POCH: IT’S MY JOB TO FIX ALLI

MAURICIO POCHETTINO admitted he must “help” Dele Alli try to emerge from his current slump.

Alli’s miserable form this season continued in the defeat at Manchester

City and the Tottenham midfielder was lucky not to be shown a straight red card for a brutal over-the-top tackle on Kevin De Bruyne.

The England star had earlier got away with a similarly nasty challenge on Ilkay

Gundogan – proof of the frustration he is feeling at his failure to hit the heights of last term, when he scored 22 goals.

The Spurs boss tried to avoid being drawn on Alli (right), but conceded it was down to him to help the 21-year-old rediscover the form that made him such a key player last season. “I’m not going now to talk about individual players,” said Pochettino. “I’m going to say what I need to do and try to help him and help everyone.”

Spurs are now 21 points behind leaders City and have just one win from 18 away from home against the other established top-six sides, a dismal record that irks Pochettino. “I think we play 19 teams in the Premier League, no?” he said.

“You see me concerned? Not really, no. It’s about how you finish in the league and position in the table.

“Last season we were above Manchester City in the table. This season we’re below.

“I don’t want to find an excuse. They won, they were better and they are doing fantastically.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re one point or 20 points away. At the end it’s all about the place in the table.”