Why Tottenham could be the side to challenge Manchester City's EPL dominance

The 2018/19 Premier League season is now well upon us and after two thumping victories – first, a one-sided 2-0 win over supposed contenders Arsenal and then a 6-1 mauling of Huddersfield – the question already on every fan’s lips is a simple one – who can stop Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City?

Over the summer, the majority of the talk has centred around Jurgen Klopp’s apparently much-improved Liverpool side, while of course, the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs remains huge.

Despite finishing 3rd last season, most pundits have already ruled out Tottenham’s chances of catching or even overhauling Pep’s men. Most people point towards Mauricio Pochettino’s lack of transfer activity during the summer that saw them add no player to their ranks.

New reports have also emerged that Spurs might not even have a home stadium until 2019 as safety concerns have delayed the project. But despite all this, they have shown plenty of grit and could still be City’s main challengers in 2018/19 – and here are 5 reasons why.

---

#5 They haven’t signed anyone...

Tottenham missed out on top transfer target Jack Grealish

When Tottenham failed to make a single signing in the summer transfer window, Spurs fans and neutrals alike were largely horrified. They became the first side since 2003 to not make a signing in a summer window, and the feeling was that chairman Daniel Levy’s notoriously tough negotiating tactics were to blame.

But in reality, outside of Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, Tottenham didn’t actually have any concrete links to any other players outside of the odd piece of media babble. And unlike his counterpart Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Mauricio Pochettino hardly seemed annoyed by the lack of new players to add to his squad – in public at least.

Curiously then, the fact that Tottenham haven’t signed any new players might actually play into their hands. You could argue that the lack of signings means a lack of competition for places, but that simply isn’t the case – there’s competition throughout the squad, between full-backs Serge Aurier and Kieran Trippier to wide-men Heung-Min Son, Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura.

Instead, it also means that Tottenham’s squad is remarkably settled and nobody needs to embed themselves into Pochettino’s system as they have done previously. Every player in the squad knows exactly what the Argentine wants from them and that knowledge, and the togetherness that the squad has clearly cultivated – makes them the most likely challengers to City’s title.

#4 But they haven’t sold anyone either

Despite his exit being talked about all summer, Toby Alderweireld remains a Spurs player

When Mauricio Pochettino urged Tottenham – and chairman Daniel Levy – to “act bravely” in the summer of 2018, most observers assumed he was subtlety suggesting that Spurs ought to splash the cash and sign some of the world’s best players, just like their title rivals City, United, Liverpool and Chelsea have become known for doing.

Shortly after, Pochettino spurned the advances of Real Madrid and signed a new five-year deal to keep him at Spurs until 2023. When London club then failed to make any new signings, some fans began to suggest that Levy had failed Pochettino’s request for bravery.

Yet, Pochettino doesn't appear fazed with the situation at the club. Perhaps then, the call for bravery was actually referring to another issue within the club. In the past – despite breaking into the Champions League qualifying slots – Tottenham have still retained a reputation as a “selling club”, and have seen star players time after time leave for newer, usually larger pastures.

This has slowed down since Pochettino’s reign began, but as recently as the summer of 2017, key defender Kyle Walker was sold to Manchester City. But this summer has been different – despite speculation over much of the squad, from stars Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen to the supposedly disillusioned Danny Rose and Toby Alderweireld, nobody has been allowed to leave.

Surely that constitutes as “bravery” from Levy and Spurs? By not allowing a single player to leave, Tottenham continue to have one of the strongest squads in the league, and more importantly, they haven’t helped any rivals strengthen either. That means they’re well-equipped for a title challenge.

#3 Pochettino might have some hidden aces up his sleeve

The return of Harry Winks will help to strengthen Tottenham's squad

The idea that a player returning from injury is “like a new signing” is usually derided as a poor cliché, but in the case of a handful of Tottenham players this season, it might actually ring true.

Brazilian winger Lucas Moura, Argentine attacker Erik Lamela and young England midfielder Harry Winks all struggled with injuries and fitness issues last season, but all three are making their returns in 2018/19 – with Lucas and Lamela already having an impact in Spurs’ first two league victories.

The addition of the trio means Tottenham’s squad is instantly stronger than it was at the end of 2017/18. The bigger picture though could suggest that Mauricio Pochettino may have more hidden aces up his sleeve than some fans believe.

Since his arrival at Tottenham in 2014/15, arguably no other Premier League manager has developed young talent quite as well as the Argentine, with Harry Kane, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier all benefiting massively under his coaching regime. And 2018/19 could be the season that the next wave of talent breaks through.

Youngsters like Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth have already made some appearances for the first team, but Spurs’ pre-season also suggested bright futures for the likes of Oliver Skipp, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Luke Amos – all of whom have been named in Tottenham’s Premier League squad.

Whether any of those five can develop like Kane, Alli or Dier is still a question mark, but if any manager can get the best from his young talent, it is Pochettino. And if some of the youngsters can kick on and strengthen Spurs’ squad, their title challenge will only become stronger in turn.

#2 They still have the best striker in the league

By scoring against Fulham in August, Harry Kane has opened his tally earlier than usual this season

Sure, he missed out on the Golden Boot last season due to Mohamed Salah’s incredible run of goalscoring form, but only a fool would deny that in Harry Kane, Tottenham have the best and most consistent goalscorer in the Premier League today.

You simply can’t argue with the England captain’s stats – since rising to fame in Pochettino’s first season at Tottenham, he’s scored 105 Premier League goals.

Nailing down the most impressive facet of Kane’s game is tricky – he seems to have no weaknesses when it comes to scoring goals, as he scores as many with his head as he does with either foot. He can shoot from range, poach from inside the box, and he’s got the rare ability to score goals even when he appears to be doing little in terms of the overall game.

After just two games this season he’s already breaking ground – prior to the commencement of 2018/19 season, Kane had never managed to score a goal for the club in August, despite playing 14 games over the last few years. But he’s now broken that duck with his goal against Fulham this weekend, and who now would bet against him scoring more before September rolls in?

With Kane leading the line, it’d be crazy to suggest Tottenham don’t have a chance of overhauling Manchester City. We’ve seen in previous seasons that one incredible striker can be the difference between challenging for and winning the title – witness Robin van Persie for Manchester United in 2012/13 – and so Kane could be that difference for Spurs in 2018/19.

#1 World Cup success has buoyed the squad

Hugo Lloris lifted the World Cup with France - and became just one of Tottenham's players to succeed in Russia

Despite Tottenham fans always suggesting that their players should be considered amongst the best in the world, more cynical observers have tended to come back with the counter-argument that until those players experience true success, then that can’t be the case.

But considering the World Cup as the best barometer for success in football, the argument against Spurs stars can surely no longer exist. Of Tottenham’s current squad, no less than nine players were involved in the four squads that made the World Cup semi-finals, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, of course, lifting the famous trophy as captain of the victorious French squad.

Harry Kane claimed the tournament’s Golden Boot with 6 goals. Outside of those 9, the trio of Christian Eriksen, Heung Min Son and Davinson Sanchez also performed well for their sides prior to their elimination.

In fact, it could be argued that perhaps no other club in Europe saw such a great number of their players performing well and helping their stock to rise at Russia 2018.

With success at the World Cup buoying their squad – while other clubs, including Manchester City, saw some of their players perform poorly at the tournament – the omens are boding well for Pochettino’s Spurs. If their players can rise to the top in football’s biggest tournament, then why could they not rise to the top of the Premier League, too?