Tottenham man much-improved in 2-0 win after questionable recent form

Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United 2-0 on Wednesday night, with a strike from Christian Eriksen inside the first 15 seconds and a Phil Jones own goal delivering three points to the Wembley hosts.

While the Danish playmaker was rightly awarded the man of the match accolade after a mercurial performance, Dele Alli deserves praise for his showing also.

It is fair to say that the Tottenham attacking midfielder has not been at his best this season and as yet has not replicated the sublime form that made him a sensation last term.

Undeniably talented, Alli has not influenced games in 2017-18 the way he did last season and has been wasteful in possession at times.

However, the Tottenham attacker was an essential player in the win over United and showcased a number of really positive traits through the game.

Alli did not surrender the ball on as many occasions as has been commonplace in recent months, while his distribution in attack was excellent.

The Tottenham star was arguably more impressive off the ball, with his movement and running consistently pulling the United defence and midfield out of position.

Mauricio Pochettino, the perfectionist, will call for more end product from Alli as games against Liverpool, Arsenal and Juventus approach – but having the England international at close to his best will be a very positive thing for Spurs.

The Tottenham star is clearly a matchwinner and will be important for the club in the remainder of the campaign.

The deadline day signing of Lucas Moura will also potentially play a role in focusing Alli, with the Brazilian possessing a lot of quality and set to immediately challenge for a starting berth in attacking midfield over the next week.