The manager of Tottenham Hotspur, Antonio Conte has used the woes Manchester United suffered in the 2021-2022 season to insist that he did not fail at the north London club.
Recall that Antonio Conte decided to join Tottenham Hotspur months after he left Inter Milan where he won the 2020-2021 Italian Serie A title. The arrival of Conte at Spurs was expected to be a catalyst for greater things at the club based on the coach’s track record. However, the club has been as inconsistent as they have always been with a bit of improvement.
When Antonio Conte arrived at Tottenham Hotspur in 2021, the fans were expecting that the Italian coach would at least help the team qualify for the 2022-2023 UEFA Champions League campaign. Unfortunately, Spurs are currently four points away from achieving such a feat.
Ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League game against their local rivals, Arsenal, reporters asked Antonio Conte whether he has failed at the north London club, and the Italian tactician insisted that he has not failed.
Conte reminded the reporters that Manchester United finished the 2020-2021 season on the second spot on the Premier League table. But the club is on the verge of finishing on the 6th or 7th spot in the 2021-2022 season despite signing highly reverend players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane.
Since Manchester United are on the verge of finishing below the top four with such a great crop of new signings, Tottenham Hotspur which did not sign such great names ahead of this season did not fail according to Conte.
Antonio Conte said: “Manchester United finished second last season and added players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane and maybe they can finish sixth or seventh, and you speak about Tottenham’s failure?
“I think this season is a great success, especially for the relationship created with the players and the achievement we have reached in my time here, but the job isn’t finished, we have to finish this job,” Conte said.
🗣 “It’s not so easy in England.”
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 21, 2022
Antonio Conte says Manchester United improved their squad with Varane, Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo but they got worse. pic.twitter.com/hsvtLynL2P
🗣 “I don’t think many people could imagine since my arrival in November that Tottenham could fight for a place in the Champions League.”
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 12, 2022
Antonio Conte says Spurs are now prepared and in a position to fight for the top four which wasn’t the case before he arrived. pic.twitter.com/4L4eWtm7xC
What is left for Antonio Conte and Tottenham Hotspur in the 2021-2022 season
Tottenham Hotspur have three Premier League games left in the 2021-2022 season. They will play one of the three games tonight, May 12, 2022, at 19:45.
On the said date, their city rivals, Arsenal, will be at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium to play their 36th league game of the season. The match is one of the most important league games of the season for the two teams.
Note that Arsenal are currently sitting on the 4th spot on the league table with 66 points in 35 games, four points above fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
This means that if Spurs manage to beat the in-form Arsenal tonight, Spurs will be one point below the Gunners with two league games to go and that would mean that the top four race is still wide open.
But if Arsenal manage to beat their north London rivals, coach Mikel Arteta and his boys will be 7 points above Spurs which means that Spurs can not overtake Arsenal on the league table again in the 2021-2022 season.
Hence, the Tottenham vs Arsenal Premier League game is like a final that coach Antonio Conte must win if he wants to keep Spurs’ hope of qualifying for the Champions League alive.
After the game against Arsenal, Tottenham still have league games against Burnley on May 15 and against Norwich City on May 22. While Arsenal still have games against Newcastle on May 16 and against Everton on May 22.
🎙️ "We need to win, there's no other solution for us."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 12, 2022
Antonio Conte says tonight's north London derby is a must win match, and one he wants to deliver for the fans 👏pic.twitter.com/jxkJu3ujyc
