Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to close the gap on the Champions League places today.
Ian Wright has claimed that Jose Mourinho simply won’t allow someone like Dele Alli to ‘just coast through’ games as he thinks the Tottenham man has upped his game ever since the Portuguese was appointed boss back in November.
Speaking to the Kelly & Wrighty Show, as posted on The Football Report, Wright thinks Alli’s game has improved since Mourinho’s arrival and he is a player who simply ‘has to produce’ under his new boss.
“It’s no coincidence that Dele’s numbers have gone up in terms of goals and assists [since Mourinho arrived] because someone like Mourinho is not going to let him just coast through,” Wright said. “He has to produce.”
Prior to Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking in November, Alli’s game was taking a positive turn as he was showing glimpses of the player that won plaudits during his early years in North London.
But ever since Mourinho’s arrival, he has taken his game to another level and he will be hoping it continues both in the Premier League and the Champions League.
For large parts of last season, Alli was a shadow of the player that wowed England’s top-flight previously, but if he can continue on the road that he is currently on, then there’s no doubt that Tottenham’s chances of winning will increase and England will be better off on the international stage.
Mourinho’s side will travel to Villa Park on Sunday lunchtime knowing that they have a great chance in securing three points against a team that is hovering above the relegation zone.
It’ll also be a great game for England boss Gareth Southgate because he can check in on the likes of Alli, Jack Grealish and Harry Winks, who will all be vying for a packed and a very competitive midfield spot for the up and coming Euros.
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