Tottenham boss on Dominic Solanke, injury news and Brighton

I think it's fair to say that he had a good season last year. He played a lot of minutes that laid the foundation for this season, because in the beginning of the season, he came back from the ankle injury last year that he just needed time to go.

And you can see now he's literally going from strength to strength and has that extra confidence. You can see there was a situation in the second half where he got the ball from Mo [Kudus] in and around the box, just took it forward inside the box. That's the movement you see from a player that has confidence.

I think the coaches and I have been working with him on a couple of things. He's got so much energy that sometimes you need to say, pause, stop, don't run when we have the ball. And find the higher, the more dangerous positions.

For example, the deep run where he scored the goal against West Ham was a big thing. The deep run where he was involved in the own goal against Villarreal. So those deep runs and arriving in a higher position up the pitch is key, I think.

And then he's learning to be more and more clever in the pressure. We need all his energy and enthusiasm in driving the team, but also how does he need to be goal side when he marks in the man to man and how does he need to close the angles and stuff like that.

April? I think I looked at the table a couple of times after one of the last games. I remember thinking ‘oh is that team that low or that high?’ because I’m not looking at it. I’m trying to focus on ourselves and our performances and what we can do. It’s so easy to get dragged into something you can’t control. The fans should dream and hope, that is what football is about.

I also dream but I’m a little bit closer to the action so I need to stay level-headed and focused on the next training (session), it needs to be perfect. Like today, it was a very good training (session) with the coaches, the staff and the players. Everything went well and then do what I can to try to win tomorrow.

I rate him super high. I agree with you that he is one of the best centre-backs right now in the world. It clearly helps when you have won the World Cup, Copa America and Europa League final and more things.

But the best are performing consistently week in, week out. Year in, year out. I don’t know Cuti inside out because I have only been here for three months but I have followed him over the years. I definitely see a more mature player and person. Not that he hasn’t been that before. It’s not like it has happened in the last three months. I’m not saying that because he was very good last year and won the World Cup a few years ago.

About that consistency, now I see a player who is very aggressive when he needs to be and is cool and composed when he needs to be. I think he got that rare combination of being super aggressive in a duel and then ‘stand in the box, I need to move two steps, boom do the header.’ That is the top level centre-backs who are doing that.

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