Tuesday 8 May 2018 14:10, UK
Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham have made "amazing" progress this season and to find themselves with the chance to finish third with two games left is "ideal".
Spurs have been on a bad run of form after crashing out of the FA Cup semi-finals, with only one Premier League win in four ahead of their penultimate game of the season against Newcastle.
Pochettino's side could finish third with two victories but could drop out of the Champions League places altogether after Chelsea closed the gap to two points last weekend.
But the Spurs boss said: "For me we have made amazing progression. With two games left, to have the possibility to finish third is massively successful.
"You need to compare every season in context, not out of context. At White Hart Lane we won 17 out of 19 games last season. We were playing fantastic football. We were very confident.
"When you finish second and move to Wembley, there were a lot of fears because the Champions League wasn't great last season.
"I think in this context it's an amazing season. But I understand people want more. We want more.
"We are ambitious. Like in football, when you need patience to break down your opponent - we need that. We need to work hard, be focused."
Spurs will be without Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele, Serge Aurier and Harry Winks when they host Newcastle at Wembley on Wednesday, but Pochettino hopes Dier can return against Leicester on the final day.
"Last night Eric was vomiting and had a fever and he needs a minimum 48 hours to recover," Pochettino said. "We hope, and I believe, that he can be available for Leicester.
"It is key that our final two games are at home. We have been disappointed that we lost at the weekend [against West Brom].
"But to find ourselves in the position to be third is an ideal situation for us. We need to be excited about this position at the end of the season."
