Ange Postecoglou has issued a rallying cry to his Tottenham Hotspur squad as they prepare to host Arsenal in a crunch Premier League battle on Sunday.
Quoted by Arsenal media, the Spurs boss told reporters: “We understand the importance, particularly at home, in these kind of games against our biggest rival and in the biggest derby not letting our opponent get on top of us.
“We understand the consequences of that but ultimately it’s still about us measuring ourselves against the teams we want to be challenging on a more consistent basis.
“There’s great meaning to the points for both clubs, then what’s happened previously, whether that’s the immediate past or further back, becomes irrelevant.
“Because you know it’s going to be a tough game, have a bit of an edge to it, have an atmosphere. And you’ve just got to make sure you get ready to match those levels with a performance.”
Ange and his players need a win to keep their chances of a fourth-place finish alive. Arsenal, on the other hand, require a win to maintain their lead at the summit of the league table.
Even without the added pressure of collecting points, North London derbies have been wild lately. Sunday’s game will be no different.