The Spurs manager hailed the effort of his players following five games in less than two weeks

Tottenham Hotspur players have had some brief respite this week ahead of another big match, this time at home to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Spurs faced Chelsea on Tuesday in the League Cup semi-final first leg and it rounded off a run of five games between December 26 and January 8.

Going back even further, since the Lilywhites returned from the international break on November 24 they have played 14 times.

However, after seeing off the Blues 1-0 earlier this week, Spurs have had a welcome extra couple of days, compared to normal, to prepare for the visit of United.

Despite the number of games they have played this season, Tottenham are third in the table, into the Champions League round of 16, through to the FA Cup fourth round and in the League Cup last-four with a one-goal advantage heading into the second leg.

It has been a remarkable first half of the campaign and the Spurs boss is rightly pleased with his squad.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino said: “I think the season that we are doing is fantastic. In the same way the effort that we are doing is amazing.

“I think for me the players that are playing, I need to say thank you because the effort was massive (against Chelsea) - how we ran, how we fight, how we compete.

“I am so pleased and so proud to have this squad and to work together. In the end - win or not win titles - I’m always going to feel very proud about the players we have.”

Like always, Pochettino will have some big decisions to make ahead of the 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday.

Captain Hugo Lloris is expected to return, despite Paulo Gazzaniga’s clean sheet in the win over Chelsea, and the Tottenham manager praised the goalkeepers currently at the club.

Pochettino added: “I was so happy with Paulo’s performance. For me, he was the man of the match, with Harry Kane, who of course scored the goal.

“I think he was so good. We are so happy. We have one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Hugo Lloris.

“We have Michel Vorm, another that can play in any club in the Premier League and of course now Paulo Gazzaniga.

“We have three goalkeepers, plus the young ones who have a lot of quality, and I am so pleased to have this type of player with us.”