Tottenham Hotspur are at the end of a cycle. That much has been clear for a while but, in the final minutes of Tuesday night’s non-contest, it felt like we saw the first glimpses of the next one.



There is no point in reading too much into the 5-0 win against Red Star Belgrade. It was by a distance Spurs’ easiest game of the season — League Two Colchester United gave them a far harder time — and represents no real preparation for the unique challenge of Liverpool away on Sunday.



And yet this still represented a break from the past.



One of Pochettino’s key challenges this season is how he manages that core of senior players: Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose. All four have given Tottenham great service this decade, all four were integral to everything good Spurs have done over the years — the second and third-placed finishes, the 86 points, the Champions League final.



But all four...