Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League champions 2020/21. You heard it here first.
We're only 12 games into a season, of course, but there appears to be an omen that points Spurs towards the title already. There are all kinds of omens that fans look for when it comes to their team winning trophies - for example, the World Cup has never been won by a country while a pope of the same nationality has been in the Vatican.
And Tottenham themselves have their own omens. Their last FA Cup title was won in 1991; they've also won it in 1981, 1961, 1921 and 1901, while their two league titles came in 1951 and 1961. So... 2021 for a trophy?
Perhaps more conclusive proof is needed - but don't worry, we have it. There is a little more to this than a coincidence of numbers, too.
For each Premier League season that Jose Mourinho has completed, he has finished in the same spot in the league that he was in after 12 games.
In 2004/05, Chelsea were two points ahead of Arsenal in the Portuguese's first term in England - and as we all remember, they stormed to the title that season. Again in 2005/06, Chelsea retained their trophy, after being top after twelve matches. In 2006/07, Mourinho's champions sat three points behind Manchester United in second. Where did they finish? Second.
When Mourinho came back to Chelsea in 2014, a 3-0 win against London rivals West Ham United put the Blues into third in the table after a dozen matches - where Mourinho would find himself come the end of the campaign, behind Liverpool and Manchester City. The following season, however, Chelsea built an early run together and found themselves top of the tree after twelve games - where they stayed all season.
Infamously, Mourinho was sacked with Chelsea way down in 16th in 2016/17. But when he returned to management with Manchester United the following season, the pattern repeated. 12 games in, United climbed to sixth in the league with a draw at home to Arsenal - come May, the Red Devils were still in the same spot.
Even the following season, United were second to City for most of the campaign, with Liverpool's midseason surge threatening Jose's waning side - but with a Champions League final to focus on, Jurgen Klopp rested players in the league and the prophecy prevailed. He was sacked the following season and took over Tottenham midseason last campaign - handily, for the 13th matchday.
Even at his other clubs, Mourinho has a canny knack of maintaining the same position in the table. In the two seasons that he won European trophies at Porto, he kept them top after being there on Matchday 12, repeating the feat at his two seasons with Inter Milan. In the title-winning season at Real Madrid, he did this again.
Only twice has Mourinho failed to finish in the same spot that he was in after 12 games - both with Real. He dropped from first to second to Barcelona in 2011/12 and climbed from third to second in 2012/13.
That means, all in all, he has only ever finished lower than the table than he was at this point of the season once.
This strange quirk is indicative of Mourinho's consistency over a 38-match season. The Special One has never had a noteworthy drop-off over a single season, managing to keep his teams in and among where they end up finishing. It's an omen for Tottenham this season but it's one that does have a little more relevance than the "year-ending-in-one" coincidence.
Tottenham Hotspur currently sit top of the Premier League after 12 matches - ahead of Liverpool on goal difference. Shall we give them the trophy already?
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