Sat 19 January 2019, 13:11
Tottenham HotspurMauricio Pochettino always sees teams fighting for survival as dangerous opponents and isn’t changing that thought process ahead of our trip to Fulham on Sunday (4pm).
Fulham go into the weekend in the Premier League’s bottom three with two wins in 10 since Claudio Ranieri took over from Slavisa Jokanovic in November.
A recent revival with draws against Newcastle and Wolves and a huge win against Huddersfield has been followed by three straight defeats against Arsenal, Oldham in the FA Cup and Burnley last weekend.
Nevertheless, Craven Cottage remains a testing trip and Fulham have taken 12 of their 14 points at home this season, losing just four of 10 by the Thames.
It’s one of Mauricio’s favourite arenas - and one he knows can provide problems as Fulham scrap for every point.
“I think it one of the best places to play football, I love Craven Cottage,” said Mauricio. “It is a fantastic place to play and of course it is a game to enjoy. At the same time, it is going to be very tough because Fulham are playing to survive and need to win - and we need to win too.
“We know very well that a team fighting to survive is going to be difficult but we are going to be ready to play and try to win the game.”
Asked about the differences he’s seen in Fulham since Ranieri’s arrival, Mauricio added: “It’s about different man-management styles, different experiences, different styles but in the end it’s all about winning because they need to win.
“They are more focused on trying to win rather than an idea or a philosophy so that makes it a difficult game.”
