Ange Postecoglou has given his version of events of the infamous night that Tottenham fans celebrated Manchester City beating them to end Arsenal’s hopes in the 2023/24 Premier League title race.
The Arsenal and Tottenham rivalry is so strong that some fans in N17 were desperate to see their team lose back in May 2024.
In a game that could’ve put Arsenal in touching distance of the Premier League title, Spurs had to beat Man City, and their fans desperately didn’t want it to happen.
From celebrating City’s goals to cheering Son Heung Min’s one-versus-one miss, it was an embarrassing showing from Arsenal’s rivals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, something Ange Postecoglou couldn’t support at the time.
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Ange Postecoglou breaks down when Tottenham wanted to lose against Manchester City to prevent Arsenal from winning the Premier League
In the end, Man City won 2-0 to the pain of Arsenal fans, who would’ve supported Spurs more than ever that day.
Sure, they prevented Arsenal from winning the league, but they also painted an ugly picture of their aspirations, as they later missed out on Champions League football by two points.
When speaking on The Overlap, Postecoglou shared what it was like to be on the touchline for that game.
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“I understand the rivalry, but I also think there’s a point where you’ve got to stand on your own two feet about who you are,” Postecoglou began.
“Going into a game wanting to lose because your greatest rival, I get it from a fan’s point of view. Maybe if I was a supporter, I’d be feeling the same way, but I couldn’t represent the club in that manner.”
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The behaviour of Spurs fans leading up to the game wasn’t something Postecoglou could support, as his priority was to win every game he could for the benefit of Tottenham.
“I mean, I want to win every game that I play in, and I think it’s important we do,” he said, before explaining the repercussions of that loss.
“You know what? At the time, we ended up two points from fourth behind Villa. If we had won that game, we might have gone into the Champions League, but it would have meant Arsenal won the league.
“I understand how, but that frustration comes not because I think yes, Arsenal win the league, but because again, Tottenham win nothing is the bigger problem.”
Tottenham will be desperate to cause another upset to Arsenal’s title charge in the North London Derby
Two years ago, Spurs ended Arsenal’s title hopes, and on matchday 27, they can play a similar role again.
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Fresh after having 12 days off before the North London Derby and with a new manager at the helm, Tottenham will be desperate to kick off their new era with a win over Arsenal.
There’s no greater achievement for the Lilywhites than getting the better of the Gunners, particularly if it could play a role in Arsenal not winning the league.
It’s why Mikel Arteta’s side must enter the game with aggression and intent, as losing to Tottenham is never an option, now more than ever.