Premier League

Shearer drools over Spurs quartet

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Alan Shearer has been blown away by four Tottenham stars in the absence of big guns through injury.

Spurs secured their third consecutive Premier League triumph with a 1-0 weekend win at West Ham and are fourth in the table, just two points behind joint-leaders Manchester City and Liverpool.

Premier League record goalscorer Shearer namechecked Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Hugo Lloris and Erik Lamela as four players who have stood out during the club’s injury crisis.

“It bodes well for their season that they are managing to get results, despite not hitting top form or being at full strength,” Shearer wrote in his Sun column.

“They showed their character at West Ham on Saturday, a ground where Chelsea and United have already dropped points this season. Spurs did not have it all their own way at the London Stadium and when they came under pressure in the second half it was like, ‘OK, what have you got?’. But they showed some balls.

“They had a bit of toughness about them, with Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Hugo Lloris all impressing.

“They also had some magic in Erik Lamela, who has now scored five goals in his last seven games.”

OPINION

With Dele Alli and Jan Vertonghen – not to mention senior defender Serge Aurier – out for extended periods and Mousa Dembele and Christian Eriksen only deemed fit enough to start on the bench at West Ham and come on for late cameos, Spurs have chiselled out some big results without not just key players, but ones who would be nailed-on starters were they fit. While no Tottenham fan would claim the team were playing the dashing football that has been their hallmark under Mauricio Pochettino, they have got down and dirty and kept in the title running. Credit to the senior, less heralded players for delivering the goods. And this hasn’t been down to Harry Kane brilliance, either. The Spurs talisman has been decent – he is always good, even when not quite at his best – without pulling up any trees in a club shirt this season. Others have had to deliver, and they have. It is a credit to the squad assembled and the methods of Pochettino and his coaching staff.

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