Spurs prepared for tough battle at Burnley

– Mauricio Pochettino (right) has warned Tottenham not to underestimate Burnley in today’s crucial trip to Turf Moor.

Pochettino’s side have won their last four matches and are trying to close the 10-point gap on leaders Chelsea.

Although Tottenham are riding high in second place, 27 points ahead of mid-table Burnley, Pochettino is expecting a physical battle against opponents who have lost just three home league matches all season.

“Burnley will be tough. They are doing very well at home,” Pochettino said.

Burnley

“We need to fight from the first moment. They are very physical, very aggressive.”

Harry Kane has made a quicker than expected return to training from an ankle injury but the striker will not be ready for this weekend, with Pochettino keen not to put a timescale on his return.

The prognosis on Kane’s teammate Danny Rose is less certain.

“Danny Rose will be seeing a specialist this afternoon and then we will see,” said Pochettino. “He’s a bit behind Harry Kane but we are positive too.”

Spurs will also assess Vincent Janssen (chest infection), while Erik Lamela has been ruled out for the season with a hip problem.

Fans of the north Londoners will have been relieved to hear Pochettino play down a link with the Barcelona job after he was photographed with the Spanish club’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu last week.

The manager said it would be impossible for him to manage Barca, having played for and coached their city rivals Espanyol.

“I don’t like to speak about rumours but the meeting was true – a coincidence in a bar in Barcelona last Tuesday,” he said.

“I’ve known him for a long time before he became chairman of Barcelona. Many people around saw us to say hello. We spent five minutes together. That was the reality.

“I am an Espanyol supporter. It’s like if Daniel Levy sacked me in a few years it would be impossible to manage Arsenal.”

There will be plenty of focus on Burnley centreback Michael Keane, who won his first two England caps during the international break, against Germany and Lithuania.

Keane is out of contract at the end of next season and is unlikely to sign a new deal. –