SPURS CRANK IT UP
Poch: We’ll blast out the music if we ‘kill’ City
TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino has vowed to crank up the music tonight if Spurs can ‘ kill’ Manchester City’s record-breaking 15-game winning run.
Leaders City infuriated Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho with their raucous dressing-room celebrations as they moved 11 points clear last week.
But Pochettino won’t hesitate to turn up the volume in the Etihad away dressing room if Spurs can win this evening.
‘We’re going there to fight, to kill them and try to win. I wish we can have loud music,’ said the Argentine.
THERE was no ambiguity in Mauricio Pochettino’s words when the subject of celebration etiquette was put to him yesterday afternoon — he won’t hesitate to crank the music up loud if Tottenham succeed in ‘ killing’ Manchester City today.
It has become a topical, if surreal, issue in light of the exception Jose Mourinho took to the volume of City’s victory playlist after Manchester United had lost the derby last Sunday.
Tottenham will be the next club to risk their eardrums when they step out at the Etihad Stadium against this juggernaut of a City team, which is hunting a 16th straight win and yet more daylight between them and the chasing pack.
It is a delicious fixture on many levels, not the least of which is the attacking philosophies of both coaches. But it is also fascinating in light of the row in October when Pep Guardiola described Tottenham as ‘the Harry Kane team’, to which Pochettino responded by calling him ‘disrespectful’.
The differences have since been patched up, according to Pochettino yesterday, and he went further in support of the former Barcelona manager by saying City were within their rights to celebrate so noisily at Old Trafford, regardless of how it irked Mourinho.
It remains to be seen if Spurs can give Guardiola and his players a taste of their own medicine considering City’s wonderful form, but there is no denying the relish with which Pochettino discussed the musical possibilities.
‘Look, I am not going to talk about what happened between Manchester United and City, only I want to tell you, when we won our games, like at Huddersfield, or like in Wembley against Stoke, the players put on the music and it’s so loud.
‘It’s normal, if you lose the game, you are not going to put music on.
‘You are going to the changing room, and your shower, and you want to go quick back home. But when they are winning, winning, winning, music music (going ‘I wish in tomorrow. to the it’s that complain) changing normal we But can they room. I if have am another put never loud on team you hear it’s celebrates good, all that when because you happens lose, sometimes and in another to feel the changing pain. room, it’s good
‘With respect, of course, because it’s always about respect but sometimes it’s good to listen.’
Beating City will be brutally tough for Spurs. It is not lost on Pochettino that his side now sit 18 points behind City, having finished ahead of them in 2016-17.
The reasons why that swing has occurred range from economics and improvements in City’s play to Tottenham’s switch to Wembley, but the gulf is now significant.
Pochettino even spoke of City developing an ‘aura’ in their bid to complete an unbeaten season, much as Spurs had last season at White Hart Lane, where they won 17, Asked by City drew if before opposition twice a game and are intimidated lost even none. kicks off, Pochettino said: ‘I agree in terms of the aura. For us, we felt the same last season at White Hart Lane. ‘I think it was a player a week or two ago that said, “Wow, remember last season, we always start 1-0 up at White Hart Lane because something special was happening”. And for the opponent, it was tough to play against us. ‘But now, of course, City are doing fantastic. We’re going there to fight, to kill them and try to win.’ Meanwhile, captain Hugo Lloris told his team they need to reproduce the kind of display seen in the 3-1 victory over Real Madrid if they are to stand a chance at City. ‘In the Champions League we have been able to play against the best and we have made some great performances so we need to replicate that type of performance,’ the French keeper said. Lloris does not believe his side will park the bus against the league’s top scorers, adding: ‘Definitely our philosophy is that attacking is the best way to defend and to keep the ball is the best way to defend too.’