The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was back to his dominant best at the Bet 365 Stadium.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring their third goal
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli put on a sensational performance during the club’s 4-0 win over Stoke City, announcing a return to confidence and form that should make the rest of the league sit up and take note.
Much of the concern about Alli’s recent form originated from quite frankly unreasonable expectations of the Young Player of the Year during England’s summer struggles in the European Championships.
England manager Sam Allardyce with Dele Alli as he prepares to warm up
It is easy to forget that Alli was only playing League One football a little over a year ago, so while his talent is there for all to see, he should definitely be given room to have down periods without too much judgement.
The 20-year-old wasn’t at his best in Tottenham’s first couple of matches of the season, but it looks as if his impressive cameo with England against Slovakia has sparked Alli back to life – against the Potters he was brilliant, with his goal and his general play.
| Position | Team | Goals | Total Scoring Att | Total Att Assist | Accurate Pass | Touches | Take Ons | Duel Won | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dele Alli | MF | Tottenham | 1 | 5 | 3 | 38 | 53 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 90 |
Alli scored the crucial third goal as the North Londoners began to run riot after the break. Smartly converting Kyle Walker’s excellent cutback, the youngster demanded the ball consistently throughout, having enjoyed his previous two-goal outing at the Bet 365 Stadium.
In truth, you could pick any of Alli, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen as outstanding performers, but it was the young England international who really looked to making an impact from the off. The other two gradually came into the game as the first half wore on, but Alli was consistently pushing forward past Kane, stretching the Stoke defence, laying off balls and looking a threat throughout.
It was a delight to see, and next in line for Alli, his Champions League debut at Wembley, with Spurs now preparing for the visit of Monaco in the next few days.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring their third goal
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