Eric Dier does not want to look back on these years playing for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur with regret at never having won a trophy.

This is Dier’s third season at Spurs and in each of the first two he came painfully close to winning something. In 2015 Spurs lost the final of the Capital One Cup to Chelsea at Wembley. In 2016 they should have won the Premier League but allowed Leicester City to get away from them.

Now, after winning six games in a row, including a master-class against Chelsea last week, Spurs are looking better than ever. Going into the second half of the season they are third in the Premier League, into the last-32 of the Europa League and, having beaten Aston Villa yesterday, the fourth round of the FA Cup.

For a club which has not won a trophy for nine years, this is another crucial season for Tottenham. To miss out again, with such a good manager, and so many players playing so well, would be hard to take.

“Football is about winning trophies,” Dier said after Sunday’s game. “If you asked us later on in life and we had not won a trophy with the squad we have now, and the basis that gives us to do that if in five years’ time that had not happened then everyone would be disappointed. We have got to keep working hard and improving as there is still a lot we can work on before we reach that level, and the whole squad is desperate to win trophies.”

Last season Spurs stayed in the Europa League until March before being knocked out by Borussia Dortmund, by which point the players were too tired to maintain the same standards in the Premier League. The challenge this year will be to stay in the Europa League and FA Cup while not tiring the players, until it is clear in the spring which will be Spurs’ likeliest title.

“It’s very difficult [to compete on three fronts],” Dier said. “The FA Cup difficult, because it is a knockout, and when you play lower-league teams with nothing to lose, they will throw everything at you. In a one-off game anything can happen. But that is our aim, to stay in every competition as long as possible and fight on all fronts.”

To that end Pochettino made nine changes on Sunday from the team that steam-rollered Chelsea 2-0 on Wednesday. Dier and Toby Alderweireld were the only two who kept their places and Dier, tellingly, was made captain. This means that the first teamers – Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama, Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Christian Eriksen and Hugo Lloris – should be maximally fresh when West Bromwich Albion come to White Hart Lane on Saturday lunchtime.

Tottenham potential January transfers Show all 8 1 /8 Tottenham potential January transfers Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Bruma Spurs have been heavily linked with the Portuguese winger who was once hailed as the next Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite not living up to this yet, the 22-year-old has been in good form for Turkish giants Galatasaray this term, netting five whilst also creating five in 16 outings. AFP/Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Jacob Murphy Young Norwich midfielder has attracted interest from some top Premier League sides for his performances in the first half of the season. It is thought that Spurs will be fighting Liverpool for the Canaries’ youth product’s signature. Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Saido Berahino Ever since throwing a deadline-day strop back in 2015, after the Baggies rejected two bids from Tottenham, the 23-year-old attacker has failed to work his way back into Tony Pulis’ side. Berahino said he’d never play for his employers again on Twitter, and it could be likely that a move is imminent for the striker. Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Ross Barkley Reports are suggesting that Spurs are expressing an interest in Barkley, whose contract expires in 18 months. Barkley has failed to live up to expectations under Ronald Koeman this campaign and it’s thought his time with the Toffees could be up. Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Max Meyer German attacking midfielder Meyer is regarded as one of the hottest young talents in European football. However, in a hugely disappointing season from Schalke, Meyer hasn’t produced the goods that his employers would expect of him which may allow Spurs to get him cheaper. Bongarts/Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers IN: Wilfried Zaha Tottenham wanted to bring the former Manchester United winger to White Hart Lane in the summer but were left rebuffed when their advances were rejected. That isn’t expected to deter them however and it is believed that they will come back in for Zaha in January, who is on international duty for Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations this month. It is unlikely that Palace would cut ties with their main man, though, considering the relegation dog fight they face. Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers OUT: Tom Carroll Carroll has grown up in the Tottenham youth academy but has failed to burst his way on to the scene with the club, continuously being sent out on loan. The same might happen in January, after featuring only three times for Spurs this campaign, and it is likely a lot of Championship clubs will be looking to sign the 24-year-old. Getty Images Tottenham potential January transfers OUT: Harry Winks Mauricio Pochettino has shown faith in the 20-year-old this season and he really does look like a promising player for Spurs. Featuring on 12 occasions in the league this term, mostly from the bench, the Argentinian coach may want to loan him out so he can play on a more regular basis. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

Dier played in a midfield two with Harry Winks, at the heart of a 3-4-3 system which initially struggled to break Villa down. Only when Pochettino switched to 4-2-3-1 did they find a way through. But Dier enjoyed returning to midfield, having spent much of this season back at centre-back, either in the absence of Alderweireld, or playing on the right of a three.

Dier said that he enjoys moving around the pitch to develop his game. “I enjoy the challenge of playing different positions, learning different positions,” he said. “It’s something that will definitely help me in the future and something I’ve spoken about with the manager.”

Dier captained Spurs during Sunday's FA Cup victory over Aston Villa (Getty)

But what Dier especially enjoyed was wearing the armband, and it is not hard to see him doing it more in the future. “I hope so, maybe one day,” Dier said. “We have some fantastic captains here at the moment but I’m still young, hopefully one day maybe I will get that honour but I am focused on playing for Tottenham, nothing else.”