Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen (2-R) celebrates with teammates scoring the winning goal during the UEFA Champions League Group B soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan at Wembley Stadium in London, Britain, 28 November 2018. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL
Pochettino has enough to contend with in his current job over the next 10 days with Spurs facing four winnable fixtures, starting at Everton on Sunday, that could propel them into the title race or limit ambitions to a top-four finish for a fourth straight season.
After Liverpool’s win over Wolves on Friday, Tottenham trail the leaders by nine points and second-placed Manchester City by five.
Yet, with Liverpool facing a tough run of festive fixtures with Arsenal at home on December 29 followed by a trip to City on January 3, there could be a chance for Spurs to cut the gap as they also face Bournemouth, Wolves and Cardiff before New Year’s Day.
To do so, though, Pochettino will need to continue getting the maximum from a squad that remains alive in four competitions despite being ravaged by injuries to many of their World Cup stars, coupled with the lack of any summer signings.
“The most important thing is the belief,” said Pochettino ahead of the trip to Goodison Park.
“It’s difficult to translate to the fans or to the media the genuine belief in the squad.
“Of course, all the names and players are very important but after that it’s about the squad, about the collective, about the team.”
The trust Pochettino has in his players is a principal reason why he is so coveted, not just by United, but also by European champions Real Madrid.
However, his failure to so far deliver a trophy in over four years at Tottenham has put added onus on success in the League Cup this season.
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