Spurs midfielder Eriksen: Chelsea not much better than us
Denmark playmaker insists Spurs are '100 per cent' title contenders
Christian Eriksen says Tottenham are "100 per cent" title contenders as their style of football continues to improve at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham are one point outside the Premier League top four following a run of three wins in their last four matches, and Eriksen believes Spurs are more than a match for pacesetters Chelsea - despite their defeat at Stamford Bridge last month.
When asked if they could challenge for the EPL title, Erikson told Sky Sports News HQ: "Yes, 100 per cent, for sure.
"If you watch the first 44-and-a-half minutes of the game at Chelsea, we did very, very well. We showed we can compete with them.
"It's not like you can say, 'Oh they are much better'. Yes, they are doing really well and have not lost for 11 games and are on a really good run.
"But, for us, it is just about keeping up with everyone else and being as close as possible to the top.
"Of course I really want us to do better than last season, when we did really well.
"Hopefully, we will finish even higher and we want to be in a position to do that so that is the main target."
Eriksen has proven himself to be one of Tottenham's key players since his arrival from Ajax for £11.5 million (S$20.5m) in the summer of 2013, and the 24-year-old says he is happy with his form and progress made under Mauricio Pochettino.
HOMESICK
"It's funny how football goes," he said.
"The season started and I did well and, after a few games, people turned and said, 'Oh it's bad', and now people say, 'It's the best season ever'.
"When the team are playing well, then I am playing well.
"I am feeling very confident in the stuff we are doing and it's always good to help the team with some goals.
"The style we have and the manner we are playing have become better, so we are on the right path definitely."
Meanwhile, Jan Vertonghen's mother has claimed that the defender is homesick and could return to Belgium or Amsterdam soon.
Vertonghen, 29, who joined Tottenham from Ajax in 2012, agreed a new deal with the club until 2020 earlier this month.
However, his mother Ria Mattheeuws told Studio Brussel: "Jan is starting to miss home. I see him coming back soon - we will see.
"Home could also mean Amsterdam. His girlfriend is from there."
After signing his new contract, the Belgium international, who started his career at Ajax, admitted that it would be "very hard" to spend the rest of his career at Tottenham, while he has revealed he has very few close friends at the club.
"In more than 10 years, I've formed three real friendships. Mousa Dembele, for example," Vertonghen told Sport/Foot this week in quotes translated by Sport Witness.
"We've known each other since we were 12, our partners are from Amsterdam, he lives in London and we both have a kid.
"I get along well with at least 10 guys at Tottenham but, if I were to leave tomorrow, I'd get a text and that's it. Just like at Ajax. It's at school that you make friends." - WIRE SERVICES
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now