Tottenham Hotspur defender Serge Aurier has charged his teammates to grab maximum points against Sheffield United to boost their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
The North London club are eighth in the league standings after picking up four points in their first two games since the restart of the Premier League in June.
Following a 1-1 draw against Manchester United, they edged West Ham United 2-0 in their last outing which placed them nine points adrift of the top-four.
Ahead of their trip to Sheffield, Aurier who has been a regular fixture in Jose Mourinho's team in this campaign with 26 league appearances so far, advised his teammates to get ready for ‘a big test’ after both teams played out a 1-1 draw back in November.
The Ivory Coast international also revealed how the team bonded during the coronavirus lockdown without football action.
“We never stopped working during the isolation. We worked hard at home. We worked a lot,” Aurier told the club website.
"The lockdown obviously stopped a lot, but we stayed together with things like Zoom and we would talk all the time. Like after training we would talk, seeing how everyone is doing and hearing each other’s news and that.
“We never lost that feeling of togetherness - for me, that was really good. Everyone was really happy to get back to training together and then you see that on the pitch as well. Everyone is fit and trying to give everything.
“We’ve now played two games. Against Manchester United, we had the possibility to win that, but we drew and then we managed to win the derby against West Ham.
“I think we are in a good way. I think Sheffield United is now a big test for us. If we want to finish in the top four, we need to win this game.
“They are a very good team. When we played them at home in November, we drew, and I can remember that being a tough game. We just need to remain concentrated on our objective and on ourselves as a group. They are strong but we only look at ourselves.”
Since the restart of the Premier League, games have been played without fans in the stadium in an attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Aurier believes Tottenham are lacking the motivation supporters give players during games which make home and away matches look the same.
“Before, with the fans, it pushed the players. When we have the fans, it is much easier for me... we play football for that, we play for the fans, we play for people to come to the stadium. That always gave us a big motivation,” he continued.
“Every player loves that passion and intensity from the stands. Of course, we keep our motivation with or without the fans being there whenever we play but, of course, it is difficult. We know it is also difficult for the fans though as they can’t come to the stadium. We feel that.
“We are playing in an almost neutral environment now. For me, when we go and play away, it’s will be like playing at home and we need to keep that mentality. Without the fans, it is not the same.
"The best way to give energy to the fans though is to win these games. We know everyone is watching.
“The gaffer said it to us during the last game, and I think it’s right, that when we play, we need to understand that everyone is watching. There might not be anyone watching in the stadium, but they are all watching on the TV. So, we need to give our all for them and we need to feel how they feel at home.”
