After so much stumbling and stuttering among the clubs vying for a top-four place, Tottenham can finally clinch one tomorrow with a win at Bournemouth.
What a boost that would be for them, having looked worryingly flat in recent games, especially Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final defeat by Ajax.
Yet, three points at the Vitality Stadium would allow Mauricio Pochettino to take his players to Amsterdam for the second leg next week with much clearer minds. To a certain extent, the pressure is off.
An ambitious club that has spent a fortune on the best stadium in the world absolutely needed Champions League football next season. Anything less would have been a hammer blow, both in a financial sense and for morale.
So, this trip to the south coast represents a great chance to end all the doubts and leave Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United to scrap it out for the remaining spot.
For that reason, Pochettino may well decide to field the best team available rather than save some for Amsterdam.
I know they’ve looked tired lately, but the likes of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son can use Champions League qualification as a launching pad for better things. I’ve a feeling, in fact, that they will give Ajax a very tough time next Wednesday.
As for Arsenal and Chelsea, a date in Baku for the Europa League Final now looks entirely possible after last night’s results. Imagine that? Three London clubs in European finals? After so much drama and doubt during the course of this campaign, 2019 could turn into a classic.
