Jose Mourinho says Tottenham are "smelling the opportunity" to finish in the Champions League spots but feels there is big competition from at least five other teams for a fourth-place finish.

Tottenham face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, with Spurs four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after a 2-0 victory over Manchester City in their last league outing before the winter break.

Speaking to BBC One's Football Focus, Mourinho said: "First of all, I see much more clubs then people think.

"Sometimes it looks like, because Chelsea are the fourth and sometimes Tottenham is in fifth and Manchester United are the sixth, we are smelling the opportunity."

Spurs are currently in sixth place in the table and can leapfrog Sheffield United into fifth with a win at Villa Park at the weekend.

"I think people forget there are big contenders," the Spurs boss added. "Wolves, Sheffield United, Man United - even Arsenal - so it's not just about what's the distance between us and Chelsea."

Tottenham appointed former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Mourinho as manager in November following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino when they were 11 points adrift of the top four, with an inferior goal difference to then fourth-placed Manchester City.

Mourinho was speaking before City's two-year ban from European competition, which has led to suggestions a top-five spot could now secure Champions League qualification.

"With that gap, it was going to very difficult," Mourinho added. "This difference of points allows the others to be able to make mistakes and they still keep a good situation.

"In our case mistakes, especially from now, mistakes will keep us away from that. It's a big gap but we are going to be there."

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