Spurs laboured to a lucky point away at Brentford on Saturday, only hours after Arsenal’s win over Manchester United saw them move into fourth.
Mikel Arteta now boasts a two-point advantage on their biggest rivals, only adding yet more weight to next month’s north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A week after losing at home to Brighton, Spurs once again looked short of ideas at the Brentford Community Stadium and failed to have a shot on target for the second game running.
Conte – who has previously suggested he was not the right man for the job – has seen the momentum his team created over the last month disappear in a matter of days but insisted the battle was still not over.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the Italian said: “We have to try to give our best. For sure in November you cannot imagine to receive this question. Now we are in the race and we have to stay.
“We know it is very difficult. The opponent try to pay more attention when they play against you but today is a good draw and I think it was against a Brentford team who played with good intensity and were very dangerous with set-pieces.”