Ange Postecoglou sends nine-word Tottenham message and clear Man City warning

Ange Postecoglou has hailed the return of a feelgood factor at Tottenham Hotspur but insists: "We still have plenty to play for this season."

Spurs host Manchester City on Wednesday night looking to win a fourth straight Premier League game - a run they last put together in December 2023.

And with a number of key players firing again as the squad's injury crisis eases, Postecoglou admits his dressing room is "re-energised" before hosting Pep Guardiola's champions.

Spurs have already beaten their visitors twice this season and Postecoglou, who has no fresh injury concerns, believes a less hectic schedule in the past three weeks has enabled his team to take a massive step in the right direction.

But with James Maddison among those talking up their chances of a late push towards a European spot, with eighth place set to be good enough for a Conference League spot, the head coach said: "The last couple of games in particular have certainly given us encouragement in terms of re-energising the group, whether that’s the guys working hard through the period or coming back in.

"There’s a real good energy around it. We’ve seen the enthusiasm of those coming back in. That’s helped the rest of the group. We’ve benefited from two weeks of no midweek games. The wins make people feel good, it’s something to build on."

City's only remaining goal this season is securing a top-five finish to guarantee Champions League football next season, while Erling Haaland remains a doubt for Wednesday because of injury.

The four-in-a-row winners have also considered Spurs a bogey team for several seasons but Postecoglou is not keen on reading too much into that being a good omen.

He added: "It’s always a challenge to play City. I don’t know how much you can read into that stuff. He’s faced different types of teams, different managers. Sometimes it’s just circumstances.

"For the most part against the teams that are challenging we’ve done well in the two years I’ve been here. For the most part our struggles have been against teams not doing so well in the league. Part of that is playing against teams trying to dominate the game, that allows us to play our football. You can’t dismiss the quality they have."

And he went on to warn that no one should be surprised if Guardiola has a revamped squad ready to bounce back and reclaim the title next season.

"The consistency of their four in a row, the numbers they accumulated, it is an unprecedented standard they’ve set. It’s natural it won’t continue forever, it’s just not sustainable.

"But if they bounce back next year and win it, you’ll be saying that’s more than pretty good. Sometimes these things happen. Key injuries, some things have gone against them. That’s elite sport, it’s fine margins."

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