"No, we are going to select the best to try and win," Pochettino replied when asked if he will make wholesale alterations to his side against Leicester.

"For sure maybe we are going to do some changes but to try to win. The most important game now is Sunday and when we finish Sunday it is Wednesday.

"But we are going to try and pick the best starting XI to win (against Leicester) for sure."

Tottenham went into the weekend just five points off the top of the table, despite missing both Harry Kane and Dele Alli through injury in recent weeks.

They also had to contend with Son Heung-min travelling to represent South Korea in the Asian Cup, while uncertainty over the move to their new stadium also hangs over the club.

With all of those circumstances working against them, Pochettino hailed the collective character of his players heading into the Leicester game.

"We feel so proud and with all the circumstances the team is doing fantastically, the performance of the squad is unbelievable," he said.

"Football is a collective sport and we are showing great character, personality and very good quality, fighting against big sides and being in a position that's very close to the top.

"We hope to keep going in the same direction, trying to get the best results to try to be competitive and at the end, to fight for big things."

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