Tottenham Fancy Their Future With Even Berbatov Happy

Tottenham Hotspur's transformation gathers pace. A team who were languishing near the foot of the Premier League when Juande Ramos took up the reins in October basks in the glorious aftermath of inflicting a rare humiliation on bitter rivals, with the real prospect of silverware to come.

The scintillating display which thrust Spurs into a two-goal lead at the break on Tuesday and was maintained thereafter as Arsenal frantically sought a riposte has served proper notice of Ramos' pedigree. Tottenham have dismantled other sides since he arrived back in October - Reading were beaten 6-4, Wigan 4-0 and Fulham 5-1 -but the caliber of Wenger's charges, even second string, was greater here. The memory of Spurs' early-season toils, when they languished in the bottom three, are fading fast. Progress had been made under Martin Jol but Ramos has achieved in three months what the Dutchman could not deliver in almost three years: a final awaits.

"I'm not surprised how quickly the manager has turned things around," said Dimitar Berbatov. "Obviously he's a great coach - he proved that in Spain - but the way he talks with us and works with us, we see we can go places. What happened on Tuesday was unbelievable. We played like a great team against another great football team. To win like that was beyond all our dreams. We had not beaten Arsenal for so long but, when we did, we did it with style.

"This club can challenge for trophies. If we believe in our quality, it doesn't matter who we play - Arsenal, Manchester United or some other team - we have great players and we have a coach who can achieve a lot with us. I look happy, don't I?"

The thought of a content Berbatov satisfying his immediate ambitions at White Hart Lane will merely improve the mood among Tottenham supporters further. That buoyancy is reflected within the club. Ramos was so at ease after the match on Tuesday that he even offered to answer a question in English, only to backtrack with a smile when the crunch came. "It is his job," he said, pointing to his interpreter.

Ramos faces United in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday. It is over 18 years since Spurs prevailed at Old Trafford but, with the Spaniard at the helm, anything might be possible. As his name echoed around White Hart Lane on Tuesday night, Spurs appeared to have a new savior.