compared to -0.55 under Nuno.

Tottenham have collected 0.75 more expected points (xP) per game under the Italian, which over a full 38-game season would equate to an improvement of 28.5 expected points. The value of a top-class manager in this day and age cannot be understated.

We saw a similar uplift - albeit not as radical - when Thomas Tuchel took over at Chelsea last season, and so you have to give the Tottenham hierarchy the credit for bringing him in.

It is worth pointing out that Conte now has Spurs at similar levels to what we saw in the peak Mauricio Pochettino era, as the blow rolling xG chart shows.

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Mourinho was in charge of 58 games and had a negative xGD of -0.02, with Nuno, who only managed 10 games, an even worst -0.55.

Hopefully that puts into perspective the job Conte has done at Spurs, and goes someway to emphasising the fact that Tottenham currently have one of the very best occupying their dugout.

Not only is the turnaround impressive, but the speed in which the changes and the uplift has happened is remarkable - and on the fly too with no pre-season.

Tottenham absolutely deserve to finish fourth this season, and the future looks very promising as long as they keep Conte at the club.

Cream rises to the top

The present isn't so bad for Spurs either, with one of the key contributors to Spurs beating out Arsenal for fourth being the quality differential between the squads, especially in forward areas.

The likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son would walk into any Premier League side, and that isn't really the case for Arsenal's young front line, as much potential as they have.

England captain Kane has thrived under Conte after being starved of service under Nuno. Through 10 games under the Portuguese manager, Kane had racked up 1.9 xG at an average of 0.23 per 95 minutes.

, which is more in line with his averages over recent seasons.

Along with Kane, Son has been sensational for Conte, and January signing Dejan Kulusevski has made an instant impact, and those three players have been difference makers in big games - Arsenal don't have many of those in their team currently.

Somewhat ironically, the Gunners gave away their biggest goal threat for free in January. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang still leads Arsenal in terms of xG/95 this term and has had a big impact at Barcelona, .

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More importantly, this 21/22 season under Arteta is statistically the best Arsenal team we have seen in the post-Arsene Wenger era - based on xGD per game.

Somewhat ironically given the way he was chased out of the club at the time, since Wenger was replaced, Arsenal haven't got near the levels the Gunners displayed under the Frenchman. This season is the closest yet.

It is still heading in a positive direction under Arteta, but it is taking them an age compared to how quickly Conte turned things around at Spurs, though that is more down to the crop of players Arteta inherited than his managerial ability - not that he's on the same level as the Italian just yet.

Ultimately, as close as they have come this season, Arsenal have been only the fifth best team in the Premier League, and so deserve to be where they currently are.

What next for Tottenham and Arsenal?

Even though the Gunners are improving incrementally, the pace of that transformation is just too slow.

Given what is happening elsewhere in north London, it is likely they will fall even further behind their rivals next season.

Tottenham's xGD per game of +0.91 since Conte took over may be some way short of Manchester City (1.83) and Liverpool (1.59) but it is marginally better than Chelsea's (0.90). While challenging for the title next season would require another monumental jump, finishing above Chelsea is a very realistic aim.

As for Arsenal, who knows for how many years they will be left to linger on such a pivotal north London derby defeat.


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