Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks has batted away suggestions the damaging 3-1 defeat to Wolves was another example of failing to perform under pressure.
Spurs capitulated in the final 18 minutes at Wembley to sink to a loss that saw them drift nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool – a potentially fatal blow in the title race.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have often let themselves down at important moments over recent years and have acquired the tag ‘Spursy’, which is readily used on social media when they do not win a big game.
Their detractors came out in force after Saturday’s loss, but Winks insisted it is the belief inside the camp which is important.
He said: “Listen, when people say that on social media, that is their own opinion, they are entitled to that.
“But inside the club we know how good we are, we know how far we can go, we have belief, regardless of the result.
“We are doing really well. We have had one defeat since Arsenal away. We are doing so well.
“We have had some fantastic results in the Champions League and the Premier League and it is important to remember how well we are doing and we don’t get carried away with a defeat.”
That defeat, though, will make it extremely difficult for Tottenham to overhaul Liverpool in the title race as they are now nine points behind the unbeaten Anfield club, who are showing no signs of faltering.
Winks is taking a positive outlook.
“It shows how well we are doing this year to be considered title contenders and to be sitting here disappointed that we aren’t closer to the top than we’d expect, it just shows us how far we have come and how well we are doing,” he said.
“We have high expectations ourselves and if we don’t come away with a win against Wolves at home we get frustrated at that. It just shows how high our standards are set at the moment and how ambitious we are.”
Spurs get the chance to bounce back against Cardiff on New Year’s Day and Winks insists the squad are determined to put the Wolves result right.
“We said before the game that it was must-win so to come away with a defeat is a down dressing room – everyone is fuming but it is football,” Winks added. “We have to bounce back against Cardiff on the first.
“We are still in the race, we have had some great results, we can’t get too down about this, we have to get ourselves ready for the next game and bounce back with a win.”