Chris Waddle has warned misfiring Tottenham must be ruthless in front of goal if they want to finish in the top four.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are already off the pace in the battle for a Champions League spot and could lose more ground if they are beaten by rivals Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. Tottenham thrashed Everton but dropped points against newly-promoted Leicester and Newcastle, despite dominating both matches.
Former Spurs star Waddle says they need to improve in front of goal if they want to secure a spot among Europe’s elite.
He said: “Tottenham’s drive and ambition must be top four. They are in the pack with Newcastle and Man United. I’d put Villa in there too. They're all competing for one spot.
“I can see them giving teams a game, but the problem is putting the ball in the back of the net. Tottenham probably deserved to beat Newcastle last time out but they lost. They created so many chances in that game and were punished for profligacy, which also happened against Leicester for the first game of the season.
“That is becoming an unwanted habit at the club and is something that they will want to set right immediately, and there’s no better time to do it than the North London derby.”
Tottenham will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s fixture, which saw Arsenal run riot to lead 3-0 at half-time before a late fightback from the hosts fell just short. But Arsenal will be desperate to bounce back from the draw with Brighton to get their title bid back on track.
Waddle added: “Tottenham can upset anyone on their day. They’ll always upset teams, but they will give Arsenal chances on the break, the way they play with such a high line.
“Both teams need a result. Arsenal won’t want to go to Manchester City next week lagging behind them. They know they can’t afford to let Pep’s team build up a head of steam in the league table if they want to be serious contenders this season.
“The atmosphere will be electric. I think even with their midfield woes, Arsenal are slight favourites for this one.”
Chris Waddle was speaking on behalf of casinoapps.com