Chelsea controlled its own Premier League fate heading into the final four matches, but following Friday night’s result for Tottenham the Blues are well on their way to sixth PL title.
[ MORE: West Ham sinks Spurs title hopes with win at London Stadium ]
Heading into Friday, Spurs trailed Chelsea by four points, with a golden opportunity to close the gap to one against a West Ham side that has struggled more often than not during the 2016/17 campaign.
Unfortunately for the North London side, it didn’t go according to plan on the evening as Manuel Lanzini‘s second-half finish gave West Ham a 1-0 victory at the London Stadium and surely cancelled out Spurs’ plans of overtaking Chelsea in the table with just two weeks remaining.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino won’t concede the title with Spurs still having three matches to play, but even he recognizes the mountain his side must climb to pull off the improbable.
“It will be difficult,” Pochettino said. “With three games to play. You have to try to give your best. Now we move forward.
“It is not over. It is true that it will be difficult. Now we have to wait but thinking that it will be difficult to catch Chelsea.”
Spurs will have their send-off match at White Hart Lane next weekend against Manchester United before taking to their road for their final two fixtures (Leicester City and Hull City).
Pochettino believed his side played well on the day against the Hammers, but unfortunately the score wasn’t indicative of Tottenham’s effort.
“It is true we deserved more during the game but I felt it was difficult to show more of our game,” Pochettino told BBC Sport. “We started the second half a little bit sloppy, we conceded in the space and the way we conceded the goal in this type of football, when you are fighting for the big things, you feel disappointed.
“We tried, it was difficult, the performance was not the best.”
Tottenham’s defeat was only their second in the PL over their last 20 matches and their fourth all season.
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