Premier League 2019/20: 5 players who could win the North London derby for Tottenham

#4 Dele Alli

Can Dele Alli mark his return to action by helping Spurs to beat Arsenal?

The old saying is that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that could certainly be the case for Tottenham fans when it comes to Dele Alli. The England man didn’t have the best 2018/19 outside of the odd flash of brilliance, but given Spurs’ recent difficulties in breaking down sides like Newcastle and Aston Villa, the idea of Alli returning to action to help to break down such stubborn defences sounds like an excellent one right now.

Alli has been out for the first three games of 2019/20 due to a reoccurring hamstring issue – something that has had Mauricio Pochettino worried recently – but recent reports suggest that he’ll be ready to return to the Spurs starting XI for this weekend’s North London derby. And there’s no doubt that he adds a lot. Admittedly he isn’t a playmaker like Christian Eriksen, but nobody else links up quite as well with Harry Kane as he does and he also provides a strong goal threat.

More promisingly, Alli has a history of scoring important goals in the big London derbies. Last season saw him open the scoring in a 3-1 win over Chelsea, and it was his classy lob that helped to shoot Arsenal down in the EFL Cup. 2017/18 saw him score a brace against Chelsea, while his goal against Arsenal in 2016/17 led directly to a vital 2-0 win over the Gunners. If the return of Alli can galvanise his teammates, then Tottenham can win this game.