Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris has urged his side not to “throw away” their advantage in the Champions League race, but says he is expecting a “big battle until the final game” of the season.
Having seized the initiative with a superb recent run of form, fourth-placed Spurs slipped up in Saturday’s early kick-off as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Brighton.
North London rivals Arsenal failed to make the most of that result as they fell to a third successive Premier League loss, this time at Southampton, but the Gunners remain only three points behind Spurs with a game in hand, while the pair’s defeats have re-opened the door for Manchester United, who are now also just three points back in fifth after beating bottom side Norwich.
“We don’t have a cushion so we have to go on another run,” Lloris said. “But we must take it game by game because if we look too far forward we can slip in other games.
“What hurts me the most is we have suffered so much and to arrive in this position, it is not the moment to throw away what we have built in the last few weeks.
“We received a lot of kicks during the season and it is not the time to give this boost to our rivals.”
After the Brighton game, Spurs boss Antonio Conte suggested his side ought to have prioritised avoiding defeat late on rather than searching for a winner before Leandro Trossard struck in the final minute for the Seagulls.
Lloris echoed the Italian’s thoughts and insisted concentration will be the key in the run-in as teams tire towards the end of a long season.
“It can happen that you have a bad day but the biggest regret is if you cannot win then make sure you don’t lose, especially in the 90th-minute,” the goalkeeper added.
“We knew even after winning at Aston Villa [last weekend] that there is no room to relax, it is going to be a big battle until the final game. It’s the same for all the challengers of the top four.
“Mentally, we have to increase the level of focus. Sometimes you can have a lack of energy for various reasons but the focus is so important. Look at how we conceded the goal, it is all about focus and concentration. It is never too late to learn.”
