Mauricio Pochettino: 'Tottenham Hotspur now more competitive'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 13 December 2017

Mauricio Pochettino believes that the second half of the Premier League season will be far more successful for Tottenham Hotspur, as they are now "more competitive".

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that his side are ready to push on in the Premier League after welcoming back key players from injury.

The Lilywhites have stuttered somewhat across their opening 16 top-flight fixtures, winning just half of their games to find themselves down in seventh place.

Erik Lamela recently made a return following more than a year on the sidelines to bolster Tottenham's squad, though, while Victor Wanyama is also closing in on first-team action.

Pochettino, whose side boast the best festive fixture record of any Prem team over the last two years, is feeling far more optimistic ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion's visit on Wednesday evening.

"For different reasons, like injuries, we've missed this feeling of competition in the squad," he told reporters. "If we can recover everyone – now Lamela is nearly 100% or Victor Wanyama - it's very good news for the team. The second half of the season, with all the squad fit and all together, we will be more competitive.

"We are going to have the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League and we need to be competitive and strong. It will be key for us to work with the new players, to introduce things we need to improve the team.

"It's important for the new players to be more comfortable here, to know everything, to adapt their quality to the team. The first six months can be difficult because we don't have much time to work. Sometimes we work only through video because we can't do anything on the pitch."

Spurs will be without Toby Alderweireld until at least February, however, as the centre-back has suffered an injury setback.