Pochettino looks to sharpen Spurs for title race run-in
(Reuters) - Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is readying his squad for a final tilt at the Premier League title, aware that he can ask his players to remain focused on one game at a time when a bulk of them return from the international break.
Spurs are second in the table, five points behind Leicester City with seven games remaining, but after being knocked out of the cup tournaments, Pochettino is happy to be concentrating on just the league.
"It's true we go into a different period now to recently," the Argentine told British media.
"After the international break, we'll play one game every week, and we'll have time to prepare games in a different way, to training, to improve and do a lot of things that were impossible before.
"We are in a moment where we need to see our future in a very good way. It's important to keep working hard and fight in every game."
Spurs next face Juergen Klopp's Liverpool at Anfield after a two-week break for international friendlies with the reverse fixture ending a 0-0 draw in the German's first game in charge of the Merseyside club.
The Argentine also praised Harry Kane after the Golden Boot front-runner added a brace against Bournemouth on Sunday to take his tally to 21 league goals this season.
"Is he the best striker in the Premier League? For me, yes. Maybe it's difficult to say he's the best, but he's one of the best," Pochettino said.
The North London club also boasts the best defence in the league and will need Kane and the backline to be on top of their game as they enter the final stage of the season if they are to claim a third ever title.
Tottenham last won the English title in 1961.
(Reporting by Arnab Paul in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)