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Jose Mourinho: 'Spurs can get top four with a little bit of luck'

Jose Mourinho believes a favourable bounce of the ball could return his side to form.

Jose Mourinho reckons a change of fortune could help Tottenham find their way out of their current slump.

Sunday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham was their fifth in the last six Premier League games and severely dented hopes of a top-four finish, with the fourth-placed Hammers now nine points ahead of Spurs.

Tottenham appear a shadow of the side that topped the table in mid-December and Mourinho is in one of the worst spells of his long managerial career.

Things might have been different at the London Stadium had Gareth Bale's fierce strike gone in instead of hitting the crossbar or Son Heung-min's deflected effort not looped on to the post and Mourinho says momentum could turn on a piece of luck going their way.

Asked whether they could still finish in the top four: "It is mathematically possible. When is mathematically possible, it is realistic.

"Very hard, yes, very hard, but mathematically possible. Of course our team has problems, and the problems they have reflect on results and on points, but I also believe that a little bit of that light, a little bit of that luck that you also need in football to win matches, has to be back.

"And if that light comes back, (it) is different. You hit the post and the ball goes inside or goes outside. The VAR decisions, many times, I am not speaking about today because today I didn't watch, but many times are controversial, or are decisions by one inch.

Tottenham could not find an equaliser
Tottenham could not find an equaliser (Clive Rose/PA)

"You sometimes need also a little bit of luck to go in your favour. I believe that if this team wins a couple of matches in a row, that the situation can change, and that we can still fight for top four. Of course if you say nine points now, it is difficult, (but it) is very possible."

Everything is going West Ham's way at the minute and they look genuine contenders to qualify for Europe in what is shaping up to be their best Premier League campaign.

The January arrival of Jesse Lingard, on loan from Manchester United, has provided them with a boost and he scored his third goal since joining to put the Hammers 2-0 up early in the second half.

Boss David Moyes has been delighted with the England international's impact.

He said: "Jesse is a really talented footballer. It wasn't long ago that he was an England international who was making a big contribution. I think he can play in two or three positions and he has shown he has got a goal in him.

"Going into the January transfer window is never an easy time and I think this was probably one of the hardest because of the pandemic and the difficulty in getting players.

"So to bring somebody in who helps your team and improves it is not an easy thing to go and Jesse is improving it and making us better."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
7Aston Villa125431919019
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Fulham125341717018
10Brentford125252222017
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


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