DEANDRE YEDLIN is desperately hoping Tottenham win the Premier League title this season, but the Sunderland loanee insists he has no regrets about swapping the upper echelons of the table for a relegation battle at the Stadium of Light.

Yedlin left Spurs to sign a season-long loan on Wearside in September and, since then, his permanent employers have gone from strength to strength. Mauricio Pochettino’s side host Fiorentina in the last-32 of the Europa League this evening, and also currently sit in second position in the Premier League, just two points behind surprise league leaders Leicester City.

The contrast to Sunderland’s circumstances could hardly be starker with the Black Cats still rooted in the relegation zone despite their recent 2-1 win over Manchester United.

Had Yedlin remained at White Hart Lane, his game time would almost certainly have been limited, with Pochettino able to call on both Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier at right-back. Even if the American had been able to force his way up the pecking order at Spurs though, he still regards his summer switch to Sunderland as the best move for his career.

“Things have worked out the way they have, and that’s how I’m going to go along with it,” said Yedlin, who will hope to retain his place in the Black Cats’ starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to West Ham. “I’m really happy with the way things have worked out because I’ve enjoyed the lads here, I’ve enjoyed my game-time here and I’m going to keep pushing.

“Will I be a better player for this experience? Yes, 100 per cent. I feel like I’ve improved immensely in terms of my defending, not only in one-versus-ones but also with my positioning.

“I’m learning from guys like Younes (Kaboul), (John) O’Shea and Wes (Brown), all guys who have been at top teams and been through it all. So it’s a great experience for me.”

Nevertheless, Yedlin readily admits to cheering Tottenham on from afar as they challenge for what would be their first top-flight title since 1961.

Leicester might have been dominating the headlines thanks to their remarkable rise to top spot, but the story of Spurs’ resurgence under Pochettino has been just as impressive.

In Harry Kane and Dele Alli, the White Hart Lane side boast two of the brightest talents in the English game, with Pochettino’s faith in the young players at his disposal having been rewarded handsomely all season.

As things stand, Yedlin is due to return to North London when his loan expires in the summer. Whether Pochettino can find a place for him in his first-team squad remains to be seen, but while the 22-year-old defender insists it is too early to be firming up plans for the future, his admiration for what has been happening at Tottenham is clear to see.

“They’ve been unbelievable, especially given the age of their players,” he said. “It’s such a young team. What Pochettino has done there is incredible, it’s definitely a team for the future if all those guys can stay there.

“Will I be a part of that? Honestly, whatever happens, happens. That’s kind of how my thought process has always been.

“If my path is with Tottenham then it’s with Tottenham. I’m very happy, I’m going to fight and do all I can to help them. If not, then whatever team I’m with, I’m going to fight for them. That’s always how my mind has been.”

For the time being, that means doing everything he can to assist Sunderland’s attempts to claw their way out of the bottom three in the 12 games that remain.

The recent win over Manchester United might not have improved Sam Allardyce’s side’s league position, but it transformed the prevailing mood on Wearside and strengthened hopes of another successful ‘Great Escape’ to go along with the ones that were achieved under Gus Poyet and Dick Advocaat.

Win at Upton Park in Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off, and Sunderland will be guaranteed to be out of the relegation zone for at least a couple of hours, by which time Norwich will have completed their tricky assignment at Leicester.

Psychologically, the value of leaving the bottom three for the first time since November would be considerable, and while Sunderland looked dead and buried a month or so ago, the lesson from the first six months of the season is that it is best to expect the unexpected.

“The thing about this season is that unbelievable things are happening,” said Yedlin. “Anything can happen, and we’re happy with the way things have been going.

“The new signings have come in and made us an even better side, and obviously any time that happens, your team’s going to gain confidence.

“I think when we’re a team, when we have confidence, we’re a very good team. We can compete in this league. We just need to keep this momentum going, and keep working for the last stretch of the season.”