Boss confident no repeat of last year's meltdown

LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur will not lose its cool like it did last season, manager Mauricio Pochettino pledged after his side overwhelmed Bournemouth to increase the heat on Premier League leader Chelsea.

Spurs' bid to pip Leicester City to the title last season came crashing down amid a flurry of bookings and suspensions following stormy draws against West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea.

But after watching his side beat Bournemouth 4-0 at White Hart Lane on Saturday, Pochettino said his players had wised up.

"I think we've learnt a lot," said the Argentine, whose team closed to within four points of Chelsea ahead of the leader's trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

"There was a very bad period at the end of last season. We spent a lot of energy fighting against Leicester, but (also) against West Bromwich, against Chelsea, against the media, against the people.

"We fought against all and we spent a lot of energy. Now we're focusing on fighting against our opponent when we play.

"We spend time and energy preparing ourselves to compete in the best way. It's a big step for us.

"That was our challenge from the beginning of the season, to improve our mentality, our belief. I think you can see the group and the team improved a lot."

Spurs often played after Leicester during last season's run-in, but in recent weeks they have been in a position to put pressure on Chelsea by playing first.

Pochettino believes that has helped and also thinks neutrals are less inclined to favor a Chelsea title win in the way they wanted to see Claudio Ranieri's Foxes complete their fairytale victory last term.

"If you win, it's a big thing to put pressure on your opponent. Last season we never had the position to play before Leicester," he said.

"Claudio Ranieri said recently: 'The world was for us, trying to help Leicester.'

"Last season when I told you, you thought: 'This guy is a little crazy.' Now that you hear it from him, you can put yourself in my position and my players' position.

"It was so, so difficult, because all the teams were trying to kill Tottenham. It's impossible to understand why. But it was very good to hear that comment from Claudio Ranieri. It means a lot.

"Leicester fully deserved to win the title last season. But now I think you understand more our behavior against Chelsea (when Spurs had nine players booked and lost Mousa Dembele to a six-game suspension).

"Now you recognize the situation was so difficult for us."

Record run

Spurs took an iron grip on the game against Bournemouth with two goals in the first 19 minutes from Mousa Dembele and Son Heung-min.

Harry Kane added a third early in the second half, his 20th league goal of the campaign, before substitute Vincent Janssen completed the scoring in stoppage time.

Spurs have won seven straight league games for the first time since 1967 and prevailed in 12 consecutive top-flight home games for the first time in their history.

Adding to Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe's woes, on-loan Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was forced off with an apparent ankle injury early in the second half.

With 35 points on the board, the Cherries are within sight of safety, but Howe warned that there is still work to be done.

"We know we need more. We've known all along," he said.

Agence France-presse