OPINION
Tottenham Hotspur came through a tough test to beat Leicester 2-0 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening, and there were plenty of talking points to take away from the clash.
Spurs started with both Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen on the bench but saw both Dele Alli and Son Heung-min step up admirably to secure a relatively comfortable win with one goal each.
This is Futbol have picked out three things we learned about Tottenham v Leicester below.
No Kane, no Eriksen, no problem
There were fears expressed by many Spurs fans before kick-off that the omission of both Kane and Eriksen from the starting XI would leave them short against a dangerous Leicester side. That actually looked to be the case during a pretty dire first half, but Son’s beautiful strike just before the break eased those fears. Alli then scored his 50th Spurs goal to double their lead, which they managed to hold on to with relative ease for the rest of the match. Despite concerns about a perceived lack of squad depth, Tottenham have proved with victories over Leicester and Southampton that they do have quality reserves to call upon when needed.
Trippier clearly first choice at right-back
Kieran Trippier returned from injury against Southampton in midweek, but Serge Aurier was reinstated to the starting lineup against Leicester. While the Ivory Coast had a relatively solid game by his standards, it is now abundantly clear that he is an inferior option to Trippier at right-back for Mauricio Pochettino. Both players have deficiencies defensively, and admittedly Aurier can cover his mistakes more easily with his pace, but the Ivorian offers little going forward. He is much less comfortable on the ball than Trippier, and his crossing ability is far inferior. Trippier’s pinpoint delivery is a real weapon for Tottenham, and that must see him instated as clear first-choice in that position when he returns from his latest injury setback, with £80,000-a-week star Aurier [Spotrac] axed to the bench.
Sissoko brilliant once again
The renaissance of Moussa Sissoko has been a joy to watch this season, and the France international midfielder is showing no signs of letting up. He was once again one of the best players on the pitch for Tottenham as he bossed the midfield alongside Harry Winks. Sissoko’s power and energy makes him such a big presence in the middle of the park, and he is really becoming a vital weapon in Pochettino’s arsenal. Admittedly, the £30million star may still lack the end product at times, but he is pulling off things he would never even have attempted previously, and that is a good sign for Spurs heading into the Christmas period.