Gary Lineker believes that Tottenham Hotspur will secure the final guaranteed Champions League qualification spot after just missing out last season.
Tottenham came out of the blocks flying at the start of last season, with many even talking about the Lilywhites as an outside pick to be involved in the title race just past the midway point.
However, the North London club had to deal with significant injuries to several key players in the second half of the season and eventually crumbled to fifth place, with Aston Villa pipping them to fourth.
Tottenham have strengthened their squad with some astute additions this summer, with Ange Postecoglou insisting that his side are much better equipped to cope with adversities this time out (Sky Sports).
Lineker believes that Spurs will be battling it out with Liverpool, remarking that it is too close to call on who will finish higher between those sides.
The pundit said on Rest is Football a few days ago: “I think it’s touch and go for fourth place between Liverpool and Spurs. I think I went Liverpool fourth and Spurs fifth. It will be interesting to see how Ange ball does again this season because it’s great to watch.”
However, Lineker subsequently clarified his prediction, explaining that he expects Liverpool and Spurs to be battling it out for third rather than fourth, thus backing Postecoglou’s men to seal Champions League qualification.
The former Spurs striker said on the latest episode of Rest is Football: “Just a quick one on Leicester and Tottenham while I think about it. When we did our predictions, I made an error. It’s okay to change it now because they haven’t played yet.
“But I was meant to put Tottenham in the top four. I only had three Champions League spots. I am just going to correct myself there and put Tottenham in the top four.
“It’s myself. I listen to the podcast, to check that we don’t mess up too much and I thought, ‘hang on a minute? Why did I put Tottenham fifth when I was meant to put them third or fourth, battling with Liverpool’. I even said ‘battling with Liverpool’. So, just to be clear.”
Spurs Web Opinion
The general consensus among all of the pundits seems to be that Spurs will come fourth or fifth this season i.e. they will be roughly as good as they were last season.
However, Postecoglou’s sides have a track record of kicking on and improving considerably in his second season and the Australian will be hoping that the same is true at Tottenham.
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