Harry Kane lamented a missed opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur to demonstrate their Premier League title credentials but vowed they will pick themselves up quickly.
Spurs could have moved to within two points of Manchester City and Liverpool, who are now back on top of the table, with victory over Burnley at Turf Moor but slipped to a 2-1 defeat.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino effectively conceded his third placed team were out of the race after the loss, which leaves Spurs six points behind leaders Liverpool, but Kane refuses to write off his side’s chances.
“That would be their opinion. It’s been like that for the whole season,” Kane said.
“People have been talking us not being in it, then we would win a few games and we’re there.
“People will probably say now it’s a two-horse race, but that’s not our problem. All we can do is take care of ourselves.
“We’ve got to be real with ourselves, we’ve got a tough week coming up so we’ve got to dust it off and be ready for that. It was a big opportunity and it’s a shame we couldn’t take it.”
Tottenham will not have long to wait if they are to prove their worth.
They are at the start of a period that sees them play league derbies against Chelsea on Wednesday and Arsenal on Saturday, as well as the return leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund, in which they have a 3-0 lead.
Kane is no stranger to ankle injuries but once again returned ahead of schedule having initially been expected to be sidelined until the middle of March.
“It’s a lifestyle,” said the 25-year-old. “It’s not that you get injured and then what can I do to get better, it’s what you do throughout the whole year that, when you do get injured, your body already knows what to do.
“I’m hungry, I always want to get back as quick as possible. But I’ve got to make sure it’s right as well.
“We got the balance right and it felt good out there today. Hopefully I can catch a bit of luck and it won’t happen again.”