Tottenham must prove they are what last season's team were not - it's the biggest test of the Mauricio Pochettino era

It could have been one of the best days of the Mauricio Pochettino era at Tottenham, but it became one of the most frustrating. Last year’s FA Cup semi-final saw Spurs out-play Chelsea for much of the 90 minutes. Only to get almost all of the details wrong, and lose the game 4-2.

For those who criticise Pochettino’s lack of trophies at Tottenham, that day embodied his failure. The process was right, the philosophy was evident, the level was high, but cups in football are won in the moments, and they all went against Spurs that day. The fact that Chelsea did not show up for the final, and lost to Arsenal, only makes it more galling for Spurs.

But Pochettino said that night that his team were still in the midst of a process of learning and improvement. They were up against a side who could bring on Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, after all. That top-level match-winning experience cannot be won overnight.

One year on, Tottenham are back in an FA Cup semi-final. Back facing a bigger, stronger, more experienced side, currently ahead of them in the league. Back facing a coach who has already proven he belongs in the elite, and has the medals to show it. Back, at the end of another year of over-achievement, looking for a trophy to round off the impressive improvement.

It is the similarity of the two semi-finals, last year and this one, that makes it such a compelling test. Beat United on Saturday, to reach the final, then Spurs can prove that this year’s team can do things last year’s team could not. And then of course the final on 19 May something something. But lose to United, and it will feel like 2017 all over again. And all the questions about trophies, bottle and the biggest moments will come flooding back.

All those reasons make this the biggest match of the Pochettino era so far. Whatever Pochettino may think about how winning the FA Cup would not ‘change the life’ of Tottenham Hotspur, his fans do not feel the same way.

But there are more reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic for Spurs going into Saturday. Because all the evidence over the last 12 months suggests that this team is improving, that it should be able to pass tomorrow’s test. Not just in their general level either, but in the big moments, the games where it matters most. It used to be said that Spurs froze at Wembley, and watching last year’s cup semi-final, it was hard to disagree.

Since then, Spurs have made Wembley their home. And recorded thumping statement wins there against Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester United themselves. They have proven they can beat the best at home. If there were issues about big-game belief last year, there should not be any this time.

When asked at his Thursday lunchtime press conference whether Spurs now had the confidence to win this games, Pochettino agreed. “That’s a good point,” he said, “because we have the belief that we can beat any team. Maybe we have more experience. I don’t believe that will be the key to win the game, but we have a different level of experience and that’s an important thing.”

Of course experience does not win games by itself, but if it can help Spurs to play without inhibition and reach their top level – expansive, athletic, aggressive football – then it will be worth it.

“You need more than experience and maturity to win on Saturday,” he said. “I think the most important thing is the performance and that will be the key. I think if we are able to perform in games when we played against Madrid, Dortmund or Liverpool at home then I think we will be close. If not, with experience or without experience, it will be difficult to compete.”

Tottenham have already set the standards at Wembley this season. They know that they can beat United, because they did it so comprehensively just a few months ago. Now the challenge is just to do it again, under slightly different circumstances. To prove, as Pochettino keeps saying, that this team is still moving up.