Mauricio Pochettino believes if Tottenham Hotspur had made their good start to the second half at the Etihad Stadium count then they could have avoided losing 4-1 against Manchester City.

Manchester City took the lead in the big Premier League clash after just 14 minutes through Ilkay Gundogan and headed into the half time break winning 1-0.




Spurs began the second half well, but could not make their pressure count and Manchester City grabbed a second through Kevin De Bruyne, who had been left smarting by a Dele Alli foul, in the 70th minute.

Raheem Sterling then struck in the 80th and 90th minutes to underline the hosts' superiority, though Christian Eriksen pulled one back for the visitors in injury time.
 


Pochettino accepts that on the day Manchester City were the better team, but the Argentine feels the match could have turned out differently if his side had been able to make it 1-1.

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"It is very disappointing, but in the same way you need to accept that the better team won", the Spurs boss told BT Sport.

"We always try positive things, but the problem was that we conceded a poor goal.

"It was a massive present for the opponent and when you play a team like this you who are in magnificent form you have to take risks to be in the game. Of course, they have a lot of quality and can punish you.

"The positive thing for us was that in the second half we started really well and had the capacity to dominate.

"If we should score, maybe Harry Kane when it is 1-1 or when it is 2-0, then it changes.

"But you know when you are tired we provide space and allow them to kill the game.

"Today yes, they showed better quality than us. The better team won."

Pochettino's Tottenham sit in seventh spot following their defeat at Manchester City.