Wolves boss determined to halt Spurs’ fine run

BOSS Nuno Espirito Santo has warned friend Mauricio Pochettino that Wolves are ready to derail Spurs’ title challenge

Tottenham have hit 11 goals in their last two games and host Wolves today aiming to close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

They are second, six points behind the Reds, having won seven of their last eight Premier League outings.

Pochettino has said he likes the way Wolves play, but Nuno insisted his side are not prepared to roll over.

He said: “I really enjoy watching Tottenham play. I am very thankful for the compliment and it shows the world what we have been trying to do in creating an identity, but it doesn’t mean we will go there with a smile. We will go there to compete. They are in a very good moment, 11 goals in two matches in a very busy moment of the season.

“They are doing very well, it shows the quality of the squad, of the management and we look at Tottenham knowing it’s going to be hard game. We have to fear all the teams in the League. We have to respect and know the opponent has qualities.”

Nuno also spent time with Pochet- tino at Hotspur Way after he left Valencia in 2015 and struck up a relationship with the Argentinian.

He said: “It was after I worked in Valencia and I went to Porto, it was then I spent a day with Mauricio and the staff. I really enjoyed it and I appreciated it. We’ve established a relationship, it’s very nice.”

Diogo Jota remains out with a hamstring problem, while Kortney Hause and Leander Dendoncker missed Boxing Day’s 1-1 draw with Fulham because of illness and will be assessed.

Wolves lost 3-2 to Tottenham at Molineux in November and sit 11th with one defeat in their last five games, but Nuno believes they must improve from their previous clash.

“We have to be much better, mainly in our defensive organisation,” he said. “We were 3-0 down, it’s hard to get back in the game with that difference in the score.

“We have to be better. We’ll have to play very well, at the same time we have to be focused knowing the quality of the opponent.

“Any distraction can really punish you. We have to be 100 per cent this time.”