Could Pochettino be under pressure if Spurs finish outside the top 6?

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Tottenham are currently seventh in the Premier League table behind Burnley and rivals Arsenal.

Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected during the Premier League match against Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur are in seventh position in the Premier League table following a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City in their last outing.

That result was already Spurs’ fifth loss of the season having played 18 games, despite only being beaten four times in total in the entirety of 2016/17.

Hugo Lloris of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected after Manchester City score their second during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are currently behind Burnley in the standings, while improved Leicester City and Everton teams under new management sit five and six points behind them respectively.

It is far from a crisis, but is also probably not where most people predicted Tottenham would be at this point having finished third and second over the past two campaigns and having the best record of the entire division during the same period.

However, should the North Londoners find themselves outside the top six by the end of 2017/18 would there be uncertainty about whether Pochettino – who has been greatly praised since taking charge as boss in 2014 – should continue in his job?

Mauricio Pochettino, manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on prior to the Premier League match against Manchester City.

It would seem harsh, especially when the issues associated with playing home matches at Wembley Stadium while the new White Hart Lane is built is taken into account, but then when has football management really appeared to be fair?

A decent Champions League run after topping their group in impressive style would count in Pochettino’s favour, although with Italian champions Juventus up next in the last-16 that is far from a foregone conclusion.

That could leave the FA Cup as their final chance to impress and of course much can, and probably will, change between now and May, but for the first time since making the switch from Southampton the Argentine could be feeling the pinch.