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The Sunday Night Takeaway: Tottenham will have a massive say in the title race

As the international break begins and diverts attention away from the club scene, this Sunday's P...



The Sunday Night Takeaway: Tot...
Soccer

The Sunday Night Takeaway: Tottenham will have a massive say in the title race

As the international break begins and diverts attention away from the club scene, this Sunday's Premier League fixtures taught us a thing or two.

The table is left tightly poised with two points separating first from fourth after Manchester City's defeat. 

That sets up an exciting race for the remainder of the Autumn, especially if Manchester United and Chelsea can also pick up some form once the Premier League resumes.

Tottenham are real candidates to go all the way

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when Spurs were often prone to bouts instability. But you can now take out the "in" from that word because things are looking good these days.

Defeating table toppers Manchester City 2-0 not only puts Tottenham just one point off the top but also lays down a real marker.

Mauricio Pochettino's well-oiled machine challenged Leicester for the title last season but with key players signed up to long-term deals and the team showing a blend of ruthlessness, style, defensive fortitude and pragmatism, Tottenham are realistic candidates to go all the way if they can maintain their form and avoid setbacks.

There is depth to the squad now and in comparison to City and some of their other rivals, the players are 100% accustomed to the system they have been asked to play, especially having taken lessons from falling short last season.

Encouragingly, they saw off Pep Guardiola's City without the injured Harry Kane up front which is another sign of the depth at their disposal.

Who knows if Tottenham will go all the way. But they are certainly showing signs that they are capable of challenging all the way and last season, lest we forget, Spurs only hit peak fitness and efficiency in the mid-part of the season.

They haven't been in peak form yet in all of their games and one suspects that high point is yet to come.

 Mustafi adding grit to Arsenal

Arsenal needed a controversial goal to beat Burnley with the final kick - well, arms - in their Premier League contests.

With Burnley sitting deep and making it difficult, the Gunners struggled to break through.

But it's Arsenal's own defence that is of interest with Shkodran Mustafi continuing to show very encouraging signs that he is forming a strong partnership with the leader of the back four Laurent Koscielny.

It was Koscielny's arms that delivered the winner inadvertently but significantly it's now three clean sheets in a row for the defence, including the Champions League win over FC Basel.

He also uses his voice to get his point which is something Arsenal players have been criticised for not doing enough of on the pitch since the Invincibles era.

As Theo Walcott told The Guardian's Amy Lawrence about his team-mate Mustafi, "“Of the new players, he especially gets people up for games. If you are not doing something right he tells you. He is a German international and that is the way he is."

 Leicester saving their best for Europe

Few fancied the Foxes to challenge for the Premier League title again this season, despite last season's fairytale.

But while they keep their powder dry for the Champions League where they have won two from two, Claudio Ranieri's side lack firepower on the domestic front.

A 0-0 draw against a strong Southampton side is far from a poor result but it does leave Leicester mired in midtable at this early juncture.

They should have more than enough to stay out of the relegation battle as the season wears on but upper mid-table should be the target in this campaign so they will want to get their act together soon in the league.

Perhaps, Ranieri should start promising pizza to them again as he did last season when he was trying to coax clean sheets from his squad.

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