Mauricio Pochettino has ruled Tottenham out of the title running and insisted either Liverpool or Manchester City will triumph in May.
The Spurs manager wrote off his own club’s Premier League hopes in the wake of his club’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
The Londoners slipped nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who demolished Watford 5-0, while City defeat West Ham 1-0 to remain a point adrift of top spot.
“After tonight I think it is going to be impossible to be contenders and to fight against Liverpool and Manchester City,” Pochettino told BBC Sport, as quoted by their Twitter account. “Both teams now, it is only them who can win the league.
“We need to be sure to win games and try to fight to be third. That is the challenge today for us.”
Probably not what Spurs fans wanted to hear ? pic.twitter.com/WyHEsZYhyN
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 28, 2019
OPINION
As Pochettino says, there’s no way Spurs can stop Liverpool or Man City marching to the title now. A nine-point gap is too much to bridge in 10 matches, especially for a side who have lost crucial momentum over the last five days, and whose mentality, as their own manager admits, is below the level needed for a title contender. Liverpool have had their own ups and downs since the turn of the year, but it should not be ignored that they have put nine goals past Watford and Bournemouth in their last two home Premier League matches in swashbuckling displays. At the same time, Man City are starting to wheeze, and they are not looking as invincible as they once were. The destination of the title will rest upon fine margins, and is likely to go down to the wire. City have greater experience and have won three titles during the Abu Dhabi era, and a squad who know how to navigate the nettles and thistles of the run-in, while Liverpool have a point advantage, an outstanding team and are back on fire.