Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham beating Leicester is 'key' for Premier League title bid
Saturday 9 February 2019 09:06, UK
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has earmarked Sunday's clash with Leicester as pivotal in their Premier League title bid.
Spurs host the Foxes at Wembley, live on Super Sunday, while sitting just five points off the top of the table with 13 games to go.
Pochettino is anticipating positive additions to their trophy challenge - chief among them the returns of Harry Kane and Dele Alli from injury and potentially, finally, moving into their new 62,062-seater stadium.
But he warned: "We'll see if we are capable of winning three points on Sunday first. We must win. For me, it's like a final.
"There are a lot of positive things to come for us, like recovering Dele and Harry. They are going to give more capacity to manage the squad and to be more powerful to win or be close to winning.
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"I hope this is going to be our most powerful time and we have some luck to keep everybody fit, and get players back to have a stronger squad and have more possibility to rotate.
"You need the capacity through the bench for players to change the game. Recovering Heung-Min Son (recently), and then Dele and Kane, we are going to have more possibility to strengthen the team and have more capacity to change the games.
"(But) if you ask me, maybe no one agrees with me, but in my mind Leicester is going to be key if we want to be there fighting at the end."
Tottenham are still uncertain to move into their new state-of-the-art home on the site of the old White Hart Lane, facing a crucial few weeks in the testing of the facility's safety after moving next month's North London derby to Wembley.
Pochettino believes most opposing teams would prefer to play his side at the national stadium because of its neutrality, and he insists that, if it were up to him, he would move into the new ground as soon as possible, even for just one game.
"When you have the capacity to have 90,000 and play in front of 30,000 it's a massive advantage for the opponent," he said. "Wembley is not as good as the last season at White Hart Lane.
"(The chairman Daniel Levy) still believes (we can move in this season). He's working hard to try to deliver (the new stadium) of course.
"The club have my opinion, which is move. If we can play one game or five, but I think I want to move. If the club or Daniel ask me on the final decision, it would be to move there.
"Today I am more inclined to move but today it is only an opinion. But when arrives the moment to make a decision, it is not a problem for me to say yes to move and to be responsible, and take the blame (if it goes wrong). I would take the risk. I am brave."