Analysing the sharp rise and steady decline of Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli 

2016-17

Alli won PFA Young Player of the Year for the second season in succession

If things had been good for Alli in his first full season at Spurs, then things were about to get even better as he established himself as one of the best young attacking midfielders in the world.

This season would see him play 50 games across all competitions and score 22 goals for the club. However, it was his form in the league that was perhaps most impressive. He made four more appearances than the previous season, only missing one game, but scored eight more goals, totalling 18 for the season. He netted one goal in the FA Cup and three in the Champions League.

The midfielder also claimed 13 assists as his attacking partnership with Harry Kane continued to thrive. His passing was more accurate and he completed 80% of his passes in the Premier League compared to 76% the previous season. His shots per game increased to 2.5 while his fitness and consistency continued to be remarkable as he completed over 4,000 minutes of action across all competitions.

Alli's form was once again recognised by his peers as he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year and included in the PFA Team of the Year for the second season in a row. He was also Premier League player of the month in January 2017 after scoring eight goals in six games, which included three consecutive braces against Southampton, Watford, and Chelsea.

Possibly the only downside of his season was a red card for a reckless tackle in the Europa League last 32 against Gent, which was the first real sign of indiscipline in his career.

Alli also continued to be a key part of Gareth Southgate's England team as they successfully qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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