‘Getting a bit too much’: Gary Neville worried for £15m Tottenham player during first-half vs Arsenal

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Gary Neville suggested that the occasion was getting to Destiny Udogie during the first-half of the North London derby as the Tottenham Hotspur youngster battled it out with Bukayo Saka.

Neville was speaking on Sky Sports (broadcast on 24/9; 14:16) after the Italian made an error which gifted a brilliant opportunity to Eddie Nketiah.

Destiny Udogie has made an unbelievable start to the season as Tottenham’s first-choice left-back. He has been one of the players to steal the show on a few occasions.

His toughest test yet in the Premier League came on Sunday as he was tasked with dealing with Saka. Udogie picked up an early yellow card. And unsurprisingly, Saka did have some joy. It was the England international whose strike went in off Cristian Romero for the opening goal.

Neville worried by Udogie during early stages for Tottenham

Udogie was brave – as Ange Postecoglou would have wanted him to be. But there was one moment in the opening 15 minutes where the 20-year-old nearly landed Tottenham in massive trouble.

The left-back did not have an option ahead of him. And under pressure from the opposition, he attempted to play a pass back towards his own goal. The pass however, went between Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario. And that allowed Eddie Nketiah to run through and get a strike away.

Fortunately for Tottenham, Nketiah was unable to take advantage. But Neville suggested that Udogie needed to calm down.

“It’s getting a bit too much for the Spurs left-back. Aimless pass,” he told Sky Sports after Udogie’s error.

In fairness to Udogie, he really grew into the game. The commentary team were talking about Ben Davies potentially coming on after his early yellow. But the £15 million man really stepped up.

Saka was less involved in the second-half. And Udogie played some brilliant football. He also seemed to win more challenges than any other player on the pitch.

It was a brave call from Postecoglou to put so much faith in Udogie this season. But he is really showing that he is already good enough for the demands of the Premier League.

And clearly, there is so much more to come from him.