Tottenham Hotspur boss Ryan Mason is calling on his players to use the Elland Road tension to their advantage this weekend. The Londoners have struggled to find consistency throughout the Premier League season and they travel to face Leeds United having won just one game in their last seven.
However, despite the wretched run, they know a win over the Whites could be enough to secure European football, with a spot in the Europa Conference League still up for grabs. It’s a significant fixture for Spurs, then, but the pressure riding on the game is nothing compared that of their opponents, who need a win to avoid being relegated to the Championship.
Sam Allardyce’s side will be doing all they can to drag themselves out of the bottom three, but their fate is dependent on results elsewhere with relegation rivals Leicester City and Everton required to falter, too. The stress and anxiety that comes with the situation will be felt on the pitch and in the stands and it could have a huge impact on the eventual outcome.
Read more: Sam Allardyce's Elland Road touchline dilemma as Leeds United approach nerve-racking final day
Mason will be preparing his side for it to bring the best out of Leeds, of course, but he also wants his Spurs players to harness that pressure and thrive under it.
“We need to be clinical when our chances come,” Mason said as Spurs, who lost 3-1 against Brentford last weekend, prepare to make the journey up north. “The game last weekend, I thought the first half is probably as good as we’ve been this season, in terms of chances created and creativity.
"I really enjoyed watching us. But also understanding that opposition are going to have their moments. You need to make blocks, saves, get through it as a team. Ultimately, that’s what cost us last weekend.
“Their two key moments, they were clinical — and it changed the complete flow of the game.
“Naturally, as a professional when you lose a game — we’ve lost far too many in the last weeks and months — that is something you would hope and expect to feel. Going to Elland Road, we know it’s going to be intense.
“That’s something to enjoy. It’s a big game for us and a big game for them. We need to use it to our advantage as much as possible.”
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