Tottenham seek added margin for error

The chance for Tottenham Hotspur to fulfil their sky-high ambitions this season may have long since passed, but the north London club can ill afford to succumb to self-pity in the campaign’s final weeks.

The sense of deflation at White Hart Lane is palpable, optimism pricked by the failure to ensure another season of European football after Harry Redknapp’s side – already well adrift of the English Premier League’s top six – were defeated by Manchester United in the League Cup final.

The Europa League, next season’s repackaged UEFA Cup, might be little more than a meagre consolation prize for teams whose talents do not extend to securing a shot at the Champions League, but Spurs would have been grateful participants.

Redknapp plans a major rebuilding job at the club this summer but potential recruits could well be deterred by being unable to perform on the continental stage.

Such concerns must be put to one side, for now at least, as Tottenham still have work to do in their bid to avoid a potentially humiliating relegation battle.

Redknapp’s side remain just four points clear of the bottom three and can ill afford a slip at one of their direct rivals, Sunderland, on Saturday.

Redknapp’s side are currently enjoying their most productive spell of the season, having taken 10 points from the last five matches, and thrashed fellow strugglers Middlesbrough 4-0 on Wednesday to ease their fears of toppling out of the top flight for the first time since 1977.

“I think the team is in the best form it has been in all season at the moment, and that goes for everybody,” said Aaron Lennon, the Tottenham winger.

“It was disappointing to lose the League Cup, but we knew we had a massive game on Wednesday, so as soon as that was over, we were focused on the league and to bounce back like we did against Boro was brilliant.

“We got an early goal which helped us on the night, but we knew how big the game was – it was a six-pointer. If we can continue to beat the teams around us, it will give us the best possible chance of staying up.”

Tottenham followers are entitled to feel frustrated that it has taken the adrenaline shot of flirting with relegation to bring the best out of their gifted, but mentally flaky, squad.

Many will have nodded ruefully at Redknapp’s observation last week that if the team had shown their recent form on a more consistent basis, the three-way charge for the final Champions League qualification place might well have become four.

As it is, they have more prosaic concerns at Sunderland, who are on level points with their visitors after their own encouraging recent form under manager Ricky Sbragia.

“We need to win our home games,” said Sbragia, who is expected to keep faith with goalkeeper Marton Fulop despite his costly error at Liverpool on Tuesday, and the availability of Scotland number one Craig Gordon.

“Things remain tight in the league so this is a big period for us,” Sbragia added.

“Spurs have a good squad and they shouldn’t really be in this position. But they are because they haven’t won enough games and that shows that it’s not easy in the Premier League.”