Ange Postecoglou makes Arsenal and Rangers comparison as he eyes Tottenham progress

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou insists that his focus is on his own team's success, not on derailing Arsenal's title hopes as the North London Derby looms. Spurs are set to face their arch-rivals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the match carrying significant weight for both sides.

Since their last game on April 13 the landscape has shifted, with Aston Villa climbing to fourth and the race for Champions League qualification intensifying. A win for Arsenal would edge them closer to clinching their first league title in two decades, but Postecoglou is drawing on his experience from his time at Celtic to prepare for this pivotal encounter.

"Not in terms of that as a motivation, no," said Postecoglou when asked if stopping Arsenal was a driving force. "I want to win and I understand the importance of winning against your traditional rival."

Having experienced the fervour of Glasgow derbies, he knows what these matches mean to fans. However, he emphasised that his ambition is rooted in his own team's aspirations, not in the setbacks of others.

"I've just come down from Glasgow. I've got a fair idea about what derbies mean to supporters. I never believe your motivation should revolve around the demise of somebody else. Your motivation should be about yourself. I want to win because I want us to achieve something.

"I want us to progress. I want us to be in a position fighting for the title. That's what drives me, not the demise. If that's your kind of measure, always peering over the back fence to see what your neighbour's building, you could both have the worst houses in the street because everyone else is building beautiful places and you're looking over the back fence.

"I never wanted to win those games because it meant Rangers would lose. I wanted to win because I wanted us to win the title."

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Tottenham boss Postecoglou has been vocal about his team's need for consistency, pointing out that while they were contenders for the title as recently as March, their recent form hasn't matched those heights.

The gaffer is adamant about Spurs being in the mix with top dogs Arsenal and Manchester City in the coming season, a sentiment he echoed this past Friday.

Postecoglou also dismissed any suggestion that he'd have been content with a fifth-place finish after Harry Kane's transfer, although he commended his squad for handling the star striker's exit smoothly.

"I was literally sitting in here the day before the Brentford game and he'd just left," he said of Kane's departure. "I remember making a real conscious effort of looking really graceful above the water and if there was any panicking happening, making sure it was under the water so that nobody could see, particularly the players.

"Again, the players never batted an eyelid, which they could have, especially when you look at what Harry has done this year. It has been unbelievable."