Friday 11 March 2016 12:31, UK
Mauricio Pochettino did "the right thing" by rotating his team in their defeat to Borussia Dortmund as they chase the Premier League title, says Tony Cascarino.
The Tottenham manager decided to make seven changes for the 3-0 Europa League defeat on Thursday night, with Harry Kane the most notable name on the bench alongside Mousa Dembele while Eric Dier was left at home.
Nacer Chadli started up front, Ryan Mason and Tom Carroll were given midfield roles and 18-year-old Josh Onomah made only his fourth start of the season.
A Marco Reus double and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's header gave the Germans a dominant advantage heading into the second leg at White Hart Lane next week but Cascarino is adamant Pochettino made the correct decision with his team selection ahead of their trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.
"He's done the right thing, they've lost the game and people might look at that and think 'a great chance for a trophy' - but not with the Premier League on the horizon," he told Sky Sports Now.
"They've got a chance; this club has not won the league for 50-odd years. To be in the position they are in, I think he has to say 'we have got to have our best XI going into a Premier League game'.
"If they win at Villa Park at the weekend, which they are quite capable of doing, that will say it all about whether it was right or wrong for me because the Premier League has to be their primary target."
Tottenham sit second in the league, the first time they have been in the top two at this stage of the season since the 1984/85 season. However, after chalking up seven wins in a row, they have now won just two from their last seven games.
Despite that, Cascarino rejected the idea the pressure of chasing their first top flight title since 1961 is getting to Pochettino's side.
"I think they are fine," he said. "I think you have to ignore the Dortmund result, just forget about it. They were beaten badly on the night by a very good team. I think they will be fine.
"Pochettino has got a very good side; if Tottenham fans had known where they would be now at the start of the season they would have been delighted because they are up there challenging with the final nine or 10 games to go."
