Statistical

Despite claiming their best ever points tally at this stage of a Premier League season, Tottenham aren’t scoring any more goals. In 12 games they have scored 20 goals, matching their tallies of both last season and 2015/16.

They are, however, improving when it comes to converting draws into wins – six of their nine league victories have been by a single goal, while they are yet to register a single draw in the Premier League (every other team has drawn at least two). In four previous seasons under Pochettino, they have averaged four draws and three defeats from their opening 12 games – converting the former into wins explains their improved points haul.

In front of goal, their accuracy is also on the up – just over 40 per cent of their shots are on target, compared with 30-35 per cent over the past four seasons. They are taking better shots, then, but also fewer – having averaged 17 shots per game over the past three seasons, they are this season down to an average of 12, and in two games haven’t even reached double figures.

This is borne out by their individual shot stats. Harry Kane has predictably had more shots than any of his teammates – 40, behind only Sergio Aguero, Mo Salah and Aleksandar Mitrovic in the division – but he is the only Tottenham player in the league’s top 40 for this particular stat. Christian Eriksen is next in, with only 18.