A rivalry that has grown for numerous years now, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola will perhaps never be the best of friends.

The duo are right there at the very top of the conversation when it comes to discussions about the best manager of this generation - their multiple Champions League and domestic titles between them is testament to that.

And on occasion, the competition has spilled over into ugliness. Who can ever forget Mourinho's now iconic run at the Camp Nou after his Inter side triumphed over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals in 2010? Or the Portuguese man's eye-poke of Guardiola's then assistant, Tito Vilanova, in 2011?

As it can so often do between some of the game's greatest, things take on that extra meaning and edge, with each trying to assert their dominance.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

But with Mourinho facing a very real striking crisis at Tottenham at the moment - both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son are still likely to be out for quite some time - the 57-year-old may be inclined to draw some inspiration from one of his adversary's biggest trademark - the false nine formation.

Guardiola used the set-up to great effect in his time at Barcelona, with Lionel Messi taking up that almost-revolutionary role of neither being a typical striker, nor a typical number ten. The Argentine was flanked by the likes of David Villa and Pedro, wingers who operated more like inside forwards and consistently made those nuisance-like runs in between the full-back and centre-back.

It was a formation that ultimately helped bring the best out of Barcelona's best player, with Messi scoring 118 times in just 103 games when deployed through the middle under Guardiola.

Obscure Footballers - Old School edition: Nobody can score more than 70% on this quiz...

And it is a tactical set-up that Mourinho would do well to imitate at Spurs, for at least the short-term. With no recognised strikers, the Spurs boss should simply embrace that rather than effectively using square pegs in round holes with wingers playing up front.

Someone like Steven Bergwijn could be utilised in the 'Messi position', with the more central position perhaps the key to unlocking his true potential. And then out wide, the likes of Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela could come into the team, and with their right and left-foot combinations, could allow full-backs like Serge Aurier to bomb on past them a la Dani Alves.

It is certainly a gamble to take, but rather than sticking to his principle of having a number nine, Mourinho may be pleasantly surprised if he takes inspiration from one of his bitter enemies' playbook.

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Jose Mourinho can create a new legacy if the club signs this talented teenager.