Toby Alderweireld has suggested Tottenham Hotspur may have to win all of their remaining Premier League games to finish in the top four.
Spurs are currently third in the table but could be leapfrogged by Chelsea, who play Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
If Mauricio Pochettino’s side win the rest of their matches they will finish third and qualify for the Champions League.
But despite defeats on Sunday, Arsenal and Manchester Untied remain close to Tottenham and any points dropped could be costly.
The Londoners face Brighton at the new stadium on Tuesday night, and Alderweireld has called on the team to ease the pressure on themselves with a victory.
“Tuesday, we know the pressure is on us. We have to get three points, so we have to win all our remaining games in the Premier League,” Alderweireld said (via the Mirror).
“We want to get top four and the Champions League as well. We’ll try to get top four, because it’s important to be in the Champions League next year.
“Last season we were close, so I think we have to do the things that we’re doing now, try to improve and try to close the gap.
“But if you see the last four years how stable we are, always top four, always close, so I think just working hard we will close the gap.”
Alderweireld is out of contract at the end of next season and is likely to leave Spurs this summer if his £25 million release clause is triggered.
Some may read into the quotes above as an indication the Belgian is thinking about next season with Tottenham, but in reality it’s too hard to tell if that’s the case.
Toby to stay. Give him a good new contract. Same goes for Christian.
definitely keep Toby. Pay him whatever is needed. I can take or leave Christian. He is too inconsistent for me. The money from selling him would more than pay for a replacement and Toby’s new contract.
Yes Eriksen I believe is only putting an effort he thinks commensurate with the pay he is getting. Once a higher pay package is agreed , I think we will see the full bloom
Realistically we cannot underpay our important players too much compared to the big clubs . Levy must find means of compensating players to a level acceptable to them yet not put the club and fans in financial burden . A balancing act which I believe our esteemed chairman would excell . COYS
The Arse have to pay fortunes to their underperforming Europa Cup regulars, which is why they can hang on to them. The harsh reality is that money talks, but the Champions League also matters.