Paul Clement fears Swansea City’s battle to avoid relegation will go right to the final match of the season.
The Swans face Tottenham at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday, seeking to gain a second wind after the initial surge sparked by head coach Clement’s arrival at the club appears to have ended.
Sunday’s goal-less draw at home to Middlesbrough means Clement’s side have failed to win in their last three games, after four victories in their previous six.
Swansea are one point and one place above the Premier League drop zone, with Hull City, Middlesbrough and Sunderland occupying the bottom three spots.
“I think it will go right down to the final games of the season, if not the final game,” said Clement.
“And we have to be well prepared and give our best in every individual game we have.”
The point earned by Middlesbrough was their first in four games and Clement said only time would tell whether Swansea would regret not taking all three points at home.
“I do not know if it will be a decent point, I hope so come the end of the season,” he added.
Clement is hoping leading scorer Fernando Llorente will recover from an ankle injury before they host second-placed Spurs.
“You do miss him because he’s a big focal point,” he added.
“He has an ankle issue which I’m hoping won’t keep him out for very long so Wednesday is achievable but he’s still a doubt for the game.”
Spurs, who trail leaders Chelsea by seven points, have won their last four League games, while Swansea are unbeaten at home since a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in January.
But Clement complained that Swansea should have been awarded a late penalty in their 0-0 draw. There were five minutes remaining when Gylfi Sigurdsson’s goalbound free-kick struck the arm of Adam Forshaw in the Middlesbrough wall.
But referee Bobby Madley frustrated Clement and the majority of fans inside the Liberty Stadium crowd when he pointed for a corner rather than to the penalty spot.
“I didn’t see it in real time, when it hit the player the reaction of my players was ‘let’s go and take the corner,” said Clement.
“But having looked back at it, he clearly comes out with his arms and that doesn’t look like a natural position to me. When you look at it in slow motion it looks like a penalty.”
Middlesbrough remain five points behind Swansea, albeit with a game in hand.
“It would have been harsh if we’d lost that game on the chances we created. We just couldn’t get over the line. We do miss Llorente as he’s a big focal point for us. That’s not to say Jordan Ayew didn’t play well, and he gives us a different dynamic.
“But when you’re crossing a lot of balls into the box Llorente is a miss. We’re hoping he will be back against Tottenham on Wednesday, it’s achievable.”
Middlesbrough have another huge relegation clash on Wednesday when they travel to Hull.
Injured pair Gaston Ramirez and Fabio could both be doubts for that game after being forced off at the Liberty Stadium.
But interim manager Steve Agnew says his players will be encouraged by the nature of their performance.
“We came here to win and we’re disappointed we’ve not come away with the three points,’ Agnew said.
“But the attitude and intensity of the players was there for all to see and that will hold us in good stead for Wednesday night.
“The players were a little bit flat initially when they came in after the game.
“But they will gain confidence and belief from the performance and we’ll take that in to Wednesday night. It’s good that the game comes round so soon.
“They were a threat from set-pieces, but we were solid and we were dangerous when (Adama) Traore took the ball up the pitch and (Rudy) Gestede and (Alvaro) Negredo combined.
“It just didn’t quite drop for us in the box, but I saw lots of things we can take encouragement from.”