Mauricio Pochettino Calls Spurs Players 'More Than Heroes' Despite Late Liverpool Defeat

Mauricio Pochettino has called his Tottenham players 'more than heroes, while admitting his side are now in a dog fight to secure a Champions League spot,

Mauricio Pochettino has called his Tottenham players 'more than heroes, while admitting his side are now in a dog fight to secure a Champions League spot, following defeat against Liverpool on Sunday.

Spurs were moments away from clinching a crucial point at Anfield, but they conceded a goal right at the death as Toby Alderweireld bundled the ball into the back of his own net following a mistake from Hugo Lloris.

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The defeat means that Spurs are without a win from their previous five matches, but Pochettino has insisted that finishing in the top four is still in his side's hands.

"Now we start a mini-league, with seven games ahead, in the top four it is in our hands," he told Sky Sports.

"With all the circumstances happening this season, they are more than heroes, and we need to keep the trust and confidence, and of course we are going to fight to be in the Champions League.

"But I am happy with everyone. It is important to understand the circumstances of the team, of the club, of course no excuse or justification, but you know, the most important is to feel that you dominate a team that is building to win the league and Champions League."

Pochettino went on to add that the defeat to Liverpool was hard to take, but he also suggested that the aftermath could help Spurs in the long-run.

"It is tough to lose a game in that way, but in the end I think I am happy because the emotion and feeling we got today I think is going to help us.

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"In football it happens. We need to support our players and know that this type of situation can happen. It's unlucky and difficult to deal with that because it's so difficult to explain.

"They team spent more than £100m in the summer, that is the satisfaction, but we need to keep going, improving and learning."