Ange Postecoglou is convinced the majority of Tottenham fans want their side to win against Manchester City tomorrow night – even if it hands the momentum in the Premier League title race to bitter rivals Arsenal.
City are a point adrift of the table-topping Gunners, who also hold a better goal difference, effectively meaning Pep Guardiola’s men must win in North London ahead of the final round of fixtures this weekend.
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And with Spurs’ Champions League hopes all but over – Aston Villa hold a four-point advantage in the race for fourth spot with two games remaining – the hosts have little to play for, hence why many fans would have no qualms with City walking away with a victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou sees it differently.
He said: “You think the majority of our fans are not going to want us to win tomorrow night?
“I don’t see it that way. I think the majority of our fans will create the atmosphere they always create at our games.
“We’ve got a game of football to win and that’s what we’ll try to do.
“If you’re going by social media, 99 per cent of them will want Spurs to lose against Man City… but please don’t tell me that’s your world. If it is, you need counselling.
“I understand rivalry but I’ll never understand anyone wanting their own team to lose.
“That is not what sport is about. What I love more than anything is the competitiveness.”
He added: “People are allowed to feel the way they do.
“But I think I’ve been consistent and really strong in my beliefs that it’s important for this football club not to look for silver bullets to get to where we want to. It’s hard work, it’s resilience, it’s quality, not to fall for any false dawns – and know what real success looks like: trophies.
“Anything else in between, bragging rights, whatever it is, is absolutely meaningless to me or anyone involved with me. We’ve got a game we want to win.”
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Will Arsenal fans be cheering on Tottenham?
The flip side is the almost unheard of situation of Arsenal fans cheering on Spurs tomorrow night – another scenario Postecoglou struggled to understand.
The Australian said: “I’ve never thought of sport in that way.
“There is a game of football tomorrow night. What do you think is going to happen? What do you think we’re going to do as a team?
“Like any team on the planet, aren’t we just going to try and win? It’s a simple, basic premise.
“How that makes people feel, I’m not really fussed. I’d hate to think anyone thinks we’ll go out there and do anything other than try to win a game that is consequential.
“How are we ever going to become a team that wins things if we don’t win the big games, if we shy away from them?”
Back to @SpursStadium tomorrow night 👊
🔜 #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/KmiEsfQjRp
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 13, 2024
Tottenham have an excellent record at their new home against City, although they did lose 1-0 in this season’s FA Cup following a late Nathan Ake goal.
“My recent home record against them is one game, one loss,” said Postecoglou.
“So I’m not going to take any confidence from that. What I’ll take confidence from is we’ve got an opportunity to measure ourselves against the best.
“A team that has consistently strived for honours. We want to emulate them one day and the best way to do that is to test yourself against them. We’ll play our football and see where it takes us.”
What does Postecoglou make of Manchester City?
Postecoglou is a big admirer of Guardiola and what he has achieved at City.
“It is incredible,” he said.
“Sometimes people think, once you win it once it becomes easier but it becomes harder.
“You’ve got a target on your back and you’ve got to consistently try to climb a mountain again, knowing they’ve always done it.
“Particularly in the Premier League with the demands of the competition. They’re always fighting on multiple fronts.
“It’s a testament, not just to Pep but the whole organisation and how they want to achieve success.”
