Jol: I will fight on

Speaking for the first time since pictures were published last weekend of two Tottenham officials meeting the Sevilla boss in Spain, Jol insisted he had not been 'stabbed in the back' by Levy and that he was happy to see out the final two years of his contract.

He said: "You cannot fault me if I now want to take the positive approach. I do not feel in an impossible position at all.

"We are a young side and the sky is the limit for what we can now achieve."

Jol today admitted the past week has been one of the toughest of his career but said that the 6000 e-mails he had received in support from fans had made him want to stay.

He added: "It was not the easiest of weeks but as a manager you know you have good times and bad times. The board never told me I had to quit and my relationship with [sporting director] Damien Comolli is a professional one.

"We created some pressure ourselves with two defeats but we had a good reaction against Derby. I tried to be realistic about the situation during the week. There are a lot of clubs in the same position and we finished in the top five twice. The pressure is a compliment. There are big expectations and before this there were big expectations as well, but it's difficult as everyone wants to do well."

Jol also revealed that unsettled striker Dimitar Berbatov is fit to play at Manchester United on Sunday and that the Bulgarian would not be leaving to join the champions. "I told Dimitar that I love him and he told me that he loves me as well," Jol said.

"He thanked me for bringing him over here and I said I would rather die than sell him. I also told one manager that [inquired about him] that I would rather die than sell Dimitar Berbatov."

Jol urged striker Jermain Defoe to show his commitment to Tottenham by signing a new contract.

Defoe has only two years left on his deal and reportedly had a bust-up with Jol after the game against Derby having come on as a substitute for the third match in a row.

It is understood the Dutchman has told the England forward he needs to agree to a new deal to prove he wants to play for the club.

Managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger today came out in support of embattled rival Jol and called on Levy to remain true to his word that the Dutchman will not be sacked.

Spurs travel to Old Trafford on Sunday in a state of disarray after a week of farce at White Hart Lane.

Ferguson said: "It is no secret that I interviewed Martin Jol for the position as my No2 when Carlos Queiroz left to go to Real Madrid as manager.

"Martin has an outstanding record in Holland where he worked with very meagre resources. He does not need me to tell him what a good job he has done.

"It has all been very sad and a knee-jerk reaction to Tottenham's bad start to the season.

"The chairman has said his full support is behind the manager and I just hope the support is right."

Wenger has accused Spurs of "impatience" in heaping so much pressure on Jol. The Arsenal boss said: "You cannot decide that after two games. You are surprised. I'm not in the best position to make any comment on Tottenham but we are in a modern impatient world.

"It's not proven that they [Spurs] were talking to another manager but I feel generally that two games is not a lot."