Antonio Conte has responded to comments made by Jurgen Klopp following Tottenham’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
Conte added: “Anyone who knows me knows I want to win every game very well. I try to transfer this thought to my players. When I stay in one team, in a club, my aspiration and desire are to fight to win the title.
“To win the league in England is not easy. [Pep] Guardiola said Liverpool won one league in 30 years. So it shows it’s not simple. Sometimes it’s easier to win the Champions League or Europa League than the league in England, where you have to face monsters.”
While Tottenham was widely praised for their performance against Liverpool, the draw means they have now won just one of their past four matches before hosting Arsenal.
Spurs trail their north London rivals by four points in the race for fourth place, making Thursday’s showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium must-win for Spurs.
“We are talking about an important game. Important for many different situations,” Conte said. “First, we are playing this game for an important target. For a place in the Champions League. This is the first to try to win this game.
“I also know the importance for our fans of this derby, the north London derby. This is the first time they’re playing this derby in their stadium with all the fans.
“We have to try to get three points against Arsenal. We are talking about a good team, a well-organised team.
“Mikel Arteta is doing an excellent job. He could work and improve his team. This moment of the season has to give us a big push.”
Conte has won just one of his eight meetings with Arsenal in all competitions (D4 L3), all coming as Chelsea boss between 2016 and 2018.
Of clubs he has faced at least five times in his managerial career, against no side does the Italian have a lower win rate than against the Gunners (12.5 per cent).
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