Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has admitted to BBC Sport that Dele Alli was a ‘little bit scared’ before kick-off yesterday.
Alli produced a fine performance for Spurs, as they picked up a 5-0 victory over non-league Marine in the FA Cup.
Although the England international has faced far tougher tests throughout his professional career, Alli still managed to showcase his ability on the day.
The 24-year-old looked a cut above the rest, as Tottenham cruised into the fourth round.
And Mourinho was pleased with Alli’s performance, even if the attacking midfielder had some fears before the game started, due to the playing surface.
“I enjoyed his performance very much,” Mourinho said.
“Of course he was cautious and like everyone of us was a little bit scared of the nature of the pitch and the way they can compete so it was a game where the creative players couldn’t risk a lot but between him and Gedson Fernandes they were responsible for the dynamic of the team in the first half to create chances and score goals.”
Alli’s display may just have been enough to push him back into Mourinho’s plans at Tottenham.
The Portuguese boss has rarely praised Alli so openly this term, so his latest comments can only be good news for the playmaker.
Alli has been linked with a move away from Tottenham this month, but that is looking increasingly unlikely to happen after yesterday’s performance.
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