After a sensational 6-1 win at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur side are looking good at this early stage of the 2020/21 Premier League season.
Given their hectic fixture schedule in September, where they also had to fit in Carabao Cup and Europa League qualifying fixtures, it makes their form all the more laudable.
Adding Gareth Bale to the mix at this point should theoretically keep the Lilywhites at their current level, giving them every chance of making a dent in the top half of the Premier League table.
That’s certainly what Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, is expecting.
“Win the Premier League, without a doubt,” Barnett said to Sky Sports, cited by the Daily Mail, when asked how well Tottenham would fare this season.
“Tottenham have got a good squad, a great coach and with Gareth’s help I’m sure they will get very close. You only have to see the results from last week to see that it’s open.
“It kills me to say that because I’m an Arsenal supporter, but that’s the reality.
“He has nothing to prove to anybody. He’s won more than anybody else. He was one of the best three or four players in the world and I think he still is.
“If he succeeds, great, if not, he’s been there and done it. But I think he will succeed.”
When Harry Kane was injured last season, it laid bare the lack of strength in depth at Spurs, and that may still be the issue this time around.
No one is under any illusions as to just how exceptional a first XI the north Londoners have, and in Mourinho they have a manager adept at dealing with the pressure in the upper echelons.
However, for Spurs to get anywhere near even challenging for the Premier League, they’ll need to have an almost perfect campaign on the pitch.