Mauricio Pochettino has laid down the gauntlet to Serge Aurier and told him to make the right-back slot his.
The Ivory Coast international was thrown into the starting XI for the game against Crystal Palace and turned in a superb display – as he provided a constant attacking threat down the right and weighed in with an assist and the cross that led to Patrick Van Aanholt’s own goal.
There had been a clamour for Aurier to start and Pochettino listened to a lot of Tottenham fans and selected the former PSG man, and he did not disappoint.
However, his manager now wants him to produce consistent performances and make himself the starting right-back.
The Argentine said that he was thrilled with Aurier’s concentration and focus but that he must not let the intensity drop.
Pochettino also claimed he did not see a quote from France that suggested Aurier believes he has “No competition” for the right-back slot.
Certainly, Aurier provided the most assured performance by any Spurs right-back this season, and crucially he was also a brilliant attacking threat all afternoon, and if he can continue like this for the rest of the season, then it is hard to see either Kyle Walker-Peters or Juan Foyth getting a sniff at the right-back position.