Drifting Spurs are standing at the crossroads with Conte

Club faces dilemma over whether to keep backing Italian or cut ties and start afresh

- Dan Kilpatrick

Time's running short: Conte's contract is up at the end of this season, while Harry Kane has big decisions to make

TOTTENHAM'S 3-0 win over Arsenal in May appeared to signal a potential long-term revival under Antonio Conte, but Sunday's north London derby defeat felt significant for very different reasons.

A predictable result underlined the widening gulf between the clubs and their contrasting short- and long-term planning, which has turned Arsenal into champions elect and seen Spurs go backwards since they pipped their rivals to fourth place last season.

This week could still get worse for Spurs, with a visit to Manchester City on Thursday, and it is increasingly obvious that the club and Conte cannot continue to drift along aimlessly, trapped in an uneasy marriage of convenience.

Conte refuses to commit to Spurs beyond the end of the campaign, a position which appeared to incentivise his players last term but is now fostering uncertainty, impacting the team's miserable form and the club's plans in the transfer market.

If he is to agree a new deal, Conte is understood to want a significant pay rise on his £15million annual salary but, while the bigger picture is far from dreadful, there is no world in which he has earned a raise based on performances this season.

Daniel Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici must decide if it is worth the expense and hassle to persevere with Conte, whose outspokenness has undoubtedly contributed to the restlessness of supporters and increased the heat on the chairman.