Tottenham vs Liverpool: Mauricio Pochettino believes Harry Winks can reach the World Cup

HARRY WINKS began the season on the fringes for Tottenham but now he could end it by heading to the World Cup with England.

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Mauricio Pochettino backs Harry Winks to be selected in England's World Cup squad

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino believes the midfielder is on course to mark his big breakthrough season by making Gareth Southgate’s squad for Russia next summer. 

Winks, 21, made an eye-catching debut for his country against Lithuania earlier this month and he has carried that impressive form on at club level. 

He was named man-of-the match in the win against Bournemouth and passed his acid test after shining against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Winks will start against Liverpool at Wembley tomorrow and Pochettino said of the World Cup: “It’s not my decision but if keeps his performance of the past few weeks, why not?

“I’m so pleased because he has the quality to play the way he did against Real Madrid. He showed great character, personality and quality.

“He’s still so young and hasn’t played many games still. But he has not surprised me. 

“You work three seasons together and you can start to see his evolution. It’s about trying to find the right time to provide him the place and the opportunity to play.

“Recently he has played for the national team and played at the Bernabeu but we must now look after his body and mind too.”

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Harry Winks has been in fine form this season and will start against Liverpool at Wembley

I’m so pleased because he has the quality to play the way he did against Real Madrid. He showed great character, personality and quality

Mauricio Pochettino on Harry Winks

Winks had repaid Pochettino’s faith after being thrown in following injuries to Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele.

The midfield pair are no closer to a return with Wanyama (knee) due to visit a specialist and Dembele suffering a fresh hip injury.

Spurs’ squad is stretched to the limit ahead of five games in a fortnight with Pochettino adding: “To miss Mousa and Victor, it’s tough to replace them. 

“It’s important they to recover because we have a lot of games and we need to manage the players because they are also involved in national team. They are not a machine.”

Pochettino has failed to get the better of opposite number Jurgen Klopp in their five previous meetings.

And he knows that hoodoo must end given they could be eight points behind leaders Manchester City by the time they kick-off at Wembley.

Klopp maintains Liverpool are “not 500 miles” away from City with the league leader’s clinical finishing the only difference between the two.

The Liverpool manager believes the 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s men last month created a false impression of where the two sides sit in the pecking order.

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Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool aren't far off from league leaders Manchester City

And ahead of the trip to Wembley, he maintained the two sides would be a lot closer had Liverpool not spurned a host of chances already.

“Everyone can see we are not 500 miles away even if they fly,” said Klopp. “The football they play I would say is not something we are too far away from.

“But to be as clinical as they have been so far? We weren’t. That’s the thing.”

Liverpool thrashed Slovenian side Maribor 7-0 away in the Champions League on Tuesday but in the League sloppy finishing has seen them drop 11 points in eight games.

Klopp conceded that has already made a title challenge “difficult”, yet he claimed his squad remains capable of building on last season’s fourth placed finish.

“We can make steps this year. Position wise I think it should be possible but difficult with the few points we have given away,” said Klopp.

“It is a long season, if we can bring in consistency and be more ruthless and things like this, more clinical in situations because of confidence and all that stuff then we can win games.”

Klopp was again asked about the possibility of losing Philippe Coutinho in the January transfer window with Barcelona circling ominously.

The Liverpool manager stressed the best way to keep a talented squad together was to keep winning.

“We have to create a situation where players want to be part of it,” he said. “In this moment, we have this. Nobody thinks about January, nobody thinks of June or July.”

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