EPL Late Tackle: Tottenham the only team who can halt Chelsea’s title challenge

THE Premier League title race is developing into an all-star slugfest. But there is really only one team who have what it takes to halt Chelsea’s charge.

THE Premier League title race is developing into an all-star slugfest, with all the big names still in the running. But there is really only one team who have what it takes to stop Chelsea’s charge.

Tottenham did the league a favour by ending Chelsea’s winning streak in the previous round but more than that — Mauricio Pochettino’s team revealed themselves as the Blues’ real title rivals.

VIDEO: SPURS AND CHELSEA CRUISE IN FA CUP

Dele Alli’s brace against Chelsea proved Tottenham’s credentials. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Hold your horses, Liverpool fans harrumph! What about Klopp’s blitzkrieg Kop, you cry! The Reds are genuine contenders — but as the draw with Sunderland showed, the Reds still have a capacity to shoot themselves in the foot. Too many draws and the worst defensive record of any of the top six suggests the Reds lack the killer edge — or even just that element of luck — that defines champions.

That and building injury woes for that bludgeoning frontline, plus a jam-packed January schedule that has Klopp booked in for double the games of both Chelsea and Spurs.

So what about Arsenal? Too flaky. Manchester City. Work in progress. Or perhaps Manchester United, Jose’s late bloomers? If it were a month ago, maybe — but 10 points off the top past Christmas and the serious quality and form of the teams above them puts them out of the race.

So with those expensively assembled football dream teams dismissed with a just a pithy summary, it all comes down to Spurs.

Pochettino has a full strength team with no obvious weakness. AFP Photo/Ben Stansall

Poch needed that win over Chelsea. Not only to wipe clean the memory of the last season’s brain fart that pretty much ended their title hopes. But also to give his team some perspective. That the recent defeat to Manchester United was a blip. And that they have learned the lessons of last season and are mentally better equipped for the task ahead. To go so close and fall was painful but often that kind of failure of the making of coming champions.

Spurs have the best defensive record in the top six, have won their last five games, scoring 15 goals, And Pochettino has a full strength squad to choose from, and has two players in the season’s top 10 goalscorers list in Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

There is every chance Spurs could climb to second this weekend when they host West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane, while Liverpool face a difficult trip to Old Trafford. Chelsea’s visit to Leicester should maintain their lead — but the reigning champions are undefeated in 23 of the last 25 home games.

Harry Kane is finding his best form at the right time. AFP Photo/Glyn Kirk

The rest of the season finds Spurs and Chelsea running almost parallel; both have four games against current top six teams and 10 against those in the bottom half.

The potential thorn in Pochettino’s side, however, are those difficult midweek Europa League trips and Chelsea could capitalise on their lightened load (even though, as of today, the Blues actually have one more game to play).

Given their near-record breaking run, Chelsea are clearly still favourites to regain the title they gave away in such pathetic last term — but of all the chasing pack, it is Tottenham who are set to push all the way.

Originally published as EPL Late Tackle: Tottenham the only team who can halt Chelsea’s title challenge