• Squad say Cup win over Bolton is evidence form has returned
• We have closed gap in terms of performances, says Louis Saha
Tottenham Hotspur have targeted reclaiming third place in the Premier League from Arsenal after securing passage into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, with conviction restored within Harry Redknapp's squad that the team can carry momentum from the knockout competition into their eight-game run-in.
Victory over Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday saw Spurs confirmed as Chelsea's semi-final opponents at Wembley on 15 April, even if the success was only Tottenham's second in eight games. A five-match streak without a win in the league has allowed a rejuvenated Arsenal to leap above them into third place, eroding a 10-point deficit in the process, though Spurs will consider the point gained at Stamford Bridge last Saturday and the dismissal of Wanderers as evidence that form has returned.
"It is football, with lots of paradox and things can quickly change," said the forward, Louis Saha, who scored Tottenham's third goal at White Hart Lane. "Arsenal have had a run so they are confident. They are in the front seat, they are in a good position but it doesn't mean we cannot do the same. We have shown consistency during the season. We may have dropped a few points during the past weeks but we have shown that we have closed the gap in terms of our performances. We have players like Emmanuel Adebayor, William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart, who have won lots of things, so I think experience is on our side."
Another of the club's senior professionals, the New Zealand international Ryan Nelsen, is still pinching himself to be in this position at all having spent the first half of the season at Blackburn Rovers labouring at the opposite end of the Premier League. "I've got to admit, the quality of players is pretty phenomenal here," said the centre-half, who had opened the scoring against Bolton. "And playing alongside them is a real privilege. I'm just so glad that the manager gave me the opportunity in January to come here, and hopefully just trying to help out as much as I can and trying to do my best for the club.
"I don't think [the recent run] was ever a 'blip'. The games against Everton and Manchester United could have easily been won by us. But now we've got to look forward to Sunday and Swansea City because that's a huge game. We have to forget about Wembley and focus on Swansea, who are a very good team. That will be vital."
Tuesday's occasion was an emotional affair for Bolton, coming 10 days after Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest in the original fixture. Memories of that incident affected the visitors. "I felt we were slightly withdrawn," said the captain, Nigel Reo-Coker. "Sometimes I felt the occasion was getting a bit too much. So I was telling the lads to calm down and play football. We couldn't keep playing at 100mph.
"Personally, when I came on the pitch before the game, I had to walk over to the area where the incident had occurred, just for my own benefit. As I say, there was a tingly feeling down my spine, but I couldn't tell you how I felt as the game wore on. We had a job to do and I had to control myself as much as possible. But, in a way, we had to face our fears. We had to eventually come back here and play so we had to face it sooner or later. We have a young team and I felt they dealt with it very well."