Antonio Conte has reiterated Tottenham are in the middle of a process to becoming a genuine Premier League title contender following criticism of their midweek loss at Manchester United.
Spurs suffered a second defeat of the domestic campaign on Wednesday and in similar fashion to the poor display produced at Arsenal earlier this month.
Conte referenced the spending power of United in the build-up to the Old Trafford clash and was quick to point out where his team currently are in the big six pecking order ahead of Sunday's visit of Newcastle.
"I know we need a process to go step by step to become a really, really strong team and to become title contenders," he said.
"I like to speak about the process because I know and I feel that this club and this team needed our process. Not in 10 months or one year and click, 'you can do it, everything is okay, you are title contenders and better than City, Chelsea, Liverpool, United and Arsenal'.
"You try to do it but you have to know there is a path. This path is compulsory. You have to go through this if you want to fight for something special and win trophies.
"Before to reach an important level we have to go through a path and improve the quality, improve the number of players in the squad, especially if we are to play Champions League and Premier League, but this is part of the process.
"Then it depends what we want, a long process, a short process, a medium process. You have the solutions but you have to know we need to have patience.
"I have great respect for the club and what the club wants to try to do but at the same time I know our possibilities are different to the monsters that are in England. There is a difference.
"It doesn't mean my aspiration is not to fight at the same
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