Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes Tottenham Hotspur have a great chance of laying their hands on the Premier League title for the very first time - if they are within touching distance of the summit towards the end of the season.
After Liverpool romped their way to their first league title in 30 years last season, no club has managed to start the 2020/21 season at a blistering pace, with Everton and Liverpool currently taking residence in the top-two on 13 points after six matches.
Despite the two Merseyside clubs having set the pace early on, nobody has threatened to run away with the title like last season, meaning nobody has a clear idea of who could be Champions of England come May.
Tottenham, though, can consider themselves, certainly for now, as genuine contenders, with Jose Mourinho's troops having made a fairly solid start to the campaign, winning three of their first six games, including a 6-1 demolition job of Manchester United at Old Trafford.
As well as that, Mourinho is blessed with two of the Premier League's star assets in the shape of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, who once again combined to secure Spurs a narrow 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday night.
That win at Turf Moor lifted Spurs, who face Royal Antwerp in their latest Europa League outing on Thursday evening, to fifth in the table, just two points shy of current table-toppers Everton.
And for former Germany international Hamann, he believes Spurs could be in with a real shout of winning the title this season.
"The team I really like at the moment is Spurs," Hamann told talkSPORT. “I watched them on Monday [in the 1-0 win at Burnley] and they are a very organised team.
“If they are in the mix come March, April, I think Mourinho may have one last hurrah in him.”
Unlike last season, Liverpool have not been able to stamp their authority on the top of the table. After six games, the Reds have won four, but have, of course, been beaten 7-2 by Aston Villa.
Now, the Reds are facing the prospect of going the whole season without star defender Virgil van Dijk, a blow which Hamann believes could play a direct role in the whole title race.
“It will have a huge effect on the title race," added the former Liverpool ace.
“When you lose van Dijk, he is the best centre-back in the world at the moment.
“What the guy has done since he came to the club – he galvanised them and changed them from one of the most vulnerable defensively to one of the best.
“It also affects your team going forward, because if van Dijk is not in the team they’re probably a bit more cautious. He’s clearly a big loss.”
