Tottenham have changed - but can they put United hoax to bed?

“Lads, it’s Tottenham.” Just three years ago that utterance would have been enough to relax any Manchester United side, realising that as long as they did the simple things, they’d not have to fear defeat. If they went above simplicity and played close to their ability’s peak, then they would comfortably annihilate Spurs. The 2001 recovery from 3-0 down to win 5-3 courtesy of a second-half spectacular highlighted what happens when you give Spurs a chance, and also what happened if you asked them to think about what they needed to do. United found that so funny, they did something similar in a 5-2 win in 2009.

Like many of the usually mediocre Premier League sides, Spurs often found it close to impossible to assert themselves. It didn’t matter who the manager was, because they were always prepared to sell their best players. This was true as recently as the departures of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. They were tough to prise from the club, but they were always content to sell for the right price. On the pitch, the team was never quite capable of doing well enough, often enough. There were too many average players, and too many downright poor players.

Spurs, then, have disappointed until this season, though you could perhaps make an exception for Harry Redknapp sparking a brief resurgence that essentially showed Daniel Levy there was something to be achieved if ambitions were correctly calibrated upwards. United’s residual resilience has meant that even under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, they are unbeaten at White Hart Lane, and have not lost there since 2001. The last three meetings in London have been draws, though, reflecting the narrowing between the two teams.

As well as Spurs have played this season, they are still only nine points clear of United, who are almost inexplicably in fifth position. The meeting between the two sides could be considered the biggest test for Spurs to convince themselves that things have fundamentally changed, or it might throw their title challenge off course when the miserable memories flood back to fans.

It’s hard to predict how the two sides will approach one another. Both need a win, but that doesn’t mean that the managers won’t both be keener to avoid defeat. When the margins are so fine at the top of the table, and in the chase for fourth, Van Gaal and Mauricio Pochettino might regard a point as a risk worth taking, with the gap to be made up in fixtures to follow. Stoke, West Brom, Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle will be Spurs’ remaining opponents, and 15 points is not an unreasonable target from those games. As Leicester have a few potentially tricky ties to come, Pochettino might calculate they will drop sufficient points.

For United, this is also the most difficult remaining fixture of the season, notwithstanding West Ham away and Leicester at home. If Van Gaal wants to be even remotely confident of keeping his job, then the least he must achieve is fourth place. It would allow the only person who actually wants him to stay on, Ed Woodward, enough capital to retain him. The problem for Van Gaal is that the only way the players who suffer his management can be remotely confident of him being binned is by finishing beneath fourth. There is professional pride, and there is common sense, and on this occasion they should be kept as far apart from one another as possible.

"Lads, it’s Tottenham," is now no longer a suitable team talk. There is plenty to the current side that has to be mitigated. It’s not worth the time and the internet death threats to decide between who of Hugo Lloris, David de Gea, Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois is the very best Premier League goalkeeper, but it is rare that a Spurs player features in the list. Jan Vertonghen, an injury doubt, and Toby Alderweireld, with Eric Dier ahead of them, have helped Spurs to the most league clean sheets so far this season. Dele Alli and Harry Kane are the best English attacking combination around at the moment.

There’s more to Spurs than just this. The rotation of full-backs and other measures have kept their energy levels exceptionally high, but the energy across the squad has not yet dipped despite a lengthy season. Pochettino has an intense and efficient team that should be able to exploit the slow and ponderous approach of United, coupled with their propensity to suffer injuries at the back in most games.

While they might have been disappointed with their comeback at Liverpool being cut short, gaining only a point, that it is disappointment rather than relief hints at a change of attitude at Spurs. They might be desperate for the Champions League, but their ambition is to win the league above all else. Their results against the top four are impressive, with only a defeat to Leicester so far, and wins home and away against Manchester City.

The game against United is a chance to demonstrate their superiority over a side they have traditionally struggled against, a problem that has often been psychological as much as to do with talent. It is a chance for them to cut the lead against Leicester City as their margin for error decreases with each game. It is a chance to put down another meaningful marker about what it now means when an opponent’s manager says, "Lads, it’s Tottenham," and that doesn’t inspire laughter.