Tottenham fit enough to stay in running on three fronts, says Jan Vertonghen

Jan Vertonghen is convinced Tottenham Hotspur’s squad has the depth in quality to compete on three fronts as the club seeks to prolong interest in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup.

Mauricio Pochettino selected strong lineups for last week’s game at Gent, as well as Sunday’s Cup tie at Fulham, and will do so again on Thursday when Tottenham seek to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit in the return fixture against the Belgian club at Wembley.

Spurs sit third in the top flight and still aspire to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Despite not making any additions to the first team last month, they still consider themselves capable of imposing themselves on three fronts.

“I think the manager understands the importance of the Europa League and the FA Cup, and it’s good we take it very seriously,” Vertonghen said. “We want to win both and compete in the league as well, and I think our team is fit enough to cope with these things. I can only talk for myself but I like to play as many games as possible and maybe the other guys do as well. It’s good to rotate a couple of players, like Kyle Walker and Eric Dier against Fulham. Next time maybe two or three others will rest.”

It is nine years since Spurs won a trophy – when Juande Ramos’s team beat Avram Grant’s Chelsea in the League Cup final at Wembley – and while a financial gulf remains between Tottenham’s capabilities and those of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, the difference has been less evident on the pitch in recent times.

“Money-wise you can’t compare but, on the pitch, our team is as strong as theirs, definitely,” said Vertonghen, who returned from a month out with an ankle injury to play the whole match at Fulham. “We have improved a lot since our last final [again against Chelsea in the 2015 League Cup final] and we’re a lot stronger now.

“The gaffer has had time to work with us and we understand the way he wants us to play. We are a lot stronger than then and we have shown that in the last couple of years. We played a final against Chelsea at Wembley a couple of years ago and we want more of that. I won some silverware at Ajax and it’s the best thing there is in football. I think this team and the technical staff deserve a trophy with this club.”

The 3-0 victory at Fulham was timely after consecutive defeats by Liverpool and Gent, losses that had prompted the squad and management to clear the air in meetings at the club’s Enfield training ground. They were aimed at ensuring Tottenham’s encouraging campaign does not fizzle out in disappointment.

Toby Alderweireld revealed those discussions had centred on “the need to change something”, with the gee-up clearly paying immediate dividends.

“We have been starting quite slow in games and it was just about bringing the desire back to the team, bringing that hunger back to the team, chasing balls down, running in behind,” said Harry Kane, whose fifth career hat-trick saw off Fulham at Craven Cottage.

“Sometimes we need that. We need a reminder of what we are about. Yes, we had a couple a couple of meetings between us and we were glad to go out and put it right.

“Everyone is saying we were having a blip but it was one game away to Liverpool and that loss away at Gent. That is one we can turn around this Thursday. If we do that it’ll make it feel a lot sweeter. Obviously, we are not going to play the whole season perfectly – there are going to be ups and downs – but it is about limiting the bad times and, hopefully, we are now on the up for the rest of the season.”