Remember, remember the First of April!

It seems like a long time since Sunday 1st April, 2018, but it is a day that will always be remembered by Spurs fans, because it was the day we closed the hoodoo file. Yes, after 28 years we finally beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with goals by Christian Eriksen and two by Dele Alli. The 3-1 win could yet prove to be THE result that clinches a top four place for Spurs for the third successive year. This issue has yet to be finalised with three games to be played in May, but we are five points above Chelsea as I write.

Christian Eriksen scored at Stamford Bridge with a stupendous dipping shot from 25 yards just before half-time, and the first of Dele Alli's two goals was superbly taken as he brought down and controlled Dier's long ball before firing home. Dele has scored 4 goals this month and now has 14 to his name in all competitions this season with 9 of those in the Premier League. Dele is right back in form and is set to hit double figures in the Premier League for a third successive season. He is still only 22 remember!

All 10 of our goals this month came from Eriksen, Dele and Harry Kane. We all thought the first of Harry Kane's goals was Christian Eriksen's second goal in our 2-1 win at Stoke, but Harry's claim of the goal with a touch of his shoulder and the subsequent social media outcry has had enough publicity this month. Harry's form has dipped since his return from injury, but he still holds hope of catching Golden Boot leader and Players and Writers' Footballer of the Year Mohamed Salah. Whatever happens, Harry has had a great four years, hitting over 20 goals in each of those seasons and reaching 105 Premier League goals quicker than all but one other Premier League player, including Aguero. Harry is also currently the seventh highest scorer in Spurs' history and requires only two more this season to overtake number six in that list - George Hunt. Incidentally, George Hunt was signed by Spurs from Chesterfield in 1930. Chesterfield have just lost their Football League status and will play in the fifth tier next season.

Mid-April was disappointing with defeats to both Manchester clubs, one of them in the FA Cup semi-final, where I felt sentiment got the better of Mauricio Pochettino who played our "FA Cup goalkeeper" Michel Vorm instead of Hugo Lloris. The debate over whether or not Hugo would have prevented a United win is useless now, as we wait at least another year for silverware. Next year will be our last chance to maintain our record of winning a trophy in every decade since 1950.

Record breaking Premier League Champions Manchester City remain the only club to have beaten Spurs in our last 21 league games. Their title was not secured until the day after they beat us at Wembley, when Man Utd surprisingly lost at home to West Brom, who have not quite given up their fight against relegation. Before we played City we were the only team other than United that had a mathematical chance of winning the title. I did say mathematical!

Both Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen have been ever-present in the Spurs starting line-up this month, and both continue in fine form which is great for the club, but also of course for their respective countries in this summer's World Cup. Sadly, Toby Alderweireld despite regularly putting out positive messages on social media, has not been able to win back a starting place, ad the Brighton game is the only time he has featured in our last 12 games, although he did suffer something of a fitness set-back after two FA Cup appearances in February.

Jan Vertonghen is the Spurs Odyssey player of the month, and is the clear leader of our player of the season poll with just three games to be played.

Jan has been Mr. Consistency all season and has missed only one of our Premier League games. He has also started 45 of our 52 games in all competitions which is more than any other member of the squad. Eric Dier, with three appearances off the bench has actually played in one more game, whilst Dele Alli has played in 47 games with seven substitute appearances. Son Heung-min has appeared in most games with 38 starts and 12 games off the bench, and I know you will all be surprised to know that Moussa Sissoko has appeared in 45 games, which includes 21 as substitute. The manager has more faith in Sissoko than you do!

P.S. - Christian Eriksen's stunner at Stamford Bridge won the Premier League's April goal of the month award.

· Review the 2017-18 Premier League season here

Don't forget to check out the players' current figures re. appearances, cards, goals scored and accumulated ratings to date at the bottom of this page.

...if you want to read reports of the matches played during this season, then links are on the Spurs Odyssey Fixtures/Reports page here. By working your way back through the previous month's figures, you can review the performances over the last 17 years!