LIVERPOOL vs TOTTENHAM: Dejan Kulusevski has returned to full fitness at the perfect time for Spurs as they begin to gear up for next week’s Europa League semi-final vs Bodo/Glimt
Dejan Kulusevski insists Tottenham must learn from their domestic struggles if they are to win the Europa League. The Swedish maestro made his first top-flight start in over eight weeks on Monday night as Spurs fell to their 18th Premier League defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest.
Now Ange Postecoglou’s strugglers are on the chopping block at Anfield against Liverpool – a draw would see Arne Slot’s Reds crowned champions – and Kulusevski expects a response ahead of next week’s crunch European semi-final showdown against Bodo/Glimt.
He said of Spurs’ inconsistency: “It’s been really frustrating but I think you’ve got to respect the game and do everything right, every second of every day.
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“It’s not enough doing it just against [Eintracht] Frankfurt, we can’t come out and concede the goals we did against Nottingham Forest and everyone has to take responsibility for that, every player and every coach, it can’t happen. We’ve lost points that we should not lose, it’s very frustrating, we have a lot to learn from.”
Standard-setter Kulusevski is determined to rescue Tottenham’s ill-fated campaign following a significant spell on the sidelines with a foot injury. He is optimistic his timely return to the Spurs fold can help breathe new life into Postecoglou’s ranks.
The 25-year-old continued: “I was very angry [when injured] but you’ve got to think about the process, you can’t give up and it’s good to be back playing football.
“Now we have to be ready for the next game against Liverpool and then the Europa League. I’ve done everything possible to be back because I know with a stress fracture it’s not easy.
“I couldn’t move for a month with a boot on my foot but thanks to that, I am fit now and there’s nothing to complain about.
“Honestly I feel great, Monday was my first start since Ipswich and I was close to scoring so I will take the positives.”
Kulusevski might not be vocal in the dressing room but he always strives to lead on the pitch. He admits Tottenham have been suffering from mental and physical fatigue all season, particularly in the aftermath of their European exploits.
The ex-Juventus star said when asked why Spurs have failed to replicate their Europa League form in the Premier League: “You can see the teams that don’t play in more than one competition and the teams that do.
“It’s much more difficult because when you go so high, always the day after you feel so drained, you have no energy.
“This is what people need to understand, that’s why you’ve got to do the right things to come back so you don’t drop too much because you lose so much energy and things happen in your head, that’s what us footballers have got to figure out.”
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