Pochettino lauds Dier and Sanchez after Tottenham’s 1-0 win

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Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten start to 2018 as they won their latest Premier League clash.

In comments reported by Football London, Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that Eric Dier was fantastic in Tottenham’s hard-fought win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, while he also thought that Davinson Sanchez was hugely impressive alongside him.

Injuries to Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld meant that it was Dier and Sanchez playing at centre-back for Spurs for their game against the Eagles.

It was not an easy afternoon for Tottenham who needed Harry Kane to score from close-range in the 88th minute to settle the game and extend Pochettino’s men’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 15 games ahead of their FA Cup replay with Rochdale in midweek.

But there were some impressive performances in the win, and Pochettino suggested that Sanchez and Dier were excellent with the latter once again proving just how versatile he is.

“Today I think he was fantastic. He and Davinson were fantastic. Many good communications,” he said, as reported by Football London, when asked about Dier’s display.

“It was a tough game, up against Benteke, different players like Townsend, and we kept a clean sheet. It’s a good thing that Eric can play in different positions and he can perform in the way he did today. That’s what I like from him, it doesn’t affect his performance. He can play like a midfielder, like a centre-back. Remember in my first season he played like a full-back too. It makes him very strong and an important player for Tottenham.”

The Palace win must be hugely encouraging for Pochettino given that it highlighted how many options and pairings he can rely on as Dier and Sanchez helped the side keep a clean sheet in a game that proved difficult for Spurs to negotiate.

Tottenham’s squad depth looks set to really be put to the test in the coming months as they look to go as far as possible in the FA Cup and Champions League while also ensuring that they secure a top four spot in the league. But the display from Dier and Sanchez certainly hints that the squad is up for the challenge ahead.