Some say Tottenham might as well wait until next season to play the first game in their new stadium. With the big day now looking like some time in March, it’s hardly worth moving from Wembley, the argument goes.
I’m not sure Harry Kane and Co would agree with that. I bet they can’t wait to wave Wembley goodbye and step into an arena that, by all accounts, has set new standards for stadium design. Far from these unfamiliar surroundings giving the players a problem, I think they will give the team a huge lift, one that could even be vital in the title race.
For that to happen, Spurs have got to stay in touch with the League leaders in the intervening weeks. They can’t afford for the gap to get any bigger than the six points currently separating them from Liverpool. And that probably means beating United on Sunday, which clearly won’t be easy now that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revitalised the club. He’s made it look easy.
All of a sudden, Marcus Rashford is flying, as is Paul Pogba in that roving role. More generally, everyone’s smiling again, having previously almost forgotten that football is supposed to be enjoyable.
I know what it’s like when a fresh face comes in to sweep away the debris left by an overbearing manager who had lost his way. The atmosphere instantly changes. The sun starts to peek out as confidence returns.
And this is the challenge now facing Tottenham, well below their best in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final. From their point of view, it’s time to stop the charabanc driven by Solskjaer. It’s time to make clear who’s aiming for the top.
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