- Tottenham maintain top spot after win at Palace
- Postecoglou’s side two points clear of Arsenal and Man City with 26 points from 12 games
- History suggests Spurs could compete for title
Tottenham Hotspur’s remarkable form continued on Friday evening with a triumph against Crystal Palace, solidifying their superb start to the season. With this victory, Spurs have amassed an impressive 26 points from their first 10 games of the Premier League season. This strong performance is a stark contrast to their lacklustre eighth-place finish in the previous season.
Spurs step up to see Palace off in second half
The turning point in the match came in the second half, courtesy of a stroke of fortune. Crystal Palace’s Joel Ward inadvertently directed James Maddison’s cross into his own net, giving Tottenham the lead. Maddison played a pivotal role in the second goal as well, combining skillfully with Brennan Johnson to set up Son Heung-min, who notched his eighth goal of the season.
In the dying moments of the game, Jordan Ayew unleashed a spectacular strike after deftly controlling the ball on his chest, giving Palace a consolation goal. However, it wasn’t enough to level the score, and Tottenham emerged victorious, marking another success under their new manager, Ange Postecoglou.
Since his arrival from Celtic in the summer, the Australian coach has injected fresh energy into the team. This win extends Tottenham’s impressive run to eight wins and two draws in their opening 10 games.
Stats point to top three finish, and possible title challenge
While Postecoglou and his squad are likely to remain cautious about talk of a potential title challenge, the statistics paint an optimistic picture:
Tottenham are the 13th side in Premier League history to secure 26 points or more from their first 10 games of a season. Of the previous 12 sides, an astounding 11 of them finished in the top three, with half of them ultimately clinching the title.
The lone exception to this trend was Newcastle United in the 1994-95 season, who finished sixth. However, it’s important to note that this was in a 42-game season. In a 38-game season, every team with 26 points or more after 10 games finished in the top three.
Tottenham’s current five-point lead represents their largest advantage over second place in the top-flight since the conclusion of the 1960-61 campaign, when they last secured the title with an eight-point lead.
Notably, this Tottenham side has outperformed Arsenal’s famous ‘Invincibles’ team of 2003/04, who earned 24 points in their first 10 games, two fewer than the current Spurs lineup.
The future looks bright for Spurs, and their fans have every reason to be excited about what lies ahead in the season. However, in the unpredictable world of the Premier League, maintaining consistency and navigating challenges will be crucial for Tottenham to sustain their position as title contenders.
Betting Implications
At the time of writing bet365 have Tottenham at 10/1 to win the Premier League title. Manchester City are favourites, currently priced at 4/6, with Arsenal and Liverpool both at 9/2. Newcastle United are fifth favourites, priced at 40/1. Bet365 have Spurs at 8/11 fourth favourites to make the top four.
However, whatever the statistics there is no denying the quality of Manchester City. They remain strong favourites and there are other sides, such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Brighton, who are consistently putting results together. There are also clubs with strong squads who are underachieving such as Manchester United and Chelsea. However, given the history and the odds available, bettors who enjoy a speculative punt may be tempted.
Betting.com provide you all that you need to know about betting on football and the Premier League with our top lists.
