Sports

Arsenal ‘Played A Part’ In Tottenham Sacking Antonio Conte – Martin Keown

Published

2 years ago

March 27, 2023

Arsenal 'Played A Part' In Tottenham Sacking Antonio Conte - Martin Keown

According to Arsenal legend Martin Keown, the Gunners were a contributing factor in Tottenham’s decision to sack head coach Antonio Conte on Sunday.

Conte’s tenure at Spurs was short-lived, lasting just 16 months before he was dismissed following a poor run of results and an explosive rant.

Tottenham’s recent defeats to Sheffield United in the FA Cup, AC Milan in the Champions League, and a 3-3 draw against Southampton in the Premier League, where Conte criticized the club and labeled players ‘selfish,’ all played a part in his sacking.

However, Keown believes that Arsenal’s success this season also played a role in Tottenham’s decision.

With the Gunners currently sitting at the top of the Premier League table, a whopping 20 points ahead of Tottenham in fourth place with 10 games left, it is clear that the two north London rivals are moving in different directions.

Keown’s comments highlight the intense rivalry between the two clubs and the impact of success on each other’s fortunes.

It also underlines the high stakes involved in the Premier League, where even a single season of underperformance can have significant consequences.

As the race for the top four heats up and the title race remains up for grabs, it will be interesting to see how the fortunes of both clubs play out over the rest of the season.

However, Keown’s comments suggest that even off the field, the rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham remains as fierce as ever.

Asked about Spurs’ call to sack Conte, Keown told talkSPORT: ‘I think they should have kept him until the end of the season, no doubt.’

Asked if he was saying that as an Arsenal Invincible, Keown added: ‘No – but now that you mention it – I think Arsenal have played a part.

‘The fact that Arsenal are 20 points clear of Spurs and this time last year they were both in the run-in for the top-four places puts Spurs under enormous pressure.

‘But it’s what happened in March. Going out of the FA Cup, what happened against AC Milan, the 3-3 game against Southampton… March was miserable for them.

‘[Conte] knew he was going. He wanted to say, and needed to say, what was wrong at that football club and they need to take stock of that.’

Spurs have not won a major trophy since 2008 when they lifted the League Cup.

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