Cash-rich City and United outmuscling Spurs

LONDON • Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted that Spurs cannot compete with the two Manchester clubs - who are level on points at the top of the English Premier League - in the transfer market.

His side face struggling Bournemouth at Wembley today, hoping to close the five-point gap to leaders Manchester City and second-placed Manchester United.

The top two both spent heavily during the recent transfer window and Pochettino concedes the financial strength of City and United means teams like Tottenham are forced to adopt a different transfer strategy as they seek to keep pace.

The Argentinian told beIN Sports: "The difference these days between clubs in the Premier League is that there are clubs, like City and United, who sign who they want and when they want.

"Then there are big teams, like us, who sign when we can and who we can. It's the big difference today."

Tottenham headed into the international break having maintained their perfect league record on the road with a win at Huddersfield.

At their temporary Wembley home, however, Spurs have continued to struggle, claiming just two points from their three home games in the Premier League so far.

Anything less than victory over Bournemouth, currently lying second from bottom, will be viewed as a major disappointment.

Pochettino will be hoping Harry Kane can extend his hot streak.

The striker - nominated for the Ballon d'Or this week - has scored 15 goals in his last 10 games for club and country, including the winners in England's back-to-back 1-0 World Cup qualifying victories over Slovenia and Lithuania last week.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe felt his side deserved more than a point from the scoreless draw with Leicester City last time out and will take heart from that.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


TOTTENHAM V BOURNEMOUTH

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 14, 2017, with the headline Cash-rich City and United outmuscling Spurs. Subscribe