Pochettino steers clear of Costa controversy ahead of Arsenal showdown

Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino does not expect the fallout of from Saturday's controversial meeting between Chelsea and Tottenham to affect the north London League Cup derby.

Arsenal head to White Hart Lane to take on their fierce rivals on the back of a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge - a game they finished with nine men, while Chelsea striker Diego Costa went unpunished for tangling with Laurent Koscielny and the subsequently dismissed Gabriel.

Both Costa and Arsenal face retrospective disciplinary action but Pochettino is not banking on Arsene Wenger’s squad bearing any emotional scars.

"I think that every game is different," he told a press conference. "I think now it is Tottenham against Arsenal – a different game.

"It's a derby, a special game for us. But it is impossible to relate this situation.

"It is an incident from a different game but this is football. Sometimes it happens, this kind of action."

A cup tie against their near neighbours would be the ideal time for Tottenham striker Harry Kane to break his scoring duck.

The England international - who scored 31 times in all competitions last term - has failed to find the net in seven club appearances this season but Pochettino is confident Kane's drought will soon come to an end.

"No, I am not concerned. I think it's coming," he added.

"Always, with a striker, when they score – they feel better when they score. But I am happy with him, he works very hard for the team with unbelievable effort for the team.

"I am sure that the goal is coming."