Mauricio Pochettino admits Tottenham face huge challenge to catch Leicester

Mauricio Pochettino admits Tottenham's players now face a huge challenge to keep their title dream alive following Monday's shock 1-1 draw with West Brom.

Spurs went into the White Hart Lane clash desperate to close the gap on Premier League leaders Leicester City back to five points with victory over the mid-table Baggies.

The game appeared to be going to plan when Craig Dawson's own goal 12 minutes before the break put the north Londoners in front.

However, Dawson atoned for his earlier error with a 73rd-minute equaliser to leave Leicester seven points clear with three games remaining.

Tottenham boss Pochettino now has a big task on his hands to lift his squad for the remaining three games after a result which all but ends their hopes of pegging back the Foxes.

But the Argentine is refusing to throw in the towel just yet.

He said: "It is true that now it is difficult. We needed to win and to get the three points, but now we got only one.

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"Now it is seven points the gap - three games to play and nine points. It is true that it is difficult but in football, it can happen.

"We need to change this feeling because now we are all disappointed, but we need to still be fighting for the next three games.

"We need to still be fighting and believe that we can win it. We are strong in our mind. It is true now that the players will be disappointed but that is football and we need to recover quick."

Tottenham were dominant in the first half, although they only had Dawson's own goal to show for their efforts at the break.

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They paid the price when Dawson headed home from a corner to rescue a point for the Baggies, leaving Pochettino to reflect on what might have been had Spurs added a crucial second while in command.

He explained: "I'm very disappointed. We deserved to be three or four nil up and unluckily for us, we were not clinical in the box.

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"In the second half, I think that we allowed them to have some chances. It was a little bit more open the game and we conceded a goal from a set piece. It is a skill from them. I think it was a very tough game.

"They compete very well but we deserved more. At 1-1, it was difficult to carry on but we need belief."

The game was slightly overshadowed by an early clash between Dele Alli and Claudio Yacob where the Baggies midfielder appeared to be punched in the stomach by the Spurs youngster.

Pochettino was unaware of the incident at the time, although the manager did promise to look again at the replays before deciding what action, if any, to take.

"I didn't see, I heard some comments," said Pochettino.

"Sometimes the opponent find him and try to provoke, they know he has a strong character and may react.

"I don't know what has happened, we will see. I have nothing to comment now but Dele has a strong character if you wind him up."