TOTTENHAM ROCK SPUR
Poch promises to pump up volume if stars upset City
MAURICIO POCHETTINO wants his Tottenham side to pump up the volume in celebration if they end Manchester City’s amazing winning run tonight.
Jose Mourinho accused Pep Guardiola’s side of lacking education and class with their post-match behaviour at Old Trafford on Sunday. And music from City’s dressing room rocked the Liberty Stadium before and after their record 15th top-flight win in a row at Swansea on Wednesday.
But Pochettino said: “I hope that we are playing loud music after the game.
“I am never going to complain if
PEP GUARDIOLA is lighting up the Premier League with some Barcelona brilliance, according to Jermaine Jenas. The BT Sport pundit believes Guardiola’s free-flowing Manchester City are the closest English football has ever had to his great Barcelona side of Lionel Messi and Co. “Obviously they are one of the best Premier League sides to grace the league,” said Jenas (above). “From an attacking point of view, you go, ‘Wow!’. What they bring to the table is actually sensational. “The weird thing about Manchester City is they are the first type of this team we’ve seen, the closest we have ever come to Barcelona in our league. “Pep’s philosophy and beliefs of how to play the game are pretty much identical to that Barcelona side.” City will be aiming for a record 16th straight Premier League win against Tottenham this evening
FROM BACK PAGE another team celebrates as sometimes it’s good, when you lose, and you hear all that happens in another changing room, it’s good to feel the pain. But with respect of course.
“When we won our games at Huddersfield, or against Stoke, the players put loud music on – it’s normal. But if you lose the game, you are not going to play music.
“They are winning, winning, winning, so it’s and Jenas says Spurs’ only hope is to exploit their suspect defence. “I still feel they have question marks defensively,” said the former Tottenham and England midfielder. “Even though they have improved, I feel that’s the only way anyone’s going to beat them. “Everyone will point at Otamendi and Mangala and say are they a liability? Is it an issue if Fernandinho (left) has to drop in there as well? But he’s always done that. He’s always had someone like Mascherano at the back and because of the way they play, always on the front foot. “They protect the defence and you don’t get the opportunity to test it. That’s the task for Tottenham. They need to retain possession and beat their press. They need to get the ball into good areas and get at City’s defensive line because that’s the only way they can win.” Watch Manchester City v Spurs live on BT Sport 1 today from 5pm. BT Sport is where the best in sport go head to head, bringing you live coverage of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the Emirates FA Cup. For more information, visit www.BT.com/sport normal they put music in the changing room. If you look before the game, both changing rooms have loud music, and only one can win.”
Pochettino claimed Guardiola calling Tottenham “the Harry Kane team” in October was “not an issue”, but added: “This is the type of game where you don’t need to motivate the players, you don’t need to talk too much.
“We’re playing, for me, the best team today in Europe, not only in England. Because they’re in their best form.” And Pochettino said other Spurs players could follow Kyle Walker – who joined City in the summer – out of the door to win trophies after claiming his club are “years” behind the Etihad side.
The Argentine insisted that Tottenham have a long-term strategy for success, but admitted: “Maybe some players are not agreed on this plan and if they want to have another challenge that is normal.”