Tottenham vs Burnley LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Kane sends Spurs towards top four
Follow live updates as Spurs look to move above Arsenal into the top four at home to relegation-threatened Burnley
Follow live updates as Tottenham host Burnley in a Premier League fixture that could prove crucial at both ends of the table. Spurs are looking to take advantage of their 3-0 win over Arsenal in the north London derby on Thursday night and can move about their rivals and into the top four with a victory this afternoon. While Tottenham’s Champions League qualification hopes remain out of their hands, Antonio Conte’s side have the chance to ramp up the pressure on Arsenal ahead of their trip to Newcatle on Monday.
Burnley are under a different type of pressure, as the Clarets battle to avoid relegation. Mike Jackson’s team have just three matches left to secure secure their Premier League status and are level with Leeds, albeit with a superior goal difference and a game in hand, heading into the final week of the season. Burnley have picked up 10 points from their last five fixtures to give themselves a chance, and they will look to catch Tottenham cold in this afternoon’s early kick-off, just as Brighton and Brentford have done in recent weeks.
If Tottenham do miss out on the Champions League, will ultimately be down to results such as those, so Conte will know his side cannot afford any more slip-ups as the top-four race goes down to the wire. Follow live updates from Tottenham vs Burnley, below:
Dyche considers a move abroad if the club and project is right
Continuing with Dyche’s thoughts, he’s not sure what comes next - but is considering a move abroad as a real possibility if nothing of interest comes up in England.
“I don’t feel like I need a break. But if a break comes my way I will use it wisely,” he said.
“Then it is when does the time come. You want the right people and the right project. But that is not that easy and you often don’t know until you are in it anyway.
“I have no problem with working abroad, no problem with geography of the country.
“I am pretty flexible with my thinking on what can and can’t be done on clubs. I’m pretty open-minded.”
Sean Dyche’s first public words since Burnley sacking
Former boss Sean Dyche spoke to the media just ahead of this weekend’s game, his first interview since being dismissed from Turf Moor.
While he was surprised at the timing - just before a big match at the time - he noted a downturn in players’ responses to him before that and knew that was a critical factor.
“I sensed over the season the knife edge of success and failure at clubs like Burnley is quite obvious because winning and losing is marginal,” he said.
“It starts to affect the psyche and the feel starts changing.
“I thought we were losing our edge, not the understanding or organisation, there is an edge that players have to play with.
“What you notice with a lot of groups, including ours when we come and go out and they have bolt and win the game straight after. It is almost like someone lifts everything up off you.”
Dwight McNeil says change of position has sparked his game under Mike Jackson
Dwight McNeil has credited a switch in position under caretaker boss Mike Jackson for helping to rejuvenate his game when it matters most to relegation-battling Burnley.
The 22-year-old admitted this season’s statistics – no goals and one assist – are poor by the lofty standards he has set himself in the four years since he broke into the side, but he has definitely been one to have benefitted from the shackles coming off since Sean Dyche left the club last month.
The left-footed player has shifted to the right side under Jackson and has been able to make more of an impact.
“I’ve been given the license more and I’m just enjoying my football again which is nice,” McNeil said.
“There are more opportunities drifting inside, more opportunities to play inside and I can still go on the outside. It gives me more license to get on the ball.
“I know my stats for me personally are below par but I think I’m starting to find myself in better positions and impacting the game more.”
Jackson has tended to downplay the extent of the tactical changes he has made since taking over from Dyche, but the players have spoken extensively of enjoying more freedom under the under-23s boss.
And the credit for switching McNeil’s position definitely belongs to the caretaker coaching staff.
“They came to me with the idea which I really enjoyed hearing,” McNeil said. “Obviously I want to take on the challenge and I think I can be more versatile and help out on the pitch.
“It’s a big respect to them for trusting me in that position and I just keep on doing what I’m doing.”
Dwight McNeil says change of position has sparked his game under Mike Jackson
The left-footed player has shifted to the right side under Jackson and has been able to make more of an impact
Confirmed line-ups
The teams are in! No surprises for Spurs but Moura gets the nod ahead of Kulusevski. The Clarets’ back four looks rather unfamiliar right now without the likes of Mee and Tarkowski.
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Royal, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Sessegnon, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Lucas, Kane, Son.
Burnley XI: Pope, Roberts, Lowton, Collins, Long, Taylor, McNeil, Brownhill, Cork, Cornet, Barnes
Son prioritises Tottenham top-four finish over Golden Boot
Tottenham star Son Heung-min says he would give up winning the Premier League Golden Boot in order for his side to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The South Korean is enjoying his best-ever campaign and scored his 21st league goal in Spurs’ 3-0 victory over Arsenal on Thursday night.
He is just one behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot and is the form player, having scored 10 times in his last eight games.
That form has helped fire Spurs into top-four contention with two games of the season to go, but Son would give it all up if it meant his side earned Champions League qualification.
Asked if he would trade scoring any more goals for a top-four spot, he said: “Yeah, 100 per cent.
“Obviously it’s a good thing that you are racing, but I have said a few times that it is important to finish in the top four (more) than anything else.
“It would be nice but for us it is important to finish in the top four.”
Son was taken off in the second half of the derby rout, much to his displeasure.
Boss Antonio Conte claimed that Son promised he will score in Sunday’s clash with Burnley, which kicks off at 12pm, something the 29-year-old hopes to deliver.
More here:
Tottenham star Son Heung-min prioritises top-four finish over Golden Boot
The South Korean has scored 21 Premier League goals so far this season, just one fewer than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah
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