Pochettino under pressure to halt Spurs’ slide at Brighton

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino goes into Saturday’s Premier League visit to Brighton in the unusual position of being under pressure following three straight defeats.

That run is a first in the Argentine’s four-year reign and comes amid wider concerns on and off the field that the undoubted progress made by Pochettino may stall this season.

A third straight season of Champions League football started with defeat to Inter Milan at the death on Tuesday and losses to Liverpool and Watford already leave Spurs trailing the Premier League leaders by six points.

Things have turned sour very quickly for Pochettino, who less than a month ago celebrated one of the best results of his time in charge with a 3-0 win at Manchester United.

“The group is, of course, a little bit anxious about winning games because it is normal when you don’t win the atmosphere and the energy is different but that happens,” said Pochettino on Thursday.

“Sometimes it is good to feel the pain of defeat, not only one but two or three.

“After Manchester United the perception was completely different. Now, after three defeats, all seems different but not under my eyes.”

Even that night at Old Trafford, there were signs of what was to come as the result could have been very different had United taking a slew of first-half chances.

Pochettino began to show signs of stress in midweek as he snapped at journalists for asking why he had left defenders Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier back in London.