MAURICIO POCHETTINO DODGED questions about speculation linking him with the Manchester United manager’s job, amusingly putting his secrecy down to not wanting to upset Tottenham’s head of communications.

Pochettino saw his team demolish Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday to move within two points of second-placed Manchester City, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min scoring two goals each in a devastating display of fluid football.

It came at the end of a week dominated by talk linking Pochettino with a move to United after they sacked Jose Mourinho, and such an attack-minded performance will only intensify such debate.

Spurs’ head of communications Simon Felstein shut down questions about United in Thursday’s news conference, and Pochettino said he did not want to risk upsetting his colleague by answering on Sunday.

Pochettino told reporters: “I think it’s fantastic to win the game and the fans are happy to start the Christmas period that way.

“There’s a lot of rumours. I don’t want this guy [Felstein] to become upset again.”

Spurs’ 6-2 win proved a fitting result for Pochettino as it came on his 26th wedding anniversary, and he dedicated the victory to his partner.

“It’s my present for my wife,” he told Sky Sports. “We got married 26 years ago, and that’s a fantastic way to celebrate tonight.”

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