Mauricio Pochettino admitted Tottenham’s defeat against Manchester City underlined the gulf between the two sides.
The Premier League champions won 1-0 on a poor surface at Wembley, where Spurs endured a frustrating night.
And boss Pochettino said: “You cannot compare us with Manchester City, we are a different level.
“We have still not achieved the level of Manchester City, it is a team that is focusing on trying to win titles. We are focusing on different things, not only to win games.
“The gap is not big, but we need to respect the gap and we still have not achieved the level of Manchester City.”
Riyad Mahrez scored City’s winner and dedicated the goal to the late owner of his former club Leicester, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed in a helicopter crash on Saturday night.
“It’s been very difficult,” he told Sky Sports. “The boss was very special to me, I spent four-and-a-half years there.
“He was such a good person and I’m very, very sad. That’s why I put my hands in the sky for him.
“He did a lot for me and for Leicester. He was like a dad to us. He had a very big heart. I was heartbroken to hear this news.
“It’s a difficult situation and I’m with Leicester and the families of the victims.
“I always wanted to play, he would have wanted me to play. He was passionate about football.”