BBC pundit questions whether Tottenham are capable of winning title with £4m man

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Micah Richards has questioned on BBC Radio 5 Live whether Tottenham are capable of winning the Premier League title with Eric Dier playing as a centre-back.

During his career, Richards moved from a right-back to a centre-back. He praised Dier for going to Jose Mourinho and making it clear to him that he wants to play at the heart of Tottenham’s defence rather than in the middle of the park.

Out of all of Tottenham’s defenders this season, it could be argued that the more robust and no-nonsense Dier has been the best of the lot even though Toby Alderweireld will remain the best of the lot.

Compared to his roles as a number six, Richards stated that Dier looks ‘very comfortable’ as a centre-back rather than in midfield.

“He deserves tremendous credit,” said Richards. “When you watch Eric Dier in centre-midfield. You just feel he is a little bit laboured and not as mobile as you would like for a midfielder.

“Fair play to him. He has said to Mourinho he wants to play centre-half and he has done a good job in fairness. Sometimes when you play on the left-hand side of a back two, it’s difficult because of the way you come out with the ball. But because he knows how to deal with the ball, he is actually very comfortable on the ball from when he’s playing in midfield.

“The only thing is can he be a title-contender Eric Dier at centre-back? Because he’s not played there for so long, it’s yet to be seen. But I admire the confidence to go to the manager.”

Spurs signed Dier in 2014 when he made a £4 million switch from Sporting Lisbon [BBC Sport] and he has played in various positions during his time at the club.

From playing at right-back, centre-back, in a back three and then on a more regular basis, he was used in the middle of the park by Mauricio Pochettino.

When Mourinho first arrived, Dier was out of the first-team picture but given that it has been well-documented before that the Portuguese is a big fan of the Englishman, it isn’t a surprise that he is now a regular.