Mauricio Pochettino hails "inspirational" Jose Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho is an inspiration to every younger manager.

Pochettino will take his Spurs side to Old Trafford this evening looking to pile more pressure on Mourinho, whose United team go into the game off the back of a shock defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion and amid relentless reports of unrest behind the scenes.

Mourinho's future as United boss has been called into question as a result, but Pochettino is in no doubt as to the Portuguese's enduring managerial ability.

When asked what he has learned from Mourinho, Pochettino told reporters: "A lot of things. I think for every single manager that is younger than him he was the inspirational manager.

"Of course he is an unbelievable manager and of course the circumstances that happen with myself and happen with different managers is always going to be up and down. He has been inspirational - but I am younger than him."

Spurs have lost their last four away league games against United without scoring a single goal.