Dele Alli
When Tottenham Hotspur face Inter Milan at the Wembley on Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League, it is going to be a do or die encounter for the Lilywhites.
After disappointing defeats at eh hands of Inter and Barcelona, Mauricio Pochettino’s men got themselves back to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 4, just managing to keep their hopes alive.
As things stand, Spurs will need to win their remaining two games against Inter and Barcelona, an uphill task for a team that had succumbed to defeats against the same opposition earlier in the tournament. They can even do with a win against Inter and a draw against Barcelona, in which case they will have to hope for the other results in the group to go their way.
However, the Tottenham fans have every reason to be hopeful and expectant when the Lilywhites take on the Nerazzurri at Wembley on Wednesday night. There is bound to be an air of positivity prevailing around the Tottenham camp after that 3-1 humbling of Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. In other words, Spurs have the momentum on their side and they will fancy their chances against Inter Milan.
Spurs were heading for three points in their opening game of the Champions League against Inter away from home after Christian Eriksen put them in front. However, some late drama from Mauro Icardi and an injury-time winner from Matias Vecino stole the show for the Italian giants.
Inter held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in the last game after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Spanish giants on Matchday 3. They have been in good form in the Champions League but they have been a bit inconsistent in the Serie A, losing 4-1 to Atalanta before the international break.
Spurs, on the other hand, have plenty of positives to take from that 3-1 win over Chelsea at the weekend. Mauricio Pochettino will be extremely pleased with the way his team played, stamping their authority and outclassing the Blues in all departments of the game.
Mauricio Pochettino’s ploy to field a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond formation in midfield paid the dividend against Chelsea. Moussa Sissoko produced his best performance of the season and bossed the central midfield area while Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli wreaked havoc through Chelsea’s defence. Heung-Min Son scored his 50th goal for Tottenham and caused all sorts of problems for the Blues while Harry Kane, although not at his very best, managed to get his name on the scoresheet.
The Lilywhites impressed with their link-up play in the final third as Son, Alli, Eriksen and Kane combined brilliantly to create numerous clear-cut chances.
However, Dele Alli was the most impactful player for Spurs, making eyeballs turn with his quick passing and elegant touches. Playing as a supporting striker behind Kane, he was at the centre of everything Spurs achieved that day and he will once again hold the key to their chances when they face Inter Milan on Wednesday.
In Matias Vecino and Marcelo Brozovic, Inter have some quality central midfielders who are bound to give the Tottenham attackers a run for their money.
Milan Skriniar, although one of the best centre-backs in the world, is not the quickest defender and Alli will be fancying his chances against him. While a draw would be a good result for Inter, Spurs need to find the net and Dele Alli will be their best bet to overcome the mighty Italians in the Champions League.