How Tottenham star Dele Alli enjoyed the perfect North London derby

By Max Cohen

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday night, marking a rare Emirates victory for Spurs.

Dele Alli enjoyed the perfect derby performance, complete with a sumptuous goal, a cheeky response to fan rowdiness, and composure in a hostile situation.

Alli scored one of the goals of the season to put Tottenham 2-0 up in the second half, receiving a lofted through ball after an excellent forward run.

His first touch settled the ball into his path, and after a deft flick of the outside of the right boot, the ball brilliantly looped over the onrushing Petr Cech and into the back of the net.

The exquisite chip secured all three points for Tottenham, but perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the match happened minutes afterwards.

(Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

When on the touchline, Alli was struck in the head by a projectile thrown from the Arsenal fans. But instead of lashing out, the English international simply reminded the Emirates of the score and flashed a 2-0 signal with his fingers.

The gesture was the ideal response to a potentially volatile encounter and revealed the maturity of Alli.

And to cap off an all-around excellent display, Alli cheekily chipped Cech again after the whistle had blown for offsides in the closing stages of the match.

Although Dele Alli received a booking for his troubles, the caution mattered little as the Tottenham attacker completed a memorable north London derby display.