A former Spurs boss was delighted to see the England international help his old club secure a first Premier League away win since January on Saturday
Tim Sherwood has singled out Dele Alli for praise after his superb performance for Tottenham against West Ham at the weekend, insisting he can take his game to a new level under Jose Mourinho.
Spurs picked up a 3-2 victory at the London Stadium on Saturday, as Mourinho got his reign in north London off to the perfect start.
The Portuguese was drafted in to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the hot-seat after a disastrous start to the season which saw the Lilywhites slip to 14th in the Premier League table.
Goals from Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane gave Tottenham victory against the Hammers, who fell to a third successive defeat despite late goals from Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna.
Alli was hugely influential throughout the match, playing Son in for the opening goal, while also producing an outstanding flick on the left-wing which led to Tottenham’s second.
Sherwood, who took in spells at Spurs as both a player and manager, hailed Alli for his contribution while suggesting he could end up becoming a talismanic figure in Mourinho’s line up.
“He’s got all the attributes to be a top player for Jose Mourinho,” Sherwood told Premier League.com.
“He [Mourinho] doesn’t want a No 10 who’s going to play with his back to goal. He wants someone who’s going to burst without the ball and occupy centre-backs so Harry Kane can come off in a little bit of space.
“He did it perfectly. Onwards and upwards for Dele.”
Former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen agreed wholeheartedly with Sherwood’s assessment of Alli, adding: “That was a huge performance.
“He’s come in for real stick in recent weeks but that first-half performance, in particular, was brilliant. He was the star man for me.”
Alli has struggled with fitness issues in recent months, with his appearance against West Ham marking only his sixth of the campaign to date.
The 23-year-old has only been able to contribute a modest two goals to Tottenham’s cause across all competitions, but he will have another chance to prove his worth in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Spurs are due to host Olympiacos in a crucial Group B clash, which they must win to book a spot in the next round of the competition.
Mourinho will then prepare his side for Bournemouth’s arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, before he returns to Old Trafford to face former employers Manchester United four days later.
Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey