Mauricio Pochettino was able to reflect on a job well done after Tottenham secured top spot in Group J of the Europa League with a 4-1 win over Monaco. When you play Thursday and you play Sunday it affects the mentality.
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Tom Carroll, having marked a rare appearance with a goal, said: “I was obviously delighted to get the goal at the end, but it was a great performance all-round”.
Monaco responded in the 33rd minute and nearly got what they were looking for. “Always the young players need time to develop and be mature enough in the head to play in the Premier League for a team like Tottenham”.
Meanwhile, Newcastle can escape the relegation zone if they manage to follow up last weekend’s win over Liverpool with another three points.
“That victory gave them more confidence and it’s because of that we expect a tough game against a very good side like Newcastle”.
Centre-backs Mike Williamson and Steven Taylor (both hamstring) are unavailable, as are long-term absentees Gabriel Obertan (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee).
Two pivotal Spurs players will make the starting line-up as Eric Dier, who suffered a shin injury during the Monaco rout, is reportedly fit for action.
Ryan Mason and Alex Pritchard will miss out with ankle injuries, while Mousa Dembele is also sidelined due to illness. We’ve shown that we can take on other strong teams, and we’re playing well. “Sunday is a big game”. It was also the first time this season that the Spurs boss has not needed to call upon Harry Kane and he will have been relieved to have given the striker a rest with the Christmas schedule fast approaching. “We’ll do the best we can in this competition and in the league, too”. So we have to prepare for the battle.
“I think we made it comfortable”.
“We are confident but we are not over confident”. As such, with it impossible to pull for any of the scoundrels remaining, it is quite evident, for the good of English football, that Spurs need to win the whole damn thing.
“We need our squad”.
Beyond his hat of tricks and the spectacular, Lamela has shown signs of growing into a well-rounded player capable of driving Tottenham’s creative midfield and his hat-trick today makes him Spurs’ top scorer in Europe this season with five goals.
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It must be noted, though, that Newcastle have won on the occasion of their last two league visits to White Hart Lane and they beat Liverpool 2-0 at St. James’ Park last weekend where Spurs drew at West Brom.
