LONDON -- Mauricio Pochettino has told Arsene Wenger to focus on his own club and says it was a "mistake" for the Arsenal manager to have a dig at Tottenham Hotspur.
On Tuesday, Wenger suggested that Arsenal were judged by different standards to the likes of Spurs and Liverpool, claiming the media "celebrate teams who haven't been in a final for 25 years and kill us," before the Gunners beat Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final.
Pochettino insisted he has nothing but respect for the Frenchman but reminded him that football is about more than simply winning silverware.
"I'm so young and only five years in the Premier League, in two clubs Southampton and Tottenham, but there's no point to talk about another team," Pochettino told a news conference.
"Praise? Of course we receive praise. Football is not only to win trophies, it's the circumstances of different clubs. For me he is and will always be one of the best managers in the world, I respect him, but I think he needs to talk for himself and for Arsenal.
"I always gave and will give the full credit for what he's achieved at Arsenal in more than 20 years. Before playing them, I praise him a lot and I remember I always said five years is a good manager to stay in the same club, 10 years because you are fantastic but more than 20 is special.
"For me he is a special manager, but everyone sometimes makes a mistake and for me he made a mistake to talk about us or a different team."
Pochettino's team can advance their quest for a first trophy since 2008 in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round match at League Two side Newport County, and the Spurs boss warned his players against complacency.
Newport share Rodney Parade with two rugby teams -- Newport RFC and Dragons -- and Pochettino said: "Today they are playing a rugby match. It is not an easy pitch but will not complain about the pitch.
"It will be tough, it's not about going there and thinking just because we are Tottenham we are going to win. That is important. We need to show massive respect to the opponent. In my mind, it's not a League Two team. It's our opponent, I don't care about their level. We need to give our best or we're going to have a massive problem.
"I saw their last game in the FA Cup against Leeds United. They're a very physical team, with some quality players, and in the end the motivation will be massive for them. Of course, it will be a very tough and dangerous game. We are aware but another thing is to be concentrated and focused and ready to fight. It will be a big battle.
"[We need to] put ourselves in the same level as them, same motivation. No complaints, no excuses, try to believe we're going to play against Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Juve in the Champions League. If we're not ready to compete from the beginning, we're going to struggle.
"Of course, at some point we have struggled [against lower-league opposition] -- every manager and player with a long career. That's why football is so beautiful and such an amazing sport. In different sports, if you are at some level, the level below you can never match you or beat you. But in football, Premier League, League One, League Two, Championship, in one game, all can happen.
"That's why it's the most popular sport in the world, that's why it's such a special sport. That's why I love football."
Spurs last faced Newport in 1960, a year before they won an historic double, and Pochettino added: "History is so important -- in life, in football, in everything. We need to create our own history. With history, you're not going to win titles.
"You need to create something special and win. You don't win with history, you win with present. With players, staff, managers, everyone that's involved today."
Pochettino will assess Toby Alderweireld (hamstring), Danny Rose (knee), Erik Lamela (gluteus), Christian Eriksen (flu), Hugo Lloris (flu), Serge Aurier (calf) and Harry Winks (ankle) on Friday ahead of the trip to South Wales.