Tottenham Hotspur have been in superb form.

Spurs faced a remarkably difficult trio of games in the Premier League, taking on Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal in succession.

Jose Mourinho’s side won 2-0 against Pep Guardiola’s men and then, aware that a draw would keep them top of the league, played out a 0-0 stalemate with the Blues.

Then, at the weekend, they won 2-0 again, thanks to goals from Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane, as they took the bragging rights in the north London derby.

Taking seven points from a possible nine against three of the biggest teams in the league is pretty remarkable, especially when one considers that Spurs have kept three successive clean sheets.

And pundit Noel Whelan has drooled over the ability of Toby Alderweireld, who has been central to the club’s efforts.

The Belgium international played 90 minutes against both City and Arsenal, though he did miss the game against the Blues with a muscle injury.

Alderweireld won five of his six attempted defensive aerial duels against the Gunners, per WhoScored, made 10 clearances, enjoyed a pass success rate of 89%, and did not concede a single foul.

And Whelan was massively impressed with the 31-year-old.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “Alderweireld is the best defender at that club. He’s a phenomenal player and it’s great to see him playing so well again.

“At one stage it looked like Mourinho preferred [Eric] Dier and [Davinson] Sanchez, but Spurs always look better when Alderweireld is in the middle of that defence.

“It’s amazing to see him back playing so quickly and being so dominant when he was expected to be out for quite a while.

“That’s brilliant for Spurs and their fans, who know how good he is and how important he is to that team.”

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

Alderweireld is enjoying something of an Indian summer.

The Belgian is 31 but appears to be at his peak, and it is little surprise that Mourinho wanted to sign him when he was at Manchester United.

He is an elegant, clever defender who routinely nicks the ball off the feet of his opponents without so-much as touching them.

Against both City and Arsenal, he was utterly integral to the performance and the clean sheet.

If Spurs are to keep this up and actually challenge for the Premier League title, they will need Alderweireld at his very best for the duration of the campaign.