PL Preview: Why Are People Ignoring Tottenham and Can They Beat Manchester City?

For a football club that sports a cockerel on its crest, Tottenham Hotspur don’t do much crowing. It is only when writing “Tottenham host a top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City on Sunday” does it dawn that Spurs are second. It’s probably worth reiterating, slowly. Perhaps in a loud clear voice so everyone can hear at the back.

Tottenham Hotspur are second in the Premier League table. This is their best start to a season in over half a century, on the back of a highest-ever Premier League finish of third. A side that last season conceded the joint-fewest goals with Manchester United, and were outscored only by Manchester City, have hit the ground running in difficult circumstances.

For context, this is a Spurs side unbeaten domestically having conceded just three goals all season, despite having been deprived of key men Mousa Dembele, Hugo Lloris, Harry Kane, Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko and Danny Rose at various points already.

Many predicted a thin squad would buckle when injuries and suspension bit—not so far. Still the cockerel does not crow.

In comparison champions Leicester City have lost as many league games this season as they did in the entirety of last term. Maybe it’s not just Jamie Vardy who has taken to drinking port the night before matches.

Given they were so in vogue last season it was rumoured Anna Wintour might replace Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, why is no one talking about Spurs this time around?

Wins against Crystal Palace, Stoke City, Sunderland and Middlesbrough, along with draws against Everton and Liverpool, do not a season make. But it’s a start that deserves more than the sound of no hands clapping.

Indeed, if teams were awarded points per column inch written about them, Tottenham would be little higher than mid-table.

Pep Guardiola’s immaculate start to life as a Premier League manager has had so many pages dedicated to it that every tree in Manchester lives in fear it will be turned to pulp, while Jose Mourinho has been hailed both a god and godawful in the space of six matches. Columnists have not been short of subject matter.

How to compete with Manchester’s monopoly of the back pages? You don’t, even if Jurgen Klopp is giving it a good go down the M62 at Liverpool.

Last season the German was largely more exciting to listen to than his team was to watch. They are on at least a par with each other this time around. September has seen Liverpool secure three league victories, score 11 goals and concede just three. It’s time for a sobering vat of coffee when James Milner cuts quite the dash, from left-back.

Three goals, four days.