Jermain Jenas has suggested that Christian Eriksen cold be the key to Tottenham’s ambitions this season.
The Dane, 26, was left out Mauricio Pochettino’s squad to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, and ex-Spurs man Jenas has claimed that keeping him fit could be vital to the club’s chances of success this campaign.
Speaking as a pundit on BT Sport’s coverage of the clash (BT Sport 2, Sunday January 27th, 3.30pm), he said: “The next four to six weeks are the most important weeks of the season – they will define the season essentially.
“He [Pochettino] needs his key players, and for me, Eriksen is probably the key player that you need to keep on the pitch.”
OPINION
So often at Tottenham it is Harry Kane who takes all the headlines, and understandably so. The England captain is as good a striker as any in world football right now, but his teammate Eriksen is arguably up there with the very best when it comes playmakers. The 26-year-old is the creative heartbeat of the Spurs side, and is capable of pulling teams apart with his unrivalled footballing intelligence. Eriksen can do it all – defence-splitting passes, mazy dribbling, and emphatic goalscoring – and it’s no stretch to say that he would walk into any midfield in Europe. Spurs will have a hard time keeping hold of him in the future, especially as negotiations over his contract continue to rumble on, but right now, with their season at risk of coming off the rails entirely, Spurs need their star man to be at his best for them to ensure that this year is a successful one.