Fielding questions at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground, Mauricio Pochettino looked momentarily baffled upon being asked to describe what kind of animal his team plays like. Upon being reminded that the Watford manager, Quique Sánchez Flores, had highlighted Tottenham’s bestial qualities in his lavish praise of “the best” team his vanquished side had faced so far this season, the Spurs manager looked amused. “Like lions, this is what all managers want and expect from their players, to feel and play,” he enthused. “Or horses. Or tigers.”

The comparison might have been garbled but the message was clear. Tottenham’s whip-cracking ringmaster has every reason to feel pride in his young lions, six of whom were called up for Roy Hodgson’s Thursday England get-together at St George’s Park. Traditionally renowned for being about as fierce as field mice, second-placed Spurs take on Manchester City on Sunday and have every right to feel bullish about their chances of taking three points from their fellow title contenders in a match Pochettino described as “important but not decisive”.

Tottenham travel to Manchester on the back of six straight wins – four of them in the Premier League – safe in the knowledge that on their day they have the comfortable beating of City. In September’s corresponding fixture at White Hart Lane, they subjected their visitors to a 4-1 mauling and, despite wearying legs and the imminence of a potential fixture pile-up, Pochettino is hopeful they can maintain their current intensity throughout every game.

“This is one of our challenges for the next period, the next three months,” he said, mindful of the fact the Premier League leaders, Leicester, have 13 matches left this season, while his team could face many more.

“We try for that, in our plan from the beginning of the season, from the pre-season, to try to provide the tools to the players to be consistent during the whole season. That is not only our objective. All the staff are concerned about that, are trying to give the better condition to keep the level through the whole season.”

After beginning his comparisons in the zoo, Pochettino soon rerouted them to the orchestra pit; he was in relaxed mood and it was that kind of day. Having likened the Manchester City striker Sergio Agüero to Mozart, he was asked if Kevin Wimmer, the centre-back tasked with stopping Agüero in the absence of the injured Jan Vertonghen, would be up to the job of upsetting the composure of the Argentinian composer.

“Yes of course, because he comes from Austria,” he explained. “There are a lot of big musicians [from there], always classical. It is a big test not only for Kevin but for the team, for the squad. Every time that you challenge one of the best players or teams, it is always a big challenge. But it is a collective challenge, not an individual one. But I understand that is maybe the position, he needs to challenge one of the best strikers in the world.”

With his own star very much in the ascendant, Pochettino was quick to empathise with Manuel Pellegrini, his opposite number at Manchester City who heads into the remainder of the season knowing that even if he masterminds a quadruple for his team, he will still be out of a job.

“I try to show and send my solidarity and to be with him,” said Pochettino, going on to point out that the Chilean is “one of the best managers in the world” and “a strong man”. As strong as an ox? He didn’t say.