“It will strike a little bit of fear” – Gary Neville highlights what could bother Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal in top-4 race
Gary Neville feels Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United will be wary of Antonio Conte's Tottenham Hotspur in the race for a top-four finish.
Spurs, under new coach Nuno Espirito Santos, won their first three Premier League games of the season. But Tottenham's wheels soon came off, which saw Santo get the sack.
He was replaced by former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte in November, with the north London outfit yet to lose a league game with the Italian at the helm.
Speaking after Spurs' 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday, Neville feels the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United will now seriously consider Conte's Tottenham a genuine contender for a top-four finish.
The former Manchester United defender said:
“He’s a great manager, you can see the influence he’s had on this group. The energy compared to how they were before, the stadium is electric, and it was brilliant in here all the way through the game. You can see him on the touchline. The emotions. He cares passionately and is desperate to win."
Neville added:
“It will strike a little bit of fear into Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, West Ham, all the others with aspirations to be up there. This Tottenham team are going to be real in the next four to five months.”
Chelsea in a slump after bright start to the season
The points are shared at Molineux.
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Antonio Conte's former employers Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost pace in the Premier League title race after a bright start to the season. The Blues have won just one of their last four league outings and currently find themselves six points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City. Thomas Tuchel's side will be keen to return to winning ways as soon as possible.
Arsenal and Manchester United have looked good in recent games
Both Arsenal and Manchester United struggled in the first few months of the season. While the Gunners started their Premier League campaign with three consecutive defeats, the Red Devils lost the plot in November, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being replaced by interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
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Arsenal have done well in recent weeks, winning their last three Premier League outings. Manchester United also have a 100 percent winning record in the league under Rangnick.
Regardless, both Arsenal and Manchester United will be wary of Spurs in the race to finish in the top four.