Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has acknowledged that he has been left impressed by the development of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United.
Despite being promoted from the Championship over the past two years, both clubs have established themselves in the top 10 of the Premier League table.
Just four points separate the trio of teams in the top-flight standings, leading to Mourinho to claim that Wolves and the Blades should be regarded as genuine contenders to qualify for next season's Champions League.
The Portuguese told Sky Sports News: "Wolves and Sheffield United are fighting for the top four, the managers can say no, I understand if they say no, but the reality is that they are. Not just because of the position that they are in the table, it is because of the power and quality.
"They arrive in this situation wherein the eyes of everybody, they should be more than happy - they are not more than happy.
"Wolves bought an important player to try and improve their situation. Sheffield United bought an important player and beat their record in the market to try to improve their team.
"It's not just about Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton. It's not just about us. These two clubs I have to say, fantastic."
With a game in hand, Spurs sit two points adrift of Sheffield United in sixth position.
Darren Plant
