Antonio Conte has warned that Tottenham Hotspur’s back-to-back Premier League victories should not paper over the cracks in his squad.
Spurs scored two stoppage-time goals to dramatically beat Leicester City this week, having also scored a 90th-minute winner at Watford.
The two victories have pushed Tottenham just one point off the top four ahead of Sunday’s trip to third-placed Chelsea, who they would overtake if they won their games in hand.
Spurs have had a £15million bid for Adama Traore turned down by Wolverhampton Wanderers, but hope to complete a deal for the player before the transfer window shuts and Conte still sees plenty of room for improvement.
The Italian is cautious of allowing anybody to get carried away and still believes his team face an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Asked if Tottenham could challenge for a place in the top three of the Premier League, Conte replied: “You have to be very calm and go game by game. Don’t forget that we won against Watford in the last minute, we won against Leicester in the last minute, I have to be realistic and for sure I am happy.
“It is a pleasure to see my team fight until the end, but if you cut four points off our total, then maybe you don’t ask me this question. It is important to be realistic and understand it will be very difficult for us this season, it is important to fight and create a good foundation.
“I don’t change my idea because of some positive results. I have to look at the situation very well and try to improve it. We need to improve a lot.”
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract to stay at Spurs and Conte said: “It is important our captain has renewed his contract. Not only for one year, but for two. It means that the club and the whole environment trusts him. He is a point of reference for the team and for the club.
“He is an important goalkeeper in the world, he has won a lot with his national team, he is captain of France, captain of Tottenham. I think that it was right to renew his contract at the club, it was very good to do this.”
