Mauricio Pochettino explains decision to take off Tottenham Hotspur’s Serge Aurier

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Tottenham Hotspur beat APOEL 3-0 in Champions League action last night.

Mauricio Pochettino has insisted to Football.London that his reason for taking Tottenham Hotspur defender Serge Aurier off against APOEL was purely because he wanted to change system.

Aurier was withdrawn in the second-half of the contest, with Fernando Llorente coming on the replace the right-back.

The Ivorian had struggled at times, and looked susceptible defensively throughout the contest.

But Pochettino has insisted that his decision to take Aurier off was simply because he wanted to get two strikers on the pitch.

He said: “I wanted to change the system. I didn’t think we were playing well in that moment. It was good to change, but not because I wasn’t happy with Aurier. You change the system and you need to allow someone to go.”

Aurier joined Tottenham from PSG for a fee valued at £23 million by The Sun, and he has made a mixed start in North London.

Aurier has looked bright going forward, but he was sent off during Spurs’ last Premier League match against West Ham United.

Pochettino will feel that his decision to take Aurier off was justified, as it helped Tottenham pick up a 3-0 victory over APEOL.

The Lilywhites are now in a commanding position in their Champions League group, after winning their first two matches in the competition.