Tottenham Hotspur head into November in the unusual position of being mentioned as potential Premier League title winners this season.
New manager Ange Postecoglou has sparked a remarkable transformation at Spurs, with the team top of the standings with 26 points from their first ten matches.
The early season form has got the bookmakers running for cover, with Tottenham now priced at just 10/1 to secure what many people believe would be an unlikely title success.
However, if you are inclined to bet on football online, you may well think that Tottenham are a completely different proposition under Postecoglou.
The Australian already has plenty of silverware on his CV, albeit in leagues and competitions that critics deride as being inferior to the Premier League.
Despite this, it is impossible not to look in a favourable light at the work Postecoglou has done at Tottenham. The question is, can he keep it going?
Some sceptics argue that Tottenham have had a favourable fixture list during the early part of the campaign, but closer inspection suggests that viewpoint may be misguided.
Trips to Bournemouth, Burnley and Luton Town clearly fell into the category of ‘banker away wins’ and Postecoglou’s side got the job done.
Visits to Brentford and Crystal Palace were less clear cut on paper, with both teams perfectly capable of giving any Premier League side a run for their money on their own patch.
Tottenham took four points from those two games to demonstrate their new-found resilience, but it was their other away performance which was the most noteworthy.
They twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at Arsenal to highlight they may actually be genuine title contenders under Postecoglou.
Their home form also suggests they could remain in the mix as the season progresses, with victories over Manchester United, Sheffield United, Liverpool and Fulham making them just one of four teams with a perfect home record up to this point.
Having safely navigated their way through the early part of the campaign without losing a league game, Tottenham will be eager to hang onto top spot over the next few weeks.
The next four fixtures will be an excellent pointer to Tottenham’s title chances, and the fans will be able to start dreaming about silverware if they emerge unscathed.
They kick things off at home to Chelsea next Monday and will fancy their chances of defeating a team that is massively underperforming under former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.
The Blues were toothless in their recent home defeat against Brentford and may struggle to break down a Spurs team that has looked solid defensively this term.
A trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers the following weekend will not be easy, with the Midlands side currently in the midst of a five-game unbeaten run.
Wolves’ 2-1 home victory over Manchester City during that period highlights why it would be foolish for Spurs to underestimate the threat posed by Gary O’Neil’s side.
If Spurs can pick up six points from those two games, they will hope the international break doesn’t halt their momentum when they host Aston Villa on November 26.
Villa have been in fine form under manager Unai Emery this season and will present a stern challenge, although it is worth noting they tend to be stronger on their own patch.
Tottenham round off what could be a crucial period for their Premier League title ambitions by travelling to face Man City on December 3. If they can take something from that game to add to a productive November, Spurs will be well and truly in the title race.
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