Tottenham head coach Igor Tudor claims Premier League relegation threat is not real pressure as he urges players to step up

Tottenham head coach Igor Tudor has claimed that the threat of relegation is not real pressure and urged his players to take responsibility heading into crucial weeks of the season.

Tudor has watched his side lose both games since replacing Thomas Frank. A North London derby defeat to Arsenal was followed by another poor performance against Fulham which has left Spurs just four points from the drop zone.

It adds more pressure on Thursday's game against Crystal Palace, but the Croatian claimed that his players had to step up after a poor run of form.

"Everyone understands the situation. There is something wrong if you don't understand. My job is to put the pressure away but their job is to accept the pressure is there," he said in his pre-match press conference.

"So the pressure is everywhere, but you need to love this job. There's real pressure out there. People need to make money for their families or are working in jobs like doctors who are doing operations and they decide about life and death. That's the real pressure.

"You need to be ready to accept this and stand up. Take responsibility. Have the courage to confront these things. This is the best way to do it, the only way to do it.

"I hope we have, and I'm sure because I saw in the training, the players to step up, take responsibility and make us start putting in, first of all good performances, and after also win points."