Mauricio Pochettino has praised Tottenham playmaker Dele Alli.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has told the London Evening Standard that he thinks Dele Alli has ‘recovered the feeling of last season’ after his performance against Swansea City.
Spurs were desperate for a win having won just once in their previous ten games, and a game against relegation-threatened Swansea – who conceded four goals against Crystal Palace last weekend – was seen as the ideal game.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli is fouled by Swansea City’s Kyle Naughton for a penalty
It proved to be the case as well, as Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Dele Alli had gone down under a challenge from Kyle Naughton, before Heung-min Son made it 2-0 before half time.
Kane grabbed his second and Tottenham’s third after the break, before Christian Eriksen grabbed two goals in the last 20 minutes to seal a thumping 5-0 victory for Spurs.
Tottenham’s Son Heung-min celebrates scoring their second goal
Such a convincing win was just what Tottenham needed after a difficult time of late, and manager Mauricio Pochettino was particularly pleased with the performance of playmaker Alli.
The 20-year-old midfielder was exceptional last season as Spurs challenged for the Premier League title, hammering ten league goals in his first season at White Hart Lane.
This term though, Alli has endured more ups and downs, and largely hasn’t been able to match last season’s exploits, but was a thorn in Swansea’s side throughout – even though some of the focus will be on Alli winning the penalty for the first goal, as many believe he dived.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
After the final whistle, manager Mauricio Pochettino spoke to the London Evening Standard, the Argentinian admitted that he was happy for Alli, and suggested he has ‘recovered the feeling of last season’ – but the challenge for him is now to remain consistent.
“I’m happy with him – he has recovered the feeling of last season,” said Pochettino. “He’s young and needs to find his best and be consistent – that’s the challenge for him,” he added.
What did you think of Alli’s performance against Swansea?
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