Whisper it, but Tottenham Hotspur players definitely are talking title as London calls

Second in the table, two points behind leaders Leciester City, but with two difficult London derbies to come in the space of four days.

Tottenham's Danny Rose celebrates scoring their second goal with Harry Kane. Action Images via Reuters / Tony O'Brien

Whisper it quietly, but Tottenham Hotspur players definitely are talking about winning the Premier League title.

A 2-1 win against Swansea City at home on Sunday saw Tottenham move into second place in the league table outright, with only leaders Leicester City above them.

Sunday’s win – a sixth-straight victory in the league – cut Leicester’s lead at the top back down to two points, with Claudio Ranieri’s men fixed firmly in Spurs’ crosshairs.

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Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, however, was quick to eschew talk of a first English title since the league-and-cup double-winning team of 1960/61, saying his players were not getting carried away with talk of a first championship in over half a century.

The thing is though, Mauricio, players they be talking. In fact, it would be discombobulating if they weren’t talking of winning the league, such is their form, indefatigable spirit – no team has won more points from losing positions this season than Tottenham’s 17 – and, should they avoid defeat in their next two fixtures, both London derbies, will have a run in that is by no means easy but could be far worse.

Wednesday’s trip to East London to face a West Ham United side that has shipped only 14 goals at home in the league all season, will be another stern test of Spurs’ credentials, but one they will be confident of fronting up to; they are unbeaten in their last six road trips, winning five of them.

Twenty six of Spurs’ 54 points this season have come on the road, second best in the league behind Leicester, who have played a game more.

One London derby is hard enough, but two in the space of four days will require real armoury. Arsenal are the visitors to White Hart Lane where a defeat for Arsene Wenger’s side on Saturday would in all probability leave them too much ground to make up on both Spurs and Leicester, even factoring their generous, and infinitely winnable, run-in of home games.

With Leicester at home to West Bromwich Albion tonight and away at Watford at the weekend, you would think Spurs would need to come away with a minimum four points to turn the title into a two-horse race.

Can they do it? I guarantee the players are all talking about it over their morning porridge.

Three Willy, poor Lucas

Without wishing to kick a man when he is down, the decision to send Lucas Leiva up as Liverpool’s first penalty taker in the League Cup final shoot-out against Manchester City was a strange one.

The Brazilian was man of the match in regulation and extra time, playing as a makeshift centre-back.

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A midfielder by trade, Leiva’s qualities are as a destroyer, someone who breaks up play, thwarts attacks and offers a protective shield to his defensive players. So to see him step up first ahead of the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge, had a surreal feel to it.

And his effort was a good one, struck high towards the top right corner with plenty of pace. The reason it didn’t ripple the net was because of a giant paw extended by Willy Caballero, Manchester City’s much-maligned Argentine goalkeeper.

It was cruel on Leiva, but given that Coutinho and Lallana saw their efforts saved by Caballero too, in the end the order was irrelevant.

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