Mauricio Pochettino: Goal awarded to Harry Kane not a big issue for Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino insists that Tottenham’s second goal at Stoke last weekend being awarded to Harry Kane is “not a big issue”.

Kane was given the goal by the Premier League on Thursday after it was originally awarded to Christian Eriksen, taking his tally to 25 goals and keeping him in the race for a third successive Golden Boot.

The decision has been met with some scepticism, not least from Kane’s Golden Boot rival Mohamed Salah, but Tottenham boss Pochettino is relaxed about the situation.

He said: “Of course after the game, Harry said, ‘I touched the ball with my right shoulder’. He told Christian.

“Harry’s a very honest person, he’s not going to lie about this situation. But it’s not a big issue, not a big deal for the team.”

Salah is on 29 goals, now four ahead of Kane, and he took to Twitter on Wednesday to express his surprise at the overturned decision.

Pochettino has gone on record as not caring who scored the goal, while also suggesting the decision to appeal it was not down to him.

“I care about the goal because it provided us the three points but all that happens after is more players’ decisions or the club’s decision,” he added.

“I don’t care who scored the goal, I care about the three points.

“But that was a club decision to appeal. I wasn’t involved in this decision.

“Of course I think and I’m sure that Harry and Christian were agreed to do this, but no one says to me what was going to happen.

“For me, it’s a deal between them and if the club believes it was right to appeal, there’s nothing to say for me.”

Tottenham are on a 14-match unbeaten run in the Premier League going back to December when they were beaten by this Saturday’s opponents Manchester City.

In that time Spurs have all-but booked their Champions League spot for a third successive season and they could pour more misery on a faltering City side.

Pep Guardiola’s men have lost their last three games, going out of the Champions League while also missing the chance to wrap up the Premier League title by throwing away a 2-0 lead to go down 3-2 to Manchester United.

Pochettino does not think that beating City would prove they can compete for future titles.

He said: “It is not about one result that we are going to show that we are ready or not ready. We have already shown that we are ready to compete.

“We need to be consistent during the whole season and be the best team like Manchester City is doing today. We need to show ourselves that we can compete.”

“In football in 90 minutes you can win or lose, but we need to be more consistent through the whole season in result and performance because you need to be consistent if you are going to win.

“Of course the gap is massive with Man City, we are in the race for top four and that for Tottenham is a massive achievement to finish in the top four for the third season in a row.

“That is so important but the ambition is to win titles and one day the Premier League or Champions League.”

Left-back Danny Rose will miss the 7.45pm kick-off on Saturday night due to a minor calf problem.