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Chelsea players warned about ONE thing by Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino
CHELSEA players must be respectful of Tottenham’s title challenge, believes Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham leapfrogged Manchester City on Boxing Day, moving up to second - six points behind table-toppers Liverpool.
Five consecutive wins have propelled Tottenham into the title race, which was previously deemed to have just two horses.
Despite finishing 2nd and 3rd in their last two seasons, it is still considered that Leicester’s 2015/16 title-winning campaign was Tottenham’s best opportunity to win the Premier League.
It was a Lilywhites loss which confirmed the Foxes as champions, in a fiery 2-2 draw with Chelsea dubbed ‘Battle at The Bridge’.
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When you are professional some opinions you cannot make public
Goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were cancelled out by Gary Cahill and an Eden Hazard wonder strike, with both sets of players engaging in a ruckus at the end of the match.
Prior to the game, Eden Hazard said: “We don't want Tottenham to win the Premier League; the fans, the club and the players.”
Pochettino believes that public provocation triggered the bad-tempered match back in 2016, and has asked for all title rivals to keep their opinions private this time around.
"When you are professional some opinions you cannot make public," Pochettino said ahead of his side’s home match against Wolves.
"Because after you create a big problem like what happened at Chelsea. That was more like a battle than a football game.
“Why did that happen? You know very well. That’s why it’s compulsory to behave professionally. We translate a lot of emotion to the people. We are public persons."
The Argentine’s comments come amid claims from Blues manager Maurizio Sarri that Spurs are not even in the title race this season, despite their position.
“As I said from the beginning of the season there are two teams a step above, Liverpool and Manchester [City],” the Italian coach asserted.
“Now there is a little gap, I think City will be able to recover the gap. The title is fighting between City and Liverpool."
Pochettino is in disagreement with Sarri, however, saying: “Now it is between the top six - Liverpool, Tottenham, City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United and it’s going to be more about who can win the league.
"We are not going to receive a favour and nor will another club. It’s true, the season when Leicester were there the sympathy for Leicester was bigger than for Tottenham.
“That was the reality. But they won and they deserved to be the champions. The sympathy of the neutral people was more for Leicester than for us. This is normal."