Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou is refusing to get carried away after his side rose to the top of the Premier League table thanks to a 1-0 win over Luton Town.
The second-placed Lilywhites travelled to Kenilworth Road just one point adrift of leaders Manchester City, who are not in action until they meet Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
With Pep Guardiola's side boasting a superior goal difference, Tottenham required a maximum points haul to leapfrog the champions, but they wasted a succession of early chances before Yves Bissouma was sent off in first-half injury time.
The 10 men of Spurs had their fair share of defending to do against Luton, but the North London giants defended valiantly and edged out their newly-promoted counterparts thanks to a Micky van de Ven strike.
Until at least 6.30pm on Sunday, Tottenham will sit pretty at the summit of the Premier League table, but Postecoglou has affirmed that his players are not reading too much into the standings at this early stage.
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"They're not silly, they know it's only October and being top of the league now doesn't really mean anything tangible apart from the fact that we've started the season well," football.london quotes Postecoglou as saying in his post-game press conference.
"We've played some good football and we've had all sort of different challenges thrown at us. We've been behind in games away from home, we've had to score last minute winners. It's not like it's been smooth sailing.
"We've had to work awfully hard to be in the position we are and I guess from my perspective it's great that they're getting rewarded with results and that can only help us grow as a team.
"But it's not like they're sitting in there thinking we've achieved anything. We haven't achieved anything, all we've done is lay some really good foundations. Our goals and ambitions lay in improvement. Can we play better, can we become a better team and if we do that then we'll see where that takes us."
Prior to Van de Ven's first goal for the club, Bissouma - who has otherwise been a standout player for Tottenham this term - was made to take the walk of shame in embarrassing circumstances, having been penalised for a dive while already on a yellow card.
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The Mali international has incurred a one-match suspension on account of his sending off, and Postecoglou had no complaints about Bissouma's second yellow for his "mistake".
"The referee said he had simulated and Biss made a mistake. He has been brilliant for us this year. He made a mistake and the good thing is how he reacts to these things," Postecoglou added.
"His team-mates made sure that mistake didn't cost us and I'm sure when Biss gets back in the team he will reciprocate and make sure that whatever else happens he can get us over the line.
"These things happen in football. It's disappointing. With all these things I always look at reactions. What are we doing about it? I thought the reaction was outstanding."
Tottenham's first game back after the international break sees the Lilywhites host Fulham in a London derby on October 23.
Ben Knapton
