Mauricio Pochettino: 'Tottenham players would deserve statues if they win title'

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said that every player in his team would deserve their own statue if they won the Premier League title this season.

Spurs currently trail leaders Leicester City by eight points, but could close that gap to five with a win over Stoke City on Monday night after the Foxes were held by West Ham United earlier today.

Pochettino acknowledged that it is still a tall order for his side, but urged the players to continue believing that they can overhaul Claudio Ranieri's men.

"If we won the championship, I think that every player would deserve a statue," Pochettino told reporters before Leicester's draw with West Ham.

"The challenge is big because seven points is a big gap, but to keep fighting in the way that we have fought and in the end win the title, all the people would recognise our value. And we would be happy, too. [Leicester] deserve to [have the attention]. But I think we cannot fight against all that happens around Leicester.

"We need to fight against them and against us and our opponents and it's a very good challenge. We know that all the people want Leicester to be champions, but we need to believe that we can change the story."

Spurs are gunning for their first top-flight title since 1961.