Tottenham take on Liverpool on Saturday seeking to close the gap on leaders Leicester, powered by the form of their young crop of English players, including Dele Alli.
The 19-year-old’s appearance at Anfield will be notable as the Reds passed on the opportunity to sign him from MK Dons last January.
Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who front beIN Sports’ Premier League coverage, give their verdict on the dynamic midfielder and the rest of the action…
ANDY GRAY: Alli has obviously had a terrific season, and what it does go to prove is more clubs should take chances with young English talent and put them in the team.
He’s been a terrific asset to Tottenham. He seems to have a good personality but has also got a bit of nastiness about him; he’s not a nice boy in that he can look after himself on the pitch.
But as a footballer, he does the simple things. He doesn’t overcomplicate things, he knows what he’s good at. If he continues to progress the way he has done over the last 18 months there’s very little this kid won’t be able to do, or achieve.
He doesn’t dwell on the football; he gets it, plays it and he wants to score goals. Certainly in the position he’s playing for Spurs and England is one where he can score lots of goals and he’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Frank Lampard for a long time.
Dele Alli with the perfect accuracy. pic.twitter.com/m8wIXJRfZ0
— Football__Tweet (@Football__Tweet) April 1, 2016
But I think where Frank was a goalscorer, he didn’t involve himself too much in the midfield. Alli has the talent to be a central midfield player if he wants to be – he has that passing ability, he has that nous.
I know it sounds a bit daft but I think next season will be even more important for him because he goes from being the new kid on the block to being a respected footballer in the Premier League and at international level, which is when the tests will begin.
I wouldn’t criticise Liverpool that they didn’t take a punt on him. It’s easy in hindsight to say they made a complete mess of it, but every club has done it. They made a decision, it didn’t go their way.
Manchester United were a club also very aware of him after he played against them in the League Cup, and didn’t take any notice. So you can criticise them as well.
Spurs’ record at Anfield is shocking. They don’t normally play well there, but this is a different Tottenham and a different Liverpool. Liverpool have only won five home league games all season so Anfield is far from a fortress and ground where you’d be frightened of playing at. 2-2.
RICHARD KEYS: In some ways he hasn’t done a great deal more than what was expected of him. I say that because we spoke to MK Dons manager Karl Robinson last season and he waxed lyrical about him.
Karl, who tried to steer him to Liverpool, said, “he’s very, very special”, and so it’s been proved. He’s been fantastic… Lampardesque. I hope he’s got a mature head on his shoulders and he’ll need it now as he starts to get more and more attention.
People will start putting deals on the table in front of him and there’s every chance his head could be turned. If Sir Alex Ferguson compares him to Paul Gascoigne, why wasn’t someone at Manchester United interested? Spurs should take great credit but for £5 million it’s an absolute steal. It’s not even a gamble.
From Liverpool’s point of view it’s in line with a number of cataclysmic transfer decisions. There’s an awful lot of business done by an awful lot of people who thought they had got the formula right but as Brendan Rodgers said, “the model just does not work”.
Spurs are better in every department, have got the bit between the teeth and Liverpool will be thinking about the Europa League. 1-2.
