Rodri considers Tottenham a Premier League title rival

Manchester City midfielder Rodri considers Tottenham as a Premier League title rival this season as a result of their progression under Antonio Conte.

Conte guided Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2016/17, his first season in English football and a year after the Blues had finished 10th, and has won Serie A with both Juventus and Inter. He has also steered Spurs back into the Champions League since taking over less than 11 months ago.

Tottenham are one of only two remaining unbeaten teams left in the Premier League seven games into the campaign, alongside Rodri’s City.

Spurs have the same record as City (five wins, two draws) and are only one point behind Arsenal, who have set the pace so far.

“[Tottenham] have put together a great squad and they have a manager who has very clear ideas and who knows how to convey them perfectly,” Rodri told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“They know what they have to do and they do it with great precision. I see Spurs as candidates for the title. Conte’s career speaks for itself.”

Spurs and City were due to face each other earlier this month, but it fell on the weekend that all Premier League football was postponed out of respect for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.