Mauricio Pochettino Insists Burnley Clash Is More Important to Title Race Than Arsenal & Chelsea

Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that Spurs' clash with Burnley in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off will play a bigger role in the Premier League title race that

Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that Spurs' clash with Burnley in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off will play a bigger role in the Premier League title race that their upcoming matches with Arsenal and Chelsea.

Spurs are being considered as outsiders in the Premier League title race this season, but they can move to within two points of Liverpool if they register three points at Turf Moor this weekend.

Pochettino claimed that this chance to put the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City increases the importance of their clash with Burnley, putting the match ahead of games against top-six rivals over the next month.

"Our focus for the whole week was to give the players the idea that the most important [game] for us is Burnley," Pochettino said, quoted by football.london. 

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"We know that people are talking about Chelsea, Arsenal and [Borussia] Dortmund but for us the focus was to translate the idea that Burnley is going to be tough.

"If we are capable of being focused and winning against Burnley, then we are going to see in a different way the next few games but if not, it's going to be tough.

"If we are capable of believing that we can push at the last moment and keep pushing and winning games, maybe we can surprise everyone.

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"We need to believe that the three points against Burnley will be decisive. If we don't think this way and we go to Burnley thinking 'OK, the important game is Chelsea or Arsenal', then we are going to struggle."

Defeat for Tottenham against Burnley could leave then eight points off top spot in the Premier League table by the end of the weekend, while Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea can all cut the gap with Pochettino's side.

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Spurs also have a vital second leg against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League knockout stages just around the corner, but after securing a 3-0 win a Wembley they should be able to hold out at the Westfalenstadion next month.