Mauricio Pochettino has called on his Tottenham Hotspur team to respond to their critics after losing 3-0 to Liverpool by beating Sunderland on Saturday.

Pochettino's side suffered their first defeat of the season before the international break as the Reds cruised to victory at White Hart Lane.

"I think we have a tough game against Sunderland," he told the club's official website. "They are a difficult team, [and play in a] difficult stadium but most important thing is how we are.

"It's important to be ready and focused in our job, we are still improving under our philosophy, I expect a tough game.

"It has been a difficult two weeks, but we are ready to play, to make a good game. We expect to be better [than against Liverpool] and win the three points."

Saturday's clash at the Stadium of Light kicks off at 3pm.