How Dele Alli’s continued improvement earned him a second Young Player of the Year accolade

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Many people believe Dele Alli was unfortunate to miss out on a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year. However, for the second year in a row the Tottenham midfielder has been awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Alli beat team-mate Harry Kane, Everton striker Romelu Luakaku, Burnley’s Michael Keane, Manchester City winger Leroy Sane and Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford to the award.

The 20-year-old has been in scintillating form this season and he has progressed above the level he performed at last year by helping Tottenham make an even stronger title challenge this campaign. The stats provide evidence for this improvement too, and at just 20 years old it’s scary to think how far the Spurs man could progress under Mauricio Pochettino.

Looking at Alli’s statistics this season, it suggests he has been very prolific in the final third. With 16 goals in the Premier League so far, the Englishman, who operates behind the free-scoring Harry Kane, has the highest goals total of all the midfielders in the division. This is a significant improvement on the ten goals he scored last season.

When Kane picked up his injury, there were worries about where the goals would come from. However, Alli, along with Christian Eriksen and Heung-Min Son, stepped up in their team-mates absence and they have continued to find the back of the net. The trio have helped Spurs win crucial fixtures, most notably when Alli picked up a match-winning brace against league leaders Chelsea.

A goal tally of 16 for a midfield player is very impressive but the 20-year-old has abilities and skills beyond just putting the ball in the net. The ex-MK Dons man is also superb at winning the ball back, being an extremely important feature in Pochettino’s energetic and aggressive Spurs side. Alli’s interplay and passing and movement are integral to Tottenham’s exciting attacking play and at the heart of it all is a very exciting English midfielder.

Dele Alli has rightfully earned the PFA Young Player of the Year award but, beyond that, labels of him being the best young midfielder in Europe may not be far from the truth. The Spurs man, at just 20-years of age, is performing on one of the most difficult stages in world football and showing some swagger whilst he’s at it, too. The ceiling really is as high as the youngster wants to make it.

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