After back-to-back defeats, a victory over Eddie Howe’s team would lift the spirit of Mauricio Pochettino’s depleted squad

Moussa Sissoko is hopeful Spurs can return to winning ways at AFC Bournemouth and feels it will aid their efforts of reaching the Champions League final.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Cherries on Saturday for another lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League, but fans in particular will find it hard to focus.

On Wednesday, the Lilywhites will try to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the semi-finals of the Champions League away to Ajax in Amsterdam.

Before Mauricio Pochettino’s side can concentrate on making a maiden European Cup final though, they must arrest a slump which has seen them suffer back-to-back defeats in recent days.

“I cannot be happy with my performance because we lost, but I had a lot of energy because it is the semi-final of the Champions League and I wanted to do well,” Sissoko said.

“I missed a few games like West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion, but I was positive in my mind and knew if I had the opportunity to come in, I would give everything.

“That is what I did. It wasn’t enough to come back to 1-1, but it is not over and we need to make sure we are ready for Saturday.

“We want to finish in the top four and we have to win away to Bournemouth and if we do that, it will give us more confident and we will go to Ajax next week with a bit more energy to come back with qualification.”

Sissoko’s introduction during the first half on Tuesday changed the game for Spurs and enabled them to regain a foothold in the contest after a worrying start.

Donny van de Beek made it 1-0 with quarter of an hour played and it could have been more, but the hosts eventually recovered.

What the result means is Spurs have lost their last two games at home, to West Ham and Ajax, and must bounce back this weekend at Bournemouth.

A victory would guarantee them a place in the top-four and would lift spirits ahead of the return leg with the Eredivisie giants, which Sissoko insists is winnable.

He said: “Yes I was frustrated not to start, but not with the manager, just because it was the semi-final of the Champions League, so I think every player on the bench and every player injured would have found it frustrating not to play this game.

“I knew I wasn’t maybe 100 per cent fit to start because I was injured and I only came back from my injury on Monday, so I only had one session with the team.

“But I was focused on the game and when I came on I tried to bring what I can and tried to bring an impact in the middle and tried to help the team.

“It wasn’t enough to equalise, but it is okay and we will not give up. We still have one game to play and I’m sure we can do it.”