Christian Erikssen believes manager Maurucio Pochettino can lead Tottenham to title

TOTTENHAM’S midfield wizard Christian Erikssen believes manager Maurucio Pochettino has the right ingredients to sustain a title challenge.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

TOTTENHAM’S midfield wizard Christian Erikssen believes manager Maurucio Pochettino has the right ingredients to sustain a title challenge.

The arrival of Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Manchester United) and Antonio Conte (Chelsea) should ensure a gripping Premier League title race in 2016-17 after Leicester’s shock win last season.

Spurs were on the Foxes’ tail until the death, but Champions League qualification was just reward for a superb season.

Pochettino, with his intense style and aggressive brand of football, was viewed as the key in forming an exciting team and Erikssen was confident they could sustain the rage.

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Mauricio Pochettino is the man to lead Tottenham the title.

“He (Pochettino) has given us the confidence and the belief that we can achieve something and we’re working really hard,’’ Erikssen said.

“First he gives young players the confidence to go and play how they play. There’s talent there but they’ve taken their chance and proven they can play at such a high level.

“Everybody wants to create history and achieve something and prove themselves that they are capable of doing something really good.

“It was a long time ago that anyone has won anything (at Spurs) and with the players coming through and young players that run for everything at 100 per cent, we’ve got an opportunity to show that we’re a big team that can fight for big things.

“It’s a good mix of both, mostly we’re young guys. Of course we have some experienced players too, guys that know how to calm down the younger boys when they’re flying.’’

Erikssen gave an intriguing insight into the Argentine manager, who oversees all parts of the Spurs’ training regimen.

Christian Erikssen celebrates scoring last season.

But Dane, whose goals and creativity have been vital for Spurs in recent season, said Pochettino had nailed the right balance with his players.

“He’s always there and wants to be 100 per cent in control of what the players are doing so he knows what he can ask from them,’’ he said.

“He knows if your body fat goes up or if you come in the morning and you’re tired. You fill out some questions, you weigh yourself, and he can see if you’ve put on weight.

“You can still enjoy life, he gives off that feeling, if you’re off you need to think about something else and be yourself but you have to be disciplined, it needs to be a mix of both and that’s what he gives off.’’

Originally published as Christian Erikssen believes manager Maurucio Pochettino can lead Tottenham to title