Former Tottenham Hotspur attacker Aaron Lennon has been blown away by James Maddison after his exceptional performance in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Brentford.
Coming off the back of two consecutive Premier League defeats against Newcastle United and Arsenal, Tottenham needed to up the ante against their capital rivals, and Maddison played a key role in the win.
The Bees stunned Spurs when Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock merely seconds into the London derby, but goals from Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson turned the game on its head before half time.
Maddison then sealed maximum points for Ange Postecoglou’s side with an emphatic finish that capped off his brilliant all-round performance.
The England international completed three key passes and created a big chance. Although he also spurned a guilt-edged opportunity, the rebound was turned in by Solanke for his first Spurs goal.
Lennon believes Maddison will be a crucial player for Tottenham this season if he can stay fit.
“He’s been outstanding all season, to be fair,” Lennon said live on talkSPORT.
“He started the season like this last season and he is a fantastic player. He’s one of the players that you’d love to play with. He makes things happen.
“He looks back to his best. He was driving past players, reading the game well, lovely finish at the end.
“If the players in front of him had their shooting boots on, then he would have three or four assists in that game.
“He is vital to everything that Spurs do, especially going forward. He’s a key player and Spurs need him to stay fit.”
Lennon also backed Solanke to recapture his goalscoring form after netting his first goal for Spurs over the weekend.
“i think he’ll go well,” Lennon said on Solanke. “He’s come in, picked up a knock after the first game, and we’ve got to give him time to settle.
“But Spurs need that number nine, they need that focal point, and they need him firing. I think he’ll go well – I think Solanke will score goals this season.”
Stats from Sofascore.com