Premier League 2018-19: Why Tottenham Hotspur should not be overlooked in the title race
The title race in the English Premier League is at a boiling point, with Liverpool and Manchester City going toe to toe for supremacy on the league table. These two super teams have been constantly grabbing the headlines, but a third team has emerged from the shadows and that is Tottenham Hotspur.
The Spurs have had a brilliant campaign so far this season and have unexpectedly mounted an ambitious bid for the title against all odds. Their underrated exploits have earned them the status of the dark horses in the title race.
Under the guidance of the brilliant Mauricio Pochettino, the team have improved on their performances in recent years. They continue to maintain their winning consistency despite the fact that they made no signings in the summer and in January.
The Spurs have a knack for grinding out victories when not at their best, and have done so in each of their last five league games. They have been unspectacular in most of these games, the tipping point of which was their nervy win against Leicester City who were the better team for most parts of the game.
While this is a huge contrast to the way Liverpool and Manchester City tear teams apart with relative ease, it is an impressive feat for the Spurs.
In Europe, the Lilywhites have shown that they can mix it up with the best and come out on top. The manner in which they dismantled Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16 in the Champions League was amazing. They took the Bundesliga giants apart piece by piece in the second half, and are now well placed to progress to the quarterfinals.
Tottenham are currently third on the league table, five points behind both rivals Liverpool and Man City. With 11 games to go, this is a very vital period in the title race where the Spurs could gain an advantage as the underdogs.
City and Liverpool, who are both contending for the top spot, could compete with another dreaded factor called pressure. But the Spurs have literally nothing to lose.
Tottenham are quietly lurking in the shadows right now, and time will tell if they have what it takes to capitalize on the possible slip-ups of their title rivals to emerge as champions in May.