Antonio Conte urges his Tottenham players to show their resolve following shock Brighton defeat… as the Italian believes it is a ‘good opportunity for us to cope with pressure’ amid a frantic battle to finish in the top four
- Spurs lose at home to Graham Potter’s Brighton as top four battle opens up
- Leandro Trossard’s late goal proves the difference as Brighton win in north London for the second week running
- Spurs are currently in fourth, three points ahead of rivals Man Utd and Arsenal
Antonio Conte has told his players they must learn to handle pressure after Tottenham blew a major opportunity in the race for the top four against Brighton.
Despite suffering a shock 1-0 defeat, which was their first in five, Spurs remain at the front of the cluster of Arsenal, West Ham and Manchester United as they chase the final Champions League spot.
Conte was clearly irritated by the limp nature of the loss, with Spurs failing to log even a single shot on goal. Ahead of a season-defining home stretch, in which his side must face Arsenal and Liverpool in their final five games, the Italian called for them to show they are robust enough for the task.
Antonio Conte urged his players to show resolve after their shock home loss to Brighton
He said: ‘I think that you have to try to do much better than today. We have to know that we are in this race for the Champions League.
‘I think not many people thought this, but we are in this race because we showed that we deserved to stay there. Now we have to continue. Once you are in a good position in the table you have to keep this position.
Leandro Trossard’s goal ensured Brighton won in the capital for a second week on the trot
Having not won in their previous seven, Brighton now have two wins in seven days away at Arsenal and Spurs
‘It’s a good opportunity for us also to cope with pressure, because when you arrive and then you know that you stay in a fantastic target for you.
‘You’re winning the league and you are first and then you have to cope with the pressure, with the other results and I think this is a good opportunity for us to improve because I think this group of players need it, no? They needed this type of examinations for improvement.
‘For sure, it’s not a good result for us and a lesson that we can learn today that there are games that if you’re not able to win, you’re not to lose.’
Brighton seem to have stabilised after following six defeats in seven with successive victories over Arsenal and Tottenham. Graham Potter said: ‘We asked questions of Spurs, it wasn’t a smash and grab and we were playing against team with some world-class players who are in a good moment.
‘We knew we had to be good and we were today. It was deserved, that’s my feeling. For us, a great day for the club, three points, clean sheet, not so bad since it was Armageddon about three games ago.
‘It was only fair that if we beat Arsenal we had to go to Spurs and beat them.
‘Three games ago it was the end of the world. he reality of Brighton in the Premier League is that you are going to have to suffer.’
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