Mauricio Pochettino says it is too early for Tottenham to be considered title challengers despite his side leapfrogging champions Manchester City into second as the Premier League reached the halfway point.

A 5-0 win over Bournemouth as City lost at Leicester saw Spurs complete their best ever first half of a Premier League season, turning the corner on 45 points, six shy of leaders Liverpool and one clear of Pep Guardiola’s side.

Against a summer without investment, persistent injury problems and being in limbo as to when a move to the new stadium will come about, Spurs have come from fifth to the midst of a title race within just eight weeks, scoring 11 goals in their last two games while doing so.

Pochettino, though, is not getting ahead of himself.

“The players deserve massive credit because without belief it is impossible to be where we are today,” Pochettino said.

“We have faith, clear ideas and of course now the challenge is to keep that level and try to increase. When you are there you start to show your face, everyone wants to kill you and of course it is tougher when you are higher. But of course, we need to keep in the same way; humble, working hard and knowing that each game is going to be tougher than the one before.

“If we are capable at the end to keep our level, maybe we can talk at the end of the season that we are real challengers but today is so early to talk about if we are or not real contenders for the title.”

He added: “We are so happy but [it has] not surprised me because always we are focussed on us, never the opponent. We are happy because we are in a good position, but to be honest it doesn’t mean too much to us to be second or third, or first, I think the most important thing is where you finish in May.”

Having become the first team in Premier League history not to add to their squad during a summer, many tipped Tottenham to struggle against the might of City and Liverpool this season.

Pochettino and his side have gone on, so far at least, to make a mockery of those suggestions, but the Argentine said it was completely normal to see their season being a struggle back in August.

“From the beginning it was normal to have a different opinion in football because if you see the history, all the clubs tried to improve in the summer and it is no point a team like Tottenham that finished in the top four last season not sign players,” Pochettino said.

“It's not because you look silly, that was a normal opinion and we accept that opinion. But when you take the decision you need to be positive and you need to try to give your best to the team.

“In six months we never complain about anything. We no complain about no signings, we no complain about the stadium, we no complain about the fixture, we no complain about come to play at Wembley when the plan was to play in the new stadium and the pitch because Wembley was booked for the season, the fans very disappointed - many, many things.

“But one thing we have kept is the belief and been positive, we created a bubble and now that is paying [off] and we are I think in that position because we work a lot.

“First of all the players, they really believe in what we proposed to work and to play and of course all the staff and the areas of the club deserve credit. Still we are halfway of the season, but to break records like the best first half in the Premier League and many things that can make us very proud.

“Of course the opinion, if we go back six months ago, was a normal opinion that I totally agree or accept that opinion.”

As Pochettino says, the focus will remain on themselves and the visit of Wolves on Saturday, but many in the Spurs camp would not be human if they weren’t watching and willing Arsenal to do some damage at Anfield this weekend, as strange as that would feel.