Last season Spurs won twice against teams above them in the league but this time around midfield maestro Christian Eriksen believes the tide is changing and could lead Spurs to glory.

A late win against North London rivals Arsenal and more importantly a stunning 5-3 victory over Chelsea, the Lilywhites opponents in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday, whetted the appetite of many Spurs fans that their side can compete with the so-called big sides.

 “The confidence we can take from that game is the most important thing, we showed that we play against them and beat them.” The Danish playmaker said, after he ran Jose Mourinho’s side ragged on New Year’s Day.

“Last season we lost to the big teams but now this season we have shown we can play well and win against those teams. We have shown some character and belief that we can win these games.”

Spurs have been labelled the nearly side in the past, lurking on the outskirts of Champions League football, sampling its magnificence just once and have come tantalisingly in recent seasons.

 Yet this campaign Spurs have begun to hit their stride and a first final Wembley since 2009 reflects their form during the winter months.

Eirksen said: “Everyone should be confident, when you beat teams you haven’t beaten in a long time that brings confidence for fans and players.

“I think everyone was happy, a bit more smiling, everyone was excited with the win.”

The former Ajax man has brought a goal scoring touch to Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season with 11 goals in all competitions – four of which came in the final 15 minutes to win games in the Premier League.

Eriksen has been the lynchpin of the side and whilst may not have grabbed as many headlines as Harry Kane, his impact on matches is the most significant of any Spurs outfield player.

The saviour of Spurs on many occasions, it’s not just been the midfielder that has contributed late goals with the White Hart Lane side picking up 13 points in the final ten minutes of games.

Speaking on whether their record of late goals will give his team the edge, Eriksen said: “I don’t know how the other guys are feeling but I know how we’re feeling and we feel well. We score a lot of late goals because of energy and if it goes to extra time.

“I think it’s a bit of both [mental and physical], I think it’s about being the right place at the right time and if you are a bit lucky like we have been a few times. When you get the chance you have to take it and we are going for it and we know we can.”

That might seem like a lot of pressure for Eriksen to come in at the end of the game with long range effort to send the fans home happy.

But pressure has been prevalent in the 23-year-old’s blossoming career so far from his days at Dutch champions Ajax.

He said: “I have always had pressure; every player has a different style of play. For the position I play there is always a bit of pressure.

“A lot of players who start young get the comparisons, the comparison with Laudrop started early. Luckily I am starting to make my own way.

“I grew up with a dad who was bit aggressive in so I am used to it [pressure].

“He was a coach for me when 7-13 and was on the sideline, he was a footballer as well so he knew what he wanted and if I had a bad game then he tell me to do better. I never thought about quitting, I have slammed the door to my room but the next day nothing happens."

It was a tumultuous campaign for Spurs last year with the sale of prized asset Gareth Bale and swapping of managers concocting in a sixth place finish and an underwhelming season.

With Pochettino asked to bring his philosophy and style to White Hart Lane, Eriksen revealed that he feels far more settled this time around.

He said: “I think it was a new manager coming in. The style of play is different and now we have had it for more than six months so everyone knows what they are doing which helps mentally as well.

“I don’t know what especially has done but work wise the idea of how we want things to happen – sometimes it connects and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Eriksen then heralded Sunday’s gargantuan clash as “the biggest yet” to get their hands on silverware.

 He said: “I think you always get a few chances but this is the biggest yet and when you get the feeling of winning you want it again. Spurs haven’t won anything for a while and we are a young team that wants to show off and win something.”