Jose Mourinho Praises Dele Alli After Tottenham’s Win Over Ludogorets Razgrad

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Jose Mourinho Praises Dele Alli After Tottenham’s Win Over Ludogorets Razgrad

Jose Mourinho described Dele Alli as a “team player” after the out-of-favour playmaker’s performance helped Tottenham to the brink of qualification for the Europa League knockout stage thanks to a 4-0 win against Ludogorets.

Alli shone in a Spurs team that repeated the dominance they displayed in the 3-1 win in Bulgaria three weeks ago to move within a point of reaching the competition’s last 32.

Carlos Vinicius translated his side’s superiority into two goals before half-time – his first for the club.

The Brazilian, on a season-long loan from Benfica, got his second thanks to Alli’s selfless pass across goal when he could easily have shot himself.

It was Alli’s first appearance for Spurs since he was taken off at half-time in the 1-0 defeat by Royal Antwerp on 26 October.

Mourinho said:

“He could try to score but for Vinicius it was an easy goal. A team player does that, no risk and 2-0. It does not surprise me that he did that.

“Dele was like the team. A very good first half. In the second half in the first 20 to 25 minutes they closed and tried not to concede more goals.

“We became a little bit more passive and we never really felt the threat of a possible goal. We let it go down a little bit.”

The Premier League leaders, tied on nine points at the top of Group J but second to Antwerp due to an inferior head-to-head record, can seal qualification with a draw away to Austrian side LASK next Thursday.