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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Husband

Tottenham confirm new kick-off time as clash with Bournemouth delayed

Tottenham's Premier League meeting with Bournemouth has been delayed after the Cherries were caught in traffic on their way to the game.

Spurs host Bournemouth with both sides desperate for points for very different reasons. Cristian Stellini's side are looking to move back into the top four with a win, while the visitors continue their battle against relegation.

The game was due to kick off at 3pm but has been pushed back to 3.15 after Bournemouth struggled to make their way through the capital. Tottenham start the weekend in fifth place, three points behind Manchester United who occupy the final Champions League berth.

And Stellini, who has stepped in following Antonio Conte's dismissal, has told his Spurs stars they need to treat every game like a cup final: "We have to play eight final games like eight finals. We started with Brighton and now we have eight games. We have to play attacking football.

"We are trying to push more to create more chances, to try to shoot more on target, to create something that can create a good atmosphere in the stadium and to get the crowd behind us."

Cristian Stellini has told his Tottenham players to treat each of their remaining games like a cup final (WeAreTottenhamTV)

Asked if it was possible to play a more expansive style with the current squad, the Italian added: "Yes, by exploiting more the space, keeping the ball more and try to find the right spaces and superiority on the pitch. To play with patience and not to rush in the game or be frantic on the ball. This is the way.

"It is a long time we work on this aspect. It is not only in the last aspect we worked. We want to see the players improving under this aspect."

Meanwhile, Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil has revealed he isn't paying too much attention to the current table, despite his charges lifting themselves out of the bottom three. A trio of wins in their last five have the Cherries up in 15th, but with little to choose between the strugglers, O'Neill knows things can quickly change.

“I don't pay too much attention to the movement between places because one goal here or there can change an awful lot at the moment,” said the former midfielder.

“We have a real focus on ourselves and, as we've seen over the past few weeks, if we take care of ourselves, the rest of it shouldn't matter to us too much. There are nine teams involved still, Crystal Palace have had two good results, so maybe they start to take themselves out of that now.

“But we'll be working very hard over the next six or seven weeks to get ourselves out of it as quickly as we can."

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