Jamie Redknapp believes Tottenham would be top of the Premier League right now if they hadn’t lost several key players through injury.
Spurs got back to winning ways on Sunday with a thumping 4-1 win over Newcastle at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, leaving them just three points behind Manchester City in the Premier League’s top four.
However, Redknapp is convinced if they hadn’t been without key names such as James Maddison and Micky van de Ven then they could be topping the table.
Talking on Sky Sports after the win over the Magpies, Redknapp said: ‘When you look at their last four games, they picked up four points from a possible 18. If they’d had Maddison, Van de Ven, not had Romero suspended, I think they’d probably be top of the league at this stage in the season.
He [Ange] has alluded to it there that it is so hard when your best players have had to play in different positions and it’s been incredibly hard. James Maddison will be back in mid Jan and they’ve missed him.
‘But that was a really big and important performance, they’re only seven points off the top at the moment with that period of four out of a possible 18.’
Maddison picked up an ankle injury in the defeat to Chelsea, while Van de Ven also suffered a hamstring issue in the same game.
Both players aren’t expected back until to the new year, and Spurs also still have Eric Dier, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ashley Phillips, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon all still out on the sidelines.
Richarlison scored twice for Spurs after Destiny Udogie had opened the scoring for the home side before Son Heung-min wrapped up the victory from the penalty spot with five minutes to go.
It was Tottenham’s first win in five, and gets them back on track following the first test of Ange Postecoglou reigns.
The Australian boss, who was appointed in the summer, got off to an impressive start in North London, winning back-to-back Manager of the Month awards in August and September.
Yet, after the dramatic defeat to Chelsea at the start of last month, have faced a difficult period where they’ve lost key players to injury and remained winless until the victory over Newcastle.
However, Redknapp was full of praise for the Spurs boss and the impact he’s made at his former club.
Adding: He’s [Ange] has done such a great job, Spurs in the last 10 years have been one of the most unwatchable teams in the Premier League, but he’s made them the most watchable with the style he’s played bringing in.
It shows you just how quickly things can change when bringing in the right manager. It’s an unbelievable change of morale and belief in this football club and I know they’ve had this rotten run of late, but I’ve got so much belief in this guy.
‘I hope they look after him and give him what he wants, because they’ve got someone very special in place, although he wasn’t their first choice, what a job he’s done – he’s turned this club around.’