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Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino backs Gary Neville to succeed in Spain

Both Newcastle and Sunderland were linked with a potential loan deal for Townsend but Sam Allardyce has now responded to that by saying that, saying Sunderland already have DeAndre Yedlin on loan from Spurs, which means they aren’t allowed to take another player on loan from that same Premier League club.

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Mauricio Pochettino insists he did not banish Andros Townsend to play with Tottenham Hotspur’s Under 21 squad and claims it was the England midfielder’s own decision.

“If the football side say it affects the equilibrium of the squad if we have a player (Andros Townsend) that doesn’t want to be here then we will look at it. Andros is not an issue, he was on the bench in some games”.

Asked if Townsend is back with the first team, Pochettino said: “Yes, yes, it’s like any other player”.

“It’s a very good thing because, for me, it’s a very good attitude to play for the Under 21s and wanting to keep working hard and keep his physical level”.

Spurs were held to a goalless draw by Chelsea at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon to leave them in fifth place in the Premier League table and four points behind leaders Manchester City as the hectic festive period looms large.

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“We’re very ambitious but we need to manage expectations”, Pochettino told London 24. With the balance we have we need to be careful with who we bring in. It’s not always possible to win but it’s better than to lose. We show we are more solid than last season and it’s step by step. “In the end we’ll see what happens and which position we are”.

Ryan Mason