Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier has been the most improved player at the club since the arrival of Antonio Conte, according to Michael Bridge.
The Sky Sports reporter was speaking on the Essential Football Podcast to discuss the Lilywhites’ victory at the weekend against Manchester City.
Has Dier surprised you this season?
Yes
No
Dier made his return to Conte’s squad last weekend at the Etihad Stadium following an injury issue that had seen him out of action since January.
The Englishman has been a key figure in the Spurs squad this season with 20 appearances to his name in the Premier League alone, and it is apparent Conte is a fan of the centre-back.
Since the Italian was appointed in November, Dier has featured in all the league games when available, with his recent injury lay-off being the only time he was omitted from the starting XI (via Transfermarkt).
Bridge had the following to say on Dier’s performance in the game against Pep Guardiola’s side and the 2021/22 campaign on the whole:
“If you look back at the game – okay, they [Man City] had pretty much all of the possession; they didn’t really trouble Hugo Lloris a lot. He made a fantastic save in the second half, [but] they held the ball without doing a hell of a lot with it.
“And I think that comes down to Tottenham having two key players back for the first time, I think, in months – Eric Dier and Cristian Romero – part of that back three. One of them is usually out injured. They came back this Saturday; Romero will be glad to play on the right of that three. Dier, slap-bang in that middle, the most improved player under Antonio Conte.”
TIF Thoughts on Dier’s form…
Dier’s absence for the majority of January showed a big difference in the form of the Spurs defence, with no clean sheet to their name without the 28-year-old.
It is quite the contrast considering reports suggested the centre-back was up for sale last summer alongside Spurs fringe man Matt Doherty.
With the return of Dier turning around their recent poor form at the weekend against City, Conte will be hoping the north London side can return to keeping clean sheets, given their last came on New Year’s Day against Watford.
In other news: ‘I’m told by the club’ – Alasdair Gold reveals huge Spurs rumour is ‘absolutely garbage’