Dier: Alli has improved on first Spurs season

Rather than a sophomore slump Dele Alli has managed to improve on a stellar first season with Tottenham according to teammate Eric Dier.

Alli has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season, having managed 11 last term, and he was the catalyst for this weekend’s 4-0 win over Watford with a stunning opener.

Spurs sit second in the table, seven points behind Chelsea, and have now won six straight in the league despite the injury-enforced absence of Harry Kane.

Dier is another to have stepped up, with a couple of key goals in recent weeks, including one against the Hornets, but he was quick to heap praise on Alli for his performances.

(Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“It was lucky, wasn’t it? I wouldn’t call it magic but it was alright! No, seriously, we needed a goal to get us off the mark (against Watford) and to be fair it was a great strike from Dele Alli,” said Dier.

“Dele’s doing really well this season, he’s come on leaps and bounds from the last campaign which is extremely impressive considering the season he had last year so I’m really happy for him to get another goal.

“I would have liked to have scored more goals this season so to get two in three games is very nice and I’m very happy with it.

“It was great to get the second goal so quickly after we scored the first and from then on we were quite comfortable and we just needed to keep playing in the same way.

“We didn’t start very well and that was disappointing. We need to start well against these teams and not give them any confidence, nothing they can build on, so we were disappointed that we didn’t start well.

“I think we were a bit sloppy to begin with but from then on, from when Dele scored onwards, we were very comfortable and we seemed to be enjoying playing.”