Following a controlled 6-1 display against Middlesbrough to book our place in the final of the Carabao Cup earlier this week, Pochettino will be hoping to keep the momentum and confidence high heading into another cup tie at the Bridge – this time against the Villans.

Pochettino believes that the FA Cup fixture provides the perfect opportunity to make amends for the narrow defeat earlier in the Premier League campaign, with the boss hoping that his squad have learned lessons from the previous match-up in September.

‘The way that we lost the game against Aston Villa, it had a big impact because I think we deserved [more],’ he began.

‘With 10 men, we were pressing high, we created two big chances, and we didn’t score. We conceded in a chance that was unbelievable because the team were trying to score and press. That was a massive impact on our confidence because if rather than conceding, we score with 10 men against a team like Aston Villa, then it’s a big boost for us.

‘If we had rather won the game with 10 men, then maybe we are in a different position, but you can’t guess in football. The reality is our reality. We need to be critical that we didn’t compete in the way that we should’ve competed in many details.’

Speaking on the progression of his side since the match in early Autumn, Pochettino has noticed many positive developments in his squad as he continues to push his players.

‘Yesterday in our meeting before training, we were talking over details with the squad,’ he said. ‘And after also individually talking with them, I was really happy and positive. I could see things moving on. Then talking as a coaching staff, with Jesus [Perez], we realise it’s time. It’s time for the players to realise, time to understand, time for them to live the experience.

‘Some of the players who arrived are so young, they believe they are 'the king of the world' – and I say that in a good way, to have a [youthful] arrogance. But then it’s been not so good, up and down, and now is the moment the players start to realise many important things. These are things you have to think about to be a real team and compete for big things. So I think the players are starting to realise little by little.

‘But it is a process – and a process we can’t push too much. If you do that, you can go down. But if you don’t push, you won’t move forward. So there is a right moment to push, and a moment where you need to stay away.

'It’s a massive process. If you have kids or children - and today with a new generation of young guys – it is so important. Like with our kids, sometimes you can push and you put too much pressure. Sometimes you need to give them freedom to realise it is difficult to progress in a certain way.

‘And sometimes you need to make them believe they can manage their own decisions. It’s a very important psychological plan and strategy.’

The head coach was also keen to praise his Aston Villa counterpart, Unai Emery, with their relationship dating back over two decades.

‘I think [Emery] is one of the best coaches in the world,’ Pochettino added.

‘I have known him from 15 years ago when I started my career, and he was already a coach. He started very young and I have the respect that maybe sometimes there isn’t here. For me, he is one of the top five great coaches because I think he is an unbelievable coach.

‘If you ask me for a coach I say him, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, Diego Simeone and Jose Mourinho – these guys are some of the greatest coaches.’