Arsenal – but insisted his players believe in him and his methods.
The Tottenham boss is fighting to keep his job after just three months in charge with three damaging Premier League defeats in a row – the last one to their bitter rivals, after which Nuno slammed his players for failing to follow orders.
With rumours Nuno’s stars are unhappy, the pressure has cranked up on the former Wolves manager.
Spurs face Slovenian minnows NS Mura tonight in their second Europa Conference League game and Nuno will be desperate to avoid any further embarrassment as he came out fighting.
He said: “The mood is very bad. We’re sad. Disappointed. The feeling goes home with us, it doesn’t allow us to sleep. But it can only make us stronger – and the reaction will be in this game.” Spurs have already suffered one humbling in this competition when they lost to Pacos de Ferreira in qualifying. In their opening group game at Rennes, they were fortunate to escape with a draw.
Nu no denied there was any rift with his players and insisted there was no panic.
He said: “The players totally believe.
“There’s no doubt.
We work together every day. In these moments, we need to stick together. The belief is the first step – and we have it.
“We don’t panic because we know – at least I know – that this is football. It’s how you react to the bad moments. Every team goes through a moment like this. The sooner you get back out there, the better.”
The Portuguese knows avoiding a disaster tonight is crucial, but the game that could really hold the key to his future is at home to Aston Villa on Sunday. He said: “I’m not worried about judgements. What I’m worried about is how we can play better. “The criticism is part of it. We have to deal with that. But I’m seeing players that want to achieve.” Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, who could feature tonight, have both been called up again by Argentina for World Cup qualifiers next month.
The duo were fined by Spurs for joining up without permission last time, and then had to quarantine, with Argentina on the government’s Covid red list.
Nuno has pleaded for guidance from FIFA and he added: “We are asking for guidance. We need a decision to protect us. We can’t have our players out again.” Spurs have been warned by UEFA after keeper Pierluigi Gollini’s gloves breached regulations in the game at Rennes because of the size of the sponsor’s logos.