There is likely to be mixed emotions on display among home fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night when their team face Manchester City in the Premier League.
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In their final home match of what has largely been a season of positives for Spurs in their first season under Ange Postecoglou, they will face the champions knowing that a win will boost their hopes of playing in the UEFA Champions League.
What’s at stake for Spurs?
They are only four points behind Aston Villa in the race for fourth, the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot. Spurs could still overtake Villa, given the Villans have two tricky fixtures remaining, against Liverpool on Monday and at home to in-form Crystal Palace on the final day.
Otherwise, it’s likely to be fifth spot for Spurs and a place in the UEFA Europa League.
So why the mixed emotions among Spurs fans? Well, while there will be joy at a win over City and raising the possibility of overhauling Aston Villa for fourth place, on the flip side will be knowledge that it would be even better for their bitterest rivals from four miles down the road in north London.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
38 | +13 | 66 |
| 6 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
38 | +14 | 63 |
| 7 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
38 | +23 | 60 |
| 8 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
38 | -1 | 60 |
How could Spurs help Arsenal?
If Spurs were to beat Man City, it would keep City behind Arsenal at the top of the table in the battle to become champions going into the final day. Arsenal would be able to claim a first Premier League title in 20 years if they beat Everton at home on the final day.
With Arsenal fans already happy to have one over their Spurs rivals by reminding them that their team will finish above Spurs for the second season in a row, would handing them also a chance to gloat about the title be a cost too great?
See: What happens if Arsenal and City finish level on points and goal difference?
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
Do things bode well for a Spurs win?
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has certainly been a bogey ground for City since they first played there in 2018/19.
In the six trips there in all competitions, they have won only once, lost the other five times. They are yet to score there in their four Premier League trips as well despite taking 74 shots and accumulating a total Expected Goals of 7.43.
What have the managers/players said?
Postecoglou is contemplating only going for a win.
"If you're going by social media then 99 per cent of them will [want Spurs to lose] but please don't tell me that's your world," said Postecoglou.
"I was part of one of the biggest rivalries in the world in the last couple of years with Celtic and Rangers and I understand the rivalry but I've never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose. That's not what sport is about.
"It's not what I love about the game. What I love more than anything in the game is the competitiveness, challenging yourself to beat someone and coming out successful. Anything outside of that it's got nothing to do with sport. It's got nothing to do with me.
See: Postecoglou: I don't understand Spurs fans who want us to lose
"If other people want to treat it that way, that they get pleasure from other people's misery, that's not how I've lived my life and how I perceive my role.
“My role is to bring success to this football club and I know 100 per cent of Spurs supporters want us to win, be successful and win trophies.
“That is without a shadow of a doubt and us winning tomorrow night will help us bring joy to 100 per cent of Spurs supporters."
Certainly, Arsenal’s players and manager have no hesitation in ditching their north London rivalries and cheering on Spurs.
“I’m going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever,” Arsenal star Kai Havertz said. “We all are going to be! Let’s hope for the best.”
Meanwhile his boss Mikel Arteta is hopeful of a favour, saying: “We know we need [a Spurs win], and they are a really tough team to play against as we saw a few weeks ago [in Arsenal's 3-2 win]. But hopefully they do it."