Tottenham are now Chelsea’s nearest Premier League title challengers after Mauricio Pochettino’s side beat Middlesbrough 1-0 last weekend.

Antonio Conte’s Blues had earlier in the day overcome Arsenal 3-1 at Stamford Bridge to go 12 points clear at the top, but Spurs brought the gap back down to nine after a Harry Kane penalty was enough to see off a stubborn Boro at White Hart Lane.

Pochettino’s men remain second in the table, and go into their clash with fifth place Liverpool on Saturday knowing that they cannot afford to drop any more points in pursuit of leaders Chelsea.

Spurs are unbeaten in nine Premier League games now, dating back to a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on December 11, and they’ll know that they need to put a long winning streak together to prevent Conte’s Blues regaining the title.

And many felt that Spurs boss Pochettino needed to do a bit of business in January to strengthen his squad ahead of the second half of the campaign, although Tottenham were one of several sides with few incomings and outgoings last month.

Tom Carroll did leave the club for Swansea though, and here are TWO other players who really should have left North London in January…

Josh Onomah

19-year-old Josh Onomah has played just 16 minutes of Premier League football this term, and with Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks ahead of him in the midfield pecking order, it’s hard to see him adding to that in the coming months.

The youngster made his debut for the club in January 2015 as a substitute in an FA Cup replay against Burnley, but has since then added just 29 appearances to his name such is the quality of midfielders Pochettino has at his disposal.

Onomah is not going to get into the first team regularly and, although he is often named among the substitutes, the likes of Sissoko and Winks are much more likely to be called upon to change a game.

Thus, a loan move away last month may have been beneficial for the youngster, with it likely that he’ll appear in just FA Cup games and have the odd Premier League cameo role between now and May.

Kevin Wimmer

Jan Vertonghen’s nasty-looking injury in the 4-0 thumping of West Brom on January 14 may well have prevented fellow defender Kevin Wimmer from moving on last month.

However, Vertonghen will return to training much earlier than originally anticipated, so it’s now highly unlikely that Austrian international Wimmer will get the playing time he desires at White Hart Lane.

The 24-year-old has started just four games for Spurs in the Premier League this term, and hasn’t looked overly comfortable in any of them, with his own goal in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal back in November indicative of his struggles.

Yet, Wimmer did deputise well last season when Vertonghen got injured, so you sense that he needs a run of games to get to his undoubted potential.

Southampton and Borussia Dortmund were reportedly interested in the centre-back, and it may have been a more beneficial move to him than waiting in the wings at Tottenham.