Leeds United's pride will match Tottenham Hotspur's European motivation, says Marcelo Bielsa

With four matches to play, Spurs are five points outside the top four, and England will only get a fifth Champions League spot next season if Chelsea win the 2021 competition and drop out of the top four.

Barring something very unexpected, Tottenham's sixth place would qualify them for the Europa League and dropping to seventh would see them playing in the new European Conference League.

Seventh-placed Liverpool are two points behind Spurs with a game in hand, Everton two more points and a further place back also with an extra match to play.

It means Ryan Mason's side have plenty to play for at Leeds on Saturday. For the Whites, a top-half finish as a newly-promoted side would be a laudable achievement, and there is prize money for each place up the table they finish but neither would have the same knock-on significance.

Above all, though, Leeds have the demanding Bielsa to play for.

"I never imagine their motivation to be bigger than ours because I always think we need to go into every game protecting everything that's put into play every time we compete," said Bielsa when asked if Spurs had an extra incentive.

"It's not only what you're fighting for that gives potential to a team, not only the position in the table, but the pride there is to take part in a game in high competition and to come through it.

"The last game (at relegation-threatened Brighton and Hove Albion) had a special value to us even if before the game it looked like the opposing team had more things to play for.

"Whether we play well or we don't it's not going to be because of what each team is looking for.

"The objective the opponent or us is looking for is never going to determine the quality of how we play, we're always looking to give the maximum we are capable of."

Leeds are currently 11th but 10th-placed Aston Villa have a game in hand - at Spurs - to plump up their one-point cushion.

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