Tottenham are currently 4th in the Premier League but Newcastle are only two points behind with two games in hand. Liverpool are also seven points behind with two games in hand.
However, whilst results may not have gone Spurs’ way in the last month or so, they were still going ok by their normal standards.
And given Tottenham are not set to appoint a permanent boss for the remainder of this season, it seemed an odd time to sack the Italian.
Now though, Martin Keown has voiced his opinion that Tottenham opted to sack Conte due to the disparity between themselves and north London rivals, Arsenal, this season.
Ex-Arsenal defender Keown told talkSPORT that Spurs’ decision is a mistake and was likely hastened by his former side’s success. He said: “I think they should have kept him until the end of the season, without doubt.
“I think that’s played a part, the fact that Arsenal are 20 points clear of Spurs when this time last year there was a run-in for the top four puts Spurs under enormous pressure.
“But it’s what’s happened in March, going out of the FA Cup to Sheffield United, what’s happened against AC Milan [in the Champions League], a peformance not nearly good enough. The 3-3 with Southampton was like a defeat.
“March was really miserable for them and [Conte] blew a gasket. He knew he was going, but he wanted to say before he left what was wrong at that football club - he needed to say it. I think they should take stock of that.”
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