2019/20 Premier League preview - Tottenham: Top-three finish again the target to kick-start new era

Richard Jolly runs the rule over Tottenham ahead of the new season, including key player, new signing to watch and predicted league finish

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JULY 25: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur and Paul Pogba of Manchester United compete for the ball during the International Champions Cup match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Shanghai Hongkou Stadium on July 25, 2019 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images )Show less

Mauricio Pochettino has said that he would have resigned if Tottenham had won the Champions League. Yet if a chapter ended, a new one has begun.

Tottenham have belatedly spent, after 18 months of self-imposed austerity, with Tanguy Ndombele an exciting, expensive arrival and others targeted, while Kieran Trippier is gone.

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Who finishes where in 2019-20?

20. Sheffield United. Chris Wilder, pictured, has achieved a great deal in getting the Blades up, but staying in the top flight could be a task too far. PA Photo

19. Brighton & Hove Albion. Graham Potter, pictured, faces a tough ask after taking over as manager from Chris Hughton. Getty

18. Newcastle United. A tough set of opening home fixtures could be difficult for Steve Bruce, pictured, and his side to recover from. Getty

17. Norwich City. They need to tighten up defensively but the goals of Teemu Pukki, pictured, can keep them up. Getty

16. Aston Villa. Jack Grealish, pictured, will have a key role to play in Villa's survival hopes. Getty

15. Burnley. Sean Dyche's, pictured, team to have a steadier time of things after last season's early struggles. Reuters

14. Bournemouth. Eddie Howe's side to maintain their attacking ethos though they will help Lloyd Kelly, pictured, can help shore things up at the other end. Getty

13. Crystal Palace. Once again will be dependent on the goals of Wilfried Zaha, pictured. Reuters

12. Watford. Concerns over a leaky defence but the quality of Gerard Deulofeu, pictured, should leave them in mid-table. AP Photo

11. Southampton. Stability should come the Saints way under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, pictured. PA Photo

10. Wolverhampton Wanderers. Balancing Europa League with domestic games may prove tough. Will look to more fine form from captain Conor Coady, pictured. Getty

9. West Ham United. Should be another solid season with the hope Felipe Anderson, pictured, can kick on. Getty

8. Everton. Bringing in Moise Kean, pictured, is a coup and should help Marco Silva's side continue to progress. Getty

7. Leicester City. Signing Youri Tielemans, pictured, permanently will boost Leicester's hopes of a real push at the top six. Reuters

6. Arsenal. Unai Emery will hope the record signing of Nicolas Pepe and the goals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, pictured, can push them closer to the top four. EPA

5. Chelsea. New manager Frank Lampard needs big things from Christian Pulisic, pictured, if they are to excel. Reuters

4. Manchester United. Signings such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, pictured, will tighten things up and should get United back in top four. Getty

3. Tottenham Hotspur. Third place again for Spurs, though more is needed from Dele Alli, pictured. Getty

2. Liverpool. Mohamed Salah, pictured, will be pivotal again but Jurgen Klopp's men to finish behind City again. AFP

1. Manchester City. Hard to see beyond another title success for Pep Guardiola's, pictured, side. Getty

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But there is also the question of how good they are: while reaching new heights in the Champions League, their points total has slipped from 86, in 2016/17, to 71 last year.

Injuries and a focus on Europe were factors, but Spurs lost their last six away league games. Pochettino has a terrific starting XI but, with the gap to the top two, it is another test of his alchemy.

Key player: Dele Alli

Harry Kane’s goals can be taken for granted. Alli’s cannot. His return decreased from 22 goals in 2016/17 to seven last year. It is only partly explicable by sometimes playing in a deeper role and injuries, but also by deteriorating form. Getting Alli back to his best as a big-game scorer would make a major difference.

Signing to watch: Tanguy Ndombele

Spurs’ club record buy looks well suited to Pochettino’s brand of football. The Frenchman’s power and ball-carrying ability mean he is a belated replacement for the hugely influential Mousa Dembele. That physicality equips him well for the Premier League, but he flourished for Lyon in last season’s Champions League.

Talking point: Can Pochettino again get the best from players who thought they were leaving?

Toby Alderweireld was expected to go in 2018 and then had an excellent season. So far this summer, Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose, who could all have gone, remain on the books.

Alderweireld seems resigned to staying again but it is a test of Pochettino’s man-management to motivate the potential departures when the Belgian and the Dane can be his best defender and midfielder respectively.

With Alderweireld and Eriksen out of contract in 2020, Spurs also have to show the persuasive powers to get them to sign new deals, rather than leaving on free transfers.

Prediction: 3rd