Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: Chelsea felt like a small team

Mauricio Pochettino

TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino said it was a nice situation when playing against Chelsea felt like a match against a “small team”.

The clubs drew 0-0 at White Hart Lane on Sunday, leaving Spurs in fifth place on the Premier League table with 25 points from 14 games.

The Blues, the defending champions, are 14th in the standings with 15 points.

“We played the defending champions and it is good that you get the feeling that Chelsea was a small team and Tottenham feel they can win every game,” Pochettino said.

“It’s not easy. We are one of the younger teams in the Premier League.

“We need to keep working hard because there’s only been 14 games and today it’s too early to talk about the end of the season.

“I think we created enough chances to score. Chelsea only had one shot on target in the second half from [Eden] Hazard, so I think we deserved more.

“Chelsea played one of their best games of the season, and I think that when you make the effort we showed today – and the maturity – you have to be happy with the players.”

Meanwhile,former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has slammed Chelsea striker Diego Costa after he allegedly refused to warm-up ahead of Sunday’s North London derby.

Redknapp has criticised the attitude of the Spaniard, who had been dropped to the bench ahead of the Blues’ clach against Spurs on Sunday.

This comes after Costa was seen in a heated exchanged with manager Jose Mourinho at half-time of their 4-0 Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in midweek.

“If I had somebody in the dressing room sitting with the hump because they weren’t playing or starting and they are not going out for a warm up there would be murders in the dressing room,” Redknapp told BT Sport.

“I have never had a player who didn’t go out for a warm up.”

Costa remianed on the bench for the full 90 minutes as Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane. Kickoff.com