Pochettino relishes meeting 'good friend' Emery
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is looking forward to meeting Arsenal boss Unai Emery, after both sides were drawn to face each other in the League Cup quarter-finals.
Both teams won their respective round-of-16 clashes yesterday morning (Singapore time).
Tottenham beat West Ham 3-1 with Son Heung Min scoring in each half, while Arsenal saw off Blackpool 2-1 to book their place in the last-eight against their north London rivals.
"It will be such an exciting game," Pochettino said just after the quarter-final draw for the League Cup.
"I am so excited to play and to face Arsenal. And of course Unai Emery, he is a very good friend of ours, and he has a great coaching staff.
"He's a top manager with top coaching staff, I have big, big respect for them. And of course, he is doing a great job and he is going to do a great job at Arsenal."
Both managers, who had faced off against each other while managing in La Liga, will meet twice next month.
Besides the League Cup quarter-final scheduled for the week of Dec 17, their teams will also clash in this season's first North London Derby on Dec 2.
Pochettino made several changes after his side lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the English Premier League at Wembley 48 hours earlier, but his side carved out a two-goal lead through South Korean Son.
He put Spurs ahead after 16 minutes with a left-footed shot into the top corner from just inside the area, after fine build-up play involving Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.
England midfielder Alli provided the assist for the second goal, but West Ham's Arthur Masuaku was at fault as he fluffed an attempt to block the pass, leaving Son to slot home in the 54th minute.
West Ham pulled a goal back with a header from substitute Lucas Perez, but Spurs' Spanish striker Fernando Llorente ended the contest with a fine close-range volley from a corner 15 minutes from time.
Second-tier Middlesbrough also reached the next round with a 1-0 win over EPL side Crystal Palace as manager Tony Pulis got one over his former club, thanks to a thunderbolt finish from Lewis Wing, reported Reuters.
LEAGUE CUP Q-FINAL DRAW
- Arsenal v Tottenham
- Leicester/Southampton v Man City/Fulham
- Middlesbrough v Burton Albion
- Chelsea v Bournemouth
* To be played in the week of Dec 17
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