Ange Postecoglou claims ‘100 per cent of Spurs supporters’ want to BEAT Man City even if it hands Arsenal the Premier League title – and thinks that wanting to deny Gunners glory is ‘not what sport is about’

Ange Postecoglou has insisted ‘100 per cent’ of Tottenham fans want their team to beat Manchester City tonight even if it hands Arsenal the title, and wanting to lose in any circumstances is ‘not what sport is about’.

He expects the Spurs crowd to create a passionate and positive mood at the final home game of the season and put the long-term progress of the team ahead of North London schadenfreude.

‘I understand rivalry, I was part of one of the biggest ones in the world in the last couple of years with Celtic and Rangers,’ said Postecoglou. ‘But I will never understand if someone wants their own team to lose.

‘That’s not what sport is about. It’s not what I love about the game. What I love more than anything is the competitiveness, challenging yourself to beat someone and coming out successful. Anything outside of that, it’s got nothing to do with sport.

‘If other people want to treat it that way, that they get pleasure from other people’s misery, that’s not how I’ve lived my life and how I perceive my role. My role is to bring success to this football club and I know 100 per cent of Spurs supporters want us to win, to be successful and win trophies.

Some have suggested they want to lose so that City can go ahead of Arsenal in the title race

‘Winning tomorrow night will help us bring joy to 100 per cent of Spurs supporters.’

City will clinch a fourth title in a row if they win their last two games — this trip to Spurs and at home to West Ham on Sunday. Any slip, however, hands initiative to Arsenal, who are one point clear at the top but with only one to play, Everton at home.

Postecoglou’s focus is fixed on his own team despite the sub-plot. A win on Tuesday would leave Tottenham two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. 

Going into the final day — when Spurs visit Sheffield United and Villa are at in-form Crystal Palace — Postecoglou’s men would fancy their chances of snatching a Champions League berth.

Victory against Pep Guardiola’s team would certainly be a feather in the manager’s cap. ‘There’s a pretty simple notion to this,’ added Postecoglou.

‘There’s a game of football, what do you think we’re going to do? Or any team on this planet, aren’t they just going to try to win?

‘Now, how that makes people feel, I’m not really fussed. I don’t really care, but why would we shy away from a challenge? How are we ever going to become a team that wins things if in the big games we shy away from it?’

Spurs are still picking up injuries. Yves Bissouma is the latest absentee with a knee injury, Richarlison will be out for three weeks with a calf problem and there is no recognised left back.

Spurs know that beating City will keep them in the top-four hunt – unless Aston Villa beat Liverpool tonight 

‘My role is to bring success to this football club and I know 100% of Spurs supporters want us to win,’ Postecoglou said

Arsenal will be in pole position for the title if Spurs manage to take three points from City

However, Spurs have a strong recent home record against City, who have yet to score a league goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Postecoglou reminded fans of the importance of remaining behind the team.

‘You know against City there will be times when you have to defend, when you have to suffer, and they will put you under pressure,’ he said. ‘If we have the crowd behind us we can ride those moments and have our own moments.’