WHITE HART LANE, London — Dividing football seasons up is open to interpretation. Whether month-by-month, season-by-season or something more within the parameters of the sport, there are blocks in the campaign offering both unwelcome interruptions and fresh starts.
Tottenham Hotspur suffered from the former when an international break followed an invigorating win over title rivals Manchester City in October. After a tough couple of months and three high-pressure London derbies, they are hoping Saturday's 5-0 thrashing of Swansea City signals the start of the latter.
This is not to underplay what is ahead for manager Mauricio Pochettino and his side, looking more like their old selves in this comfortable victory.