Tottenham 2 Everton 1: Roberto Martinez left irked by 'lucky' Spurs handball

But Pochettino states it was NOT a penalty

It may come as no surprise, but the two opposing managers could not agree on whether Everton should have had a penalty when Federico Fazio, the Tottenham defender, rose in the box and was struck on his raised arm by the ball in Spurs' 2-1 win over the Toffees today.

“It should have been a penalty,” said Everton’s Roberto Martinez. “And a draw would have been the best result.”

Mauricio Pochettino repeated his view three times, to ensure it could not be lost in translation. “It was not a penalty. It was NOT a penalty. I crossed the corridor and watched it on the TV. It was not a penalty,” he said.

He also disagreed with the idea that a draw would have been fair. “I am very pleased, I am very happy. It was an important game for us. Not just the result but also the performance. It wasn’t easy.”

Pochettino has been critical at times of his team’s capacity to fight and win, but not here. “Today it was fantastic – our mentality, our spirit,” he said. “With this spirit and mentality we showed today it is more easy to arrive.”

Martinez thought the game had turned rather more on Tottenham’s good fortune than their fighting spirit.

“We started the better side. And we did the hardest thing in football, which is to score early away from home with a stunning goal.

“Luck plays a big part. The penalty decision in the final minute, that was a big decision,” he added. “There is only a third of the season gone, it is too early to say where we will finish.”