Antonio previews Brighton: “We must be ready to fight, to give everything”
Fri 04 February 2022, 18:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
The second half of the season starts here for Antonio Conte, and he’s determined to progress in the FA Cup as we face a fourth-round test against Brighton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday (8pm).
It’s our first match since 23 January, and plenty to play for as we chase a top four spot in the Premier League with 18 matches remaining, and, first up, to further our FA Cup journey against Graham Potter’s in-form Seagulls.
Positives see the return of Cristian Romero, out since November, and Heung-Min Son, while new arrivals Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski come into the squad for the first time.
“Now, it’s the second part of the season,” said Antonio on Friday. “We must be ready to fight, to play every game, to give everything on the pitch and it will be very important to show our desire in every game, to get three points, and to also deserve that our fans push us, back us.
I have a group of players who are really committed, they have the right desire, the will to improve...
“We want to give everything and I’m sure my players are very committed to do this, because I have a group of players who are really committed, they have the right desire, the will to improve. I’m happy when I work with my players. I’m confident for the future.”
Brighton come into Saturday’s tie seven unbeaten in all competitions, including draws with Chelsea and Leicester in their last two games, and having beaten West Brom in the third round.
Antonio added: “They are a good team, if you look at the table, they are almost in the same position (Brighton are ninth). That means Brighton have good players, they play well, they have a good manager.
“Brighton, for sure, are a reality, like Wolverhampton. We have to be ready to fight and to know that it won’t be easy to go into the next round. For sure, we want to win this game.”
