Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino insists that the nature of the opposition does not matter in a cup competition – but the mentality does.
The Lilywhites travel to Bramall Lane later tonight, holding a one-goal advantage over League One side Sheffield United from the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
The stakes will be high in the match as the winners will have the chance to visit Wembley to take on Chelsea in the final of the tournament in March.
The former Southampton boss though insists that there is no chance of taking the League One side lighly as surprises can happen any time, any moment.
He also stressed the need to show a strong mentality in order to come away with a win from Bramall Lane.
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“We know this is a very important game”, Pochettino told his club's official site.
“We need to have a strong mentality to go to Sheffield and get the victory.
"We just need to be fully focused on the game and not worry about anything else.
“We have the possibility to get to the final at Wembley and we all realise this is important for the club, for the supporters and for us as well."
This weekend's shock FA Cup results for Chelsea and Manchester City, who were eliminated, and their own loss to Leicester City, will still be fresh in the Tottenham manager's mind as he feels the need to give it their best tonight.
"Every game is difficult and when you play in the cup, the level of the opponent is not important because a lot of (other) things go into the game,
“As I said, it’s important to realise that we need a strong mentality and to give our best.”
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