Mauricio Pochettino says the Spurs should focus on the top four, not the goblets | Soccer

Mauricio Pochettino defended his Tottenham record and claimed that the silverware would only serve to "build ego" rather than maintain progress after seeing his team eliminated from a second cup competition national in four days.

A team that has made seven changes since Chelsea's Carabao Cup semi-final loss on Thursday left the FA Cup 2-0 in the Crystal Palace. The Spurs, wounded by fatigue and fatigue, focused on their Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund and, realistically, one of the top four in the Premier League.

Pochettino, who has not yet won a trophy in his managerial career, admitted his disappointment at the rather mild defeat, but suggested that the trophies would not maintain the Spurs as a club. "We are going to create a debate on the fact that winning a trophy will help the club," he said. "I do not agree with that. It only builds your ego. In reality, the most important thing is to be consistently in the top four and play in the Champions League. This will help the club take the final step.

"The club is doing well. It's so successful. Over the last four or five years, we have fought in different ways to get what the club needs, to be at Chelsea, United, City, Arsenal or Liverpool. People want us to win trophies. But, realistic, we are not designed to win titles. "

His Heung-min, back from the Asian Cup, should be available for Wednesday's match against Watford at Wembley. "It's true, this season has been tough," he said.

"But being a competitor is always difficult for us. Now the realistic goals are trying to rank among the top four, trying to be close to Manchester City and Liverpool and reduce the gap. Another is to try to beat Dortmund and be in the next round.

"It will be difficult. We are competing with a team that is doing very well in Germany, which is at the top of the ranking and has returned from [mid-season] vacation. They are all fresh and we are the opposite. But we must be positive. We are still in two competitions, well placed in the Premier League and the Champions League, which is a huge motivation for the club. We must be strong. "