Tottenham’s Danish star was the difference against Southampton in Sunday’s Premier League game.
Christian Eriksen must clearly enjoy taking on Southampton, having scored his first professional brace against them and current Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino in the corresponding fixture last season.
And the former Ajax man followed that up with another match winning performance against the Saints on Sunday, lashing in a low shot from distance that beat Fraser Forster at his near post.
Below are the Dane’s averages from his six other Premier League games this season, where he has also scored one other goal ahead of the game against Southampton.
Christian Eriksen Premier League statistics before Southampton game
| Team | Total Scoring Att / apps | Total Att Assist / apps | On Target Scoring Att / apps | Touches / apps | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Eriksen | Spurs | 2.17 | 1.83 | 0.5 | 71.67 | 6 | 477 |
Statistics from Tottenham vs Southampton 5/10/14
| Team | Total Scoring Att | Total Att Assist | On Target Scoring Att | Touches | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nacer Chadli | Spurs | 3 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 1 | 90 |
| Christian Eriksen | Spurs | 3 | 2 | 2 | 53 | 1 | 82 |
| Sadio Mané | Southampton | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 90 |
| Erik Lamela | Spurs | 1 | 3 | 1 | 58 | 1 | 89 |
| Dusan Tadic | Southampton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 58 | 1 | 90 |
| Ryan Bertrand | Southampton | 0 | 2 | 0 | 79 | 1 | 90 |
It is clear that against Southampton Eriksen was one of the most effective attacking players, not even factoring in his goal. Though he had less touches on the ball than he has averaged in Tottenham’s other games, mainly on account of the fact they were up against an opponent that also presses and is comfortable in possession, Eriksen was the joint leader when it came to shots on goal, also getting two efforts on target, more than anyone else. The 22-year-old was also a creative influence, helping set up two attempts for his teammates.
Aside from his touches against Southampton, the stats Eriksen registered on Sunday were stronger than he had averaged in his other Premier League games, and noticeably up with regards to getting his strikes on goal.
After a slow start to the season, it looks like Eriksen may be finally edging towards some impressive form, and that is a player Pochettino would be wise to build his side around.
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