Danny Rose insists it is only a matter of time before Tottenham’s performances match their results after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Cardiff equalled their best-ever start to a Premier League season.

While Arsenal and Chelsea both scored sublime goals in stylish victories this weekend, Eric Dier’s scrappy eighth-minute strike was a fitting winner against 10-man Cardiff. Dier swept home a loose ball from five yards after Davinson Sanchez’s header was blocked — and that was as good as it got for the hosts, who missed a flurry of chances either side of Joe Ralls’s straight red card for a cynical hack on Lucas Moura after an hour.

The unconvincing win moved Spurs to 18 points from eight matches but they are yet to play anywhere approaching their best this season and Mauricio Pochettino said his side “needed to improve a lot”.

Pochettino, who was even unimpressed with the performance in the 3-0 win at Manchester United in August, has become obsessed with the difference between perception and reality — and if the perception is that his side are not playing well, the reality is that they are a part of a fledging five-team title race.

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Rose was shocked to learn that they had moved to within a point of League leaders Manchester City before they drew at Liverpool yesterday, but the left-back warned Tottenham’s rivals it will not be long before they hit top gear.

“I knew if we won we could go third but I didn’t realise we’d only be a point behind. That’s a shock,” Rose said.

“We have to be happy with that because I spent a lot of time on the bench last season and I got to watch how well we can play.

"I still think we’re off that at the minute. Cardiff was another ugly win — we have to learn how to kill teams off. We should have scored three or four, easily.”

Told that winning ugly was often the sign of champions, Rose added: “I think we’re a great team but it’s hard to say it’s a sign of champions because we haven’t won anything yet. But it’s a great sign and I’d rather win ugly than lose playing brilliant football. Hopefully when we get back [from the international break], the performances will come.

“History says under this manager that October, November and December is when we’re very strong and we look forward to it when we get back. It literally is just a matter of time. It doesn’t help that we have a lot of injuries.

“Once we get back, we get a few more injured players back and get a consistent team out, I’m more than confident the performances will come.”

Spurs were without five senior players on Saturday and Rose joined the walking wounded after limping off in the 87th-minute with a groin strain.

The defender will be assessed by England’s medical team when he joins up with the squad at St George’s Park this afternoon.

Rose added: “I’ve just got a sore groin. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious. We’ll have to wait and see how it settles down over the next few days. I’ll meet up and England will assess it.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s England youth international goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman has signed a new contract until 2020.