Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham's focus must be the next game
Monday 25 December 2017 22:43, UK
Mauricio Pochettino has urged his Tottenham players to remain focused on their own performances rather than becoming distracted by those around them.
Spurs, who sit 21 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City in fifth, have struggled for consistency this season having already lost one more game in the league this term (five) than in the whole of the last campaign.
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The north London club will be hoping they can secure their fifth victory in six games with a win over Southampton on Boxing Day, live on Sky Sports Premier League, and Pochettino insists his side are in good spirits ahead of the festive fixture.
"We cannot think about another club. We need to keep the momentum, to try to win again, to be consistent," Pochettino said.
"If we want to fight to the end for big things, we must try to be consistent.
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"But I'm sure the team are focused. The team are in a good way. It was so important to believe again and to smile again by winning at Burnley, after the defeat at Manchester City.
"I think we need to focus on the challenge of Southampton. We cannot think about second, first, third or top four. I think the most important thing is the next game."
Harry Kane's hat-trick in Spurs' 3-0 win over Burnley on Saturday took him to 36 league goals in 2017, matching Alan Shearer's 22-year-old Premier League record.
Pochettino believes if Kane maintains his level of performances and continues to work hard he could beat Shearer's record of 196 league goals.
"The record of Alan is fantastic. He was a fantastic player. Harry is doing so well. But Alan as consistent for more than 10 years," he said.
"You need to show massive respect for that, because he did some amazing work.
"Now Harry is doing well. We hope that continues because to have a player like Harry Kane is fantastic. I hope and wish that every season he scores 15 or more than 15.
"I think he can still improve. He is 24. Players arrive at their best when they are 27, 28, 29.
"It depends on how professional you are. If Harry Kane can keep that mentality every day and never changes that mentality, then he can play for as long as he wants. But he can still improve."
