Manchester City and Chelsea spending can't be rivalled - but Spurs are equals on the pitch, insists Vertonghen

Jan Vertonghen says Tottenham cannot compete with their Premier League rivals’ outlandish spending – but Spurs can match them on the pitch.

A Harry Kane hat-trick on Sunday secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Craven Cottage and booked the Lilywhites’ place in the FA Cup quarter-finals, where they will host another London rival, Millwall.

Mauricio Pochettino and his players will fancy their chances of overcoming the League One outfit at White Hart Lane and progressing to the semi-finals.

And Belgian international Vertonghen feels the current squad are ready to lift trophies and compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

[READ MORE: Harry Kane hat-trick sees Spurs stroll to FA Cup quarter-finals]

“We played a final against Chelsea at Wembley [in the Capital One Cup] a couple of years ago and we want more of that,” said the 29-year-old defender, who returned from injury against Fulham.

“I won some silverware at Ajax and it’s the best thing there is in football. I think this team and the technical staff deserve a trophy with this club.

“We’ve improved a lot [since our last final]. It’s only two years but we’ve got stronger. The gaffer has had time to work with us and we understand the way he wants us to play. We’re a lot stronger than then and we’ve shown that in the last couple of years.

“I think money-wise you can’t compare [with teams like Chelsea and Manchester City] but on the pitch the team is as strong as theirs, definitely.”

[AS IT HAPPENED: Fulham 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3]

Pochettino has picked a surprising number of his best players in the last two matches, selecting Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Victor Wanyama and Toby Alderweireld against both Gent in Thursday’s last-32 Europa League tie and then Fulham on Sunday.

“I think the manager understands the importance of the Europa League and the FA Cup as well and it’s good we take it very seriously,” said Vertonghen.

“We want to win both and compete in the league as well, and I think our team is fit enough to cope with these things. I can only talk for myself but I like to play as many games as possible and maybe [it’s the same for] the other guys as well.

“It’s good to rotate a couple of players like [Kyle] Walker and [Eric] Dier this time. Next time maybe it will be two or three others.”

Vertonghen’s return from injury at Fulham was welcome, as Tottenham had struggled in his absence.

Spurs were cruising to a 4-0 home win over West Bromwich Albion on January 14 when the 29-year-old limped off with an ankle injury – but they only won two of their following six matches while he was sidelined and suffered back-to-back defeats against Liverpool and Gent immediately before his comeback.

“When I got injured we were playing very well,” said Vertonghen. “It was the West Brom game and we had a couple of big results after.

“There were a couple of tough games. With me, without me is the same thing – Sunderland away, Liverpool, Manchester City away are all tough games to play. But I’m happy to be back now and hopefully we can get back to winning ways.

[READ MORE: 5 learning points from Tottenham’s 3-0 win at Fulham]

“Playing 90 minutes after five weeks out isn’t tricky but you never know what you’re going to get, so I’m happy.

“I’m used to ankle recoveries now and I worked very hard with the medical staff. All went very well, I didn’t have any setbacks so hopefully it will stay like this until the end of the season.”

Vertonghen’s centre-back partner Toby Alderweireld was pleased to be reunited with his team-mate and countryman – and he feels the victory at Fulham was important after the previous setbacks at Anfield and in his homeland on Thursday.

“It’s good of course if you get players back from injury. Everybody knows Jan is an important player,” he said.

[READ MORE: Mauricio Pochettino says ‘crisis talks’ reversed Spurs’ poor fortunes]

“I think it’s important, if you lose two times in a row, to have a good game again. We knew before that it was the FA Cup so it’s always difficult, and in away games as well. I think we played well.

“We just talked to each other after the game in the Europa League and said ‘yeah, we have to change’.

“We knew everyone was trying to get the good feeling back, and one way is to work very hard and try to change it as quickly as possible. I think we showed the desire is there to go to the next round.

“Everyone is trying, everyone is doing their best. Maybe [it’s] just a little bit of sharpness that’s back now. Sometimes it’s all about confidence as well. If you get battered at Liverpool then it’s difficult to change that. Mainly we needed a good result like this to get back on track.

“We have to work hard and the next goal is to go through to the next round of the Europa League [on Thursday], in a full Wembley. We’re looking forward to that, to change the game that we played last Thursday, and to get a good result to go to the next round.”

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