Michael Dawson keen to drive home advantage for Spurs in chase

Dawson, a cricketer in his youth, made contact with a ball from Broad Gary Jacob, The Times Last updated at 12:01AM, April 20 2013 A little-known statistic, that Michael Dawson has been as influential as Gareth Bale for Tottenham Hotspur, brings surprise and a wide grin to the face of the defender. Spurs win far more and concede far fewer goals when Dawson has started this season and the drop-off in results in his absence is not dissimilar to when his more celebrated team-mate is missing. Nothing is quite as black and white as that, of course, but the impact of the wholehearted and very British stopper has not always been recognised at White Hart Lane, even though he first captained the team six seasons ago, two years after he joined.

Juande Ramos and Andr VillasBoas tried to sell him, but both have been proved wrong. It is not about sulking, but being ready to perform as much as when your mate was in before you, Dawson says. I didnt know about the statistics about when I play. It is a nice one, made me smile. As a defender, you get better as you get older; youve made your mistakes. There may be further evidence available tomorrow, when Dawson, 29, is expected to start against Manchester City, although Bale has shrugged off sprained ligaments in his right ankle. Any team would miss your Bales, Dawson says. Injuries have come at the wrong time. We have to cope. We cant make excuses. Several times, Dawson is frozen for an appreciable time as he drifts into contemplating the devastating way that Tottenham, reduced to ten men, were beaten on penalties by Basle in their most recent match nine days ago to exit the Europa League. Other times, he stares into space and a smile breaks out when he remembers Tottenham beating City in a winner-takes-all match to clinch a Champions League place three seasons ago, a game that, of the two, he would prefer to reflect on. City will arrive in London in good form, having beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Barclays Premier League and Chelsea at Wembley to reach the FA Cup Final. They are playing well, but we think back to that special night in Manchester the celebrations showed what it meant and lets hope that we celebrate again, Dawson says. At the end, you can reflect on a full seasons work, the long hard ten months, to have qualified. Our aim was that we wanted to win a trophy this season and be in the Champions League. Players all watch the Champions League and the journey we went on a couple of years ago was brilliant; the teams we played and the special occasions. We took the Europa League seriously you saw the disappointment when we went out but you cant compare the competitions. Tottenham had four days off training to think about the sinking feeling that they experienced in Switzerland, their latest dip after picking up four points from a possible 12 in the league. They were lifted by Arsenal dropping points at home to Everton on Tuesday, putting qualification back in their hands. You can imagine what it was like in the dressing room in Basle; there was no way to hide the disappointment, Dawson says. You sit there devastated, gutted. We cant dwell on it. There is no point moping around, feeling sorry for ourselves. Players reflect

on their performance. The workrate and desire everyone showed has to be taken into the remaining games. Tottenham had been ever-present in the top four places from Boxing Day until Arsenals 3-1 victory over Norwich City last weekend, changing the mentality and dynamics, for Spurs are now playing catch-up. Qualification could come down to their match against Chelsea on May 8, but just as tricky may be games against Wigan Athletic, Stoke City and Sunderland, all of whom may require points to survive. We have a big six games ahead, Dawson says. Results havent come. We need as many points as we can and hopefully that will be enough. Maybe it will go down to the last day. Dawson played when Tottenham, under Martin Jol, lost fourth place to Arsenal on the final day of the 2005-06 season and was out injured when, under Harry Redknapp, they sat in third position for 43 glorious minutes on the last day in 2011-12. They finished fourth but lost out on the Champions League when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup. Now Villas-Boas has his chance. They all have their own little [quirks], Dawson says. The gaffer wants to succeed as much as anyone. Tottenham Hotspur are sponsored in cup games by Investec, the specialist bank and asset manager. Classic encounters Tottenham and Manchester City have thrown up some classic games over the years. 1981: Tottenham 3 Man City 2 FA Cup Final replay Ricky Villa puts Tottenham ahead in the first Cup Final replay at Wembley, but Steve Mackenzie levels brilliantly after 11 minutes. City take the lead through Kevin Reevess penalty, but Garth Crooks and Villa, after a mazy run, see Tottenham home. 2004: Tottenham 3 Man City 4 FA Cup fourth round City start the second half 3-0 down and without Joey Barton, who has been sent off. But Sylvain Distin, Paul Bosvelt and Shaun Wright-Phillips bring them level before Jon Macken scores a last-minute winner. 2010: Man City 0 Tottenham 1 Premier League Spurs edge out City to claim a Champions League place for the first time, thanks to Peter Crouch bundling the ball over the line late on.

Words by Gary Jacob