Mauricio’s pride at halfway point

Typically, Mauricio Pochettino’s focus was forward as he was told of our record points haul at the halfway stage of a Premier League season.

Our Boxing Day victory over Bournemouth at Wembley took us to 45 points after 19 matches, toppling the 42 recorded in 2011/12. Incredibly, we’re 11 points better off than last season.

“Now we need to keep pushing, keep working and believe that it’s going to be tougher than before,” said Mauricio. “We need to prepare not only physically but also our minds to be strong because it’s going to be tough to compete in the second half of the season.

“It’s so important for the team that we are fighting and in a very good position.

“We were talking that last season was a fantastic season. Now we’re in four competitions when last season we were in three because we were out of the Carabao Cup.

“Now we are in the last 16 (of the Champions League), we’re second in the table on 45 points, a record in the Premier League, in the Carabao Cup semi-final and of course we are going to start the FA Cup soon. The season is fantastic where from the beginning, no-one believed much in us.”