The PL’s new superstar?

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, …

continue reading in source www.skysports.com