Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has said he doesn’t understand Spurs fans who want to see their side lose against Manchester City in the Premier League this week… but with one of the biggest rivalries in world football at stake, it might be the best result for the Club.
When Pep Guardiola was asked what he wanted from this Premier League season, after winning the historic treble – Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League – last year, the football world laughed together as the Manchester City coach said, without hesitation: “Score a goal at Spurs away.”
Such has been the misery suffered by Pep Guardiola and his all-conquering Manchester City team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent seasons, facing two different Tottenham coaches renowned for their counter-attacking style of play; City haven’t won away at Tottenham in the Premier League in 2023 days.
But this week, with the Premier League title hanging in the balance, it could be the best time to play Spurs in London, with some fans begging to see their side lose…
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To explain why, we have to go back to 1913 when Arsenal moved from their historic Woolwich location in South London to their new home at Highbury. At the time, London-based sides enjoyed some animosity towards each other, but this was only intensified when the South London side encroached on Tottenham’s patch.
Some years later, in 1919, the rivalry escalated. Following the conclusion of the First World War, the league format was expanded to accommodate more teams. Arsenal, who finished the year in 6th place in the second tier, were promoted to the First Division of English football, and Spurs, were relegated.
Since then, the rivalry that exists between the two sides has only become more tribal, passed down from father to son throughout the years as a disdain for one side has become as innate as support for the other.
Arsenal have enjoyed the lion’s share of the accolades in recent seasons, revelling in their rival’s near-misses while celebrating title wins at Tottenham’s ground in 1971 and again during the 2003/04 Premier League season during the Club’s historic “invincibles” season – they even signed Tottenham’s captain and (former) legend Sol Campbell for nothing in 2001.
Tottenham will have no intention of doing them any favours on the final home game of the season.
With just six days to go until the end of the 2023/24 season, Arsenal are gunning for the Premier League title once more, looking to end a barren run of 20 years. Led by Club legend Mikel Arteta, they sit at the top of the table, closely followed by defending champions Manchester City, who, with a game in hand, have the chance to go two clear with a win at Spurs, heading into the final game of the season.
Enter Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. The North London club is the penultimate barrier for Guardiola and Manchester City from achieving at least one of their goals this season with a final home game against a stuttering West Ham side something of a formality to wrap up the league.
Of course, Tottenham have their own targets for this season. With Champions League qualification still possible, you’d think that Spurs fans would do anything to win the final two games of the season and return to Europe’s premier club competition, but with the prospect of handing Arsenal the title with a win over City could be too much for some of the Spurs faithful to bear… but for Ange, it’s business as usual.
“You think the majority of our fans don’t want us to win? I don’t see it that way, I think the fans inside the stadium will create the same atmosphere they always do.”
Ange Postecoglou
“If you’re going by social media then 99% of them will [want Spurs to lose] but please don’t tell me that’s your world. If it is you need counselling. I understand rivalry but I’ll never understand anyone wanting their own team to lose,” Postecoglou told the media.
As the season draws to a dramatic close, all eyes will be on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see if City can overcome their hoodoo and keep their title hopes alive, or if Spurs will inadvertently play a pivotal role in crowning their arch-rivals Arsenal as champions. Whatever happens, Pep Guardiola might just get his wish of bagging a goal at Spurs away.