Tottenham Hotspur visit Liverpool on Saturday evening knowing that a win will put them in a very commanding position to earn a Champions League spot come the end of the season.
A victory against Jurgen Klopp’s side will leave them up to seven points clear of fifth and also edge them closer to Chelsea ahead of their match on Sunday.
It’s vitally important they pick up the win then. It may not be so easy, even taking into account Liverpool’s current form, though. The Reds went to White Hart Lane just three games into the season and picked up a 1-1 draw in a highly competitive and even encounter.
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The Anfield side always carry a danger and although they are going through a period of poor results, they still have enough threat to punish Spurs on their day.
Since that draw in August, Pochettino’s men have come a long way, experiencing highs and lows on the way to their current status.
Here are TEN photos that tell the story of that journey…
The first big win
The matchday after drawing to Liverpool, Spurs travelled to Stoke to pick up their first big win of the season.
It was a 4-0 rout of Mark Hughes’ men and demonstrated that, despite a fairly slow start to the season, Spurs still had the flair and attacking ability of last year’s campaign.
Son Heung-min, Harry Kane and Dele Alli were the team’s top performers, demonstrating the important roles all three would go on to have at various points in the months to come.
Importantly for Kane, it was his first goal of the season and as you can see he was delighted to open his account.
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Contenders
Spurs had to wait until October to face another of the teams expected to contend for honours this season and they made that wait worth it.
They produced a fine display at home to Manchester City to make it four wins in a row in the Premier League, ending Pep Guardiola’s perfect start to league action.
At this point, Spurs were the only unbeaten side in the entire division and sitting in second definitely showed that they have the chance to be title contenders this season.
Dele Alli got the second goal before wheeling away to celebrate in front of his supporters and it wouldn’t be the last time he turned up in a big game.
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Stung by Sturridge
Spurs’ EFL Cup hopes were dashed by this weekend’s opponents Liverpool when a Daniel Sturridge double dumped them out of the competition in the Fourth Round.
It, of course, wasn’t a priority for Pochettino with league and European action his main focus, but still a disappointing evening for supporters who have waited so long to see silverware come home to White Hart Lane.
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Ending the slump
In October and November, Spurs went through a period of seven games without a victory in all competitions so when Harry Kane slotted home a penalty in the 90th minute to win 3-2 against West Ham, you can imagine the relief around White Hart Lane.
In many ways this might be one of the most important goals Spurs scored all season. It maintained their unbeaten run in the Premier League but they were picking up too many draws and badly needed to start stringing together some wins if they were to be a genuine title force.
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Salvage job
Tottenham Hotspur didn’t have the best of Champions League campaigns and required this win over CSKA Moscow in December to salvage European football after Christmas.
The victory ensured they finished third in their group and while they didn’t qualify for the Last 16 of the Champions League, they do drop into the Europa League and start their bid for that trophy next week against Belgian side Gent.
It may not be as prestigious a tournament as the one Spurs want to be in, but it’s still something fans would surely love to win. If they do go on and have a run in the competition then this match will have been a big part of it.
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Starting over
After travelling to Old Trafford and losing 1-0, Pochettino’s side risked seeing their season go off the rails a little. That loss to Manchester United saw them rooted to fifth, just three points ahead of Mourinho’s men and three points adrift of fourth.
Just three days later they hosted Hull and battered them 3-0 with Victor Wanyama putting the cherry on top of the result with a rare goal.
This was to be the start of an excellent winning run that would see them go from fifth to second in just over a month of frantic football.
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Bursting the bubble
When Chelsea came calling to White Hart Lane in January they were looking to make history by picking up their 14th successive Premier League win in a single season.
Dele Alli had other plans, though. His superb double burst the Chelsea bubble and blew the title race wide open, at least for a week or two anyway.
It was an impressive statement from Pochettino’s side and showed they have the quality to be the country’s best side on their night.
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Comeback kings
Spurs’ point away to Manchester City ensured they held on to second place and ensured they maintained their unbeaten run.
It wasn’t easy, with Guardiola’s men rushing towards a 2-0 lead before Dele Alli and Son Heung-min rallied their side and clawed their way back to 2-2.
The point showed the character and spirit Pochettino’s side have. They aren’t just attacking football and bluster, they have a resilience that only very good teams possess.
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Breaking hearts
Wycombe Wanderers nearly produced the mother of all upsets in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup when they came calling to White Hart Lane last month.
The League Two side were 2-0 up, then 3-2 up before an incredible two goals in the final minutes of the game ensure Spurs progressed into the next round.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Wycombe, and probably most neutrals too, but again it showed that this Tottenham side are going to fight to the bitter end for everything they can this season.
Spurs now take a trip across London to face Fulham for a place in the quarter-finals.
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Eleven not out
Spurs are now on an eleven-game unbeaten streak heading into this weekend’s game with Liverpool and look the most likely team to give Chelsea something to think about at the top in the closing months of the season.
They’ve attracted attention this season for a wonderful brand of direct, attacking football and their latest win against Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane showed they can grind out results too.
That’s going to be necessary as the pressure ramps up and expectations build towards the end of the season. By staying unbeaten and continuing to pick up wins, they are well placed should Chelsea do the unthinkable and slip up once or twice down the road.
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