Jurgen Klopp and Kevin De Bruyne agree on bold Tottenham title race verdict

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Tottenham continue to be linked to the Premier League title race this season after recording yet another late win.

Spurs were hopeful of bouncing back from a last-gasp 2-2 draw with Everton when they host Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Ange Postecoglou knew fourth spot was up for grabs with a win, even if only temporarily.

The Seagulls proved a tough challenge though, given their own European qualification hopes, as they hit first through Pascal Gross. The Lilywhites responded after half-time, with Pape Matar Sarr drawing the game level.

It seemed as though the game would drift into a stalemate, but the late show struck once again for Tottenham. The returning Heung-Min Son found Brennan Johnson at the back post, slamming his effort into the back of the net.

It’s a huge win for Postecoglou in terms of their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League this season. However, there are questions over whether Spurs could even go one step further and mount a title challenge this season.

Tottenham title chances

Tottenham sit seven points behind league leaders Liverpool, but their boss Jurgen Klopp believes it’s too early to rule them out of the title race. He said, via the Express: “I know it’s every week (the title race). You add in Tottenham – who got a big win for them today. Villa play [Manchester United] tomorrow. They are all in the mix and Arsenal obviously.”

That echoes a claim made by Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, who told the Standard after their win over Brentford in early February: “There are so many teams there [in the title race]. Liverpool and Arsenal are there with us, but I’d say even [Aston] Villa and Tottenham are close.

“We will be fighting with five for the moment. There’s a little pressure anyway to do well, but there’s no point looking at what’s going to happen in two months.”

Premier League title prediction

While Tottenham may be included in the race for the Premier League title, the odds remain heavily stacked in their favour. A seven-point swing will be required to catch Liverpool, while Manchester City and Arsenal would also have to slip up.

It’s not impossible though, as Opta Analyst showed in their prediction model, as of February 6. Spurs were given a 0.1% chance of winning the title, with other teams outlined as the frontrunners in the coming months.

It suggests that while they are in the race, Tottenham will need to be perfect, while requiring a bit of luck along the way too, should they want to win the title.