Mauricio Pochettino refuses to engage in "mind games" with Antonio Conte

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 07 April 2017

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino insists that he will not be drawn into engaging in "mind games" with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that he will not get involved with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte's "mind games" during the closing stages of the season.

Spurs look to be the only team with any hope of catching the runaway Premier League leaders with eight games of the campaign remaining, although to do so they must make up a seven-point gap to their London rivals.

Conte claimed that it was an "expectation" for his side to win to the title from such a position, and Pochettino agreed that it would take a hurtful collapse for them to throw it away at this stage of the season.

"I can understand, it's true that when you are seven points above the second team in the table, it is normal for them to win the league. Now it's up to them to win the league," he told reporters.

"We are in a position that we need to do our job, winning games and put pressure [on them]. But it's true that after eight games if they don't win the Premier League, it will be tough for them to accept.

"We are in a different project, a different club, our history is massive at Tottenham. I really don't believe in the mind games, because our mind game is to try to provide a team that believes. And we showed character against Swansea."

Spurs host Watford on Saturday looking to equal the club's top-flight record of 11 consecutive home league wins.