TOTTENHAM Hotspur are relishing the prospect of testing their credentials against Premier League leaders Manchester City and the north London club are confident of winning tomorrow’s away encounter, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.
Tottenham fell to seventh after winning just one league game in November but have since recovered with a morale-boosting Champions League victory over APOEL Nicosia, followed by two consecutive domestic wins to climb back into the top four.
City, meanwhile, are currently on a record-breaking 15-game winning streak in the league and 18 points ahead of Tottenham but Pochettino is confident his side can end that dominant run.
“I am so positive. I am a positive person. I am happy for the three points. What happens on Saturday, who knows? We go to Manchester to try to win. Football is football,” Pochettino said after Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
“In the last week, we have got three wins, and that is so important for us. We now feel we can stay higher in the table. There is a long way to go in the season and anything can happen.
“We are going to enjoy the game, as it is a fantastic challenge to play Manchester City. They are the best team in England, and one of the best teams in Europe. I am so excited to play in these games…”
Midfielder Erik Lamela started his first game for Tottenham since October 2016 against Brighton and Pochettino has backed his fellow Argentine to have a positive impact on the team’s performance.
“I think it is so important, he brought fantastic energy to the team and the last few weeks too,” Pochettino told reporters.
“It’s normal and he needs time to give his best. I think it’s so important for the team to have him fit again and I think he’s going to help us a lot.”
Following the City clash, Tottenham play four league games and an FA Cup match within the space of two weeks.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are being widely hailed as one of the best sides in Premier League history after they set a stunning new record of 15 straight wins.
In its 25-year history, the Premier League has boasted a series of outstanding sides including Manchester United’s treble-winners, Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’; and Jose Mourinho’s powerful Chelsea side in his first stint at the club.
But Guardiola’s team – even though they have not won any silverware yet – are smashing record after record as they sprint towards the Premier League title, leaving allcomers a distant speck in their rear-view mirror.
Wednesday’s 4-0 win at Swansea took them clear of Arsenal’s 14 consecutive victories under Arsene Wenger between February and August 2002.
Their 49 points from 17 games is the best-ever start to an English top-flight campaign, bettering the record of Tottenham’s great double-winning side of 1960-61 – when a win was worth just two points.
BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce believes the current City side is at the top of the tree.
“There have been great teams in the modern era but, in terms of fluent football and as an irresistible force, Manchester City are the best the Premier League has ever seen,” he said.
“I’ve never seen a team in all my years play like this.”
When asked whether City are one of the best sides we have ever seen, former England captain and TV pundit Alan Shearer agreed.
“I don’t think there is any doubt about that, and top players in that team, with hunger and desire to put in a performance week in, week out,” he said. “It has to has to be admired.”
Chastened Swansea manager Paul Clement described the pain of watching his side try to compete with Guardiola’s free-flowing team.
“At times it was horrible to be on the sideline watching that, seeing my side trying but suffering for long periods,” he said.
“They’re not the games that will decide our season but it was hard to watch at times because they were so dominant. For me, one of the best sides I’ve ever come across. So many good athletes, so many intelligent footballers and it’s really hard to pin them down.”
Guardiola, who managed a Barcelona side widely regarded as one of the finest club sides in history, is aware of his team’s place in the English game.
“In history there were amazing things like Liverpool in the 80s and Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson or Chelsea with Jose Mourinho,” he said. “There were some amazing teams.
“But we are the first ones to win 15 in a row. If we win the title it will just be a record and this record will be broken, but of course it will not be easy.”- Nampa-Reuters
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