Spurs hit Everton for six in stunning display at Goodison Park
Monday 24 December 2018 10:31, UK
Mauricio Pochettino insists it is too early for Tottenham to contemplate a title challenge but has outlined what his side must do to remain in the mix come May.
Spurs ruthlessly dismantled Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park on Sunday to consolidate third spot in the Premier League behind leaders Liverpool and champions Manchester City.
Get Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football for just £18 a month
"I'm so pleased, so happy," Pochettino told Sky Sports. "We came from a really tough game on Wednesday against Arsenal and today the team was so fresh with plenty of energy.
"We played very good football. It was fantastic. When you play that way you must be very proud.
"The quality was amazing. Everton are a very good team. They scored and we were down in the score but the spirit was fantastic.
"That gives us an unbelievable feeling. It was so tough in the beginning. We dominated the 90 minutes and were much better than them. We have a very busy period but this is a fantastic way to start it."
Asked if the result underlined Tottenham's title credentials, Pochettino added: "Liverpool and City are the two favourites to fight for the Premier League. We are in a good position. But there are a lot of games to play."
Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane both scored braces and a stunning Christian Eriksen volley helped seal Spurs' biggest ever win at Everton.
With just two points to bridge to City and six to Liverpool, Pochettino believes his side's ability to remain consistent throughout the campaign will determine whether they can fight to the end for the title.
"If you compare the results from Tottenham in past seasons I think we were consistent, but it was not enough to be a real contender," the Spurs boss said.
"Now we are close but we need to be cautious, go step by step, game by game and we need to be conscious about that and fight a lot to be consistent.
"We are involved in four competitions so it is going to be tough, but we are going to try.
"The mentality today is so clear, we need to think only about the next game and to be in the best condition to fight for these things."
