Mauricio Pochettino Backs Tottenham Squad '200%' After Sliding to Limp Liverpool Defeat

Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged Liverpool were the better team after they subjected his Tottenham side to their second defeat in as many games in a 2-1 loss at Wembley on Saturday. 

Spurs struggled to keep a lid on the Reds' forward impetus as goals from Gini Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino maintained their early season winning streak - with Erik Lamela's stoppage time strike proving only to be a consolation for Tottenham. 

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However, Spurs had appeals for a penalty on the last play of the game denied by referee Michael Oliver after Liverpool's Sadio Mane appeared to have made unlawful contact with Heung-min Son in the penalty area. 

Pochettino appeared to feel aggrieved with the penalty non-call, despite admitting that his side ultimately fell to defeat against a superior outfit. 

"They were better, we competed, and we were close," Pochettino told Sky Sports. "The last action was crazy because it was a penalty, Mane on Son. We could be talking after the match in a different way. But they were better, there is nothing to say. 

"Of course I am disappointed with the result but we need to keep working and improving. It's only early in the season but we've improved a lot. It was difficult and today was a competitive game, you can win, you can lose. But we need to keep working, we are disappointed with the result but there are a lot of games ahead."

Despite falling to two defeats in a row after starting the campaign with three successive victories, Pochettino refused to panic as he remains convinced with what his side can achieve.  

"It's easy to criticise the performance after losing the game and conceding many chances but, from the beginning since we beat Manchester United the reality has been different," he added. 

"There are a lot of things to analyse and access, we are a long away, not in terms of results but performance. I am relaxed, I'm not worried. My confidence in these players is 200 per cent, not 100 per cent, 200 per cent."