This season’s race to the Premier League title has been one of the most enthralling in recent memory. Bottom of the table just over a year ago and looking likely to make a quick return to the second division, Leicester City now sit top of the summit with the end in sight.
However, this title race could yet take another turn. With a commanding 4-0 win away at Stoke on Monday, Tottenham made up ground on the leaders after Claudio Ranieri’s team dropped points at home against West Ham and will be without talismanic striker Jamie Vardy who faces a two game ban. Spurs now just sit five points off top with four games left to play.
Leicester are still favourites, but have begun to falter as they hit the final stretch. Tottenham, on the other hand, are flying.
Before making a cold, wet night in Stoke resemble a walk in the park, Tottenham blitzed Manchester United a week prior. A week before that they come away with a point at Anfield against a resurgent Liverpool. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have looked like champions and will head into their final four fixtures with the belief they can beat anybody.
This is the Premier League though, and no game is a given. West Bromwich Albion are a prototypical Tony Pulis side; tough to break down, physical and unwavering in their attempt to keep a clean sheet. Defending champions Chelsea are a shadow of the side that took the crown but have shown themselves capable of showing up for London derbies at least.
Southampton are finishing strongly and their encounters against Spurs have spiced up since Pochettino left his post there for pastured new in North London. The final game will come against a Newcastle side that could still be fighting for their top flight lives. No one said it’s easy to be crowned king.
Leicester have shown signs of slowing down – they were fortunate to be handed a penalty right at the death to salvage a point against West Ham. Eight days prior they scraped past struggling Sunderland with the relegation battlers having plenty of chances to win.
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Vardy’s absence could not come at a worse time. His 22 goals have been a huge contributor to the title bid but his desire and willingness to fight for every ball sets the mood for the rest of his team. They should sweep past Swansea without their star striker but they then face difficult games against Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea.
Tottenham could come to regret their January defeat to Leicester if the Foxes clinch the Premier League title. Minutes after Harry Kane hit the bar with the chance to put his team ahead, Robert Huth headed home truthfully. Spurs would now be top had that sequence of events played out in their favour.
Pochettino has seen his Tottenham side improve with each passing week. His transformation of a backline seemingly never far away from disaster, to the best defence in the league has been key. This has been coupled with being the league’s top scorers with 64 goals. As the season comes into the clutch, his attacking quadrant of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Dele Alli have truly begun to gel.
Dele Alli in the Premier League this season:
Goals: 10
Assists: 9 pic.twitter.com/M1UK9RwI6Q— TheSPORTbible (@TSBible) April 19, 2016
Backed up by the calmness and strength of Moussa Dembélé and Eric Dier, Spurs’ front four have formed an impressive partnership. Their slick passing, smart movement and one touch play carved apart a usually stringent Stoke defence with ease.
The front four are a nightmare to deal with, pulling defenders here-and-there all game knowing they will open up space for a teammate or be found themselves if they lose their marker. Their combination of relentless hard work off the ball and intelligence on it is deadly.
Lamela could face a ban of his own after appearing to catch Marko Arnautović with a forearm on Monday night. His lack of self-control, especially in a game his team is cruising in, is something his manager needs to address. Two years ago, the Argentine’s lack of involvement was somewhat of a relief. Now it could prove costly.
Tottenham have the quality to win their first league title since 1961. If they can keep their cool and Leicester slip, they could very well prove to be the perfect villain to English football’s fairy tale.
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