Tottenham 2 Sunderland 1: Pochettino refuses to discuss top-four bid

Mauricio Pochettino refused to discuss Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four bid after edging to victory over Sunderland at White Hart Lane.

The north London side took a third-minute lead through defender Jan Vertonghen, whose deflected shot beat Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.

Christian Eriksen is a very good player, and this is a very good victory

Mauricio Pochettino

Although Jermain Defoe failed to score another debut goal, the former Spurs man won the free-kick which led to Sebastian Larsson’s equaliser.

However, Tottenham secured a 2-1 win which keeps them three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United thanks to Christian Eriksen’s 88th-minute winner.

“I don’t want to speak about finishing in the top four. I want to speak about the next game. We need to keep going,” Pochettino told BBC Sport.

Pochettino reserved special praise for Tottenham’s match-winner Eriksen after the Denmark international scored yet another decisive late strike this season.

“I am happy for the players and for our supporters,” Pochettino continued.

“We played much better than Sunderland, and in the second half, I thought we were better. Christian Eriksen is a very good player, and this is a very good victory. Hugo Lloris is one of the best keepers in the world, and he showed that late on.”

On Vertonghen’s late disallowed strike, Pochettino added: “I thought the officials got confused about the late disallowed goal for Jan Vertonghen, because it was a goal.”

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore took to Twitter to post a photo of the incorrect decision.

This is the “offside” against Vertonghen at Spurs. pic.twitter.com/Os7BEOaEd4

— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) January 17, 2015