Tottenham throwing game v Manchester City to block Arsenal title verdict shared
Tottenham will not throw their game against Manchester City just to try and stop Arsenal winning the Premier League, according to Alan Hutton.
The Lilywhites know that a win against Pep Guardiola’s side on Tuesday (14 May) would boost their Champions League hopes, but also give their North London rivals the advantage heading into the final days of the title race.
Many Spurs supporters have suggested that they would like to see their side role over and let City claim all three points, with talkSPORT host Jamie O’Hara (14 May) suggesting Postecoglou’s side would be clapped off if they lost.
While Hutton admits that he can understand why supporters don’t want to see their rivals lift the Premier League title this season, he doesn’t think any professional footballer would ever deliberately lose a match.
“You would know about the talk,” Hutton told Tottenham News.
“If you listen to the likes of talkSPORT or you read a paper or you have a phone it’s everywhere so you’ll see it, you don’t have to be in the four walls if you want to understand what is going on.
“That’s a fan’s opinion, I don’t mean that in a bad way but I understand that. The whole thing about the rivalry is that you can’t go to work on Monday if they win the league, I get that. I grew up with Rangers and Celtic so I understand it.
“One thing I do know and I thought Ange covered it really well is that he and his team will be going out to win that game of football. There will be no conversation of let’s get beat, that doesn’t happen.
“I heard somebody that was talking on talkSPORT and they said they play five aside with a few former professionals and they smash and go through one another and I’m the same when I play five aside.
“You can’t turn it off, it’s impossible so I don’t read into it.”
Will Tottenham lose to Manchester City to stop Arsenal winning the Premier League?
While it will hurt every Spurs supporter if they have to watch Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal lift the Premier League this year, the Lilywhites still have a lot to play for themselves this season and therefore they cannot afford to just roll over.
A place in the Champions League next term may require Aston Villa to slip up at Crystal Palace on the final day of the season, but it will still be possible if Postecoglou’s side somehow find a way past Manchester City.
If Tottenham finish in the top four it will massively help the club both financially and in terms of recruitment when the transfer window opens.
Ultimately, both those factors are more important than stopping Arsenal win a piece of silverware in the long term.
In other Tottenham news, Spurs have been told that they “have to sell” a midfield trio when the transfer window opens
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