Spurs reaping rewards after Conte's night of high-stakes poker 

The sight of Burnley in opposition on Sunday immediately brings the mind back to manager's definitive meltdown. Three months later, his gamble has paid off

In it for the long run: Antonio Conte says he is "100 per cent and more" committed to Tottenham. 

Antonio Conte can smile about it now but nobody was smiling then. Least of all him. The Tottenham manager is preparing for Sunday’s Premier League game at home to Burnley, when everything will be on the line for him and his players in terms of a Champions League finish. Spurs know that they have to win in order to maintain the pressure on fourth-placed Arsenal, who go to Newcastle on Monday night.

But it is impossible to consider Burnley without remembering Turf Moor and what took place on that miserable night towards the end of February. Hard on the heels of the stunning 3-2 win at Manchester City, Conte and Spurs had travelled with optimism, the feeling pronounced that a corner had been turned. When it all came crashing down in a lacklustre 1-0 defeat, it was the prompt for Conte’s definitive Spurs meltdown.