Pochettino: Tottenham would have taken current position at start of season

Mauricio Pochettino says people questioning Tottenham’s league position after back-to-back defeats are living in “different realities”.

Spurs were right in the Premier League title race up until two games ago, but they crashed to successive losses against Burnley and Chelsea.

That leaves Pochettino’s side looking over their shoulders in the race for the top four and defeat in the north London derby against Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday would leave them just a point clear of the Gunners.

But Pochettino feels it is “weird” that his side’s situation is being looked at as a negative.

“I think the feeling is a little bit weird,” he said. “It should be that everyone before the start of the season (would) sign to be in the position that we’re in today.

“And you’re asking me, ‘It’s only four points that Arsenal or Manchester United are below us, or Chelsea’?

“I think we’re living in different realities because, with all the circumstances, Tottenham deserve big praise to be in the position that we’re in at this moment of the season.

“Of course we’re disappointed in the last two results but we need to keep going and trust in our team.”

Spurs could have ended last weekend three points behind leaders Liverpool but are now nine points adrift in the title race.

“It was difficult after the Burnley defeat and after Chelsea it’s nearly impossible, very difficult,” Pochettino added.

“It’s going to be tough. We need to win all the games and our two opponents above us need to lose a lot of games.

“In this type of period it’s going to be difficult. Of course we want to be dreamers and we want to dream in football.

“Until you finish, or mathematically it can (still) be possible, of course you can dream but to be honest it’s not a possibility. The percentage is not too big.”

Spurs’ hopes against Arsenal were boosted by news on Thursday that Harry Kane would not face any retrospective action for an apparent headbutt on Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat.

Pochettino praised his striker for his fighting spirit and laughed off suggestions the two recent losses are as a result of Kane’s return to action.

“He is a player that cares about the club, the team and the result and it is normal to behave like this,” the Argentinian said.

“The reaction is fantastic from my point of view because it is a player that cares about what has happened.

“It should be strange or different if he didn’t show that character or show the message that he cares about the result, he cares about the situation, he cares about the club. That is the most important thing in my point of view.

“It makes me laugh, it is unbelievable, but that is the era we are living in. Harry is one of the best strikers, players in the world.

“For different circumstances we didn’t win but Harry is one of the best players, not only here in Tottenham, in England, in Europe and the world and that is no doubt and there is no debate.”

Pochettino has also been waiting for news from the Football Association, having accepted a charge of improper conduct for spat with referee Mike Dean at Burnley last week.

The Spurs boss is yet to hear his punishment, but asked whether he thought he deserved a touchline ban, he reacted with incredulity.

“For what? For what? It was a conversation, no?” he said.

“Maybe it was close but it was a conversation. I don’t believe it’s fair. But I’m going to accept if they ban me and I can’t be in the dugout against Southampton. I am going to accept.

“It’s different if it’s fair or not. I don’t believe it is but I’m going to trust the FA and accept what they say.”