Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli’s performances have been underrated.
Tottenham and England need Dele Alli to step up during Harry Kane’s injury absence and the spotlight could benefit him.
Alli has been the subject of plenty of criticism in recent months amid diving accusations, and this has distracted from his performances.
It is easy to forget Alli is still only 21-year-old, and he is very much the victim of his own success.
In his first two seasons at Tottenham he set the bar too high, and a slow start to the campaign put him under pressure.
But as 2017/18 has gone on, Alli has been getting better and better, but still his performances do not get appreciated.
This season his displays in the Premier League actually compare well to Manchester City attacker David Silva, who has been lauded throughout the campaign.
| Team | Won Tackles | Interceptions | Assists | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Silva | Man City | 17 | 12 | 9 | 8 |
| Dele Alli | Tottenham | 24 | 18 | 9 | 6 |
Alli has provided the same number of assists as Silva and only scored two fewer goals, with the City star netting twice against Stoke on Monday night.
His often unseen defensive work has been superior too.
Despite the two players’ similar stats, one has been lauded and one been criticised.
Silva has built up more goodwill over the past decade at City compared to Alli, who has become a target for bad press amid the diving controversy.
But that should not detract from what he has been able to offer in a positive sense, and Tottenham need him to step it up more than ever.
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