(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte praised his team's progress and called on his players to build on their improved recent form when they face Aston Villa this weekend.
Spurs have won five of their last six league games and sit fourth, level on 54 points with Arsenal in fifth but their north London rivals have a game in hand.
"We have to continue in this way... After hard work, we improved a lot from the past," Conte told a news conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Villa Park."I'm starting to see the right maturity and solidity of my team. "It's important for me to have more time to spend with my team, to improve the tactical and physical aspects, the mentality with analysis to prepare the game... For this reason the team is improving and you can see that in our football now."
Conte also heaped praise on Harry Kane, saying it is difficult to improve the striker but he will push him to be"one of the best in the world and in history".
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