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Tottenham Hotspur may well be the surprise package in the Premier League this season. The Lilywhites sit top of the pile after eight games, winning six and drawing two.
They cannot rest on their laurels though, with north London rivals Arsenal right behind them, only in second place by virtue of goals scored. Both teams have the same number of points and the same goal difference.
Meanwhile Manchester City are just two points behind, with Liverpool three behind and Brighton and Aston Villa just four back. It is early days in the quest for Premier League glory, but it has been a good start under new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Many will not have expected things to slot into place quite so quickly, with the Australian's methods usually taking time to get across in previous jobs. However, he seems to fit with Spurs perfectly and supporters will be hoping the good run goes on.
Cynics have questioned Spurs' fixture list to start the season, having already played all three promoted teams in their first eight games. They have, however, also played Manchester United and Liverpool at home, with a North London Derby away at Arsenal in there too.
Late wins against Sheffield United and Liverpool have also brought about questions as to whether they can sustain a challenge with a reliance on late goals to get them out of trouble. What late goals prove though, is that they have the fitness to go right until the end.
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And there are plenty of other statistics that prove to those who have questioned them thus far, they are where they deserve to be.
When it comes to attacking, Spurs are out on their own. According to FBRef, Spurs have had 153 shots so far this season, 20 more than the next best, which is Everton. Fifty-six of those have been on target, three more than Brighton's 53.
Tottenham are third when it comes to the number of passes attempted, behind Manchester City and Chelsea, with 210 live-ball passes that lead to a shot, 17 more than City. Crucially, Postecoglou's philosophy can be seen when it comes to long passes. Spurs have completed just 430 long passes, the least of any team in the league and 61 fewer than the next best.
They have attempted 211 take-ons too - the most in the league - and, on the defensive side, have made 160 tackles, second in the league just two behind Everton in that category. Only Man City and Chelsea enjoy more possession in matches than Postecoglou's side
