Son Heung-min urged Tottenham to summon the spirit of warriors in order to win the battle for a Champions League spot.
Spurs sit sixth, three points behind fourth-placed West Ham with eight games of the Premier League season remaining.
It has been a frustrating campaign for Jose Mourinho s side, who dropped points from a winning position once again as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United last time out.
Spurs have now failed to win six Premier League games this season in which they have led at the interval – the most of any side – heading into Sunday s visit of Manchester United.
But Son, who has 18 goals in all competitions this term, is still upbeat about turning the campaign into a success, with the EFL Cup final against Manchester City to come later this month.
I m a really positive guy, we re three points behind the top four and, let s be honest, it would have been even better if we d won the points against Newcastle, but we didn t and that s really sad, the South Korea star told Tottenham s official website.
We ve nine games left with the cup final and we have to be ready, we have to be warriors, that s very important for the rest of the season.
We’ve nine games left with the cup final, and we have to be ready, we have to be warriors. on the run-in.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)
The London club did manage a strong finish to the interrupted 2019-20 season, winning five and drawing two of their final eight league games to finish sixth and secure a Europa League berth.
Asked if Spurs could take heart from that, Son said: Yes, we are in a slightly better position than last season.
We re three points off the top four, it s tight and we all want to play in the Champions League next season, that s our aim, that s the club s aim, the fans aim as well. That s what we all want. We re all focused on that and we will try as hard as possible to get there.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s United represent the next foe for Spurs to vanquish, with Mourinho having overseen a 6-1 win at Old Trafford in October.
The Red Devils have won just once in their previous eight top-flight trips to Tottenham, who are aiming to become the first side to do a league double over a United side under Solskjaer s charge.
But not all the omens favour the hosts, with United on a 22-match unbeaten run away from home in the league.
