Thursday 5 January 2017 11:31, UK
Dele Alli scored two goals for the third consecutive game as Tottenham ended Chelsea's winning streak with a 2-0 victory at White Hart Lane. Nick Wright examines another decisive performance from a player rapidly emerging as the Premier League's new superstar.
On the same day that Mauricio Pochettino lauded him as "the most important player to have emerged in English football in recent years", Dele Alli produced a perfect example of why he is such a special talent. Chelsea went to White Hart Lane chasing a record-breaking 14th consecutive win. Tottenham's youthful talisman ensured they left with nothing.
Spurs stifled Chelsea in a way no other side has managed since September, and when their chances arrived, Alli capitalised. He gave them a deserved lead with his towering header from Christian Eriksen's cross in first-half stoppage time, and he rammed the advantage home with a carbon copy of his opener a few minutes after the break.
It sealed a statement victory for a side whose Premier League title challenge is gathering momentum. Tottenham's fifth consecutive win sent them above Manchester City and Arsenal, and the gap to Chelsea is down to seven points. It's quite a turnaround from their stuttering form in October and November, and no player has been more important than Alli.
The 20-year-old's match-winning performance against Chelsea was a continuation of an outstanding run of form. With a goal against Burnley and two more against Southampton and Watford, Alli has now scored seven times in his last four appearances. With 10 goals in 19 games, he has already equalled his tally for the whole of last season.
It's little wonder Pochettino spoke about him in such glowing terms before the game. "He is a player with a lot of aggression in attack, ruthless and determined when he goes forward, which makes him extra dangerous," added the Spurs boss. "He understands the play very well and is a master at attacking spaces."
Those traits were evident for his goals against Chelsea. While Eriksen was collecting Kyle Walker's pass for the opener, Alli was busy accelerating into an opening in Chelsea's defence. With David Luiz out of position, Cesar Azpilicueta occupied by Harry Kane and Victor Moses worrying about Danny Rose, he was perfectly placed to guide his header beyond Thibaut Courtois.
White Hart Lane erupted, and soon enough Alli had Spurs supporters on their feet for a second time. Once again he found the gap between Azpilicueta and Moses to meet Eriksen's delivery, and once again he gave Courtois no chance with the header. Spurs only had two shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes, but what does it matter when Alli is in such clinical form?
The former MK Dons youngster joked about playing the game with his head rather than his feet in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, saying he didn't have as much time on the ball as he would have liked. But while Harry Kane was the only outfield starter to have fewer touches, there was more to Alli's performance than his goals.
Alli used possession intelligently on the rare occasions the ball arrived at his feet, showing skill and composure when surrounded by blue shirts. He has enjoyed the freedom of a more advanced role just behind Kane in recent weeks, but he still has defensive responsibilities, and his contribution without the ball was just as impressive against Chelsea.
Alli was the driving force behind Tottenham's high-pressing tactics. The Blues were pinned back for long periods, and it was telling that the normally unflappable N'Golo Kante lost possession more times in the opening 25 minutes than in the whole of Chelsea's previous game against Stoke. With Alli constantly snapping at his heels, he barely had time to breathe.
Tottenham's intensity dropped in the second half, but Alli showed extraordinary stamina right up until his late substitution. He left the pitch having run further than any other player (11.9km), and Premier League tracking data showed he had clocked 93 sprints. In the whole of the Premier League season so far, only three players have topped that total in a single game.
Alli's work-rate is all the more impressive when you consider it was his third start in a week. His youthful energy typifies Pochettino's team, and his recent scoring streak highlights his completeness. Alli has netted goals with both feet and his head, and the most exciting thing for Spurs is that he's still improving.
"The only thing that will stop him is if he stops learning," said Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness. "The boy's got everything. Every time I watch this boy play I end up talking like this about him. The sky is the limit for him. As long as he keeps wanting to learn, then he's destined to be a superstar."
Alli was rather more reserved in his own assessment. "I'm happy to help the team by getting the goals," he told Sky Sports. "It's a big statement for us but we're just happy to stay underneath the radar like we did last season." For Alli and for Spurs, performances such as these suggest that might not be possible for much longer.
