Domestic cups off Pochettino’s radar

Mauricio Pochettino claims it would be a mistake for Tottenham to win a domestic cup this season at the expense of their form in the Champions League and Premier League.

Pochettino’s side are yet to lift a trophy during his threeyear spell in charge and the club has only won two pieces of major silverware in the last 20 years.

Each of those came in the League Cup, in 1999 and 2008, and Spurs begin a fresh tilt at the tournament tonight, when they host Championship strugglers Barnsley in the third round.

“The project here at Tottenham is to try to win the Premier League or the Champions League,” said Pochettino, pictured. “That is the two big trophies. Okay, I would love to win the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup for our fans. But Tottenham must build a project with the possibility to fight for the Champions League or Premier League.

“If we are going to try to win the Carabao Cup or FA Cup, and forget the Premier League or Champions League, it’s a big mistake. “There are a lot of examples: in my second season at Southampton, Wigan won the facup. Where is Wigan today, with all my respect? League One. That is the most important example – of course, I would like to win trophies but first of all we’ll fight for the Premier League or the Champions League.”

It means Pochettino will rotate a number of key players at Wembley, with a London derby at West Ham to come on Saturday before a trip to APOEL in the Champions League next week.

Fernando Llorente is expected to be given his first Spurs start ahead of Harry Kane while another summer signing, 19-year-old Argentinian defender Juan Foyth, could be handed his debut.

Harry Winks, Kyle Walker-peters, and Tashan Oakley-boothe are among the academy graduates likely to be involved but there will be no place in the squad for the talented Marcus Edwards, whom Pochettino likened to a young Lionel Messi last year.

The 18-year-old has recently recovered from an ankle injury but scored twice, including a superb solo effort, against Borussia Dortmund last week in the Uefa Youth League. “I think we need to wait a little bit for him to build more his physical condition and his confidence,” Pochettino said.