Sunday 12 February 2017 10:42, UK
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino delivered a withering assessment of his team's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, labelling them "sloppy" and questioning their nerve.
Spurs were unbeaten in nine games going into the match at Anfield, but never recovered after Sadio Mane scored two quick-fire goals in the first 18 minutes.
Pochettino's side remain second, level on points with third-place Arsenal, but will fall 12 points off the pace if leaders Chelsea win at Burnley on Sunday.
"They were better than us and fully deserved to win. We started the game very sloppy," Pochettino said.
"It is difficult to understand. I am very disappointed in our first-half display. Second half we reached their level, but it is really late.
"The whole team were poor. It is about balance and today it was poor. That is the truth. We are in a position that is up to us.
"But if you show like today that you cannot cope with the pressure to play to win the league, then it is difficult to challenge and fight for the Premier League.
"In the first 45 minutes you saw a team that is not ready to fight for the Premier League."
He added: "We need to show more. In the end we will fight for the top six, but it's difficult to fight for the Premier League."
