Spurs can’t keep failing these big tests on the road

IF Tottenham want to win the Premier League title, they need to find the personality and belief to win these huge away games.

Spurs have now won just one of their 16 visits to their top- six rivals since Mauricio Pochettino took charge in summer 2014. That was a 2-1 win at Manchester City in February 2016, and since then they have disappointed in big games on the road. At Old Trafford, Spurs have now lost their last four matches without scoring a single goal.

Tottenham had to contend with the loss of Harry Kane through injury against United, and they really missed Mousa Dembele until he came on after an hour. Spurs were crying out for a presence in midfield — someone who would get on the ball and surge with it. Moussa Sissoko is not in the same league as Dembele in that respect.

Even without those two key players, Tottenham still have a decent group of players and yet they did not have a shot on target in the second half. If Manchester United had been so toothless, Jose Mourinho would have been slaughtered. As our graphic below shows, Saturday’s match was the 10th defeat in 13 meetings for Pochettino by a Mourinho team.

Tottenham are eight points behind City now, but it’s too early to say they are out of this title race. If they want to be champions, though, they have to overcome these massive tests away from home.