Arsene Wenger became a figure of mockery after claiming that a top-four finish would be akin to winning a trophy during his time at Arsenal.

It was a claim that had no basis in fact and will surely have brought a wry smile out of Jose Mourinho, his long-term nemesis in the Premier League. It was Mourinho, of course, who said that Wenger was a “specialist in failure”.

However, with the Portuguese now at the helm of Tottenham Hotspur, Wenger’s words ring truer than ever.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss took over the club with them in 14th-place in the Premier League. A 1-1 draw with Sheffield United was the last straw for Mauricio Pochettino, who was sacked after a start to the season that saw them lose 3-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion, 7-2 to Bayern Munich, and 1-0 to Newcastle United.

Since then, Spurs have not exactly been transformed. There have been poor performances and disappointing results, particularly the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea and the 1-0 loss to Southampton.

However, they have enjoyed a significant upturn in form. Since Mourinho’s appointment, only Liverpool and Manchester City, whom Spurs beat on Sunday, have taken more points than them in the Premier League.

They are currently fifth, just four points behind Chelsea, and face the Blues later this month, after clashes with Aston Villa and RB Leipzig in the league and Champions League respectively.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

If results go their way, a win over Frank Lampard’s side could well take Spurs into the top four.

Now, of course, there is a lot of football to be played. There remain 13 games in the Premier League, or 39 points to play for.

There is no guarantee that victory over Chelsea would rubber-stamp qualification for the Champions League next season and one also must consider the fact that Spurs are still fighting on three fronts, including the FA Cup.

However, Mourinho turning this group around and guiding them to qualification would be a trophy-worthy achievement.

Pochettino, of course, took this Spurs team – bar a few individuals – to the Champions League final last season and to two Premier League title challenges.

But a key quest for Mourinho this season has been to merely keep the status quo and to ensure that top-tier European nights will remain in north London next season.

As evidenced by his first few months in charge and by Pochettino’s sacking, it will not be easy, and there are sure to be plenty of twists and even more turns.

But if Mourinho can do it, he will surely feel as his old rival Wenger did, and will want a medal around his neck.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans are delighted at the prospect of one man’s return from injury!