Not giving up
The fight for the EPL title hots up, but Spurs are ...
Mauricio Pochettino claims Tottenham’s gritty 1-0 win at Crystal Palace is proof they are ready to pounce if Chelsea stumble in the title race. Pochettino’s side closed the gap on leaders Chelsea to four points with five games left after Christian Eriksen’s (pic) late strike clinched a victory that looked unlikely for long periods. It was exactly the kind of pressure-packed situation that was Tottenham’s downfall last season when they allowed Leicester to wrap up the title after briefly threatening to overhaul them. Pochettino is convinced the way his team saw off a formidable Palace outfit bodes well for their chances of being crowned champions for the first time since 1961.
LONDON: Mauricio Pochettino claimed Tottenham Hotspur’s gritty 1-0 win at Crystal Palace showed they were ready to pounce if Chelsea stumble in the title race.
Pochettino’s side closed the gap on leaders Chelsea to four points with five games left after Christian Eriksen’s late strike clinched a victory that looked unlikely for long periods at Selhurst Park on Wednesday.
Well below their best as they struggled to shake off the frustration of last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea, it seemed Tottenham were about to squander a chance to keep pace with Chelsea before finally recovering their composure.
It was exactly the kind of pressure-packed situation that was Tottenham’s downfall last season when they allowed Leicester to wrap up the title after briefly threatening to overhaul them.
But Pochettino is convinced the way his team saw off a formidable Palace outfit bodes well for their chances of being crowned champions for the first time since 1961.
“We showed great character and personality after a very disappointing weekend,” Pochettino said.
“It was important to show we are focused and try to fight.
“We are showing we learnt a lot from last season. That is so important.
“We were fantastic last season and it was a big challenge to improve again.
“A big part of that was the mental attitude, we improved that a lot.
“We are showing we are ready to fight.”
Tottenham’s eighth successive league win was the perfect response after Chelsea had opened up a seven-point lead with a victory against Southampton 24 hours earlier.
Keen to keep his players from getting ahead of themselves, Pochettino has told them to forget what Chelsea do and focus on their own performances.
“When we are playing we are not thinking about what happened with Chelsea or what will happen in the future,” he said.
“We closed the gap again. It’s not important to send a message to Chelsea.
“The most important is the victory builds confidence, that’s the only way to catch them.”
Tottenham will be guaranteed to finish above Arsenal for the first time in 22 years if they beat their bitter rivals on Sunday. — AFP
It’s not important to send a message to Chelsea. The most important is the victory builds confidence, that’s the only way to catch them.
Mauricio Pochettino