The pressure might be off Tottenham Hotspur now, says Paul Merson.
Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that Tottenham Hotspur can go back to being the ‘Harlem Globetrotters’ after their Premier League titles hopes suffered a big blow on Saturday.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side lost 2-1 at Burnley in a defeat which has left them six points behind leaders Liverpool.
Late wins over Newcastle and Watford in recent weeks had seen third-placed Tottenham claw their way back into contention, but Saturday’s result at Turf Moor could well be fatal in regards to their title chances.
Spurs visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, and Merson expects Pochettino’s side to dazzle as a result of the reduced pressure.
He told Sky Sports: “Well, the pressure is off Tottenham now so they’ll be like the Harlem Globetrotters again.
“I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about them, where they get into a position to make things happen, and it doesn’t happen!
Merson does have a point. Every time that Tottenham are back in the Premier League title race, they’re out of it again just as quickly and although there was controversy over Burnley’s opener, this wasn’t a game that champions lose.
They simply had to win and another defeat against a wounded Chelsea side, on the back of a League Cup final disappointment, could kill their title chances for another year.
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