Clubs outside European football’s elite are convinced the game’s financial rules are rigged to protect the richest and keep out the pretenders.

But Tottenham are living proof that making a truckload of money from Beyonce concerts and NFL fixtures is no use if you do not spend it properly.

A decade ago, Spurs fans complained frequently that Daniel Levy would not loosen the purse strings. At the time, the club was riding high under Mauricio Pochettino but could not take the final jump that – perhaps – a world-class signing or two would have delivered.

On reflection, perhaps the hierarchy were right back then. Maybe if they had worked within tighter limits in recent years, they might have made more sensible decisions in the market.

Tottenham’s starting XI at Leeds cost the best part of £500million with Leeds’ barely a quarter of that. It did not stop substitute Noah Okafor settling a tight game late in the second half and ending Spurs’ mini-revival.

Consider Pochettino’s Tottenham side at its peak. We’re not talking just Harry Kane, but Mousa Dembele, Kyle Walker, Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose. Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Dele Alli and Heung-min Son.

Not many of the current crop would make it anywhere that team which is rather worrying when we consider the sums Tottenham have invested.

The problem with this squad is that they have a whole heap of players in the ‘good-to-very good’ bracket, who are largely interchangeable among themselves. A few, like Micky van de Ven, James Maddison, Sandro Tonali and potentially Mateus Fernandes, are a little above that category. There is nobody, though, who you could truly call world class.

Take Roberto De Zerbi, too. A bright, talented boss who did commendable work at Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk, Brighton and Marseille. He does not, however, belong to the top rank like Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Unai Emery or – increasingly – Mikel Arteta.

Here, Okafor scored the only goal barely a minute after coming on, combining with fellow sub Harry Wilson and slotting beyond Antonin Kinsky. Leeds made most of the chances in the second half and ended a five-match run without a win, though James Trafford saved Jan Paul van Hecke’s header late on to preserve the points.

Spurs have enough talent to keep them well clear of relegation and it is the kind of squad who can make a strong cup run. That is what Spurs have often been in modern times and there is nothing essentially wrong with it. Given the cash the current regime have splashed, though, they may just expect a little more.

VAR baffles again

Every summer, they do it. They tweak, fiddle and fuss. They preach about high bars, mic up officials and apologise to angry managers.

They have even changed the name of their organisation from PGMOL to Pro Ref, but they will never remove the controversy that VAR causes nearly every weekend.

Towards the end of the first half, Mathys Tel screamed in pain after Jayden Bogle fouled him. Replays showed Bogle’s studs make a solid contact with the Frenchman’s ankle but after nearly five minutes of checking, referee John Brooks was told to stick with his original decision.

‘Jayden is one of the fairest players in the country,’ said Leeds boss Daniel Farke. ‘He is more like a butterfly than an eagle and he would not even foul a player on purpose, let alone injure them. It was never intentional and maybe this is why the VAR said it was not a red card.’

Bogle escaped because there was ‘a lack of speed going into the challenge’ which VAR Tony Harrington deemed ‘reckless’ rather than dangerous. Whatever it was, Tel was injured moments later and Leeds had got away with one. Tel will have scans and De Zerbi fears the worst.

In real time, it looked a standard foul. After re-watching, though, it was hard to see how Bogle could stay on the pitch.

For all the decisions VAR overturns correctly, there are still far too many that leave too many people baffled.

‘I can’t say more as I didn’t see the situation clearly but I was surprised to see Pedro Porro given a yellow card in the second half for a foul in a similar position,’ said De Zerbi. ‘I don’t know if [Bogle’s] foul should be a red card or not but today the parameters of the referee were not good enough for these situations.’

Elland Road's raw essence propels Leeds on 

Leeds are working to increase the size of Elland Road and hope that the capacity will eventually be 53,000. Whatever they do, they must not damage the place’s raw essence.

Only Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have a better points-per-game record than Leeds since Daniel Farke became boss in 2023. The lunchtime kick-off will never match the floodlit fixture for atmosphere but the second half here was as raucous as on its best days, and the stadium shook when Okafor slotted the winner past Antonin Kinsky.

‘When you have a few games without the winning feeling, it’s always difficult,’ Farke admitted. ‘Heading into the international break, it’s important to win again.’

There is plenty to improve for Leeds. If Dominic Calvert-Lewin catches a cold, where do the goals come from? Who can replace what Ethan Ampadu provides in the centre of midfield?

These are questions for Farke to tackle but with Elland Road at his team’s back, he has solid foundations on which to build.