Premier League 2019-20: 3 reasons why Tottenham Hotspur will finish in the top 4 this season

In this Premier League era where title challenges are made with near-perfect starts, Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur side are not doing themselves any favours with a stuttering start to their Premier League campaign.

Many had anticipated - not least Spurs fans themselves - that after a flurry of impressive transfer window transactions the Lilywhites would challenge for top honours again this season. After stumbling only at the final hurdle of the UEFA Champions League, Harry Kane and Co had a lot of expectations riding on them this season.

However, things seem to have unraveled a bit for the Argentine's men. After a fourth of the season, Tottenham lie 7th in the table - having amassed only 12 points in their opening 9 games.

With Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool setting the pace with 25 points and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City chasing the Reds with 19 points, there are plenty of nerves creeping in within the Spurs' fan base. Many are worrying about their chances of making the top 4 if the current run of poor results continues.

The recent 7-2 thrashing suffered at the hands of Bayern Munich, along with the freak 3-0 loss away to Brighton followed by a 1-1 draw against whipping boys Watford, have not done the side any favours either.

However, despite all the chaos and concern surrounding this normally buoyant Spurs side, there is sufficient reason for believe that Pochettino will mastermind a return to the Top 4 come season end. Let's look at three reasons why we can expect Tottenham to breach the Top 4 regardless of their uninspiring start.

#1 Players returning from injury and new signings settling in

There is no doubt that the current Spurs side is a competent one. And having consistently finished in the top 4 the last four seasons, Tottenham didn't have to deal with too many departures in terms of players this past summer.

That said, they've had some really bad luck with player fitness. Injuries to a slew of players has meant that the likes of Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele are returning only recently from a spell on the sidelines, with match sharpness still lacking.

Others like Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring strain), Giovani Lo Celso (hip injury) and Christian Eriksen (dead leg / dead soul depending on who you believe) are still struggling to prove their match fitness. Hugo Lloris will probably not return from his dislocated elbow till about next year but when he does, it would be quite a boost..

With key players still trying to get fit and new signings still finding their feet in Pochettino's rather demanding system, the turbulent phase is not entirely surprising. Unless the Spurs suffer another slew of injuries, we can expect the boys in white to find a sustained run of form when fit and firing.

The core of a team which has achieved a top 4 finish consistently in the recent past remains intact, and the new signings will probably have a say too once they get used to their new teammates.

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#2 Resolution to the Christian Eriksen problem

While this might be a bit easier said than done, one can rest assured that Pochettino will find a way to address the Christian Eriksen-shaped elephant in the room. The Danish international has had a rather eventful summer, and seems to have carried some of that momentum into the new season.

It wasn't too long ago that Eriksen had momentously announced to the media that he was "ready for a new challenge". However, his new challenge never materialized after Real Madrid failed to deliver on their initial interest, Bayern Munich decided to get Phil Coutinho in on loan, and Manchester United couldn't figure out whether they needed him by the time the transfer window slammed shut.

While Eriksen's on-pitch performances have left a lot to be desired so far this season, it is his effect in the dressing room that is the big question here. Keeping a player who clearly doesn't want to be around is not the best thing in the world. It has a roll-on effect on the rest of the squad too.

One way or the other the Eriksen situation will need resolving, which you suspect will happen sooner rather than later.

He either leaves by January, or knuckles down and puts in settled performances knowing full well that he will have a chance to leave for free next summer. For that, Pochettino would need to sit him down and talk him into performing.

But if that fails, the Argentine could turn his attention to the freshly signed Giovani Lo Celso, who could take up the Eriksen-sized hole soon enough.

Either way, you feel that once there is some clarity with regard to Eriksen's place within the team, the focus on the field would be boosted and the performances would reflect a sense of settlement.

#3 It's Mauricio Pochettino, he will find a way!

This isn't the first time that Tottenham have suffered a sluggish start. Moreover, there is a sense of understanding that Pochettino takes a bit of time to adjust the tactics at the beginning of every season.

However, he eventually does find a way to coax the best performances out of the personnel at hand, and he isn't averse to tweaking the system when needed.

It wasn't till late in the 2015-16 season that Pochettino had placed then Spurs player Moussa Dembele and Eric Dier in a double pivot, which arrested an indifferent run of form and helped Spurs rack up the points. A similar situation came about in the 2016-17 season when the Argentine switched to a 3-5-2 formation to create an impressive run of results.

Considering the new personnel and fitness issues at present, Pochettino is probably still trying to figure out his best team. At present, the midfield needs some work, and with Ndombele and Lo Celso just getting fit, it won't be surprising if the boss tweaks the system to fit them in and spark something different.

Once the right formula is in place, once Pochettino settles on his favored system and starting XI, you'll probably see Spurs barge their way into top 4 contention again.

Edited by Musab Abid